#it would be great if they make a prequel where they show merlin's life before arthur

[bazzybelle]

COC 2019 Masterlist

I’ve seen a few of these going around and I figure I should add mine as well. I didn’t manage to complete all the prompts, but 13/30 isn’t terrible, considering everything. 

Day 1: Sun/ Moon

Title: Midnight Sun

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: A year after the events of Wayward Son, Simon and Baz take a small trip to Dover and spend the night taking a romantic stroll through the Kent Downs. While staring at the sky, Simon gets a wicked idea in his head, to taste a little more freedom and share it with Baz.

Day 2: Role Reversal

Title: Hush, Love

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: During a very difficult night, Simon finds a way to comfort Baz, using a tried and true method.

Day 3: Magical Creatures

Title: Keep Calm and Save a Unicorn

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: Agatha Wellbelove finds purpose and meaning to her life as she cares for and protects vulnerable members of the magical community.

Day 4: Dreams

Title: Have You any Dreams You’d Like to Sell?

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: Penelope processes her relationship with Micah on the plane ride home from America, while listening to "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac.

Day 5: Carry On Prequel

Title: A Million Dreams

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: Positive.  

Those two little blue lines, so simple, so plain. Yet they hold such a profound weight that I feel the need to take a moment to collect my thoughts. It does not do well for Natasha Pitch to come undone on account of two little blue lines. Still, I find myself sitting at my desk in my grand Watford Headmistress’ office, in absolute disbelief as I hold onto the pregnancy test in my hands.

Day 6: Vine/Meme Reference

Title: Everything’s Better With a Little Bit of HOLO!

Find it: Tumblr // AO3 

Summary: I steal the bottle from Simon’s grasp and give it a look. I inspect it closely, turning it around in my fingers. It does not look like anything particularly spectacular. It looks like a typical silvery nail polish. I am pretty sure Mordelia has a similar one. The polish’s brand name is somewhat more reflective, and I do think the slight rainbows coming off it are pretty. I do not understand the name, however. 

“What on Earth is a Holo Taco? Aren’t tacos supposed to be food? What do they have to do with nail polish?”

Day 7: WLW

Title: I Wanna Hold Your Hand

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: “People like me are meant to be alone.” I try to make my voice sound icy and intimidating. But, Merlin help me, it sounds breathless, like I’m choking it out. I take a sharp inhale of breath through my nose. Shan, the fool that she is, reaches over and grabs my other hand, she gently turns my body towards her and leans a little closer to me. She speaks in a soft and calm voice. I almost miss what she says because of the music in the background.

“You don’t have to be alone.”

Day 11: Angst Day

Title: Let It Be

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: It’s better if I lay here on the sofa.

That way, I can’t muck up anything more than what I’ve already mucked up.

It’s better if I lay here on the sofa.

That way, I don’t have to see the looks of pity and sadness on Baz’s and Penny’s faces. That way, Baz won’t have to look at me and realize that I’m not worth his time. I’m not worth anyone’s time.

It’s better if I lay here on the sofa.

That way, the constant light and hum of the television can help numb me of whatever I’m feeling inside.

Useless, wasted, worthless…

A fraud, a phony, a fake.

Day 12: Music/Song-Inspired

Title: You Get My Love

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: Now, we’re in bed, but not talking. It’s what we do… We don’t talk. We don’t know how to talk to each other. I don’t know how to talk to Baz. I wish I knew what to say to him. I wish I could find the words to tell him how I feel inside. But it’s so hard. It’s so hard to look at him and tell him how I feel.

I look at him now, face turned away from me, his hair fanned out behind him. I reach out and lightly touch it. I know it won’t wake him. Baz isn’t a heavy sleeper, but it’ll take more than a touch of his hair to wake him. I settle into the sheets and play with a silken strand, twisting it in my fingers.

“I’m such an idiot.” I say it so quietly, though I know he can’t hear me. Maybe this is how I find the words to say to him. I continue to run my fingers through his hair and watch him breathing. I love him so much. Maybe eventually, I’ll be able to tell him this when he’s awake.

Day 13: Parental Figures

Title: You’re F***in’ Perfect to Me

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: When Malcolm showed up on my doorstep, a year after losing the love of his life, and asked that I become his second wife, well my parents all but jumped at the opportunity to marry their daughter to a Grimm.

I refused. I wanted nothing to do with Malcolm Grimm and with being the replacement to the great Natasha Pitch.

Then I met Basilton.

There was something about the sad, lonely little boy that broke the walls I had put up around my heart. I would never replace his mother, I knew that. But this child needed someone to give him comfort, a sense of stability. This child needed a motherly presence. So I accepted and I married Malcolm.

Day 18: CRACK!

Title: Love is Blind (As A Bat)

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: The bat dives straight towards me as I keep whipping the towel to deter it. I stumble into the kitchen and pull out a spatula. It isn’t ideal, but I don’t want to hurt the thing, just get it out of my flat. The bat keeps trying to reach me, but I’m waving the spatula at it. I’m hoping to move towards the window again and push it outside, when Penny shouts.

“Simon! It’s got something in its claws!”

As if on cue, the bat drops the item it’s been holding the whole time. I pick up the item and inspect it; An ivory wand with a leather grip. Baz’s wand.The little bat lands on the bookshelf and perches upside down. Penny sees the wand and looks to the bat. She figures it out before I do and begins to laugh.

Day 20: Fairytale/Myth Retelling

Title: Den Eho Matia Gi’Allo - I Have Eyes for No Other Boy

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: I know something terrible has happened as I arrive at the Temple’s entrance. The lanterns are shattered on the ground, the offerings to Athena are strewn all over the floor. Mud has been thrown upon her sacred altar. Worse of all, the sacred statue of Athena is completely desecrated.

Day 27: Time Travel

Title: Love is a Dream of Beauty

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: I am known by many names in this court. Signore Pitch is one, but I find that to be dreadfully formal. I am not a master, nor am I nobility (well… not anymore). Amongst my peers and the scholars at the Academy, as well as the members of Lorenzo’s court, I am referred to as Tyrannus (which is probably worse than Signore Pitch, but these Florentines do love their classical history). My closest friends (of which I can count on one hand) refer to me as Basil or Baz, which is frankly what I prefer. It was what my mother and father called me before they died.

There is also what enemies of the Medici like to refer to me as: The Displaced Prince. I would find it rather insulting, if I wasn’t so amused by it.

***

That’s all... I hope you’re all enjoying your holidays, and time off. 

Sappy message... Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to everyone who liked, reblogged, and gave me encouragement. I know I’m still a newbie to this fandom, and I don’t deserve the love I’ve gotten. With that being said, the kind words I’ve received have kept me going, even on days where I wanted to give up and close my account. 

Thank you to the amazing friends I’ve made here so far ( @fight-surrender , @carryonsimoncarryonbaz , @giishu , and @f-ing-ruthless-baz ) who’ve listened to me crying and stressing out, who’ve reached out during my spirals, and who keep encouraging me to come out of my shell. If I ever had the guts to talk/leave comments, to share, or to join things, it’s because of these lovely people. I’m still working at coming out of my shell, but I encourage people to come talk to me, I’m rather nice (at least, my friends think I am). 

I’ve got so many fics to catch up on / comment on, as well as working on my WIPs. That’s my next goal... To read the many many fics/authors that I’ve seen during this countdown and to comment as much as I can. :) 

[stronglyobsessed]

Hello! I'm new to the Kingsman fandom. I watched both earlier this year for the first time after seeing Taron in Rocketman. I adore the first and like some parts of the second very much though I do have my issues with the movie overall. What's your story behind getting into the Kingsman fandom? Did you see the movies when they were released? What about them that appealed to? Also if you ever want to talk about the movies my inbox is always open!

Hello!!! Welcome welcome!!! Hope you like long responses, because this is likely to be one. So I am going to insert a keep reading tab so that I don’t clog up feeds with it’s length

First I’d like to say WOO for coming into the Kingsman fandom. We can always use more faces, as well as some of the veterans popping up. The fandom is kinda slow right now, but with the movies so far apart, and the fandom was small to begin with, it’s tapered off. So it’s always nice to see new faces surface.

The movies are great. I love the first, of course, and personally adore the second, outside of them killing Rox and Merlin - I have serious issues with both of those. Merlin especially because he was SUPPOSED to live, like that was original to the script, but because it had a better reaction from the test audience, they killed him - Mark Strong was cross with that, saw in an interview.

Okay. I came into the fandom around December 2017, so just about 2 years ago. I was mainly a reader then, and fell hard and fast into the fanfiction - I had never heard of, nor read, fanfiction before this. I’m sort of mad about that, because I would have started writing a long time ago - I mean I sort of did. I wrote an original story in high school, so I kind of always liked to write. Whether it be stories, poems and the like.

My story started off in September of 2017. My husband’s friend was living with us until he moved to Arizona the following year. One day he was like “You guys ever seen Kingsman?” I’m like...? What is that? I had never heard of it. He described the movie and so we all watched it. I loved it from then. Now I wasn’t looking for any fanfiction or anything yet - didn’t know it existed and all that jazz.

I heard the second movie had just been released in theaters that month, but I wasn’t really SO invested I was gonna see it in the theater. We waited until December to watch it on DVD. We rented it and I was like...OH! So, long story short about myself, with any TV show or movie I watch, that I really really like, I spin stories in my head. Not knowing what I was doing was essentially creating fanfiction in my head.

So naturally I was doing that with Kingsman. I began to google it. I loved Eggsy so much, googling pictures of him, and searching for ANY evidence a third movie would take place. To me, Eggsy being married and becoming a Prince just didn’t suit him. Yes, I love the idea of him having a HEA, married with babies, but he’s a spy and was just finding his footing as Galahad. I felt he was robbed of that, being a Prince would make it hard to keep that job - he even says it.

While searching for these things I found fanficiton. I found it through fanfic.net, and wattapad, and an assorted other places. A lot of it was reader insert and Eggsy. Where I liked it, it wasn’t my favorite, so I started finding some with Eggsy and a female OC, and some with Eggsy and Roxy. Of course, the more you search the more you find. I started to find Harry/Eggsy fics - Hartwin - and I won’t lie, wasn’t my jam at first. I had never read anything with same sex relationships, and I have NO issues with it, friends with plenty of gay people, but not the sort of READING I was exposed to.

I consumed everything I could find - of fanfic - and than I found AO3, and holy fucking shit. It was like a gold miners dream, or a starved fanfic readers dream. I loved it. I started writing my own fic in my phone, while I waited for the ability to sign up on AO3 - you needed a code at the time, not sure if they still do that - and so that’s what I did. I created an alternate life for Eggsy, wife, kids, long life and my favorite headcanon that he becomes Arthur when he’s older. So I read the same sex fanfic, while not being 100% comfortable with writing it myself yet, but they say you learn by writing and reading it, right?

Eventually I found Merlin/Eggsy - Merwin - fanfic, after about a month of posting my own writing, and good god. I was so fucking sunk. I needed to write THAT! I’ve been a shameless Merwin shipper since then, so almost 2 years, and been writing consistently. Of course with writing I created Tumblr and found SO many people who loved this too. Wrote fic, made art, did challenges, exchanges and just a fandom so fucking loving and caring and supportive of one another.

Manners Maketh Man, and all that. Kingsman fandom surely lives up to that motto.

But in short, I came into the fandom from my husband’s friend introducing me to the movies. Thanks, Mikey!

So no, I did not see the movies when they came out, and I actually came into the fandom late, but I’m PRAYING it picks up again with the new movies.

The movies were appealing because they had the perfect mix of action, comedy, and heart. I loved it. Eggsy was so well developed and his character was just so relatable and you were really rooting for him the whole time through the first movie. I knew some of the actors in the first: Colin Firth and Samuel Jackson, I mean...Colin in that church scene? That’s the best shit I’ve seen.

I of course wanted to watch the second, because I loved the first, and I will be watching the prequel and the last Eggsy/Harry movie.

I’m not sorry I found this fandom. I love it and I’ve made some awesome fucking friends, even met one in real life this past October! I am forever grateful for this hobby, and the fandom, it’s so great!!!

Thank you for the ask! And welcome again! My ask box, as well as private message, is always open for fandom discussions, the movies, headcanons and anything else you’d like to chat about!!!

[qveenpoppy]

kingsman the golden circle: a review

so, i kinda just jotted stuff down as my reactions during the movie, so i’m just gonna copy that over here and have that be my review. figured that’d be more authentic and i also just kinda did it for fun. i mean, it made my viewing a lot longer than it should have been but hey, i had the time, so why not? enjoy, my friends. i’ll add some overall thoughts and a score at the tail end. (i’ll bold it, for anyone who wants to jump right to that.)

Gosh that opening action sequence was BONKERS, so high-energy and kinda unrealistic that Eggsy would survive that but incredible to watch nonetheless. And it's been so long since I watched the first film in full, I've forgotten about my love for the theme/score. It's so gorgeous and epic.

I made a mistake starting this before dinner, and that first scene at Poppy's dinner was one of the most disturbing things I ever saw. I find these characters so interesting but the violence in these films is a little too much for me. I tried closing my eyes during the scene but I did so too early and then opened them back up during That part. I gotta make sure to keep them closed if something like that happens again (which I'm guessing it might).

The transitions in this movie are phenomenal, I love continuity with shapes that tie each scene to the following ones.

Because I'm watching this two years late, I saw some spoilers for the movie online. Like,  a while ago. Like, back when it first came out. I was curious and only moderately liked the first movie (it was visually great but as I said, not one for R-rated violence). That being said, the scene in which Harry gets his memories back is WAY better viewed in context. Whether you think of Harry and Eggsy as an item or not, it's very good. Eggsy knew EXACTLY what would bring Harry's memories back, and I adored their hug after Harry calmed down. (The height difference!!! Eggsy went on his toes!!!) Also, I hope Harry got to keep the puppy after that and named him Mr. Pickles Jr.

Anyone else get super hyped when they hear Colin Firth say, "Manners maketh man"? It's like you just Know shit is about to go down when those words are said in these films. I hope the prequel next year gives us an origin of that line being a battle call. Also, I heard Pedro Pascal did some rope training for this film but holy wowness, it's so good! Yeah, it's enhanced with CG effects and probably some switch-ins with stunt doubles, but it still makes for an incredible action sequence! I hope Pedro gets to show off some of these skills somehow next year in Wonder Woman 1984 or Mandalorian s2. (Can't believe I slept on him for so long as an action star, what a talent!)

You know, I can kind of see where this president is coming from? I mean, as his female aid reminds him, it's a gray area, considering those who experiment with drugs or self-medicate or teens/kids, but I can also see how taking out those who use illegal drugs kinda ends the whole "war on drugs". There's logic to it but considering those mentioned parties, it's got a devious, ignorant edge to it. I can at least say I like this movie having a little bit more of a political edge to it than the first one. I wonder if anyone had a debate like this while/after watching the movie, whether they agree with this president's stance or not. I would guess the red tie he wears points to him being a Republican, so you know most Democrats would be quick to disagree, given the climate of the country following the 2016 election (aka, more divided than ever).

Also why is Charlie hotter in this movie than he was in the first one? Is it because he's evil? The shaved head? The robot arm? (I mean, being a legit villain isn't a good thing, but he's not as psychotic as Poppy and kinda has a foot in both sides, at least since he's English and now his girlfriend is infected with Poppy's disease. I wonder if he'll change sides at some point, or just die at the hands of the Kingsman, considering what he knows about them.)

(Oh wait, nevermind, he gave her the antidote. But maybe he went behind Poppy's back to do so? Or it's a placebo version and he'll wind up turning on Poppy??? Also does he know his girlfriend got fingered by Eggsy?)

(Yeah, think I can kiss that redemption arc goodbye. Eh, at least there will be fanfics for that. Or at least ones where he and Eggsy have hot hate sex.)

Oh shit, Whiskey made Eggsy drop the antidote. But at least Eggsy and Harry are okay. But how the fuck are they gonna save the day now?

Was Harry seeing butterflies as part of the delusion stage of Poppy's virus? Did the Statesmen unknowingly treat him with one of the drugs she infected? Is he gonna die AGAIN?! (Oh wait, I saw the spoilers, he'll be fine. But they might have to use the antidote on him.)

Okay I also knew from spoilers that Whiskey wasn't gonna survive the movie but delusional Harry took him out?! Why?! Will he be revived by the Statesmen like Harry was? (Whiskey's just too cool a character to lose in one movie.)

Nevermind about the agreement thing, this president is one sick motherfucker.

Sorry this commentary is becoming much briefer and summary-esque, but Whiskey (aka Jack; they did that on purpose, didn't they?) is back. But I still don't think he'll make it till the end of the film. Is he gonna try and take Harry out? Is he actually a double agent? 

You know, with them bringing Harry back, it kinda lowers the stakes of these movies. Like, is anyone ever fully dead? 'Cause this movie especially seems to keep bringing people back, at least with that Statesman tech. So it's hard to be all that sad about Merlin's death. I mean, obviously him fucking BLOWING UP seems like a pretty permanent way to die, but I thought I saw - again, around the time this came out - behind the scenes photos of Mark with some sort of green motion capture pants, as if they'd given him some metal robot legs like I guess Gazelle's in the first film. Like he just got knocked back by the blast and could no longer use his legs, if revived. But apparently it didn't make the final cut. Still, wouldn't be surprised if they used that footage for the third film as a way to bring him back. 'Cause clearly Merlin, Eggsy, and Harry are the main trio in this franchise. (Sorry, Roxy fans.)

Ohhh, look at Elton getting in on the action sequences. Yes, Sir!!!

I love when action sequences are set to more creative choices of music :)

Harry & Elton, huh? I ship it

Oh, Whiskey is actually a bad guy. Damn. Take back all the praise I had for him. Pedro, I love you, but fuck Whiskey.

Thank god I covered my eyes this time when That happened. Ugh, gross.

Ohhh, an impeachment and removal from office. If only life could imitate art... (But only in that way, nothing else from this movie should happen in real life.)

Tequila works for Kingsman now?!

overall thoughts: a suitable sequel for this franchise. obviously pretty similar tone-wise with the humor and language and violence. i always forget that these films aren’t exactly my taste. kinda triggered my anxiety with all that violence and the whole drug-triggered virus (not that i’ll be experimenting with any illegal drugs anytime soon, but my paranoid brain will definitely keep me even further away from them now.) like, they’re well-shot and i like the characters, and i mostly wanted to watch this for some explanation of how harry was brought back from the dead, but i’m at least glad i chose to watch this at home and on my laptop/tablet. it would not have been good for me to see this on the big screen. (and i managed to watch both movies for free, and completely legally. first on xfinity on demand, this on a free rental from fandago. go me!)

as i said, the political aspects did at least make for some cool thought-provoking moments and debate. i do love when movies make you think like that. mindless action movies are the absolute worst (i’m looking at you, marvel and transformers franchises). 

i’m at least curious about that third film, how they’ll handle the loss of so many significant characters, or if they’ll magically be brought back to life, again. yeah, as cool as it was, bringing harry back may have been a mistake for this franchise. but i understand that it’s the main relationship of the series, even if eggsy is now married to that swedish princess, tilda or whatever. (meh.)

rating: 7/10. it’s hard for me to give a film any lower than that, unless i turned it off or got particularly tired/bored while watching it, so. good action, good characters, fun humor, smidge too violent. 

till next time, my dudes!

[the-original-bookworm]

Merlin Rec list part 1

dreams for wings and wanderers

Dragons are feared and mistrusted throughout Albion, and there are very few of them left in Camelot, for Uther’s long campaign against magic also included hunting down all the dragons in the wild. Now, Camelot is recovering from the invasion of Cenred and Morgause's army. Prince Arthur is the one in charge, and Merlin finds out that his secret regular visits to the covert haven't been very secret at all. There's a great deal of manly bonding with the Knights, inquisitive dragons being inquisitive, and a record-breaking number of near-death experiences for Merlin. And this is before he gets his very own dragon. (A Merlin/Temeraire fusion.)

-little long, but extremely interesting concept. Loved the bond between Merlin and the dragons.

merlinfic: job orientation

In the not so distant future, Merlin builds a tower. That's not suspicious at all.

-short, post! Magic reveal, there is a prequel but I like this one better, love Merlin’s obliviousness. Both Arthur and Merlin felt very on point with characters, they acted exactly like themselves if that makes sense.

Touch Me (Not)

In which Merlin is reluctantly pure, Arthur is unfairly tempting, and the Great Dragon sits back with popcorn to watch.

-smut does happen. Basically Merlin thinks he can’t have sex cause he has to be “pure” for destiny to work. This doesn’t really have much of anything to do with any timeline in the series, it feels like you could stick it in between the scenes of the show and it just WORKS. Kinda short, one-shot type of thing

In Love with my Radio

Merlin listens to the radio, Arthur stalks Merlin, Morgana lives to create chaos in Arthur's life, and then everyone goes to McDonalds! Also love happens.

From the kmm prompt: Arthur has an anonymous blog/lj/twitter where he posts about his life, and Merlin follows it RELIGIOUSLY. Arthur starts posting about how he's stalking this amazingly hot guy...

-ok. This is just. HILARIOUS. And Merlin is so oblivious. Decent sized fic, there are some add on’s I would call them? Like one shots of the story continued. It’s an AU. And I just love it.

Pining for the Moon

First, there is the rage, like nothing Arthur has ever known. It’s hot, hotter than anything, hotter than the kitchen ovens and the blacksmith’s forge and dragon’s breath. It fills him to the brim and carries on, washing over him in waves that scald, and, as Arthur looks around him at the carnage, the man at its centre, he has no idea how he is ever meant to let go of it.

“I can explain,” Merlin says, his eyes still blazing as he kneels there, charred by the fires he lit, blood on his hands. So much blood. “Arthur, sire, please, I can explain.”

First, there is the rage, and then there is a knife at Merlin’s throat.

-this is. Wow. I gotta say, this is a really heavy fic. I usually go for more fluff, good plot line but happy endings type thing. This was completely not that, tho there is a happy ending. Arthur actually kills Merlin for being a sorcerer only regrets it so much and Merlin was actually - well no spoilers but there is a happy ending. Read it, but be warned it’s heavy.

Damsel in a Phone Booth

it’s the middle of the night and i’m walking home alone in the dark and there’s this guy following me and he’s starting to gain on me and i found this phone booth with a lock on the door and i tried to call my best friend but my hands were shaking so badly i accidentally dialed the wrong number and i don’t even know you but help me” au (merthur)

-so, short and sweet, a good story, good fluff after the “pining for the moon” fic.

Sort of a Tourniquet

Arthur gives Merlin a plastic ring as a joke. But what nobody knows is how much Merlin really likes wearing it. Modern AU with lots of pining.

-sweet, pure fluff. The pining almost hurt me. It’s an AU, and I wanted to kill Merlin a few times, but good story.

Evil Overlord, Inc. Official Website

Merlin is a recent graduate with a double doctorate in metaphysics and physics. Arthur is a low-level paper pusher with a desk in the sub-basement of MI5. They live in a world with ridiculous laws and restrictions against anyone who might be supernatural in any way, shape, or design.

Merlin has huge debts looming over this head, a few quid left in his bank account, and no job prospects. Arthur is pushing thirty, in a dead-end job with no chances of promotion to fieldwork agent, and is thoroughly bored with his life.

One ill-advised Craigslist advert, five pushy mates, one nosy all-knowing sister, and a hacked email account later, Merlin and Arthur take the world by storm.

(Or, more precisely, they take over the world.)

-love love l0ve love. Even in an AU, Arthur can’t stand not running everything. Must read.

The History of Two Conversations (On Paper)

This is a very useful spell, Merlin wrote. He formed the letters carefully, small so he could write more later, if he needed to, and did not at all wonder if he was going to get in trouble or be cursed or something for writing in the margins of an ancient spell book.

He told the book (in case it had an opinion on the matter), "I am just imparting my knowledge to future generations. I'm sure they will find my comments helpful."

The book made no reply, so Merlin decided it was fine and leaned over the tome again adding, You can clean almost anything with it, even though in this book it refers to badgers alone. Don't believe that for a second. Just yesterday I cleaned out the extraordinarily vile bottom of Arthur's miscellaneous chest using this spell and it worked a treat. He thought for a moment before finishing, One downside: Leaves an odd sulphurous odour after use. Better not to use on clothing and/or self.

-so completely recommend, Arthur finds Merlin’s magic book with merlin’s handwriting in it. Wish we could have seen Arthur’s thoughts but that’s my only complaint

Radioman

The reason SAS Captain Arthur Pendragon can't keep a communications specialist in Team Excalibur because none of them are good enough. And then Lieutenant Merlin Emrys gets assigned to his squad, and Arthur does everything he can to prove that Merlin isn't good enough, either. Except he is.

-ok so this is a series, EXTREMELY long. I gotta admit I haven’t finished it yet but everything I read has been downright amazing.

The Crown of the Summer Court

The king sent me to get you," Merlin said, with a tone that implied strongly that he wasn't rolling his eyes where Arthur could see, but just wait until his back was turned. "He said you're to get changed into formal clothes and meet him in the Great Hall, there's a delegation coming from the Summer Court."

-right, so I am not only recommending this fic, I recommend any and all Merlin fics written by the author. She is downright AMAZING. Like, one of the best fics I’ve read amazing. Maybe THE best.

Three Tasks

Arthur is the Royal Arbiter for Suitable Suitors' Disputes. He (and his trusty companion, the golden-dragon-tasselled hat) alone can determine who is fit to woo royal servants and other assorted courtiers in Uther's court.

(In light of the sentence above, the following may not appear to be a truthful statement, but: not as cracky as that makes it sound. Really.)

This time: Arthur arbitrates a dispute (with heretofore unforeseen wisdom); Merlin observes.

-weird concept, but very good. I could really imagine being in Arthur’s head, it sounded just like him. And it kinda humanizes Uther, which is really hard to do.

The Pendragon Guide to How Not to Date

Modern day student AU. Still set in Britain. Morgana sends Arthur on some blind dates that don’t go quite according to plan

-warning. Smut. Liked it, was more fluff then plot, but seriously adorable

The student prince

A Modern day Merlin AU set at the University of St Andrews, featuring teetotal kickboxers, secret wizards, magnificent bodyguards of various genders, irate fairies, imprisoned dragons, crumbling gothic architecture, arrogant princes, adorable engineering students, stolen gold, magical doorways, attempted assassination, drunken students, shaving foam fights, embarrassing mornings after, The Hammer Dance, duty, responsibility, friendship and true love...

This story was inspired by the thought of Prince William of Wales (and indeed the current Max von Hapsburg) studying at the University of St Andrews; it is also, as the title suggests, at least a little inspired by the operetta 'The Student Prince'.

-so I don’t really go for modern day royalty much, but this was really good. There is a plot, though it revolves mostly around the merthur romance. Reads like a romance novel.

Two Weeks Notice

Arthur is a prattish Executive VP of the Pendragon Corporation with a disturbingly non-ironic love of Demotivational posters. Merlin is a tree-hugging barista with a "magic" tongue. Morgana's a peeping Tom and her breasts have superpowers. Gwen and Lancelot get married. Owain is the company bicycle. Arthur attempts to steal Merlin's affections from Will through epic DDR combat. Merlin gets drunk a lot. There is a pillow fight, and a helicopter ride, and rooftop confessions, and Arthur decides Merlin really is his destiny, whether he likes it or not.

-it’s like if you took the Merlin story and set it in modern times. Like, almost exactly. There are plot differences of course but it just feels like Merlin. well, if it was ‘stop killing the planet’ instead of ‘stop killing sorcerers’ and Arthur was prince of a company instead of a kingdom.

Harmonia Mundiais

Music has always been the centre of Merlin’s reality, and the idea of silence is unimaginable. But when Camelot is deafening, Arthur is distracting and the dragon is utterly unhelpful, will his gift turn out to be a blessing or a curse?

-the ultimate concept , takes the music instead of magic idea and makes it music is magic, like literally. Amazing. It does do this thing where Merlin gives off this kind of innocent thought process? It’s not a bad thing, it just gives this idea that Merlin prioritizes this music in his head and on a subconscious level he can’t understand how others can’t hear it, though he knows they just don’t.

Stars Above, Stones Below

After the disastrous end of his betrothal to Gwen and the regret of his offer to Princess Mithian, Arthur swears off finding a wife until he's ready to wed. When Merlin offers himself to Arthur as bedmate, Arthur suggests they hand-fast in secret for a single year of mutual pleasure without obligation. As their year together unfolds, and secrets and betrayals unravel around them, Arthur and Merlin learn there is no such thing as uncomplicated pleasure. Everything they thought they knew can change in the span of a single year.

-smuuuuuut happens. Magic reveal is good, lobe how it handled the Gwen banishment thing

send me any awesome merthur fics not on the list!

[morganaspendragonss]

1-40

I get that whoever sent this was probably having me on because I put in the tags that nobody would actually do this, but I honestly don’t care because it’s interaction with my followers.

(Also I love talking about my writing hmu about it)

This is going under a cut because it’s going to be super long.

1. Describe your comfort zone - a typical you-fic

I love to write angsty, hurt/comfort stories that are quiteintrospective and possibly a little existential.  

2. Is there a trope you’ve yet to try your hand at,but really want to?

Someday, I’m definitely going to write a soulmate AU fic.  

3. Is there a trope you wouldn’t touch with a tenfoot pole?

I really hate sibling AUs. I’ve avoid reading them and I wouldn’t everwrite one.  

4. How many fic ideas are your nurturing right now?Care to share one of them?

Far, far too many. I will write them…. at some point…..

There’s one that I’ve been nurturing for a really long time.Essentially, it’s a Supernatural fic in which Sam dies with Jess in the fire atStanford. Not being one to let his prize horse go before he’s even entered thefield, however, Azazel returns him to life and guides him down the path tobecoming the boy king. 

Fast forward two years, Dean and Bobby put together a bunch of strange,demonic sounding deaths. People called Jake Talley, Ava Wilson, Scott Carey,etc. They go to investigate, and imagine their surprise when they find out it’sSam doing all the killings. 

5. Share one of your strengths

I’m generally pretty good at characterisation and worming my way intothe character’s thoughts and feelings. 

6. Share one of your weaknesses

I’m not great at motivating myself to write. There’s one of my fics thathasn’t been updated in months because I haven’t felt like sitting down andwriting. 

7. Share a snippet from one of your favouritepieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

There will never be enough time. 

Everyone alive thinks they have all the time in theworld to do everything they want, and so much more besides, and no one realisesuntil it’s their time that we’re all just trapped in hourglasses with the sandsof our lives slipping through our fingers. Death is a far off thing that comesfor everyone whether we like it or not, and when it does we will all wish formore time that we cannot have.

This is from my Harry Potter fic, every second you’re alive. I’m proud of it because I remember writing it and really liking what I had just produced, which is such a rare feeling for me.

(read the full fic here)

8. Share a snippet from one of your favouritedialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

“If the poor man wants to speak with you aloneyou ought to let him,” she scolded. 

“Come, Wilhelmina. Let’s leavethe men to it.” She started towards the door, but Alfred moved to stopher, embarrassed.

“Really, Duchess, that’s really not necessary.I’ll just-”

“Apparently it is necessary,” she cut in.“Didn’t your parents ever teach you manners?”

(read thefull fic here) This is from a Victoria fic and I like it becauseI felt like I could really hear the characters’ voices coming through after I’dwritten it. 

9. Which fic has been the hardest to write?

My Supernatural-Merlin crossover fic, Our Broken Souls. I haven’t updatedit in a while because it’s quite honestly exhausting to write because I have tokeep track of all the characters and make sure they’re all in character andit’s also my first real long fic so it’s been a challenge to write it whilstalso being in full-time education. 

10. Which fic has been the easiest to write?

Probably my Supernatural 13x01 coda, You Say Goodbye. I knew exactly where I wanted to gowith it and how I wanted to write it. 

11. Is writing your passion or just a fun hobby?

Both. I really, really love writing, but currently I am only able to indulgein it as a hobby. 

12. Is there an episode above all others thatinspires you just a little bit more?

Episode 13x12 of Supernatural really inspired me. Unfortunately, Ihaven’t been able to upload my coda to that episode yet, but I’ll get there. 

13. What’s the best writing advice you’ve comeacross?

 To always get a second perspective on your work.  

14. What’s the worst writing advice you’ve comeacross?

This is just personal, but to keep writing even when you’re notmotivated or inspired. This advice probably works for loads of people, just notfor me. 

15. If you could choose one of your fics to befilmed, which one would it be?

Probably my Supernatural 13x07 coda, Little Boy Lost because I need more Sam angst/Sam worrying aboutJack in the show. 

16. If you could only write one pairing for therest of your life, which pairing would it be?

That’s a tough one, but probably Charlie Bradbury/Jo Harvelle 

17. Do you write your story from start to finish,or do you write the scenes out of order?

Depends on the fic. Generally I write from start to finish, but ifthere’s a particular scene that I know I want to happen, but I don’t know whereit’ll go, I’ll write it beforehand and then insert it in later. 

18. Do you use any tools, like worksheet oroutlines?

 No 

19. Stephen King one said that his muse is a manwho lives in the basement. Do you have a muse?

It probably sounds strange, but no, I don’t really have a muse. 

20. Describe your perfectwriting conditions.

Sitting on my bed, the Game of Thrones soundtrack playing quietly in thebackground. 

21. How many timesdo you usually revise your fic/chapter before posting?

Anywhere between 0 and 3 

22. Chose a passagefrom one of your earlier fics and edit it into your current writing style.

Oh man I hate looking at my earlier writing. This is an improvement of a2016 Sherlock fic entitled Lost (readit here)

JimMoriarty shot himself in the back of the head. His eyes stared blankly up atthe blue sky, his lips still quirked upwards into a triumphant grin. He hadwon. He had won, despite the halo of blood spreading across the concrete. 

(Sherlockwondered if that was how he hadlooked when it had happened. If anyone deserved a halo, it was John Watson) 

(Butthen, Sherlock had seen enough car crash victims to know that wouldn’t be thencase) 

23. If you were to revise one ofyour older fics from start to finish, which would it be any why?

My veryfirst fic, Binding Love, a PJO fic from way back in 2014. That was written inthe days where I didn’t know how to structure my fic properly, and my writinghad improved in leaps and bounds since then.  

24. Have you ever deleted one ofyour published fics?

I have. Ideleted a Divergent fic because it didn’t get a response, and when I read itover I saw why. I also deleted two other fics because I was honestly justembarrassed about them. 

25. What do you look for in abeta?

Someonewith patience because I am the worst at keeping a good updating schedule, andsomeone who is good at spotting grammatical mistakes because my fics often havequite a few. 

26.  Do you beta yourself? If so, what kind ofbeta are you?

I dobeta. I tend to be quite clinical, going through it and making changes where Ispot errors, but I also like to interact with the writer so that I understandwhat they want to achieve and how I can help them, and so that they understandmy thought process and why I made the changes I did. 

27. How do you feel aboutcollaborations?

I’m partof one now! They can be stressful, but I’ve had a lot of fun with them. 

28. Share three of your favouritefic writers and why you love them so much.

TolkienGirl onff.net – She has written so many wonderful fics for a huge variety of fandomsand each one is literal perfection. I have never read a single story of hersthat I have not loved. 

elsaclack on ao3 – I have only recently started reading their fics but oh my god they areamazing. I finished reading one of them the other day and I was so disappointedthat I have got to the end because I was enjoying it so so much. 

Lenelle on ff.net – I amin love with their fic. Again, it’s all so good and they write some amazingSam-centric SPN fic, which is all I need in life. 

29. If you could write the sequel(or prequel) to any fic out there not writtenby yourself, which would you choose?

Probablya sequel to Lay Down YourArmour by rainbowflavouredfabulous on ao3. It was such a good fic and isvery deserving of a sequel. Whether I’d be able to do it justice, however, isanother matter. 

30. Do you acceptprompts?

Yeah, definitely! I can’t say how long I’ll take to write them, but Ilove receiving prompts. 

31. Do you takeliberties with canon or are you very strict about your fic being canoncompliant?

That is very dependent on the fic and on the canon. For example, when I’mwriting episode codas I generally stay true to canon, but I have taken someliberties if I dislike the canon. 

32. How do you feelabout smut?

I love to read it, but I’ve never written it. 

33. How do you feelabout crack?

Not really my thing. 

34. What are yourthoughts on non-con and dub-con?

I generally try to keep away from it. 

35. Would you everkill off a canon character?

I have and I do, although not so frequently now as I used to. 

36. Which is yourfavourite site to post fic?

I used to exclusively post on ff.net, but I quite like ao3 as well.

37. Talk about yourcurrent wips.

Currently I’m trying to write a coda to SPN 13x09 that’s been in theworks for a long time. I can’t quite figure out what I want to write, otherthan that it’s post-episode from Jack’s POV.  

Then there’s my crossover, OurBroken Souls. I really do enjoy writing this because I’ve always wanted towrite a Merlin-Supernatural crossover, but it takes time. I’m hopefully goingto update over Easter. 

38. Talk about areview that made your day.

All the reviews I get make my day if I’m being honest, but I receivedone on my fic To Ashes that made meso happy. I was really unsure about this fic, but the review was just so lovelyand really cheered me up. 

39. Do you ever getrude reviews and how do you deal with them?

Surprisingly, I very rarely get rude reviews. I got one near Christmasthat basically told me I shouldn’t write because it goes against God’s willetc. etc. It was a guest review so I just reported it. 

40. Write analternative ending to [insert fic title]

I wasn’t given a fic so I’ll choose one myself. This is an alternativeending to my Victoria fic, Achilles and Patroclus,in which Drummond doesn’t die. 

When the fifth day came, Alfred was sure he was going to lose Drummond.His face was grey, his breathing laboured, and Alfred didn’t know how a personcould recover from that. His eyes filled with tears as he left, certain hewould never enter this place again. 

In the end, it turned out he was right, if only in part. The palacereceived word two days later that Drummond was expected to make a fullrecovery, and had been moved to his own home to do so. Alfred barely managed tocontain himself at the news, and rushed off to Drummond’s house as soon as hewas able. 

When he arrived, a maid showed him up to the room, warning him not todistress Drummond too much. He assured her he would do nothing of the sort,then stepped inside, shutting the door quietly behind him. Drummond was pale,and his eyes were closed, but his head turned in Alfred’s direction as Alfredmade his way over to the bed. Alfred felt tears gather in his eyes again, buthe blinked them away, sitting down in a chair next to the bed and hesitantlytaking Drummond’s hand in his. 

Drummond’s mouth quirked up into a smile at the touch. “Alfred,” hebreathed, and that sound alone caused a warm feeling to spread in Alfred’schest. 

“Edward,” Alfred choked out, finally letting the tears fall. Hetightened his grip on Drummond’s hand as they sat in silence, thankful thatthis wonderful man hadn’t been stolen from him.

[homeawayfromhogwarts394-blog]

On the twenty-second day of Christmas, fanfiction gave to me... Thewaterfalcon! Find her stories on fanficiton.net, check her out on tumblr @thewaterfalcon, and read her interview below!

Getting to Know You

HAFH: Tell us how you fell in love with Harry Potter    

TWF: I’ve been a fan right from the start, I was introduced to Philosopher’s Stone when I was about 8 (1998), I was always a bit reader, especially as a child, but from that moment not many books have ever come close.

HAFH: Who is your favorite Character? Which is your favorite book? Why?      

TWF: Ron, he gets such a hard time in ff but he’s my favourite. I think he’s the one I always connected to the most, he felt the most real to me, I like that he made the mistakes that he did, and that he didn’t particularly have a lot of love for his classes, but I think mostly, I just relate to how he frequently didn’t feel good enough. And then, of course, he still helped save the world! My favourite book is a toss up between PoA, and OotP, they’re the ones that I’ve gone back and read the most times. PoA because I love how we were introduced to the Marauders, and how you can re-read and see that there is so much more depth to the story than you first thought (Remus seeing Harry, the spitting image of his old best friend on the train, for example). OotP because it made me laugh the most, some of my favourite chapters in the entire series are the ones in Grimmauld Place, I love that even despite the frightening state of affairs (Voldemort having just returned, etc), there was this sort of community/family feel during those parts.

HAFH: What is your favorite book (outside of HP)?    

TWF: The Lord of the Rings series, I’ve read them close to the amount of times I’ve read HP. I absolutely adore the world Tolkien gave us, the scope of the history, characters, and story are just incredible in my eyes.

HAFH: What are your favorite holiday traditions?      

TWF: Crafts, baking, decorating, etc are all staples. We go to Christmas Markets when we can, oh, and our tree topper is a penguin called Chris, who sits on top of a bookcase all year until Christmas!

HAFH: Do you like the holidays?      

TWF: Yes! I’m such a typical mum at Christmas, it’s all about the kids, and I love it all!

HAFH: Share one of your strengths and one of your weaknesses. Doesn’t have to be writing related!      

TWF: My ability to overcome is the strength I pride myself on the most. One weakness is that I can be incredibly oversensitive.

HAFH: What other hobbies do you have?      

TWF: I’m a watercolour painter, and fan artist, and I spend copious amounts of my time perfecting my bullet journal.

HAFH: Do you write anything outside of Harry Potter fanfiction?    

TWF: Yes, one day I would like to release an original work, I write bits and pieces of non-ff, but I haven’t got enough of an idea in mind yet.

HAFH: What are you doing when you're not obsessing about Harry Potter or fanfiction?    

TWF: Adulting, or bullet journalling.

General Fanfiction

HAFH: Describe your comfort zone—a typical you-fic.    

TWF: I’ll take angst over fluff any day, I prefer rarer pairings, and a little bit of some smutty goodness wouldn’t go amiss.

HAFH: If you could write the sequel (or prequel) to any fic out there not written by yourself, which would you choose?    

TWF: Oh my gosh, this is a really hard question! Can I alter it a teeny bit? I’d finish avis1756’s Unintentional Magic.

HAFH: If you could choose one of your fics to be filmed, which would you choose? Any actors you would hope play your characters?      

TWF: The History of Magic, because I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to watch Hogwarts come to life for the first time. My fancasts for Rowena and Salazar are Katie McGrath (she plays Morgan le Fay in ‘Merlin’), and Michael Fassbender.

HAFH: If you only could write one pairing for the rest of your life, which pairing would it be?      

TWF: If I *had* to choose, I think I’d pick Ronsy.

HAFH: Do you have a muse? What is it?! If not, where do you get your ideas?    

TWF: Primarily music; a lot of my stories are inspired by songs.

HAFH: Do you read fanfiction? Do you read similar or different things than you write?      

TWF: I don’t read it as much as I would like, but I try to write different things, that I haven’t seen before..

HAFH: Share three of your favorite fic writers and what you like about them.    

TWF: Clementine Mack; because I adore how she takes lesser known characters and gives them so much life, particularly her Millicent Bulstrode, she does for Millicent what I try to do for Pansy, she gives her this normality, and likeability, but with an unapologetic realness.      

dulce.de.leche.go ; because I find myself so drawn into the words she writes, there’s such a depth and beauty to her words that I just lap her stories up.        

@shayalonnie, because in my eyes she’s the best at what we do! Her stories aren’t simply stories, they’re epics.

HAFH: Share three of your favorite fanfictions and what you like about them.     

TWF: Savage Heart - Clementine Mack, because somehow, despite werewolf fics being fairly popular, she has managed to weave such an originality in the story and characters that it doesn’t even feel like a fanfiction now.        

The Debt of Time - ShayaLonnie, for the same reasons that everyone adores DoT! It made me feel everything, fall in love with the Marauders and feel even more connected to the canon story.       

His Little Bird - thewanderer’swanderingdaughter, this one is rough, there’s no getting around that, it’s one of the darkest I’ve read, but I was beyond pulled into it, the writing is incredible and, even though I found it hard to read due to its content, I really, really liked how the author dealt with various issues.

HAFH: Does what you read affect what or how you write? If yes, how so?      

TWF: I would say so, yes. I guess in a similar vein to how a musician often finds it difficult to just listen to music without scrutinising it, I do the same when I’m reading now, I’m constantly analysing how sentences flow, or whether the writer has done something grammatically different than I would have. If I really love a particular sentence, or passage, I often save it in my phone.

HAFH: How long have you been reading and writing fanfiction?      

TWF: I’ve read ff on and off for quite a few years, I’ve only been writing since May, so I’m a relative baby compared to lots of other authors!

Published Works

HAFH: Have you ever deleted one of your published fics? Why?      

TWF: I have not.

HAFH: Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

TWF: This is from Darkened Skies, one of the things I really wanted to address in this story is how Neville went from the accident prone target of bullies, to absolute bad ass. In canon we don’t really see this fully, because obviously the trio aren’t at Hogwarts during 7th year, and so it was fun to really dig deep with Neville in this way, also, DS has the slowest burn and this is right before Neville and Pansy finally kiss, so it was just great to get to this moment:

‘She smiled up at him. His face, which she had began to see as rather physically appealing from the minute he entered the carriage on the train, now had a whole new effect on her. She still marvelled at how good looking he had become, of course, but now there was more; he had a perfected rigidity to his jaw, and a deep sorrow in his eyes that she was certain, or perhaps she merely hoped that, nobody else could see. There was real pain and sadness in Neville Longbottom and knowing, and seeing, that, broke Pansy’s heart almost every day. And yet, despite the hurt, she knew there was also hope, and light. She saw it mostly in Herbology, an ambition in his eyes when Professor Sprout engaged him, or when Professor Flitwick commended his impressive spellwork. His Gryffindor fire was sometimes so close to the surface, she half expected his eyes to burn a deep red.

Their peers no longer regarded him in the way they once did, with mockery and pity. His abilities as a wizard had increased tenfold and his blatant defiance in the face of the Carrows’ proved he was no longer one to be trifled with. In fact, Pansy highly doubted whether Neville Longbottom would ever give anyone reason to truly make fun of him again.

Pansy smiled at his words, but said nothing. Instead,she let her head fall to the side, feeling comfortable enough, yet still nervous at first, to rest her head on his shoulder. She felt him altogether stiffen at her advance and then, all of a sudden, his whole body relaxed entirely, and she felt his head flop to the side, to rest against hers. His hand then reached for hers, and he grasped it in his own as their fingers interlaced.’

HAFH: Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

TWF: This is from The History of Magic, I tried hard to really capture the Founder’s personalities, and I wanted to inject a bit of humour into the scene, and I hope I did a good job:

“And what if, at eleven years old they do not quite show the bravery of an ox-”

“I prefer lion, the lion is an animal of absolute grandeur.”

Helga narrowed her eyes at Godric. “Fine, the courage of a lion.”

“Much better!” Godric responded, this time earning him a most uncharacteristic, actual glare from Helga.

“Hush, Godric! Or, the intellect of a...a…”

“I’ve always admired the eagle, most intelligent creature,” Rowena interjected.

“...an eagle, then. Or the resourcefulness, and cunning, of...” this time Helga did not attempt to think of the relevant creature herself, instead simply gazing at Salazar, who replied without hesitation.

“A snake.”

“Of course,” Helga snapped, her arms now flailing in annoyance, much to the amusement of the other three. “a snake, so what happens? What if these children are not particularly brave, intelligent, or cunning? When their greatest attributes are kindness, or dedication, or patience, what then?”

“Well, one would assume, they would be in your House,” Godric answered the question Rowena was sure Helga had actually not wished for an answer to.

“Yes, yes they will! I shall take all the rest. And shame on all of you for not having the same attitude!” The small woman ended haughtily into a pregnant silence.

“Well, that is very kind of you, Helga,” Rowena said after a while, unable to bear the awkward quiet that had befallen the four friends. “What creature do you feel you would like to represent the House of Hufflepuff?”

Helga was taking deep breaths, and the reddening of her cheeks told Rowena that Helga was probably feeling a sense of embarrassment over her outburst.

“A badger.”

HAFH: Which fic has been the hardest to write?

TWF: More than Life, it came from this tiny idea, and I started it with virtually nothing, it’s one I should have planned out properly, first. It’s an entirely canon-compliant Hinny, and has none of my usual elements involved. It is however, my most popular!

HAFH: Which fic has been the easiest to write?

TWF: Need You Now; my filthy Ronsy smut-fest . I wrote that bad boy basically in one go, it came to me super easily.

HAFH: What is your favorite story you have every written?

TWF: Darkened Skies, it’s my baby. It started me on the journey of a writer and gave me this incredible outlet. I owe DS a lot.

Writing Process

HAFH: What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever come across?

TWF: Write to express, not to impress.

HAFH: What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever come across?

TWF: Work on only one thing at a time. Now, please don’t think I mean that this is bad advice overall, as I’m sure for many others it isn’t, but for me, and the way my inspiration comes to me, I tend to work on one fic for a while, and then not touch it for a while, whilst I concentrate on another, this helps me immensely as I know how easily I lose heart in a project, this way keeps all my work fresh.

HAFH: Describe your perfect writing conditions.

TWF: A pristine desk, a view that involved water in some capacity, and tea on demand! (typical Brit here!)

HAFH: Do you use any tools, like worksheets or outlines?

TWF: I outline my big fics, yes. Nothing too fancy, but I like to have a timeline, and bullet point what plot points are going to happen roughly in each part of the story.

HAFH: Do you write your story from start to finish, or do you write the scenes out of order?

TWF: If a later scene comes to me, I will write it, but mostly start to finish.

HAFH: Describe the process a chapter goes through before being posted.*

TWF: I sometimes jot down some bullet points of what I’m including. I’ll try to finish writing a chapter in a few days. I then add it to the file in my drive, and let my beta know it’s there. Once it’s beta’d, I will publish.

HAFH: How many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? Care to share one of them?

TWF: I have two plunnies hopping about, one is a Ronsy heavily inspired by Outlander, it’s a Voldemort wins!AU, the other is a prompt I actually entered in the Q&P mistletoe comp, claimed it myself and then decided to delete it because I want to write it later, and longer, and do it justice. It’s a George/Daphne set after the war and deals with George losing Fred, which will be coupled with what has happened to Daphne (but I’m not going to give that away yet!), and how these two unlikely souls find each other, and something to cling to.

HAFH: Would you ever kill off a canon character?

TWF: I try not to, but, I mean, sometimes it calls for it, I killed Harry, Molly, and Arthur in The Whole World without batting an eyelid. On the whole though, I tend not to.

HAFH: Do you take liberties with canon or are you very strict about your fic being canon compliant?

TWF: I usually write things that *could be* feasible in canon.

HAFH: Is there a character, book, scene, etc from canon (above all others) that inspires you?*

TWF: It’s actually a film scene, where they’re preparing for the final battle, oh it just gives me all the tingles! It’s one of the things I really feel they got right in the films.

HAFH: Is there a trope you’ve yet to try your hand at, but really want to? Or one you never would want to write?

TWF: Time turner, I’ve never really had much of a plunny for one though, but I do like them! I’ll probably send Pansy back in time at some point. I don’t think I’d ever write a marriage law.

HAFH: Is writing your passion or a fun hobby?

TWF: I’ve only been writing for seven months, so I’d say fun hobby that is becoming my passion.

Revision

HAFH: If you were to revise one of your older fics from start to finish, which would it be and why?

TWF: I don’t really have any older fics, but I guess once I’m at that point it will be Darkened Skies, because I want it to be perfect.

HAFH: How do you feel about collaborations?

TWF: I’d never collaborate, I know i’d end up falling out with my partner. I think they’re often great in theory, but I know a few people who have had bad experiences with them.

HAFH: What do you look for in a beta?

TWF: Someone I feel comfortable with, and someone who will be my cheerleader, not all the time, but I need it, every now and again.

HAFH: Do you beta yourself? If so, what kind of beta are you?

TWF: I do, currently for two writers, and I’ll look over my friends’ work if they ask.

Works in Progress

HAFH: Talk about your current wips.

TWF: Darkened Skies is a Pansy/Neville story that takes place during 7th year when the trio are away. ‘He was her one and only chance to feel sane, she was his nights spent chasing a hurricane.’ Fire & Ice...and Everything Nice takes place after the war, and involves Pansy and Daphne taking a trip to Romania (no prizes for guessing who one of their love interests is!), it is primarily light hearted and fun, but deals with PTSD, anxiety, depression and panic attacks as a big underlying theme. “The aftermath of the Battle of Hogwarts has left Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Greengrass alone; torn apart from their once-friends and shunned by the whole of Wizarding Britain. As Pansy is plagued by the worst of memories and left broken, Daphne realises that something needs to change and sets herself a mission, which, once in motion, might just alter both girls' lives forever.”

The Edge of Tonight is a Scorpius/Rose story where I make a pretty dramatic U-turn from how the next-gen are usually portrayed, it’s influenced a lot by how reckless I was as a teenager. “Baby, you are my horizon... Being sixteen is hard; between the endless expectations from being the daughter of not one, but two, war heroes, mediocre school grades and struggling to find her sense of self-worth, Rose Weasley must lean on the three people she trusts above everything, now more than ever. A coming of age story about friendship, love, late nights & poor judgement.”

HAFH: Do you accept prompts?

TWF: I’m not sure, nobody has ever given me a prompt!

HAFH: Which is your favorite site to post fic?

TWF: FFN, but I am slowly posting all my work to A03 also.

HAFH: How do you feel about smut?

I love it, to a point, I don’t overly like PWP, it has to feel natural to me, and be believable in my eyes, for me to enjoy it.

HAFH: How do you deal with trigger warnings in your work?*

TWF: I put them in A/N when they’re required, in fact I’m planning something pretty rough for DS, and I’m going to write a fairly hefty A/N which stipulates that if anyone feels they don’t want to read the chapter in question, then they can message me and I can give them the gist without details, so they can still follow the story, but hopefully avoid being triggered.

Feedback

HAFH: What kind of feedback do you prefer?

TWF: Positive, haha! I’m not going to lie, I don’t like criticism, but I do my best to take it on the chin when I do get it.

HAFH: Is there anything that you particularly like or don’t like to see in a review?

TWF: Well, I once got told my main pairing ‘would work better as Draco.Hermione’, that didn’t go down very well. I really like it when someone quotes one of my lines, or states that they think I’ve wrote something well.

HAFH: Talk about a review that made your day.

TWF: I honestly love getting pretty much any reviews! There were a couple that touched upon how I was handling Pansy’s PTSD in Fire & Ice, and it was really nice to read that they felt I was doing such a difficult and personal issue justice.

HAFH: Do you ever get rude reviews and how do you deal with them?

TWF: I’ve had a few, most I ignore and/or vent to friends about, I have given a couple of snarky replies though!

Thanks again to Thewaterfalcon for taking the time to answer all of our questions! We’ve so enjoyed getting to know you a little better! Be sure to check out her fics and find her on tumblr! 

[whimsiesofanerdgirl]

Interview with Bronwyn Eley, Debut Author of Relic

I am super psyched to introduce you to the lovely Bronwyn Eley who is the debut author of Relic! I was lucky enough to snag some of Bronwyn’s time to answer questions I had about her life as a writer as well as behind the scenes of her oncoming book! Also, please feel free to follow her on her socials! All of her info. can be found below the Q & A section of this post. Grab your favorite drink, sit back and relax, and enjoy reading all about her and her book Relic!

Q & A

Ashley: Where did you get your first inspiration to write Relic?

Bronwyn: Honestly I don’t remember the moment of inspiration and the story has changed so much over the years that it’s hard to pinpoint. What I do know is that a lifetime of loving fantasy – books and movies – has slowly and surely built the inspiration for Relic!

Ashley: That makes sense, stories can take awhile to build up to where you have some kind of plot to make sense of! Okay, I want to know who/what are your favorites that helped inspire you to write in the first place!

Who are your favourite authors? What are your favourite books?

Bronwyn: In terms of fantasy, I love Jay Kristoff, Amie Kaufman, Leigh Bardugo, V.E. Schwab and Maria V. Snyder. But I read so widely these days! I also love Stephen King, Aaron Blabey (for his Pig the Pug children’s series), J.M. Barrie (because Peter Pan is my absolute favourite), Thomas Malory (who wrote Le Morte d’Arthur), Emily St. John Mandel, Neil Gaiman (Stardust!!!) and I’ve surely forgotten so many more.

Ashley: Love it! I like how Peter Pan is your favorite, I feel like there’s a lot more going on in the story than people truly know.

How many books do you plan to write for the Relic series?

Bronwyn: There are three books in The Relic Trilogy that I’ve planned. I will say that I have a few potential ideas for prequels and sequels, if there’s ever any interest from my readers/publisher/myself.

Ashley: That’s great! I feel like people are really digging the before and afters for stories now. Us readers can never get enough!

What’s your current work-in-progress?

Bronwyn: Book two in The Relic Trilogy! It was hugely fun to write and I’m just about to start the first round of edits.

Ashley: That sounds like a lot of work, I wish you good luck!

What are the top 5 books in your TBR pile?

Bronwyn: Angel Mage by Garth Nix, The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern, Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie (it’s been too long), Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve and Backyard to Backpack by Evie Farrell!

Ashley: Yes! I love me some Garth Nix, I remember reading the Abhorsen series growing up and The Starless Sea sounds intriguing!

What advice would you give to aspiring YA fantasy authors?

Bronwyn: Know it’s hard, know it’s worth it, know you can do it!

Ashley: Short and simple - the perfect kind of advice.

What have you learned through your own personal experience with the publishing process being a debut author versus working within publishing?

Bronwyn: I admit working in the publishing industry is definitely helpful and eye-opening for aspiring authors. It shows the harsh realities of it but also shows a lot of hope! My own experience taught me that what you think is working ‘hard enough’ is never hard enough. You can always do more to help yourself develop as an author. 

Ashley: Well said and I couldn’t agree more, there’s always room for improvement.

Are you a panster, planster or plotter? Any tips for the prewriting phase?

Bronwyn: I am a plotter for the big things and a pantser for everything else. I make sure the big plot points are sorted but one I set my characters on the path towards those plot points, I let them decide how they want to get there. It’s more fun that way! 

My advice would be don’t get too bogged down in world-building or over-planning. Don’t get me wrong – world-building and planning are essential, but you can always improve and change and build... If you don’t start eventually, you will plot forever.

Ashley: Yes, I know exactly what you mean!

What does research for your book look like?

Bronwyn: A lot of internet research around medieval times – mostly articles and images, some videos. I did a weekend blacksmith course to get in the mindset of my protagonist Kaylan, who is a blacksmith in the story, and that was the best thing ever! I definitely want to create characters in the future that give me excuses to try out cool stuff! 

Ashley: That sounds like loads of fun! I’m super jealous! And what an awesome way of looking at writing.

I read that you’ve travelled a lot – have any particular places helped shape the setting and world building of Relic?

Bronwyn: Not overly in regards to Relic (however, I have been inspired by my travels in regards to other stories I want to one day write) but I will say that there is one castle that is absolutely inspiring and I definitely picture it when I write Relic. 

That castle is Château de Pierrefonds in France. It was a very fiddly place to get to – thankfully I speak French, which helped – but it was worth the trek! I am obsessed with this castle because it is the setting of Merlin, a TV show I love, but it is a stunning castle. Not many people seem to know about it and when I was there, it was virtually empty, which was fantastic because it meant I got photos of me without anyone else in the shot!

Ashley: Oh, wow! That castle is gorgeous! *swoons* I’ve never seen any castles in person, but I could only imagine actually being in one!

What’s your favourite go-to snack and drink while writing?

Bronwyn: Water and chocolate/biscuits! 

Ashley: Yum!

What’s your favourite writing spot? Do you have a picture? I love envisioning an author in their element!

Bronwyn: I write at my desk mostly – it’s not that glamorous. But I have attached a photo anyway! I’m not sure I could work in a beautiful outdoor spot because I’d want to just look at the view!

Ashley: Ooooooh! A stack of books! *stares* And your typewriter is the best decor for a writer! Loving this mood for sure!

When does motivation usually hit you? Are you an early riser or night owl?

Bronwyn: I’m more of a night owl – but I never stay up late to write! I write at night after work for a few hours. Inspiration has, at least for this series, always been at the ready! Sometimes if I write at night and then go to bed, I find my mind is still in a creative setting and I lie there thinking of new ideas. I will always type them as a note on my phone for the next morning. But inspiration hits whenever it wants! I have a lot of notes on my phone (all saved, of course)!

Ashley: Wow, that’s awesome, considering I hear a lot of writers have trouble with writer’s block. Kudos to you!

Did your experience in the military play a big part in writing Relic? If it did, how?

Bronwyn: Not for Relic, no! A few things made it into the book – like this moment when Captain Thorn explains to Kaylan that his men are bound by a rule: ‘one in, all in’. That is something we learnt in the military, that if one person makes a mistake, we all suffer the consequences because it teaches unity and to work as a team. That sounds a bit dark, I know! But it really did work.

Ashley: I wouldn’t say that’s dark, I think it puts military into perspective to be better prepared for any kind of situation which is really important.

So I heard there’s some romance in your book – which are my favourite scenes to read! Who will we be shipping?

Bronwyn: Romance isn’t the central focus of Relic but I have to have some romance in whatever I read/write/watch! Keep an eye out for a certain tall and dirty nobleman who has a big smile for Kaylan. My hope is that your stomach will do little flips when he arrives on the pages, as he does for me! 

I’m actually interested to see if people ship any of the other characters – either with Kaylan or someone else – because a few comments have been made by some friends and reviewers in the past that have surprised me. I find it interesting to see who people fall for and who they ship!

That concludes the Q & A I had with Bronwyn Eley! I’d like to give a huge thank you to Talem Press for reaching out to me to work with them and thank Bronwyn for taking time out of her busy schedule to do our Q & A! It was my pleasure to have Bronwyn as my very first author feature on my website and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!

Keep scrolling below for more behind the scenes and info.!

RELIC, Bronwyn Eley's debut fantasy novel, is slated for release September 12.

Synopsis

In the city of Edriast, there is no deadlier duty than to serve as the Shadow. As the personal servant of the powerful Lord Rennard, the Shadow's life is all but forfeit. Rennard possesses one of five rare and dangerous Relics – a jewel that protects his bloodline, but slowly poisons everyone else in its proximity. When the current Shadow succumbs to its magic, nineteen-year-old blacksmith Kaylan is summoned to take his place. It's an appointment that will kill her. As the time Kaylan has left ebbs away, hope begins to fade... That is, until she discovers a plot to destroy all five bloodlines in possession of the Relics. A rebel force plans to put an end to Rennard's rule and Kaylan suddenly finds herself embroiled in a cause that might just be worth fighting for. But no cause is without its costs… As her life hangs in the balance and rebellion bears down on Edriast, Kaylan must decide where her loyalties lie – and how she'll leave her mark on the world. Relic is the absorbing first novel in The Relic Trilogy, a thrillingly dark YA fantasy series.

*BONUS BOOK EXCERPT*

Prologue

One thing above all drew people to the Announcements: curiosity. The tension strangling the crowd was palpable, but the fear and the pain were the bait. They were hooked.

The crowd was in the hundreds. Merchants, labourers, Noblemen and students; there was no segregation today. Everyone was here for the same reason, their eyes reflecting a familiar mix of apprehension and fascination. A polite rumble of applause began at the front of the crowd, rippling deeper as their Lord came into view, moving toward the centre of the wooden stage built especially for him. He wore a smile big enough to be seen by everyone there, but his energy emanated prestige and power more than anything. One simple gesture from him was enough to silence the crowd. This was fine by them, as it was easier to listen and observe the man they rarely, if ever, saw.

Their gazes fell as one, taking in the weight of the jewel around his neck, its colour made somehow more beautiful by the sun.

The Relic was the reason they were all here.

As the Lord launched into his speech, the crowd was taken in by his words for only a second before something stole their attention away: his Shadow, slinking onto the stage. Shoulders slumped and head low, the Shadow took his position slightly behind his master, melting into the dark shades around the Lord.

Eyes flicked between him and the yellow jewel around his master’s neck.

The Shadow’s eyes remained on the floor.

Wherever he went, a morbid curiosity followed the Shadow as closely and silently as he followed his master. How many people in the crowd had come solely to see him?

The Shadow brought a hand up to his chest, eyes clenching shut.

A mother with wide eyes watched him closely as he curled forward with apparent pain. The woman wrapped an arm around each of her children, pulling them closer to her body. They were no more than infants. They were safe. She was afraid for herself.

A wave of courteous laughter skipped across the crowd, like a pebble dancing atop water.

The Shadow sputtered blood, droplets of red decorating the wooden stage below. Attention shot to him as his hand flew to his mouth, eyes flicking toward his master. Even now, at the end, he was afraid of the man.

The Lord stopped his speech mid-sentence, but didn’t turn to face his Shadow. Instead, he took a deep breath and brought his hands together in front of his body. The picture of patience.

The Shadow fell to his knees with a violent thump that the crowd seemed to feel, many flinching at the sound of bone cracking against wood. His bloodied mouth was now on full display, but the sight of blood was nothing new to the people of Edriast.

The crowd drew back slowly, moving as one, an undeniable tide. The Shadow, the man, was finally succumbing to his illness, and all anybody cared about was themselves.

Apprehension silenced even the smallest murmur from the crowd – not because the Shadow was dying, but because of what it now meant for them all.

Character Mood Boards & Colours

About the author

Bronwyn joined the military right out of high school, where she learnt (among other things) to disassemble and reassemble a rifle blindfolded. After that she spent a lot of her time travelling around the world. Her favourite places (so far) are Scotland, Mongolia, Iceland and Ireland.

Bronwyn finally found her natural habitat when she landed her first job in the publishing industry. While she has always been a writer, it was only when surrounding herself with books that she realised her life's dream was to become an author. Relic is her first novel.

Bronwyn lives in Sydney and spends her time eating chocolate, reading and practising her martial arts.