#and thank you rachel for encouraging me to write and post this!!

[roguephenon]

II: The Thing That Will Always Be

"...Knowing this was the outcome, would you have still done the same?"

"In a New York minute." (Chapter cover is by @pinkmeanschaos. Check them out; they have fantastic work.)

The beginning of the end lies under the cut.

This would be the part where I post a tease of the chapter, followed by a link to said chapter.

Let's switch it up this time.

You've all given me so much love and encouragement, and I appreciate and cherish it all. Thank you so, so much.

But I'm not the only fanfic writer for this fandom. There are so many others who deserve love too. Some come to mind.

Like...

@geekinclara just recently started a KND fic, "Those Were The Days". It looks to be their take on Rachel's days as Supreme Leader and maybe even beyond that. It's off to a fantastic start. I've occasionally seen their posts about how much prep they've been doing for it (did you know making a cohesive timeline for this show is hard? Because it truly is), so it could do with some love, non?

And then there's @spicedwatermel0n and his KND fic, "The Rebellion," a GKND AU with 15 chapters already. It explores darker themes (which he's gone through the effort of listing before it starts to prepare his audience; he cares!) while weaving a narrative of the cast trying to fight an oppressive GKND regime. In space. Which is dope. He even has his own art of his designs. I hear he loves people asking about his AU and headcanons on his side blog when he has time to answer.

Nowadays, I write stories and create art for myself first and foremost, and I believe that should be the ultimate goal. Learning to love and take pride in your work should compel your drive to tell stories!

But comments matter, too. Feedback and engagement are rarely ever not a boost. I read every review left and respond to what I can when I have spoons, and it's an amazing feeling.

So, this is just me saying, "Help them feel amazing, too!" And not just these two, but all fanfic writers! If you see a fic you like, leave a quick sentence of your favorite moment!

Even if it has no traction, you'll just be their first!

Even if it has yet to be updated in 14 years, maybe there's a chance they'll come back one day!

Just something that came to mind to me today! And, of course, everyone has boundaries and things they like and dislike. Be respectful of those, too! Seriously. I've had to learn lessons the hard way, and I hope you don't have to have as harsh of an experience.

Thanks for listening to me yap!

Here's the link to Cold Reception's penultimate chapter for your trouble.

[fadefromthelight]

hold your breath

Nobuhiko just stares down at him with that look Wataru's come to associate with him trying to solve a difficult problem. "What do you want?" Wataru asks, barely above a whisper.

"You're going racing, right?" Nobuhiko's voice is low, just as aware of their parents in the next room as Wataru is. "Take me with you."

Read on: Ao3

[1waveshortofashipwreck]

when you get this, answer with five mutuals you love and why! then send to five other people <3

I know what you're thinking... am I really going to tag 15 moots because I got this ask 3 times? The answer is fUCK YEAH

@dontirrigateme I'm gonna start with the one who started it all for me!! Thank you for being the one that got me into BoB and obsessing over them with me all the time 😂 you're honestly an amazing human being and I am so SO grateful I get to call you my sibling!!!

@executethyself35 ALEXI!!!! One of my number one supporters and only one I'm ok sharing Luz with!! You're an amazing human being and I love your chaotic energy 🤣

@ewipandora Ewi !!!!!!!! We don't talk enough but that doesn't mean you're not one of my fav moots to see around!!! You honestly seem like such a kind and sweet persoN WE NEED TO TALK MORE!!!!

@ithinkabouttzu Maaaaacccc!!!! I love getting to talk to you and your writing is INCREDIBLE!!! You are always so kind and encouraging and you mean the world to me!!!

@ronsparky Jess you lovely human!!! I know we don't talk a lot but seeing you in my notes always makes me smile!! Thank you for being my moot and always being so kind and supportive!!

@love--persevering VASILISA YOU GORGEOUS HUMAN!!!!!! I know we don't talk too much but it always means the world to me whenever I see your name pop up!! Thank you for always being so encouraging and kind and lovely and everything in between !!!!

@ronald-speirs MARINE!!!! We've just started talking more and I'm so glad we have!!!! You are so incredibly kind, uplifting, warm, and just all around a wonderful person!! Thank you for being my moot and I can't wait to talk to you more!!

@thicccqueyoongimin Laraaaaaaaaa!!!!! I will never forget reading your ship request and thinking "did I write this in my sleep" 🤣 I love how alike we are and how much we just vibe!!! Thank you for understanding me and my/our obsession with Winters and Liebgott 😝💖

@panzershrike-pretz PRETZ MY BELOVED!!!! You were the first person in the fandom I actually traded discords with so we could talk more!!! Thank you for always having amazing chaotic energy and also your ocs are always so cool and intricate!!!!! You're an incredibly kind and lovely human and I'm so grateful we're moots!!!!

@blueberry-ovaries Mads!!! I know we don't talk a lot but it always makes my heart happy to see you pop on my dash and in my notes!!!! You always have something nice to say and your charts/rankings give me life 🤣💕

@xxluckystrike BLU!!!!! You were one of the first people I wrote a request for!!! We don't talk a lot but we need to talk more!! You are such a kind and lovely person and it always makes me smile when I see your name pop up ❤️✨

@sweetxvanixlla Vani!!!!! I think you were the first person in the fandom to tag me in something like a tag or ask game!! I know it's silly but that first time being included just meant the world to me, thank you for being such a kind and lovely human and including me that first time 💖

@neptunes-blue Aaaaaaa my HBO War Secret Santa!!! The Winters art you made was ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE!!!!!! Thank you so much for being my moot and creating art that is just STUNNING 🥰💕❤️✨

@b00ks1ut Rachel!!! I know we don't talk a lot but seeing your name in my notes always makes me smile!!! thank you for always being kind and encouraging!! We need to talk more ❤️❤️

@hanniewinnix Ok so this is gonna be really silly but I will never forget posting the first chapter of Should've Been Born Later Nix and seeing that you reblogged it with a tag llike OMNOMNOM like it honestly made my day and just meant the world to me!!!! Thank you for always being so sweet and supportive love!!! We gotta talk more!!!!!!

Aaaaaaa I feel like I repeated a lot of adjectives but truly y'all are the kindest, sweetest, most supportive and encouraging people I've ever talked to and even if we don't talk/don't talk a lot please know I love you sosososososo much and my messages are ALWAYS open!!! 💖❤️💕🥰💝

[firenati0n]

Hiii! For the director's commentary asks, I'd love to hear about the angel!henry fic andd the proposal au!! or ⭐⭐⭐if you prefer that <3<3<3

lovely saturn helloooooo! thank you!

angel!henry:

fun fact, it is intentionally 9999 words, an angel number! i cut swaths of the fic out to make the word count work lol. some bits that I cut, I ended up repurposing in new wips I'll post eventually! there's one particular bit that was really sweet and lovely in angel au that i cut, and ended up making it extremely angsty and sad in my upcoming actor au. I'm happy I got to save it, even if it is so tonally different LOL

proposal au:

this was a fic i literally had a dream about, and at the time i had like 4 tumblr followers and i made a shitpost about it asking someone to write it and then went to bed. and woke up to @kiwiana-writes going "hey so what if you wrote this and i cheerleaded and betaed" and then i broke out into hives

this was the fic that got me writing in the first place. if i had not made that tumblr post, i would have never been encouraged to go for it, and i would have never ended up writing worm fic or posting anything. sooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!! thanks mj and everyone for getting me to try!!!!🥹

⭐⭐⭐:

i am more than a little proud of my fun ryan gosling/rachel mcadams inspired actor au and my cracky hannah montana au and my spy au, only bc I did not think I would write them or have them end up the way they did!!!

herny mountana was almost scrapped like, a gazillion times. i would literally make jokes to people about turning it into a john wick style thriller and killing off herny mid-concert bc the crack/satire/humor was so hard to nail sometimes. it ended up being painfully earnest.

actor au I wrote in like one and a half sittings between 3am and 6am like a complete fever dream while watching the mtv movie awards scene on LOOP. it was also how i toyed with writing more physical intimacy without jumping in headfirst.

spy au I had an itch to write and no idea how to properly execute and @cha-melodius was so helpful in taking the words and making them make sense. keeping track of limbs is hard!!! it's why I leave the action and the guns to sara thank you sara

xoxo roop

[ask me for the “director’s commentary” on a particular story, section of a story, or set of lines. Or, send in a ⭐star⭐ to have the author select a section they’ve been dying to talk about!]

[laracrofted]

I think this is such a lovely way to round out 2023! It’s been such a great year of stories and moodboards and gifs and art and thots about our favorite aviators!

Jordan (@gretagerwigsmuse) is such a talented writer and such a genuine cheerleader for others on here! Her fics are smart and thoughtfully developed and have a whole buffet of emotions (oh and are spicy as hell!)! All of her stories life rent free in my head. She’s the best person to chat to, swoon with, bounce ideas off of, and is always so supportive of everyone. Her reblogs are as stellar as her use of Kate memes ✨ She was my first real fandom friend (the reason I decided to keep writing after posting what I thought was a one and done Christmas fic) and I unabashedly adore her!

Ames you are simply one of the nicest people I have met on here and am obsessed with the way your brain works (in a very normal way lol)! Your prose and way with words makes me want to jump off a cliff in the best of ways. I think you’re endlessly talented and I live for every piece and pretty moodboard and carefully curated playlist you’ve shared with us (my fav BIHO babes 🩵, the Supernova trio, Delicate!Bob, the one-two punch that is DA!Jake and Batman!Bob)!

Elle (@callsignspark) is a gem of a person and such a great storyteller! The universe she’s created and all the in-depth backstories for her characters blows my mind. And The Range! From the coziest of heartwarming fics to the you’ll be crying for a week angst to the fan yourself smut! There’s nothing she can’t do! (And her tags never cease to make me laugh.)

Cass (@notroosterbradshaw) knows how to balance the sweet with the sting! Her stories have such reality woven into them and she crafts characters you just instantly root for! I’ll never get over the DEPTH she infuses into her pieces, there’s a reason they resonate with so many people!

Beth (@teacupsandtopgun) knows how much I adore her! She’s got such a lovely spirit and is one of the reasons why this community is such a wonderful one to be a part of. She is wildly talented in her own right (Flick is an icon and I want to live in her moodboards ) and she is so supportive and encouraging to everyone!

Lena (@tongue-like-a-razor) writes some of the best dialogue I’ve read! Her wit is effortless and her series are addictive! And she’s such a wonderful person to talk to!

There’s so many other people in this fandom that I appreciate! Like Rebecca (@ryebecca) with her endless talent for creating beautiful and unique moodboards. I have so much appreciation for so many other like @sehnsuchts-trunken, @starryeyedstories, @ofstoriesandstardust, @na-ta-sh-aa, @gigisimsonmars, @joaquinwhorres, @je-suis-prest-rachel, @roosteraloha, @withahappyrefrain, @bradshawsbaby.

But the biggest love letter goes to everyone who reads and reblogs and likes and comments on the stories that get shared on here! Thank you for being here and a part of the lovely community!

Happy New Years TGM friends! ✨🪩 (I tried to keep it short and sweet, but that’s not in my skillset, lol)

i love you so big, alexa ✨🪩 and of course, with the disco ball for posterity. have a happy new year, babes!

end of the year positivity night 💌

[floredaqueen]

20 Questions for Fic Writers (& Artists)

Tagged by: @buckysgrace 🥺❤️

Disclaimer!! I read ao3 fics, but I'm not able to post or type on the site because I don't have a computer. So everything I speak about will be related to tumblr, I'm SORRY!! ALSO, I will be replacing some answers about fics to art. Thank you, and I hope to see ya sooon♡♡♡

1. How many works do you have on ao3(Tumblr)?

A) I have 4!

2. What's your total ao3 (Tumblr) word count?

A) I don't even know, I don't keep track >///< (I will start doing so though.. at some point..)

3. What fandoms do you write for?

A) Stranger Things and Fargo, and I want to start writing for Bullet Train too!! I'm an action girlie.. and I love a crazy man (Tangerine/Aaron Taylor Johnson). I hope to keep writing for Joe, Dacre, and Aaron.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

A) I only have for 4 fics right now, but the order of the most liked would be Curiosity At First Sight, Mirame, Feeding Time, and A Bud in the Gun! I need to rewrite Pep because I hate the way I started it!

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

A) Yes, I DEFINITELY DO!! I love responding to people. Everyone has been so kind and encouraging, and it's super refreshing to see the positive impact I'm having on these communities. I share my thoughts and expressions! I feel like what I do is purposeful, and I hope it continues!♡

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

A) None yet!

7. What is the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

A) All of them end with an uplifting note so far! When I get to Nova and Eddie's story, their's will probably be the most somber.

8. Do you get hate on any fics (Art)?

A) Yes, actually! I usually don't voice my frustrations with it, but I take it as something to learn from! There was this one time where I drew Billy and shared it in a Discord server, and someone freaked out about it. They called him a "child beating racist,". It was as wild as it sounds.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

A) Damn right I do! Most of the smut I write or draw is passionate. Sweet, sometimes sloppy, but overall passionate.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

A) I haven't written one yet, but I would love to! I don't know what I would come up with, but I'm sure it would be fun!!

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

A) No, not yet! But I hope it never happens! If it did, would it be wrong of me to be like, "I'm famous, Mom!!"?

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

A) No, not that I know of?? If people asked, I would translate it! Or try to.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

A) No, I haven't! But I would LOVE TOOOOO!! There are a lot of people i would love to co-write with, but not necessarily good enough yet to be on that level! I really want to, though! So y'know if anyone is down and goated with the sauce... uwu

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

A) ...probably Mike Ross and Rachel Zane from Suits! If not them, then probably Dick Grayson and Starfire.

15. What's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

A) There's a Steve Harrington fic I'm working on that I'm getting progressively slow at writing! I want to finish it, but it's probably gonna be done by the end of January of next year.

16. What are your writing strengths?

A) I'm very good at synonyms.. also, I'm very good at easing my way into a scene! Also, it's good with coming up with specific scenes, too!

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

A) I'm not good at transitions or dialogue, I always end up repeating myself, and I overthink, so my writing always ends up sloppy or vague.

18. thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

A) I'm fluent in Spanish, and I love DOING IT! It's fun to keep people guessing or to have them happy or surprised at the meaning. "Mirame," just means look at me.. but with the way my story is centered, it's sensual and gives a romantic connotation behind the relationships of the characters I'm trying to "portray"

19. First fandom you wrote for?

A) Five Nights At Freddy's... no, I will not elaborate! Next Question!♡

20. Favorite fic you've written?

A) So far, I'm proud of A Bud In The Gun! When I look back at it, I'm just happy I was able to portray the grief Chrys was going through the way I did! I hope more people find that one! I know it's starting off slowly, but it's a slow-burn, I swear it'll get better!

Thanks for the tag, Gigi!♡♡

Suggested Tags!!

@imyourdaninow @trinitywifey @heartbreak-sandwich @hg-deranged-edition

At your own risk! Lol♡

[smblmn]

Fic Origin Story

Thank you for tagging me @lizzie-bennetdarcy!! 💖😘

What was your first fandom (reading and/or writing)?

I didn't start reading fanfic until like four years ago, I didn't even know what it was. I discovered it on a series of posts on IG about wolfstar (fuck JKR btw). They were just drabbles, but one of the accounts that posted them had a link to AO3 and, well, the rest is history. I moved on from the HP fandom pretty fast though, I never interacted in it. It's a huge fandom and I was very overwhelmed to do anything more than lurk, but then I discovered SKAM, specifically SKAM France and that's the first fandom I was a part of.

I have some wips for that fandom but I never finished any (I just looked it up and the longest is 17k words, I should have def finished it.)

BUT the first time I ever wrote fanfic was many years ago. After reading the Hunger Games' books I thought it would be cool to know Peeta's side of the story so I started writing it. That's my real first approach to fic even though I didn't know what I was doing.

What was the first story you ever wrote (even if it was never posted) and what made you decide to write it?

I've been writing stories since I learned to write. I distinctly remember writing a tale about some mouse-like creatures that lived in my aunt's store when I was about 8. She thought I had seen a mouse for real and almost gave her a heart attack.

If we're talking about fic, the first one I ever finished and posted was 'On the outside looking through' and I only finished and posted it because I was encouraged by some lovely people in this fandom and had the SC Media Fest deadline. I decided to write it because I love Pride & Prejudice and I wanted to read a version of it in a modern setting.

What’s a piece of advice you would give to your younger fic-writing self?

Not to worry that much about small details or about how people will react to your fic. If someone doesn't like what they're reading they'll probably just close the tab and move on and not be a jerk about it. I was terrified of posting anything thinking I would get criticized for it.

What’s an early fandom interaction that stuck with you (be it a nice comment, a friend you made, a fic that got a lot of feedback etc.)?

I'm not lying when I say every comment means the world to me. People have been super kind to me, but I didn't have friends yet in the SC fandom by the time I posted my first fic, so I didn't know what to expect. Then @wordthieve commented on it and left me speechless. I couldn't believe the writer from one of my all time favorite fics (You can fall) would read my fic and much less say that she liked it.

Post a sentence or two from one of your older fics, and a sentence or two from a newer one (if you want).

From 'On the outside looking through'

He sees the moment Patrick realizes David overheard their conversation when his face falls. The atmosphere must be tense enough that Ted leaves them alone, joining Rachel and Alexis. David keeps looking at Patrick in the eyes and this time, Patrick holds his gaze. He’s blushing furiously and, unfortunately, it’s a very good look on him. Because David can’t help being a little shit, he plucks the cocktail umbrella from his jacket and places it inside the neck of Patrick’s beer bottle. “Live a little, Patrick.”

From my last fic 'Until we get there'

David shakes his head and wipes the tears that had started falling the second Patrick looked at him with that gaze that never fails to let him know how much he loves him. “I don’t know how you do it.”

“Do what?”

“Have so much faith in me.”

As always, feel free to ignore. I don't know who's been tagged already @dinnfameron @noahreids @distractivate @blackandwhiteandrose @wordthieve @chelle-68 @rosedavid @apothecarose @jamilas-pen @beaiola @ramonaflow @sspaz1000. Also, feel free to participate if you want!

[thetruestudent]

The Student - Her True Story

In Her Own Words

It's been a decade since The Student drama exploded in the royal fandom so here is my write-up of what lead up to the drama, how it unfolded and the aftermath.

Thanks @duchessanon for encouraging me to do this!

This is much longer than anticipated so I've included a cut. I know it's a lot to read but there's a juicy reveal that I've never shared before within!

Before I was even aware of this fandom, I was a casual royal watcher. My granny has loved Diana since I can remember and I would borrow her books about her in my teens. I also grew up watching satirical Canadian shows that would often poke fun at the royals although I didn't really understand a lot of it as a child. And then there was the general education on the royal family in school - you know, where we learned about Canada being a constitutional monarchy. Ahem.

In my teens and early 20s, I got into pop culture in general and would follow a lot of the drama that went on with the younger royals. Guy Pelly, Chinawhite, Club H, William e-mailing Britney, etc. I knew it all despite not being someone who watched the weddings, followed the tours here in Canada or kept up with thing like events like Trooping the Colour. My main source for this info was a Livejournal blog called ONTD - which is still running somehow!

One 2012 day, I happened to click into a royal post and saw a comment thread referencing TrueRoyals (now @heavyarethecrowns) and decided to check her out. I specifically noticed the one comment about being this blog being harsh on Kate's body which I didn't like and soon found out that the Kate content was way more vile and misogynistic than described. I left a few anons defending her and was written off as a "mini-midd". I wouldn't say I was a full blown Kate stan but I did think she was beautiful, loved her style and related to her as a fellow Tall Girl ™. Perhaps the attacks did feel a bit personal to me because of that but I hate seeing any woman spoken about in the way and always speak up when I see it (which I can back up, I'm on Real Housewives Reddit these days and get exhausted from defending morally objectionable women from misogynistic attacks).

I then decided it was time to shit stir. I was bored and had an idea that I knew would create drama. I have never admitted this to anyone (aside from duchessanon and one other blogger in private) but I created a secrets account called "royalfandomsecrets". I started out with a bunch of fake "secrets" with the goal of making Rachel and her ilk paranoid. I never crossed the line into anything mean-spirited, just calling out some of the hateful messages being spread. I'd also pick names to include at random, blogs I had never looked at before (including Kate stan accounts) but would find through reblogs, and say something innocuous enough that it would've made me laugh had it been said about me. Then the real secrets started pouring in and this is where it got interesting.

From what I remember, the secrets being sent in weren't that bad. I wouldn't post anything that could be considering bullying and nothing stands out in my mind as particularly harsh, aside from some of the posts coming in about Rachel. Now I wasn't stupid, I had installed an IP logger from the start because I had a feeling something was going to happen with these secrets and my instincts were proven correct when I noticed the most hateful secrets towards Rachel were coming from one IP. Her own.

Rachel was very open about where she lived. I don't know if she still is open about it but I'm not going to share where (and I don't even remember anyway). I was surprised by this. I remember on one occassion she even posted about a very old church in her town. I knew with certainty that these posts had to be coming from her because she sent in a message chastising me off anon that matched the same IP. With this documented, I attempted my first TrueRoyals takedown. I posted a screenshot from the IP tracker with the IP blocked out and, if I remember correctly, I believe I blocked out everything but her county. Rachel was furious about this and reported me to tumblr admin, getting me shutdown. I believed this to be unfair but, at the time, there was nothing I could do about it.

So I moved on and started sending her anons. Sometimes just dumb questions, sometimes spreading silly rumours like claiming one aesthetic tumblr belonged to Beatrice or describing my ~dream royal wedding dress~ (which sounded horrific btw, I was surprised she even shared it). That's when I realized she was responding to any and every anon I was sending in and then it clicked; I could have fun with this!

As you can see from the above ONTD link, it was rumoured that Harry was dating Mollie King. At the time, The Saturdays had a new single (30 Days) from their next album coming out so I sent in an anon saying that Harry and Mollie were friends who were not actually dating but were pretending to for mutually beneficial reasons - Mollie had a song/album to promote and Harry was trying to deflect from a real relationship with an unknown university student. To be honest, I didn't think this was my best work. I thought Rachel would shut it down like she did with the Beatrice tumblr (the girl's hairstyle pictured was the wrong shade of red apparently). At most, I thought she'd ask where I had heard this. I didn't except her to respond with, "I've heard this too."

I let her go on to her anons about this for a bit and watched the Harry stans lose their shit. One of the best moments, soon after this, happened when paparazzi tweeted or put out somewhere (I don't know how the Harry stans knew about this so quickly) that Harry had been spotted on Oxford's campus. The fandom collectively lost their minds for a few hours until the photos came out and it was just some poor ginger who probably didn't understand what was happening to him. I will always wonder if paps/journos were following some of these blogs for tips and went because of The Student rumour...

My biggest mistake here was not taking screenshots or documenting my plans with this in any way but, as I said, I didn't expect her to bite. When I decided to expose the truth behind this rumour, I knew she'd lie her way out of it because of this. Her loyal followers and K8 H8erz stuck with her but it had blown up within the general fandom with the mini-midds particularly enjoying the drama. I realized shortly after that I did have a comment exchange on ONTD about how I had been trolling Rachel with this rumour with one of the people from the original thread I linked, dated from before I revealed myself to tumblr, but enough time had passed and those who didn't want to believe me ignored it. I no longer have that screenshot either and deleted my LJ account, sadly, so I can't even attempt to find it.

A few more fakers were taken down after this, some with my involvement and some from my comrades who had the same sense of humour and (justified) mischief as I did. One who particularly stands out to me was one who claimed to be an incredibly young mother of one who was also pregnant with her second. She said she was married to a Lord and claimed that he, his family and all of the aristos hated Kate and used it to justify misogynstic comments about her. She made a mistake by mentioning that this husband was Jewish though. Fandom members searched for Jewish aristos and couldn't find any Lord that fit his age or description.

It seemed that being questioned on this was a bit too much for her because her "husband" logged in to her tumblr to announce they were moving to Canada because she was getting her Master's at McGill and she got a job as a cultural attaché in Ottawa and would be working with Charles and Camilla on their upcoming Canada tour. When I pointed out that McGill was a two-hour drive from Ottawa and that it seemed like an extreme choice to move with a newborn and a toddler, work full-time, commute four hours a day for McGill and squeeze in a royal tour somehow, she disappeared.

I ended up sticking around for a year or two more here and became friendly with some great girls along the way. One of my favourites told me that I killed the fantasy that exisited within the fandom... that there was this fun in believing maybe someone with connections to the royals may actually be posting here. The thing is, I think it's very possible someone with an actual connection was/is posting in this fandom (I mean, if Arthur Landon could find us...) but anyone in that position would never give personal info and reveal secrets as those blogs did. If anything, I think that keeps the fantasy even more ubiquitous. Royals! Aristos! Daily Mail contributors! They could be anywhere! They could be sending you an anon as you read this!

[centralperkfamily]

Rules

First of all, thank you for visiting this page!)

I don’t have very long nor very strict rules, but there are a few things I’d like to point out:

And the main rule in interacting with me is that this blog is hate free. I don’t have anything against drama and hate as long as it stays within the threads and our muses’ relationships. But OOC drama and anon hate I just won’t tolerate. This is a hobby, after all. It shouldn’t be stressful.

I’m selective in a way that I will most likely answer to what I see happening for my muse and what I have muse for at the moment, but I’m not mutuals only, which means that you are more than welcome to send me asks / memes / anything and come say hi in DMs even if we are not mutuals!

I’m OC and Crossover friendly, but only if I’m familiar with your character (for most Crossovers) or if you have an about page in your blog or won’t mind telling me some basics about your character so I could see how our muses could click (for OCs and those Crossovers with whose fandoms I’m not familiar). That said, I love crossovers and absolutely adore OCs!

I love shipping dearly, but, unsurprisingly, it will be based on chemistry. I'm open to exploring new ships but my one no-go, as mentioned in my pinned post, is Rachel x Ross. Just no. If you write Ross, I don't mind writing with you, just not shippy stuff between him and Rachel.

That said, I’m more than open to the idea of a pre-established relationship! And it doesn’t necessarily have to be a romantic one. I’m all for platonic, antagonistic, found family etc. kinds of dynamics... Just pop in my DMs, and I’m sure we can figure something out)

When it comes to asks / memes and open starters, as I’ve already said before, you are more than welcome to send them in, regardless of whether we are mutuals or interacted before. I love to chat and roleplay with new people! The date I posted the meme or open starter doesn’t matter either as they don’t have an expiration date)

Sending more than one ask / meme is allowed and encouraged! (Seriously, I love working with memes!)

If you have an idea, there are big chances that I will try it, so don’t be shy to DM me!

My length very much depends on the particular thread and my partner’s length, but I’m usually writing para/multi-para. I use minimal formatting - bold and italics (also, small text at times, but only if you’re using it too / comfortable with it) - and 540 x 100 character banners with 45x45 icons and either 60x60 or 100x100 plain icons / 110x110 icons with border or go iconless.

I don’t really have triggers, but if you do - let me know about them and I’ll be tagging them.

No God-modding, obviously.

If you are a personal blog, you are free to follow me, but, please, DO NOT like my starter calls and DO NOT reblog my threads.

I must admit that I can be quite slow with replies and a bit forgetful, so you are free to poke me once in a while. But don’t nag me constantly, that makes me nervous and uncomfortable.

If you follow me, I will most likely follow you back if I had a look at your blog, but I will unfollow you if you post too many unrelated to the theme of your blog content or make me feel uncomfortable.

credit for my character banners template goes to @stephysource (it's banner 05) and for my header gif to @princesconsuela

[centralperkfamily-ex]

Rules

First of all, thank you for visiting this page!)

I don’t have very long nor very strict rules, but there are a few things I’d like to point out:

And the main rule in interacting with me is that this blog is hate free. I don’t have anything against drama and hate as long as it stays within the threads and our muses’ relationships. But OOC drama and anon hate I just won’t tolerate. This is a hobby, after all. It shouldn’t be stressful.

I’m selective in a way that I will most likely answer to what I see happening for my muse and what I have muse for at the moment, but I’m not mutuals only, which means that you are more than welcome to send me asks / memes / anything and come say hi in DMs even if we are not mutuals!

I’m OC and Crossover friendly, but only if I’m familiar with your character (for most Crossovers) or if you have an about page in your blog or won’t mind telling me some basics about your character so I could see how our muses could click (for OCs and those Crossovers with whose fandoms I’m not familiar). That said, I love crossovers and absolutely adore OCs!

I love shipping dearly, but, unsurprisingly, it will be based on chemistry. I'm open to exploring new ships but my one no-go, as mentioned in my pinned post, is Rachel x Ross. Just no. If you write Ross, I don't mind writing with you, just not shippy stuff between him and Rachel.

That said, I’m more than open to the idea of a pre-established relationship! And it doesn’t necessarily have to be a romantic one. I’m all for platonic, antagonistic, found family etc. kinds of dynamics... Just pop in my DMs, and I’m sure we can figure something out)

When it comes to asks / memes and open starters, as I’ve already said before, you are more than welcome to send them in, regardless of whether we are mutuals or interacted before. I love to chat and roleplay with new people! The date I posted the meme or open starter doesn’t matter either as they don’t have an expiration date)

Sending more than one ask / meme is allowed and encouraged! (Seriously, I love working with memes!)

If you have an idea, there are big chances that I will try it, so don’t be shy to DM me!

My length very much depends on the particular thread and my partner’s length, but I’m usually writing para/multi-para. I use minimal formatting - bold and italics (also, small text at times, but only if you’re using it too / comfortable with it) - and either 100x100 plain icons / 110x110 icons with border or go iconless.

I don’t really have triggers, but if you do - let me know about them and I’ll be tagging them.

No God-modding, obviously.

If you are a personal blog, you are free to follow me, but, please, DO NOT like my starter calls and DO NOT reblog my threads.

I must admit that I can be quite slow with replies and a bit forgetful, so you are free to poke me once in a while. But don’t nag me constantly, that makes me nervous and uncomfortable.

If you follow me, I will most likely follow you back if I had a look at your blog, but I will unfollow you if you post too many unrelated to the theme of your blog content or make me feel uncomfortable.

[highsviolets]

INTERVIEW NO. 1: RACHEL @djarinsbeskar

hello hello! i am so happy to announce that rachel — aka the immense talent that is @djarinsbeskar — has agreed to be my first interviewee for this new series! thank you to rach and to each one of you for all of your support. to read more about the project, click here, and to submit an author, click here.

| why rachel? |

Rachel captured my imagination from the first time we interacted as mutuals-in-law. She’s bursting with energy and vivaciousness, with a current of kindness just underneath everything she does. Her work is no exception. Oftentimes gritty, raw, and exposing (in … ahem…more ways than one), Rachel challenges her readers to dig deeper into both the story and themselves. Her smut brings a particular fire as it’s laced with need, desire, and mutual trust that leads us deeper into the characters’ identities and how physical affection can mimic other forms of intimacy. She’s a tour de force in this fandom and an absolute joy.

| known for |

Engaging with and encouraging other authors, cultivating inspo posts, attention to world building & character development

| my favorites |

Stitches

Boxer!Din

Full Masterlist • Ko-Fi

| q & a |

When did you start writing? What was that project, and what was it like? Has that feeling or process ever changed over time? Why?

I can’t remember a time I wasn’t writing. I was an avid reader, as I think most writers are—and I remember, after picking up Lord of the Rings—that I could live so many lives, experience so many things, all from the pages of a book. I could make sense of the world through words and ink and paper. And it offered me a level of peace and clarity I wanted to share with others. So, I started writing.

My first project I remember to this day, was a short story about a dog. I had been so heartbroken when I learned that dogs were colourblind. I must have been about seven or eight at the time, and I was fixated on this idea that dogs couldn’t see the vibrant hues that made the world beautiful. It was something I wanted to change—and with all the righteous anger of a child not getting their own way, I sulked over the fact that I couldn’t. Until I wrote it down.

“How do dogs see colour?”

And much like my writing today, I answered myself.

“Dogs don’t need to see colour. Dogs smell colour.”

And so, I wrote a story, about a puppy being brought on different walks by its owner. And with every new street it walked down—colour bloomed with scent. Colours more beautiful and vibrant than we could ever hope to see with our eyes. And it gave me solace and helped me work through an emotion that – granted was immature and inconsequential – had affected me. To this day, I still smile seeing dogs sniffing at everything they pass on their walks. Smelling colour. It gave me the key to my favourite thing in life. I don’t think my process has changed much since then. Much of what I write is based on a skeleton plan, but I leave room for characters to speak and feel as they need to. I like to know the starting point and destination of a chapter—but how they get there, that still falls to instinct. I think I’ve found a happy medium of strict planning and winging it that suits me now—and hopefully it will continue to improve over time!

When did you start posting your writing, and on what platform? What gave you the push to do that?

I mean, fanfiction has always been part of my life. I think anyone who was growing up in the late 2000’s and early 2010’s found their way to fanfiction.net at some time or other. The wild west compared to what we have now! My first post was for the Lord of the Rings fandom on fanfiction.net. It was an anthology of the story told through the eyes of the steeds. Bill the Pony, Shadowfax—it was all very innocent. That was probably in 2010 when I was fifteen. I had been wanting to share writing for a long time but was worried about how it would be received. I didn’t really have a gauge on my level or my creativity and – one of the many flaws of someone with crippling perfectionism – I only ever wanted to provide perfection. That was a major inhibitor when I was younger. By wanting it to be perfect, I never posted anything. Until that stupidly cute LOTR fic. It was freeing to write something that no one but me had any interest in, because if I was writing for myself then there was no one to disappoint, right? And that was all it took. I had some pauses over the years between college and life and such, but I’ve never lost that mindset when it comes to posting.

What your favorite work of yours that you have ever written? Why is it your favorite? What is more important to you when considering your own stories for your own enjoyment — characters? fandom? spice? emotional development? the work you’ve put into it? Is that different than what you enjoy reading most in other people’s fics?

I don’t think it’ll come as much of a surprise when I say Stitches. While not original, I mean—it follows the plot of the Mandalorian quite diligently, it is the piece of work I really hold very close to my heart. Din Djarin as a character is what got me back into writing after what must have been five years? He inspired something. His manner, his personality—he resonated with me as a person in a way I hadn’t felt in a long time. And gave me back a creative outlet I had been missing.

It’s funny to say out loud—but I wanted to give him something? I spent so long thinking about his character that half my brain felt like it belonged to him—how he reacted and responded to things etc. and of course, like every dreamy Pisces—I wanted to give him love and happiness. So, Stitches came along. Personally, when writing—it’s a combination of characters, emotional development and spice (I can’t help myself) and when we can follow that development. With Stitches, it’s definitely the spice that is the conduit for development—but I adore showing how the physical can help people who struggle to communicate emotions too complex for words.

I don’t usually read for Din, as most people know—but I do enjoy reading the type of work that Stitches is. Human, damaged—but still with an undercurrent of hope that makes me think of children’s books.

You said, “much like writing today, I answered myself.” Could you talk about that in relation to Stitches?

So, I’m endlessly curious, it has to be said. Especially about why people are the way they are. Why people do A instead of B. Why X person’s immediate thought went to this place instead of that place. And I’m rarely satisfied with superficial explanations. One of the most exciting parts of writing and fanfiction especially, is making sense of that why. There can be countless explanations, some that are content with what is seen on the surface and some that go deep and some that go even deeper still.

Stitches is almost a – very long winded and much too long – answer to the questions I was so intrigued by about Din Djarin, about the Mandalorian and about the Star Wars universe as a whole. I often wondered what happened to people after the Rebellion, the normal people who fought—the people in the background. What did they do next? Did some of them suffer from PTSD? What was the galaxy like right after the Empire fell? That first season of the Mandalorian answered some of those questions, but I wanted to know more. So, I created a reader insert who was a combat medic—and through her, I let myself answer the questions of what happened next.

Regarding Din as a character, I wanted to know what a bounty hunter with a code of honour would do in certain situations—what made him tick, what made hm vulnerable. I wanted to explore the discovery of his identity. Din Djarin didn’t exist after he was taken from Aq Vetina. He became a cog in a very efficient machine of Mandalorians—and it was safe there. I wanted to see what – or who – might encourage him to step into his own. Grogu was that person in a familial sense, but what about romantically? What about individually? There’s so much to explore with this man! So many facets of personality and nuances of character that make him so gorgeous to write and think about.

Talk to me about the Din Djarin Athletic Universe. How does Din as all of these forms of athlete play off who you see him as in canon?

The Athletic Universe! How I adore my athletes. Despite being in a modern setting, I have kept the core of Din’s character in each of them (at least I hope I have!). I like to divide Din’s character into three phases when it comes to canon because he’s not as immovable as people seem to think he is. We discussed this before, how I see Din as a water element—adaptable, but strong enough that he can be as steadfast as rock. But I digress, the first phase is the character we see in the first episode. Basically, before Grogu. There’s an aggressive brutality to Din when we see him bounty hunting. He works on autopilot and isn’t swayed by sob stories or promises. He has the covert but is ultimately separate. Those soft feelings he comes to recognise when he has Grogu are dormant – not non-existent – but they haven’t been nurtured or encouraged. This is the point I extracted Boxer!Din’s personality and story from.

Cyclist!Din on the other hand—is already a father, a biological father to Grogu. And his personality, I took from that moment in the finale of Season two where I believe Din’s transformative arc of character solidified. He was always a father to Grogu, but I do believe that moment where he removes his helmet is the moment, he accepts that role fully in his heart and mind. And that is why I don’t believe for a second, that removing his helmet was him breaking his Creed. In fact, I believe it was the purest act he could do in devotion to his Creed—to his foundling, to his son. The Cyclist!AU is very much the character I see canon Din having should Grogu have stayed with him. This single dad who isn’t quite sure how he got to where he is now—but does anything and everything for his child without thought. It’s a natural instinct for him, and I like exploring those possibilities with Cyclist!Din.

You also said, “he has the covert but is ultimately separate.” What does it take for him — and you — to get to that point of being ‘not separate?’

I mentioned this above, but one of the biggest interests I have in Din as a character is his identity. He’s a Mandalorian, he’s a bounty hunter, he’s the child’s guardian but those are all what he is, not who. I think Din is separate while being part of the covert because he doesn’t know. I don’t think anyone can really be part of something if they don’t know who they are or, they struggle with their identity. It’s curious to me—how you can deceive even yourself to mimic the standard set for the many. In the boxer verse, he identifies himself in relation to his boxing—and every part of his outward personality exhibits those qualities. But when he’s given a softer touch—an outlet of affection, and comfort—we see the softer side of him surface. It’s very much the same with Stitches Din. Identity is like anything, emotions—relationships, bodies. It needs nurturing to thrive, an open door—a safe space. At least, that’s what goes through my mind when I think of him.

Who is your favorite character to read?

Frankie because there are so many ways his character can be interpreted and there are some stellar versions of him that I think of at least once a day. Javi because he reminds me of kintsugi-- golden recovery, broken pottery where the cracks are highlighted with gold. I also adore reading for Boba Fett, Paz Viszla and the clones!

Is there anything else you want your readers to know about you, your writing, or your creative process?

Hmm... only that I am quite literally a gremlin clown who is always here to chat Din, Star Wars, literature, book recs and anything else under the sun! I like to hear people's stories, their opinions etc. it helps me see things from alternative points of view and can truly help the writing process! Other than that, I think I can only thank readers for putting up with my ridiculously long chapters and rambling introspection. Thank you for indulging me always! ❤️

[betweentheracks]

We*bo Night Style Review

The following is my insight and perception as a professional stylist and is subjective to my position and role. 

Long post is long. 

Starting from the first I saw, I will address Yibo's blue Chanel number. This look pulls directly from Chanel's Spring 2021 Ready-to-Wear line. It is paired with Jimmy Choo Mocca loafers and a beret which has a badge on it bearing "my own private planet" on it. This is a cute accessory for the The Little Prince homage alone. I won’t go into how fitting it is for Yibo to pull from this beloved book as it would make this post needlessly gushy and too long, just know that I have had loud feelings about it all day. 

Honestly, I was underwhelmed upon first impression when I saw this fit. Setting aside my own personal dislike of Chanel, the overall feel of this look didn't catch nor meet what I would have expected to see. It held a cute air of youth to it and played upon the boyish charm Yibo simply cannot be rid of thanks to his facial structure and features. It is jarring for me to write about Chanel in conjunction to "youthful, boyish charms" as Chanel caters near exclusively to women with deep pockets that enjoy looking as if they corner the ideal of being a Stepford Wife, no matter the age. 

However, Yibo has always successfully turned Chanel's overt "Emily Gilmore" aesthetic on its head and has singlehandedly returned Chanel to being in the ranks of fashion which are aimed at younger to middle range adults. Tonight is no exception to this as he did look wonderful. The accessories and the shirt are all also Chanel and initially debuted in as an ensemble when this Spring 2021 Ready-to-Wear line was trotted out at the end of last year. In my opinion as a professional and critical eye, Yibo wore this look better than the original model. The way his hair stylist did his hair with micro extensions and false locks to give him that additional length and furthering the ideal of youthful leisure really made this style snap off. 

Some notes on the pieces in play: 

This is not the first time Yibo has worn this specific collection of Chanel’s. His styles from Tencent Star Awards were also from this range. 

This collection was inspired by actresses of the vintage screen. Virginie Viard has commented that she wanted to capture the duality of modern actress lifestyles - high production value and quality of the red carpet service styles, to the staged nuance of being off screen and therefore off duty while waiting in line for coffee - framed by classic lines of the bygone Hollywood era. Yibo specifically seems drawn to the separates-based mix of the set, which were all styled from the draw of the 1980s - hence the shoulder pads and candy colors of pink and now blue. I feel it is worth mentioning that when this line debuted the runway many comments flew about how the collection felt very reminiscent of looking at Regina George inspired couture. Mean Girls, but make it Wang Yibo. 

The mini purse around his waist is actually a necklace, not a belt. 

He is wearing the Coco Crush ring. This item is peak comfort item material as he seems incredibly keen on wearing it whenever possible and is unabashed to have it called to attention. There is a story behind this ring, of this my professional chimes are ringing loudly in certainty. 

My impression of this style changed drastically the more I looked at it and marveled at the almost pale vulnerability the look managed to pluck upon. The color is flattering despite it being candy-bright and almost too pigmented to think of as a functional red carpet choice. Also, I strongly suspect the play here was to highlight the duality of Yibo himself since the style he served up immediately after this completely overwhelms the fawning spring of this style. 

Wang Yibo 2.0

This second look features Fendi, Patek Philippe, and Louboutin. The blazer is a Fendi black wool piece and the shirt, also Fendi, is from their lovely Spring/Summer 2021 collection. The watch is Patek Philippe and further showcases Yibo’s taste for expensive and bold watches and it’s actually incredibly admirable for him to use watches as an accessory which seals the deal on an ensemble. There aren’t many that can pull this off due to how often watches remain hidden by the cuffs and sleeves of jackets and shirts and therefore go unnoticed or are seen as bulky obstructions and are being slowly and steadily phased out from being considered staples of style. Of course the shoes are Louboutin, which is just a nice choice no matter what. Solid footwear; sleek and stylish no matter what. 

If I was initially underwhelmed by the previous fashion choice then this look did more than simply overwhelm me; it devastated me and left me gaping. The! Hair! The black on black silhouette! The way he flawlessly transitioned from being youthfully boyish and bursting with charm to a domineering presence of matured angles and sharp zeal!! Wang Yibo with an undercut and draped in matte black Fendi is enough to score through my bingo card of styles I was unprepared for and yet thankfully blessed by. 

Some notes on the pieces in play:

While the Fendi blazer isn’t altogether spectacular and one of their more run of the mill items, the shirt beneath and the collection it was pulled from are interesting. The Spring/Summer 2021 Fendi line caters to the celebration of love and the surreal intensity of what a domestic experience quarantine and lockdown was like. The menswear was notably designed as “boardroom to boudoir” meaning that the concept was embellished loose linens which could be tucked into a business or formal setting only to later be tugged free and worn sweetly casual, bordering intimate. 

This is the shirt in it’s full glory. It isn’t something you would expect to be expertly tucked into the slim lines of Yibo’s stature and one can imagine how it must appear when it left to fall loose around his lean frame. It is a bed shirt in essence and was utilized in such a way that it looks like an entirely new garment on him.  

And now we move along to Xiao Zhan and his timeless and classic style.

A man of brand/designer solidarity, he is decked from head to toe in Gucci. I won a bet on this as I wagered he would absolutely be in his chosen favorite. The brooch is another staple in his fashion repertoire and is a Tiffany & Co. item. 

He appears very timeless in these classic and clean lines. This is a straight fit wool suit which Gucci favors in tailoring to accentuate slim and tall builds and as such drapes over Zhan’s body as if it were an extension of his body itself. The fit is that perfect. He strikes me as looking very refined and noble in this suit; mature and aloof. 

Some notes on the pieces in play:

Gucci has a reputation for constantly improving the way they tailor suits and as such this “relaxed straight fit” is exclusive to their label. Any other fashion house has slim fits, which are the original frame for this style, but entirely different in how Gucci has renovated the way it all fits and hangs. They alter jackets to be comfortably loose along the back of the neck while remaining pleasantly tucked to accentuate the lines of the shoulders, arms, and chest. The pants are brought in at the waist to make slim appear sleek, and the fall straight through the legs to provide the air of being relaxed. 

The brooch he is wearing, “Four Leaves” by Jean Schlumberger via Tiffany & Co, is an antique item as Schlumberger was alive from 1907 to 1987. Schlumberger is only one of four designers ever given allowance to sign their work to Tiffany & Co. He created the collection the “Four Leaves” brooch hails from at behest of a friend and fellow admirer of nature’s glory, Rachel “Bunny” Mellon. The irony of Xiao Zhan, resident rabbit,  wearing a piece created on the request of someone called Bunny is not lost to me and hopefully not any of you now that I’ve made mention of it. 

The gemstone in the brooch is blue-green tourmaline. Tourmaline has many different correspondences depending on the color at hand. Blue-green rouses luck and success and is often used to manifest goals, notably of a creative nature. It is also a crystal of peace and encourages the release of past hurts by bringing them to the surface to be healed via honest and heartfelt communication. Tourmaline can evolve as it is worn and will adhere to the wearer’s conviction, rousing the idea of living a life of integrity and accountability; inviting the wearer to accept any perceived flaws and weaknesses with easy tolerance. I am making this mention because every bit of this seems so incredibly in line with where Xiao Zhan is in life and in his career, especially in light of what he so graciously said on we*bo yesterday as we made it to a year since hell came for him. I am always very moved by this man. 

Here is the brooch just so you can have a proper look:

And that’s a wrap on We*bo Night’s lookbook! 

This is a bit of a messy post and I do apologize for that, but nevertheless I hope it was enjoyable and gave you some new insights on the way fashion fits together at every turn. 

[munstysmind]

G'day again!

You asked for this! 😈

B, D, E, H, I, M, N, P & R

Just have to chuck this in, cause fuck why not?! Look at that swagger 🥵

OK, ok…

B: Any of your stories inspired by personal experience?

Unfortunately… yes. The emotional abuse and manipulation Travis imposed on Maddie is very much based on my personal experience with a family member. I actually started writing MADDISON as a way to vent and process. I had ZERO intentions of posting it until my bestie read some over my should one night and encouraged me to. You have Emma to thank for Maddison being posted.

D: Is there a song or a playlist to associate with [insert fic]?

I don’t really have a playlist that comes to mind for Maddison but I do have a few songs. Mostly for Maddie’s recovery, mental health ect.

E: If you wrote a sequel to [insert fic], what would it be about?

I’m toying with the idea of doing a sequel to Trapped that would deal with the major fallout from the fight between Henry and Hannah.

H: How would you describe your style?

Chaotic. I’m all over the place. I can’t actually pinpoint a specific style. I just write what my brain gives me. Although I very much prefer writhing in the third person. It gives a much broader writing range and I don’t have to deal with a bunch of different POV’s because that shit confuses the crap out of me whenever I try to write it

I: Do you have a guilty pleasure in fic (reading or writing)?

Dark Fics. The darker the better. I cannot recommend @darkficsyouneveraskedfor enough. Ever single fic they post feeds the sadistic gremlin in my brain.

M: Got any premises on the back burner that you'd care to share?

Well… I’m roughly drafting out a Sebastian Stan series that takes place during the 2020 lockdown and I’m currently writing a chapter of Maddison where Travis gets back at Maddie in a HUGE way, although we don’t realise it’s him until later on.

N: Is there a fic you wish someone else would write (or finish) for you?

Yes. I’m in the middle of writing my submission for the 4k Follower Challenge that @dadplease is doing. If someone could come extract it from my brain for me that would be amazing. I’ve hit a massive wall.

P: Are you what George R. R. Martinwould call an "architect" or a "gardener"? (How much do you plan in advance, versus letting the story unfold as you go?)

I’m a bit of both. I very much plan out the general idea of what I want to happen with each chapter and how it will flow with other chapters but when I actually get to writing I usually just take it where my brain goes as I’m writing. Sometimes I’ll have a few lines or a specific event in mind and I’ll actively write to include it. Two very specific ones that come to mind are in He Broke Her “He broke her… in a way I didn’t think was possible. The happy carefree Maddie we love is gone… she may never come back” and You Are Safe “If I have to put him in the ground to protect you I will” that line is a personal favourite

R: Are there any writers (fanfic or otherwise) you consider an influence?

@sillyrabbit81, she gets me every single time. If I had to choose specific fics “Syverson & Vixen” is my favourite. I reread it all the time. And her “His Tuition” series 🤤🤤🤤

@theycallmebecca, her Chris Evans fluff makes my heart feel all the feels. I wish I were a fraction as good at writing fluff as she is

I guiltily admit I haven’t had a chance to read any of yours yet. It’s been pretty hectic my end the last few weeks. I’ve barely had time to write. I’ve got a whole week off next week and my plans include not wearing pants and reading through your entire masterlist.

And that GIF…

I love it 😻

[thnxforknowingme]

It is Wednesday again, friends. Thanks to @forabeatofadrum for the tag!!

I am in the final stages of working on my second wave Klaine bang fic! Draft is done, I'm just going through and making minor edits. I also have a front runner for a title (very annoyingly, I thought of a title that amuses me but I think would actually work better for a sequel/in-universe one-shot a while after the events of this fic. So I might already be planning a sequel???? but who knows if I'll ever get around to that).

All that said: this will probably be the last snippet from this fic I share until I'm actually posting it, which won't be until at least July. But here's a non-climactic moment from a very climactic scene:

Kurt vaguely heard the herald introduce the queen, felt the crowd ripple around him, but he couldn’t take his eyes off of Blaine while he descended the stairs. And just as Blaine reached Rachel and swept his eyes around the room, his gaze met Kurt’s. They stared at each other, and it felt like the world had stopped spinning. [...]The small orchestra arranged in one corner began to play a waltz, and Blaine and Rachel initiated the dancing, spending the first several measures stepping elegantly about the dance floor together, before a gesture from the queen encouraged other pairs to join in. Kurt got intermittent glances of the royal twins, his view often blocked by other dancers. He couldn’t push down the wave of envy that rose in his stomach.

ALSO, in honor of the remarkable, phoenix-like return of Scarves and Coffee today, I figured it would be fun to post a few lines from a very old story I had on there, and had not crossposted anywhere else, and therefore I assumed was lost to time. Under a cut because I was sixteen and the writing is not particularly great.

This was just a fluffy, basically plotless one-shot about the boys having a snow day together:

Kurt was already gathering snow as he replied. “You’re gonna regret this.” He hurled a snowball at Blaine, but the short boy ducked, avoiding it completely. Kurt swore softly, quickly making another one. He wasn’t keeping an eye on Blaine, though, who ran up and dumped a handful of snow on the back of his neck. Coldness seeped through Kurt’s scarf, followed by water droplets as the snow melted. Kurt stood, holding a huge snowball with both hands, his face livid. “Get ready, Anderson.” Blaine, who had retreated and now stood ten feet away, smiled slyly. “You’re so sexy when you want revenge.” Then he began to run, because an enraged Kurt Hummel was heading for him.

Oof, "the short boy" - I don't think I ever really relied on unnecessary epithets, but clearly I did it a little, which is rough to see. I am still shocked and amazed by S&C's revival, though - I might make a whole post about it later.

[lilydalexf]

Old School X is a project interviewing X-Files fanfic authors who were posting fic during the original run of the show. New interviews are posted every Tuesday.

Interview with Rachel Nobel / Rae Lynn

Rachel Nobel, aka Rae Lynn, has 2 fics at Gossamer, but she’s written many more X-Files stories than that. You can also find fics by her at AO3 and various other archives. She’s one of the rare, special authors who’s posted numerous fic during the show’s original run and again in recent years. Big thanks to Rachel for doing this interview.

Does it surprise you that people are still interested in reading your X-Files fanfics and others that were posted during the original run of the show (1993-2002)? Absolutely. I joined a Facebook group for fanfic writers where someone recognized my name and asked about some of my stories that have disappeared from the Internet, and I almost fell off my chair. On the other hand, I go back and read original-run fanfic all the time - the Wayback Machine is my best friend for all the late great fanfic archives. Like fine wines, they get better with age! What do you think of when you think about your X-Files fandom experience? What did you take away from it? I was fairly young during the peak of the fandom - I was only 12 when I started watching the show and discovered the fandom online. A few years ago, right around the time we learned the revival was coming, I wrote an essay I called "How 'The X-Files' defined my adolescence," in which I wrote: "If you think about it, 'The X-Files' is a lot like adolescence: You start out thinking it's going to be a little hokey, NBD, and then you end up in its thrall, captivated and occasionally hugely let down. A lot of people behave strangely, and no one gets out unscathed. Mulder, in his own weird way, is the perfect mirror for an adolescent: He doesn't fit in; his life careens between being utterly consequential to the fate of the known universe and being completely pointless; he's socially awkward and can't quite nail it down with the girl of his dreams."

So for me, the fandom is inextricably bound up with adolescence, that feeling of vacillating between desperate loneliness and being on the verge of something enormously significant. Take romance: I was a bit of a late bloomer, and when all my friends were exploring their first relationships I was watching Mulder and Scully navigate this beautiful, complicated, soulful relationship without ever even kissing. That was deeply affecting for me as a teen.

Social media didn't really exist during the show's original run. How were you most involved with the X-Files online (atxc, message board, email mailing list, etc.)? I started out on mailing lists - there was an EMXC mailing list and one that I think was called X-Angst. [Lilydale note: There was a mailing list called XAngst Anonymous.] This was back at the dawn of the Internet when I only had 10 hours of AOL access a month, and I remember using what AOL called a "FlashSession" to log on, download all the fanfic from the mailing list and log off to read it. I vividly remember the excitement of watching all that new fanfic flood my inbox! Later on I was on atxc. During the long summer between "Gethsemane" and "Redux," it felt like fanfic was at its peak. There was a group of about a dozen women who got together (virtually) to discuss a work in progress by Lydia Bower called "Primal Sympathy." We called ourselves the "Primal Screamers," and we had our own website with fanfic recommendations and other discussions (it cracked me up to locate us as an entry on Fanlore.org). I was still in high school at the time and I was the youngest member; I felt like I had been accepted into a cool underground club. I worshipped these women, who were fanfic writers themselves. They taught me everything I knew about how to be a decent, respectful, enthusiastic consumer and writer of fanfic and fandom. [Lilydale note: I’ve talked enthusiastically about the Primal Screamers here before, including their fanfic primer.] What did you take away from your experience with X-Files fic or with the fandom in general? In the '90s, I would have been embarrassed to tell anyone I read fanfic, let alone that I was writing it. Now, I look back on it and realize how talented and smart and passionate we all were. It's something to be proud of. What was it that got you hooked on the X-Files as a show? The first episode I ever saw was "Shadows," which was on in reruns between the second and third seasons. I don't think "Shadows" is an episode that anyone today would consider thematically significant, but something about seeing those office supplies float spookily through the air - it wasn't like anything I had seen on television, and I wanted in. What got you involved with X-Files fanfic? I've always been a person who, when I am interested in something, seeks to learn more about it. So I guess I got online as a 12-year-old with this new interest and discovered fanfic. It was thrilling to find out that so many talented people were taking characters I loved and bringing them to life for me. When the screen faded to black each week and I wondered, "That's it? What next?", fanfic was always there to fill in the blanks and take Mulder and Scully to the next level. As a teenager, I was self-indulgent enough to think I had something to contribute, too. Most of what I wrote in the '90s would today make me cringe. I remember literally paging through the dictionary in search of erudite words I thought Mulder and Scully would say! But occasionally I'll feel brave enough to read an old story and I feel encouraged to see a spark: a turn of phrase or a fragment of dialogue that I still feel proud of. I write professionally now, but I've never written fiction that isn't X-Files fiction, so it's something that has really allowed me to hone my creative juices in a different way. What is your relationship like now to X-Files fandom? Sometimes I feel like the Statler and Waldorf of the fandom, like I'm sitting up in the balcony grousing "Back in my day...!" Because the fandom is remarkably robust, and I've gotten involved with it to an extent on Twitter and AO3, and now all these young whippersnappers idolize Mulder and Scully just as much if not more as I ever did! Were you involved with any fandoms after the X-Files? If so, what was it like compared to X-Files? Not really, no. I've of course consumed a lot of media since The X-Files that I wanted to discuss with others - I'm a huge "Harry Potter" nerd, and I was outraged when Netflix canceled "The OA" - but strangely I've never had the urge to read or write fanfic about anything other than "The X-Files." Do you ever still watch The X-Files or think about Mulder and Scully? Every Thursday night! I watch a chosen episode with a group of fans on Twitter and tweet about it - #tbtXFiles. That's great fun. There are episodes I've seen dozens of times over the years and episodes I think I only ever watched once, and it's always enlightening to watch them again with a certain critical eye. When I was a fan during the original run, I really idolized Mulder; I loved episodes where we saw him in all his cracked genius glory. Scully was a trailblazer of a character, of course, but I think the fandom has evolved over the years to give Scully her due. Do you ever still read X-Files fic? Fic in another fandom? I was fairly stunned when the revival came around and I realized that people were still writing X-Files fic, and that a lot of it was so good. So yes, I do read fic on Archive of Our Own. But my heart is always with the early days of fanfic. In the revival when Mulder says "I've always wondered how this was going to end" - that felt to me almost like a love letter to fanfic authors who had been trying to answer that question for 25 years. Surprisingly, I've never had the urge to read fic in another fandom. Every time I try, it just feels like I'm cheating on Mulder and Scully. Do you have any favorite X-Files fanfic stories or authors? My favorite author back in the day was Kipler. Her stories were just like real episodes of the show I could vividly imagine in my mind. I adore syntax6, particularly "20" and "The Birthday Stories," because of the way she perfectly and poignantly captures vignettes that span the entire series. Another favorite is Dawn and her "Blood Ties" series - I started out as a "NoRomo," and Dawn was one of the authors who made me believe Mulder and Scully could have a romantic relationship that really worked. And I always had a soft spot for Profiler!Mulder stories, so to this day I mourn the unfinished state of the great Kronos fic "Ascent to Hell." One fic I always come back to that captures profiling Mulder really well is "Domination of Lies," by cslatton. And then there are stories that I consider classics: "Corpse" by Livengoo, "Oklahoma" by Amperage and Livengoo, the "Revelations" and "All Hallow's Eve" series by Windsinger. What is your favorite of your own fics, X-Files and/or otherwise? I have a soft spot for a story I wrote called "Human Credential." I was attempting, a quarter-century after the first season of the show, to set a story in the very early days of the partnership (which these days is one of my favorite kinds of fanfic to read), and I felt like I nailed it. Do you think you'll ever write another X-Files story? Or dust off and post an oldie that for whatever reason never made it online? I have been doing both of these, as a matter of fact! Or in my case, they are oldies that made it online but vanished when Geocities went belly-up, for example, that I sometimes go back to and reshape. Do you still write fic now? Or other creative work? As the swallows return to Capistrano, I seem to always return to writing fic at periods of transition in my life. The first time I "retired" from fanfic, I wasn't even in college yet! If one can be nostalgic at 21 years old for something one gave up at 17, I was nostalgic for fanfic, and I picked it back up again in grad school. Then I became a teacher and a wife and a mom and years passed, and the revival seduced me back into it again. But the vast majority of fanfic I've written is firmly planted in the first seven seasons of the show - poor Mulder and Scully never seem to get to grow up in my stories. What's the story behind your pen name? I wrote under a lot of pen names over the years! When I first started writing fanfic, no one knew anything about Internet safety and it didn't occur to me that it wasn't wise to use my real name. There was a period when I would have been mortified if anyone discovered my stories under my real name - now, at least I can write it off as a youthful indulgence! When I finally grew into a more mature writer, I started using the name Rae Lynn, which is almost-but-not-quite my real first and middle names. Do your friends and family know about your fic and, if so, what have been their reactions? As far as I know, unless my friends and acquaintances have done some sleuthing, only my husband knows I still write fanfic. And he's never read it, though he's kind enough to give me a glazed-eyes indulgent smile if I ever talk about it. Is there a place online (tumblr, twitter, AO3, etc.) where people can find you and/or your stories now? I am xraelynn on AO3! I have about a dozen stories there - some of them I wrote 15 years ago and some of them are brand spanking new. Is there anything else you'd like to share with fans of X-Files fic?

Fanfic is a true labor of love. Fanfic authors don't write fanfic for money or fame; they do it because they love it. Sites like AO3 and Tumblr have made it so much easier to show your appreciation to writers (::gruff reminiscing voice:: back in my day, you had to send them an email, and now you can just click the "kudos" button!). I can only speak for myself, but I really thrive on that feedback - otherwise I'm just Mulder in his cramped hovel of a home office waiting for Scully to nag me to shave my beard. Every so often I think about the fact that there is so much high-quality writing about these characters I've loved for decades just available on the Internet for free and it feels like a true gift.

(Posted by Lilydale on May 4, 2021)

[captain-kelli]

a group effort

Back in school, I really hated group projects. I hated that my success was dependent on anyone else. Inevitably, I’d be teamed up with a bunch of slackers that I knew weren’t going to put in the work and it was infuriating. That annoyance is what drove me to just do the whole project by myself to guarantee that I’d get a good grade.

The health of this fandom is a lot like a group project, but no single person can do all of the work for everyone. It’s going to take a village.

I was relieved to see so many people speak out against racism in fanfiction and the fandom after Hannah refused to take accountability for the choices she made and the impact they had. 

But the work doesn’t stop there. 

Before I get into this, I want to acknowledge my privilege. I am a white, straight, cisgendered, non-disabled woman. I am, by absolutely no means, an authority on this topic. But I’ve heard it said that it is a privilege to learn about racism and not live it. And we can’t keep expecting Black people to educate us when there are so many resources out there already at our disposal. So, let’s learn together.

If we’re serious about moving forward as a community, then we need to be more than our words. We must be our actions.

All of that being said, I put together a list of resources and activities that have helped me in my journey towards anti-racism. If there is anything that you feel like should be added to this list, send me a note. If you need to check me on anything in this post, do it. I’m always looking for new ways to learn and be supportive. We’re all works in progress and I’m not an exception to that.

Supporting the Fandom

Thanks to patient and gracious friends, I have a greater understanding of how difficult it is for Black writers to exist in this predominantly white space and gain traction with their stories. They also shared how hurtful it was for people to only support Black writers when it’s trendy.

We have to be more intentional and consistent in our support of Black writers - myself included.

Not only because their stories are brilliantly told and worth reading, but we stand to learn more about their perspective of the world through them. It’s a fun and entertaining way we can learn, grow, and be supportive.

Allow me to shamelessly plug my friends and encourage you to read the works of @allaboardthereadingrailroad, @whiskey-cokenfanfic, @tropicalcap, and @avintagekiss24. I’m still working through all of their master lists, but everything I’ve read so far is straight up gold.

Now that I’ve done that, let me say that I know I need to expand past my group of friends. We all do. Here are some other writers that I’ve heard good things about and whose work I look forward to reading more of: @venusbarnes, @writeturnlove, @sapphirescrolls, @getinmelanin011, @tastingmellow

For a more exhaustive list of Black and POC writers, you can find what @thefanficfaerie has assembled over on this link.

Turn Social Media into Your Classroom

My nana likes to say that she learns something new every day as a gift to herself. The easiest way for me to do that, to make sure this movement is something I’m investing in daily, was to follow educational and activist accounts on Instagram since we all know that I’m on there regularly. Here are some of my favorites.

Brittany Packnett Cunningham (@mspackyetti): A superstar. A gift. Brittany is an accomplished civic activist and leader and is dedicating her life to be an instrument of change. Her social commentary is always timely and informative and she’s great about promoting calls to action.

Rachel Cargle (@rachel.cargle): Rachel demonstrates ways we can fight racism and uplift the Black community in our regular, daily lives. She is direct, unapologetic in her approach, and checks my privilege regularly. I’m thankful for her.

Layla F. Saad (@laylafsaad): Layla is on a sabbatical right now to spend time writing, but I highly encourage you to go back through older posts. She’s done a few interviews and speaks on dismantling racism frequently. She also wrote a book (that I just bought and can’t wait to read) called “Me and White Supremacy.” 

Emmanuel Acho (@emmanuelacho): A retired football player and current sports analyst, Emmanuel is adding “activist” to his resume. I absolutely live for his “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man” series where he’s had candid discussions with guests like Matthew McConaughey and Chip + Joanna Gaines. They’re short and so accessible and filled with grace.

The Conscious Kid (@theconsciouskid): While I don’t have kids myself, I’m an aunt and a godmother. This account, while addressing racial issues that affect everyone, also highlights how we can work with kids. If you’re a parent or someone interacts with children regularly, you might like this!

Honorable mentions for other accounts that keep me informed and set me straight: 

shityoushouldcareabout

thekingcenter

attnwhitepeople

decolonizemyself

ijeomaoluo

austinchanning

ckyourprivilege

roxeanegay7

ava   

michaelharriot

johnboyega

iamrachelricketts

Please, for the love of god, VOTE

Racism is systemic. It’s in all three branches of the American federal government. It’s in your local offices and city halls. It’s in school systems and police precincts. It’s in our laws and governmental procedures. All of that seeps into our society in a multitude of ugly ways.

You want to know how to fix that?

Elect officials who will make impactful changes.

Go to Rock the Vote for these resources:

Register to vote

COVID-19 voting information by state 

Help others register to vote

Get out the vote

Take actions on issues

Contact your elected officials

BIG NOTE: our sorry excuse for a President has instructed the United States Postal Service to slow down the mail. If you’re planning on mailing in your ballot, get it in at least 4 weeks ahead of the deadline.

Don’t boo. Vote. It’s going to take never-seen-before numbers to eradicate these bigoted officials out of office.

-

There’s so much we can do to further communities across the world to make them inclusive and accepting and loving. This post is hardly exhaustive. Find what works for you, but find something. My late congressman, John Lewis, would call it “good trouble.”

Do not become complacent in your place in this movement. There will always be more work to be done, more progress to be had.

Index of Additional Resources:

Thank you to members of our community that have shared some of these with me. If you have a resource that’s helped you that’s not listed, send it my way and I’ll drop it in!

Podcasts:

Still Processing

Thirst Aid Kit

Code Switch

Pod Save America

Movies:

Just Mercy

13th

Freedom Riders

When They See Us (TW: Violence - thank you, Gigi, for this head’s up)

Also - Amazon Prime and Netflix both have Black Lives Matter sections now. Explore those and let me know what movies resonated with you!

Books:

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi (currently reading)

Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad (on deck)

So You Want to Talk about Race by Ijeoma Oluo (cannot WAIT to read)

Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi

Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker: A Memoir in Essays by Damon Young

How to Be Less Stupid About Race: On Racism, White Supremacy, and the Racial Divide by Crystal Marie Fleming