#gwendy historical

[gwynstacee-blog]

Charlotte Corday: The Woman Who Assassinated Marat

[bookishluna]

Middle Mark | #AnimalCrossingReadathon Wrap Up

Hello and welcome to a hybrid of a book post. This is my Middle Mark post, but also my wrap up for the Animal Crossing Readathon I decided to take part in last minute. Which, I ended up doing better than I thought I was going to do. What really helped me was the fact that I decided to do a bit of a personal readathon on March 14th. Anyway, on to the books!

Gwendy’s Magic Feather by Richard…

[talldarkandroguesome]

18th of Sun's Height, Morndas

I have been considering when the best time to bring my request before the Count might be and it seems that the point had come.

It was clear that Count Ravenwatch indeed did have something he was looking to gain from his visit. I had not yet found it, but by asking for something, even if offering something in return, he was likely to seize that moment to ask for what he was really wanting.

It came after a day of pleasantries. Avon, Sildras, and Count Ravenwatch had gone to view the historic areas of the city while I met with Luayl for a lesson, he wanted to ensure I continued practicing and did not forget what he had taught. Gwendis was on a supposed hunting trip, despite it raining heavily on and off. The servants worried after her, but with one of the Count's accompanying her and promising to keep her safe, they had little choice but to let her go.

Sildras was so excited to tell me all about the things that they had seen and that they had made a brief stop by the Mages Guild for lunch with Plays-With-Fire. I was honestly surprised that they would have gone by there, but I suppose being Avon's closest friend after myself, I can understand why he was so eager to spend more time with him.

After our meal, Avon took Sildras for his own magicka lessons in the practice room and the Count and I relaxed in the parlor. The Count inquired after the decor. I explained that a great deal of the furnishings were ones I had purchased on trips to Black Marsh. I explained about the expert craftsmanship and the ingenious ways that they built their furniture, often without use of any glues. I do not think the Count was as interested as he pretended, but it was a start.

He had a lot of questions about the influence of the other Pact cultures upon our own and about how much I might know of them from my time here.

I explained that I had spent a great deal of time in the neighboring nations personally as part of my training as a diplomat of my House. I had been sent to live in Black Marsh, Cyrodiil, and Skyrim, though I had spent the bulk of my time to the north living amongst our cold-loving brethren even before the Pact was formed.

The Count explained that he had spent some time with Nords himself, but that he was woeful unfamiliar with the culture and customs of the Argonians. I explained that there was only so much I, as an outsider, might be able to express with any fidelity. I said I would be happy to summon Cheerz to help answer questions though. She was very trustworthy and had earned her promotion to the head of my staff in a very short period of time through loyalty, competence, and hard work.

He seemed a bit less comfortable with that but agreed.

I had Cheerz summoned and she was happy to share her culture with the Count. To some questions she said the answers were private knowledge for those who were a part of the Hist and so she was not able to answer, but the Count took all of that in stride and simply asked another question.

There began to be a shift into questions surrounding the topic of the magicka practiced in Black Marsh. Cheerz had to apologize that one of the few skills she did no possess was that of the arcane, though she said she thought that one of our laundresses had a bit of skill in that direction, learned from the Mages Guild in Stormhold.

The Count said it was not necessary to call her and that it was a simple musing. He knew that in most nations there were ancient forms of magicka from before the Guild and he was simply curious.

I let Cheerz return to her duties, but asked for a bottle of wine and the Count had one of his servants bring forth a bottle of what I could only guess was blood.

We drank and I saw hints of the Count's glamour flickering as he drank. It was very slight and if I had not been keenly aware of how he looked with and without the glamour, I might not have known what I was looking at.

I suggested that we move to a more private area so that he could relax more and he followed me. We went to the west wing of the house, to my study and through into my bedroom. I could see the Count taking everything in very carefully. He asked me if I had spent much time in Hammerfell, clearly noting my imported furnishings. I explained that I had made one trip through the area and absolutely loved the style I had found and packed an entire set of bedroom furniture and some things to add to my study. I had liked the deep colors of the wood mixed with the luscious deep reds.

I walked over behind my standing looking glass and spoke a low word as I pressed upon a stone and a small door opened up. I gently pushed into the room and held up my hand with a small summoned flame and beckoned the Count to follow.

He did so without any worry for the low light. I suppose it would make sense that vampires can see perfectly well in the dark. I lit the candelabras and a small censor of incense to combat the dusty smell, and sat upon one of the plush chairs, setting my bottle upon the side table.

The Count took this chamber in and I told him that here he did not have to worry about anyone coming in and he could simply be himself. With a small nod of thanks, his true face shown, his skin paling and the space around his eyes growing hollower and tinted with crimson. He drank heavily from his cups, clearly abandoning, just for a moment, propriety.

I apologized that he had to spend so much time being uncomfortable on account of my invitation. He waved a hand and told me that it was hardly so much of an effort. It was like wearing something slightly tight, it was not exactly uncomfortable so much as something that you were keenly aware of at all times. It took your focus.

There was a silence that befell us for a while. Neither of us seemed entirely sure what to say and so we both took to our cups.

Then, being that I was the host and it was my duty to be the one to end such silences, I told him there was something I was very much hoping to ask him.

He told me he was listening and that only seemed to make the asking more difficult. My throat seemed dry and I took a small sip of wine before I continued.

I told him that I was in need of some advice, or perhaps it was more accurate to say guidance. I was feeling a bit lost of late, not because of some recent event, but rather, in regards to my peculiar situation of immortality. I knew that the Count was more experienced than I in this regard, but also that he had a great deal of experience with his condition while still leading his lands. This was something very specific with which I had no experience. As it was, I had only very limited training with ruling, as it was believed that I would not be the next Grandmaster for some centuries yet.

Then with this new mistress the House wanted me to take, it was every bit possible that I would soon be inheriting more lands and so in addition to my duties as they were, I was going to have to learn to govern in a very different way than I did now. And I needed to be aware of how to do so with none of my House aware of my immortality. I did not know how to proceed should it come to that. It was important that my House was not made aware and yet... how does one go about leading people over the centuries?

Do you have to utilize illusions to appear as though you have aged after a certain point? Do you simply become your own younger relative? Should I be planning on killing myself to become my own younger relation?

The Count placed a hand upon my shoulder and told me that I was getting a little ahead of myself. Mer took centuries to show any signs of aging, so I had plenty of time to worry after that and build a secure plan. But he also asked why it was that I had not shared such information with my House.

I was afraid of this question, of course, because the truth was that it was to do with what I had done with my soul. I know that vampires are all said to have given themselves to Molag Bal, so in a way, I suppose I have some connection with vampires as a result of how I had my soul initially removed, but to say that I had taken it from one Daedric Prince and handed it over willingly to another, that might not go over so well with Count Ravenwatch.

So I told him that it was complicated and had to do with succession rights and how it would affect my son's status within the House and what sorts of duties they might assign me, being those that would be far too dangerous for other members of the House. Not to mention they would likely send me far and wide. I was not particularly interested in being sent to the other Alliances, or The Three forbid, into Cyrodiil as a political weapon. I had a son who I wanted to watch grow up.

The Count said he understood, it was important to be able to have that time with family. Children were important. And they did not stay children for long. Time was short and those moments were precious. He told me that I was making the correct decision as a parent. He would do the same in my place.

I thanked him and told him that there were simply none that knew who were immortal. That I would not have turned to him were I given other avenues to turn. I felt as though even asking for his advice was a grave imposition and I felt guilty for it. But I needed mentorship.

He asked me how many people did know, for surely some of them might be able to assist me with at least the governing.

I shook my head and told him that it was a mere handful of people, Avon and my son, a friend of mine who lived in the north who had accidentally witnessed my returning from death, and Mother seemed to have guessed. Other than that, there were none on Nirn who knew. I felt I could leave out the Psijiics and Daedra. They were not on Nirn, at any rate, and were not in the same place with immortality as I anyhow.

The Count looked rather surprised. He told me that it certainly did appear as though my options were few. As to what he could offer, his attentions were turned towards matters that concerned vampires and maintaining a peace between his kind and mortals. As I was not a vampire, and lived across the continent besides, he was unsure what he might be able to offer. If I was in the area, of course he was happy to lend and ear and maybe a suggestion or two, but to mentor me was a large ask indeed.

I told him that it would not be without something in return. I was willing to offer sanctuary for any of House Ravenwatch whilst they were in Deshaan or Stonefalls. I had a home in Vivec City I could also arrange for safety with some notice and I had a contact further west that might be able to offer something there.

Count Ravenwatch thanked me and said that he rarely had need of such things so far east, but he did appreciate the offer. I told him it was his to take regardless of if he agreed to mentor me.

He seemed to be thinking and I began to believe that I would secure his support. Clearly there was something weighing on his mind, something he wanted. He did not come here for courtesy alone.

Then he took hold of his bottle of blood and told me he needed to think on how this arrangement could be made. He needed to discuss things with his House and make a decision if I would grant him some time.

I told him he could take as much time as he liked, we were immortal, after all. A small, polite smile graced his lips as he gave me a bow and then rose from his seat to head out.

With a wave, I extinguished the lights and followed him back out to my bedroom, carefully closing and locking the door behind us. I showed him back to the stairs and he bid me goodnight.

I do hope that he is willing to make some sort of arrangement with me before he leaves. I need all the help I can get.

[missgwendolyne]

CHARACTER INTERVIEW  

BASICS  !

NAME:  Gwendolyne Maxine Stacy NICKNAME:  Gwen, Gwendy, beauty queen AGE: verse dependant but primarily 15-17 SPECIES: human

PERSONAL  !

MORALITY: neutral good RELIGION: N/A SINS:  Greed / Gluttony / Sloth / Lust / Pride / Envy / Wrath VIRTUES:  Chastity / Charity / Diligence / Humility / Kindness / Patience / Justice / Loyalty KNOWN LANGUAGES: English, some spanish and french but nowhere near fluent 

PHYSICAL  !

BUILD:  Scrawny / Bony / Slender / Fit / Athletic / Curvy / Herculean / Pudgy / Average HEIGHT: 5′3″ SCARS / BIRTHMARKS:  no birthmarks, scars are verse dependent based on if she survives the fall from the bridge or not or if it's her hunger games verse

ABILITIES  / POWERS:  I guess Gwen’s abilities are based on her intellect or her spider-gwen verse 

FAVORITES !

FOOD: mashed potatoes  DRINK:  coffee PIZZA TOPPING: chicken and bacon ( aka chicken, bacon, ranch) COLOR:  light blue, white, gray  MUSIC GENRE:  pop, classical, instrumental, and acoustic covers  BOOK GENRE:  historical fiction, feminist,  MOVIE GENRE: romcom, disney, comedy CURSE WORD:  fuck, shit  ( she doesn’t cuss often but when she does it’s a storm) SCENTS: coffee, paper, vanilla, lavender 

tagged by: @soulofsea

tagging: @steeledwill , @itsybitsyparker , @knifewields, @wcrricrs, @solestarlet, @akbarasghar , 

and anyone else who’s interested

[midnightlibrarymouse]

hiiii I would like 1, 12, 16 & 35

what book would you recommend to someone looking for...

for a mind-blowing idea

Gwendy's Button Box by Stephen King & Richard Chizmar

This has a super unique premise, and I love the way the two authors worked together to tell this story! Long story short, there's a magic box that has the ability to destroy every continent on Earth (and the entire Earth itself), and the latest guardian of the box is Gwendy Peterson of Castle Rock, Maine.

12. for an historical novel

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

This book is a classic for a reason, and I think it's so important to read this book. Even for non-Americans (like myself), this book is a telling story of racial prejudice, and treatment of others, that is so important for everyone to read.

(Also, and for completely opposite reasons, the Bridgerton Series by Julia Quinn)

16. for an ingenious, unusual way of storytelling

l8r, g8r by Lauren Myracle

Side note - I've only just realised this is the third book in a series??? Anyway, this book is told entirely through instant messages between three friends, and anything that happens offline, you only know about if, or when, they discuss it. It's really interesting, and I still remember parts, despite reading it like 10+ years ago. Which leads us into...

35. for an interesting diary/collection of letters

Life on the Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers

This is a series of notes between a mother and her daughter, who never seem to be in the house at the same time. And then something, everything, changes. It's a great read - I think I'm due for a reread tbh!

Thank you so much for asking! xx

[anythingstephenking]

Buttons You Press, Not The Ones On Your Coat

Who would be a fun person to switch lives with? Richard Chizmar, that’s who.

It’s been a long time since I’ve researched the backstory behind the story, mostly because newer King doesn’t have fun stories like “the character gets nosebleeds cause Steve was doing so much cocaine when he was writing.” Bad example. I love sober Steve.

But this is a fun one, to me at least. So Rich Chizmar writes horror, and is a King Superfan. He runs stephenkingrevisited.com, which I referenced a lot starting out on my King journey. Dude can write. My reviews of King are like “CAN YOU BELIEVE HOW SCARY CUJO IS?!?! Lol” Here’s an excerpt from his Cujo synopsis:

“On that historic night, I remember staring over at the shadow-draped wardrobe for what felt like hours. Watching. Waiting. Until I finally heard it — the creak of the wardrobe door opening; just a crack at first, but then swinging all the way open, so she could emerge from the darkness within: the witch.”

Damn bro.

Ok, so Rich somehow becomes pals with Steve. 

I still imagine all these horror dudes get together and discuss potential plotlines over games of cribbage and you can not convince me otherwise. 

One day King, sitting on an unfinished version of Gwendy’s Button Box, mails it out to Rich and says “Do what you want with it.” The story needed an ending, and he just tossed it over the fence. Can you even imagine getting a half finished story from STEPHEN FRICKIN KING asking you to help? My entire body is filled with jealous bones.

So they colab, and finish the story up together, and another lovely, beautiful and endearing King bromance is born. Because Gwendy’s story was perfect and I loved it.

Here we go. Guys. We’ve got Castle Rock! We’ve got Dark Tower References! We’ve got an item of magical powers! And last but not least, we’ve got a compact 166 pages that I was able to read on a Sunday morning, finishing the novella before I finished my coffee.

Our heroine, Gwendy (great name BTW), is a 12 year old girl living in 1970’s Castle Rock. We’re pre Frank Dodd and Cujo, but Castle Rock’s still a creepy place with a creepy history. A man wearing a hat, named Richard Farris (A Randall Flagg pseudonym if I ever heard one) and invites her palaver. A PALAVER Y’ALL.

He gives her a box with 8 buttons on it. While reading I was 100% convinced the colors of the buttons matched those of Maerlyn’s Rainbow, which they don’t, but the box dispenses chocolates that sometime match the shapes of beam guardians, and whatever, it’s all Dark Tower nonsense and I loved it.

Side note. It took me until halfway through the story to realize the buttons on the box were like push-buttons, not decorative clothing buttons. I’m an idiot.

Anywho, Gwendy is tasked to protect the box. Each button represents a different continent, with the red button and black button being available for ad-hoc requests and also “mass destruction”. Gwendy protects the box, with her brief curiosity causing Jonestown (Kool-Aid Man says “oooooh yeah/ooops”), but mostly she protects the box at all costs, preventing unknown catastrophes, at least on our level of the tower. She’s rewarded by getting skinny (Jesus Christ, is that all that women have) and excelling at school. At the end of the day, the box saves her, and she returns it to Flagg, I mean Farris, and goes about her life.

Chizmar wrote a follow up, Gwendy’s Magic Feather, which I will gladly read before Gwendy’s Final Task, due out in 2022. I already put my faith, love and respect far deeper into Gwendy’s story than I ever invested in Bill Hodges, and for that, I am NOT SORRY.

8/10

First Line: There are three ways up to Castle View from the town of Castle Rock: Route 117, Pleasant Road, and the Suicide Stairs.

Last Line: Then she laughs and puts it in her pocket.

Adaptations:

None, yet, but I’m sure one’s coming.

[obsessiveviewer]

028 – Doorway Cave – Stephen King News Round-Up: Lisey's Story, Castle Rock, The Dark Tower, The Outsider, It: Chapter Two, If It Bleeds, The Long Walk and More

In this Doorway Cave episode, we’re back and we’ve got a lot of Stephen King news to cover!

Timestamps

Show Start - 00:19

Stephen King Check-Ins - 04:15 

Stephen King News Round-Up - 16:52

Lisey’s Story Adaptation - 17:07

Castle Rock Recasting - 22:21

Jerome Flynn in The Dark Tower - 26:36

Mistakes in The Dark Tower - 29:02

Gwendy’s Magic Feather - 36:43

It: Chapter Two Trailer - 39:16

HBO’s The Outsider - 45:42

If It Bleeds Announced - 49:05

Hulu’s The Eyes of the Dragon - 53:22

New Line’s The Long Walk - 1:00:50

RIP Leo the Cat - 1:05:03

Creepshow Episode Details Revealed - 1:06:27

Mr. Mercedes Season 3 - 1:13:07 

What’s Coming to the Podcast - 1:14:14

Closing the Ep - 1:16:04

Pre-Recorded Outro - 1:16:50 

Related Links

4/8 - Julianne Moore to Star in Apple Drama ‘Lisey’s Story’ From Stephen King, J.J. Abrams - Variety

4/10 - ‘Castle Rock’: Paul Sparks To Star In Season 2 Of Hulu Series In Recasting - Deadline

4/22 - Game of Thrones’ Jerome Flynn to Star in Amazon’s Dark Tower Series - ComingSoon.net

5/1 - Richard Chizmar's sequel Gwendy's Magic Feather returns to Stephen King's Castle Rock - EW

5/9 - It: Chapter Two trailer - YouTube 

5/13 - HBO’s 2020 Preview Includes First Look at Stephen King Adaptation “The Outsider" - Bloody Disgusting

5/14 - If It Bleeds is Stephen King’s Latest Book, Set for 2020 Release - DeadEntertainment.com

5/17 - Stephen King’s THE EYES OF THE DRAGON Is Getting a Hulu Adaptation - Nerdist

5/19 - Stephen King Comments On Game Of Thrones' Final Controversial Season - GameSpot 

5/21 - André Øvredal To Direct Stephen King’s ‘The Long Walk’ For New Line - Deadline

5/30 - Pet Sematary star Leo the Cat dies: 'He will be forever missed' - EW

5/30 - Stephen King Says Donald Trump and HBO's 'Chernobyl' Have Something in Common - Yahoo

5/30 - David Arquette, Tricia Helfer and Dana Gould Join Shudder’s “Creepshow”; Episode Details Revealed - Bloody Disgusting

5/31 - Ron Howard Admits Mistakes in ‘The Dark Tower’ Adaptation - Collider

6/4 - Stephen King Adaptation “Mr. Mercedes” Will Return for Third Season in September - Bloody Disgusting 

Obsessive Viewer - Our weekly movie and TV discussion and review podcast iTunes - Google Play - Stitcher

Obsessive Viewer Presents: Anthology - Matt’s solo podcast exploring science fiction anthology storytelling in television’s first golden age starting with The Twilight Zone. iTunes - Google Play - Stitcher

Shocktober in Irvington - Obsessive Viewer’s yearly event screening of short horror films from Indianapolis filmmakers to support the Irvington Historical Society

The Secular Perspective - Check out Tiny’s side project podcast that explores the concepts of faith, religion and existence from the perspective of secular hosts Chad and Amanda 

Episode Homepage: http://www.towerjunkiespod.com/028 

Tower Junkies

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Episodes by Category

Palaver - General Dark Tower/Stephen King Discussions

Khef - Dark Tower Book and Comics Discussions

Black Thirteen - Tower Related Stephen King Book Reviews

Maerlyn’s Grapefruit - Non-Tower Stephen King Book Reviews

Todash - Stephen King TV and Film Adaptation Reviews

Doorway Cave - Dark Tower TV and Film Adaptation News/Reviews 

Matt’s Top 19 King Novels

11/22/63

IT

Misery

The Stand

The Drawing of the Three (Dark Tower II)

The Dark Tower (Dark Tower VII)

The Shining

Pet Sematary

Under the Dome

The Waste Lands (Dark Tower III)

Wizard and Glass (Dark Tower IV)

Christine

Wolves of the Calla (Dark Tower V)

The Dead Zone

The Gunslinger(Dark Tower I)

Mercedes

Salem’s Lot

Song of Susannah (Dark Tower VI)

Gerald’s Game

Tiny’s Top 19 King Novels

The Dark Tower (Dark Tower VII)

Misery

The Stand

The Shining

The Drawing of the Three (Dark Tower II)

The Gunslinger (Dark Tower I)

Christine

Wizard and Glass (Dark Tower IV)

IT

Cujo

The Dead Zone

Mr. Mercedes

Gerald’s Game

Pet Sematary

Wolves of the Calla (Dark Tower V)

Salem’s Lot

Under the Dome

11/22/63

The Waste Lands (Dark Tower III)

Find more of the show at TowerJunkiesPod.com

[gwynstacee-blog]

Charlotte Corday: Pre-Revolution.

[gwynstacee-blog]

Bonnie and Clyde

“If you’re looking for something to else to read, here’s the story of Bonnie and Clyde.” -Bonnie Parker