#quillingmesoftly

[pufflekittehreads]

Blog Tour: Quilling Me Softly -Nigel May. Excerpt.

Blog Tour: Quilling Me Softly -Nigel May. Excerpt. @rararesources @Nigel_May

I’m excited to be working with Rachel’s Random Resources today to be bringing you a stop of the Quilling Me Softly blog tour. Nigel to no stranger to the worlds of both publishing and crafting. He has published seven previous novels – six glam fiction blockbusters such as Trinity, Addicted and Revenge, which saw him gain fabulous reviews and nicknamed as the ‘UK’s male Jackie Collins’, and a…

[cycas]

Five characters poll game

Tagged by @verecunda, thanks! Rules are: Make a poll with five of your all time favorite characters and then tag five people to do the same. see which character is everyone's favorite. I've also gone with the 5 different fandoms approach which I suspect means my poll will be Maedhros v Bilbo.

In a battle of blades, clearly Maedhros would win against Bilbo, and possibly also in a straight popularity contest, given that Maedhros would be able to get the crowd riled up with a wild Feanorian speech. None the less, I predict that Bilbo will win, through simple kindly acts like the gift of a bag of potatoes to the poorer hobbits, and also by writing a banging song about Maedhros's father that will give everyone an eye-opener.

Ooh, I forgot to tag 5 people!

OK, I tag: @joyfullynervouscreator @grundyscribbling, @quillingmesoftly, @theneverfadinglands @rekishi-aka

[occasionallygiveadamn]

I was tagged by the wonderful @quillingmesoftly in another tag game:

(I have no idea if I’ve done this right, but I’ve just listed some of my favorite characters. Thanks for the tag, Lizzy! This was a lot of fun.)

No pressure tagging: @perplexedhedgehog @holistic-midnight-snow @a-kiss-inthe-dreamhouse @goatyoat @corvidiss @detectivejigsawpines @strivia

[stellaluna33]

@quillingmesoftly brought up something that I've actually been thinking about, and that is how Lorelai's ineptitude in the kitchen/dependence on takeout might probably have a lot to do with her upbringing (as well as any attention issues).

Richard and Emily Gilmore do not cook for themselves. They have always had a maid do that for them. We saw in Season 1, when Rory was with her grandparents when the maid unexpectedly had the night off, that Richard and Emily didn't know how to feed themselves, or even know how to turn their own oven on. Rory had to teach them how! Rory had to show them how to make a simple frozen pizza. We also saw in Season 6, when Rory was living with them, that Emily strongly disapproved of Rory being in the kitchen and conversing with "the help." From all this, it seems obvious that Lorelai would have never learned any cooking skills or even observed how it was done when she was growing up.

Even after Lorelai left home, she spent the next ten years living at the Independence Inn, first working as a maid and then as manager. The inn had a fully staffed kitchen and restaurant, so she would have most likely eaten there, especially since I doubt the potting shed was equipped with much of a kitchen (if any).

Lorelai would have been about 26 before she would even NEED to make her own meals, let alone be ABLE to. This doesn't mean, of course, that she couldn't have learned if she wanted to (I'm sure Sookie would have been happy to teach her), but by then she was most likely fairly set in her ways. It's interesting to think about!

[mainecoon76]

For @quillingmesoftly. Éowyn may not be cute by puppy standards, but she's a fierce little girl. (And very endearing in that she's constantly, visibly, trying to understand the world with her little fish brain.)

[storytellingdreamer]

I posted 2,271 times in 2022

That's 557 more posts than 2021!

42 posts created (2%)

2,229 posts reblogged (98%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@princesssarcastia

@mythologeekwriter

@aspiringwarriorlibrarian

@do-you-have-a-flag

@quillingmesoftly

I tagged 2,254 of my posts in 2022

Only 1% of my posts had no tags

#real life stuff - 351 posts

#yeah this - 260 posts

#star wars - 193 posts

#boosting - 123 posts

#writing - 115 posts

#art - 112 posts

#bbc sherlock - 75 posts

#happy things - 64 posts

#jedi stuff - 53 posts

#usa politics - 53 posts

Longest Tag: 138 characters

#this makes me think of how people including me talk to our current machines (eg computers) when they do things we don't expect/ don't like

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Watching Granada Holmes: The Speckled Band

So this recap is going to be a bit rougher than a couple of the previous because I’m not waiting to watch the episode a second time before posting it. 

This episode is decent overall, though it suffers somewhat from some cringe-inducing moments of “period-typical racism” that the Granada show, in their quest for faithful story adaptations, has chosen to preserve. Unfortunate. 

The Speckled Band was extremely creepy, and it was supposed to be, so good work all involved. Still. I am not overly fond of creepy things, and given the subject matter of why it was creepy (Royclott and his plot), I doubt I’ll watch it a second time so soon. Except perhaps on mute, skipping through to the parts with good opportunities for screengrabs. 

Anyway here are some things I liked about the episode: 

It’s another Woman in Need themed plot, and I like Helen Stoner and her gumption. 

Holmes introduces Watson to Stoner as “his intimate friend” <3 

The way Holmes supports/ comforts Helen Stoner during the interview (particularly) and episode

The way Watson supports and comforts Helen Stoner across the episode

It’s interesting to look at their different methods actually. Watson shows his care through a mix of physical closeness, sympathetic words, and the offer of creature comforts such as food. 

Holmes's care is more structured. Physical closeness is still there - but it’s usually the same sort of touch. And only offered in the moment of the female client being overcome by their emotion. 

Holmes will place his hand on or near the hand/ elbow/ shoulder area of the distraught client, guide her back to her seat, look her in the eyes... and implore her to tell him everything she knows about what is going on. 

From that point on, his manner becomes analytical, and he often withdraws somewhat once he knows the lady is calmer. Once he knows the facts he will give explicit instructions and/or verbal reassurance.

Other things I liked about the episode: 

The much-gifed scene of Holmes and Watson on the train going towards the manor, leaning in close to each other to explain their morning’s adventures. 

Actually, the fact that both of them split up to investigate their own paths, both valuable leads, then came back together to summarise was excellent. 

They do a lot of things jointly in this ep - sharing the load. 

The bits where Holmes and Watson are investigating the manor house with Helen Stoner’s help - unnerving in places but fun. 

Holmes’s nerves at the very real danger leading him to offer Watson a way out of the proceedings, and Watson’s refusal to take it. 

The way everything - actors, music, cinematography - worked together to build and hold the suspense. 

Aside from Jeremy Brett and David Burke’s usual excellence, the feel of this episode owes a lot to Jeremy Kemp’s Dr Roylott. From the instant we saw the guy, he exuded a presence that was delightfully discomforting to watch. A very threatening presence indeed. Ugh. 

The scenes with Helen Stoner (Rosalyn Lanndor) are excellent in showing this. Also, I particularly enjoyed the moment where Roylott surprises Holmes and Watson after Ms Stoner departs their rooms - all three actors play off each other superbly (Watson’s shock and indignation! Holmes’s “I don’t like you” expressions! Roylott’s threatening bluster!). 

It all leads to the scenes of Holmes and Watson, having gallantly insisted on being “the bait” in place of Ms Stoner despite their own misgivings. And after all that effort, there’s a certain amount of justice in what happens to Roylott. Especially if you agree with Plaid Adder about the episode’s rather pointed subtext behind the murders. I know I do. 

(Read her meta about this episode for more than just that theory though, there are lots of things commented on that I didn’t have time for rn.)

31 notes - Posted October 11, 2022

#4

See the full post

37 notes - Posted October 15, 2022

#3

Watching Granada Holmes: The Norwood Builder

Image description: Watson and Holmes inspect Oldacre’s will papers. Watson has just realised something with Holmes’s help, and both are smiling because of it. / end description.

This episode is AMAZING. The Holmes/Watson content is superb, the episodic characters delightful, and the premise excellently displayed. Instantly one of my favourite episodes. Due to this it’s a long recap post. See the rest of my watching Granada Holmes content here. 

In terms of style, this episode is one for the High-Stakes Deduction category, as well as a Holmes/Watson Feels ep. And it’s also a Woman-in-Need one, albeit by proxy. 

The opening was very atmospheric, and a bit spooky (the face at the window, the bones, etc.) though the insight to 1800s firefighting practices was intriguing.

Then we arrive at Holmes and Watson the next day. Holmes is in A Mood due to, it appears, a decline in cases. Watson tries to cheer him up but he’s determined to be grumpy. 

Fortunately, there is a young man pestering Mrs Hudson for Holmes’s whereabouts... and so the new case begins! 

I must say that I love McFarlane’s characterisation. In his initial introduction, you get the impression of an earnest young man who’s fallen on hard times in some way, though he’s able to try to joke about it (that little half-smile as he says, “most unfortunate man in London”). 

Also a highlight was the tension between Lestrade and Holmes, with Watson - the snarky one-upmanship raising the pressure across the episode. Lestrade is annoyingly smug for much of the time, and rather dismissive of Holmes’s previous assistance. 

It builds on Holmes’s little rant against prisons and not being beholden to the police in Blue Carbuncle, and Holmes is deeply uncomfortable with being forced to do things Lestrade’s way whenever Lestrade dictates. 

Notice how Holmes is convinced by McFarlane’s sincerity enough to be protective of him once Lestrade arrives, despite only knowing a handful of the particulars. He in effect acts as young McFarlane’s lawyer, giving him a little reminder about “what you say now will appear in evidence against you” and such. 

And then we get to the flashback. Excellently done. 

McFarlane’s manner is very much “nervous young person fresh out of schooling/ further ed, trying to Succeed at his new job, so yes, of course I won't make a fuss when This Guy comes in with a sketchy tale, because Jobs Be Like That.” A perfect illustration of the feeling. 

Then there’s Oldacre...  Quite the eccentric man, to say the least. The way he lays out his story, and uses McFarlane’s parents to minimise McFarlane’s questions is rather suspect. 

For example, notice the way he drops the death of McFarlane’s father into the conversation as an explanation, but without even a “sorry for your loss”? 

And then at the end of the office scene, he asks that his plan be “a little surprise” for McFarlane’s mother... 

And then, after the little scene at Oldacre’s house, we end the flashback. Five full minutes well used there! At the end, another bit of character: McFarlane looks to Lestrade when he says, “I left him there!” then elaborates directly to Holmes. 

Still, Holmes only replies enigmatically, though his conversation with Lestrade reveals, to the canny viewer, where his thoughts lie... and so, after a desperate glance, McFarlane is led away. 

Holmes leads Watson through a bit of Deductive Reasoning (the second for the episode after McFarlane’s intro) as they examine the will papers. The little smiles and insights exchanged in the early part of this are delightful. Then, of course, they each have their own further points to make about particulars each have noticed (Holmes about the how of the papers, Watson about the why). 

Before it’s off to Blackheath to speak to Mrs McFarlane, McFarlane’s mother... another excellent “speaking the subtext loudly” scene, i.e. a scene that made me, as a woman, think, "say no more, I understand that subtext exactly." 

The way Mrs McFarlane describes Oldacre reminded me strongly of a person who I usually only refer to as “the ex” - in much the same way Mrs McF has tried to forget Oldacre ever existed. 

Every single word Mrs McFarlane spoke resonated. It’s why I consider this a Woman In Need by proxy plot, because Oldacre has used McFarlane in a vendetta against Mrs McFarlane. 

The how is up to Holmes and Watson to discover, though not without a degree of difficulty. 

My one quibble with the latter part of the episode is that the time-skips were a bit hard to follow. Unlike, say, Naval Treaty, where we’re eventually shown what Holmes got up to for an entire afternoon, here, we have to keep our wits about us to interpret Holmes’s “I’ll stay for a while longer” as “stay overnight”. 

The rest of the episode and its conclusion, though? Superb. 

One part that struck me, beyond the obvious: it is extremely gratifying to see Lestrade’s anger and quick action when he realises what’s really been going on. 

Now I want to talk about the second theme of the episode, and the one that punched me in the feels a bit. Holmes and Watson’s “them-ness” (as I described it in a Discord server). 

Throughout the first half of the episode, Holmes and Watson run as a well-oiled unit. 

They discuss things together (by words or an exchange of glances), 

They play off each other (see McFarlane’s introduction, where Holmes deduces and Watson explains), 

See the full post

42 notes - Posted November 14, 2022

#2

Watching Granada Holmes: The Blue Carbuncle

I’m sleepy and will be heading to bed after this, feeling very happy indeed. If you’re interested in my previous episode recaps, see here. Also see Plaid Adder’s review of this episode, it’s great. 

This episode is FUN. I will definitely be rewatching it later. Thoughts:

This has its own category of Holmes and Watson Togetherness, really, because the case is only there as window-dressing to that. 

... Once you get over the slight confusion of the long introductory bit with all the extras, anyway. The start was particularly confusing! 

Not that the extras aren’t good! They’re all excellent. Part of what makes this episode fun. 

But it’s really not the usual story. If this was a regular episode/ story, Mrs Horner would have come knocking on Holmes’s door pleading for him to help prove her husband innocent. Or Countess Morcar would have sent a footman to bring Holmes around so she could demand he find the jewel for her. 

But it’s a whacky Christmas story/ episode, so the first mystery is about the goose... or rather, the Hat. Which then leads to the goose. 

And we’re introduced to Holmes and Watson this time with Watson stepping out smartly (”Where’s he off to?” I thought) and Holmes... still in bed. 

This is the origin point of the delightful scene of Mrs Hudson coming in to wake Holmes up (goodness knows what time it is) and Holmes’s response is only, “Please GO AWAY”. I am giggling just thinking about it. 

The fun is continued when Holmes stumbles into his sitting room some minutes (one presumes) later, to find he has a guest. But the most lovely thing about this is that Holmes is not grumpy at all, once he’s over his initial surprise. Apparently sleepy Holmes is a cordial one, willing to offer alcohol (... I didn’t catch what type) to his guest and find his rather odd tale amusingly fascinating, rather than, say, boring. 

Though he does fall asleep during the story, so perhaps I shouldn’t give Holmes too much credit. Seriously, what time is it during that scene? Holmes went back to bed after! 

And then Watson returns and we get the delightful Hat Deductions Scene. Gah, they’re so delighted with each other, I love it. 

... and then the carbuncle pops up, which sets Holmes and Watson On The Hunt for clues about it and the goose, which leads to the Betting Scene - another :D moment. 

THIS ENTIRE EPISODE IS DELIGHTFUL for the Holmes/ Watson content alone! 

Like, it might turn into one of my comfort eps I think. Just <3 ALL THE FEELS. 

Of course, there’s also Ryder and his pitiable comedy of burglary errors, and the poor Horners. I love seeing Holmes’s anger at Ryder’s deceit - so fierce. Ryder is reduced to begging on his knees for Holmes to be lenient... which he is. More on that in a minute. 

After how angry Holmes was with Ryder about the mess R had put the Horners in, I did find it a bit perplexing that Watson was the one to remind Holmes that Horner was still imprisoned. Not that Watson reminded him, because of cause Watson would care about that... but why didn’t Holmes remember? 

And how on Earth did Holmes manage to explain Horner’s innocence (leading to the very Christmassy end scene) without bringing Ryder into it?? Use the carbuncle and explain the events? Make something up using the facts but pretend that Ryder didn’t give his name? HOW did he do it? 

I’d love to hear people’s theories on that, I really would. 

One final thing: 

The way Holmes reacts to Watson’s confusion at Holmes letting Ryder go is another, “well that’s interesting” moment for Holmes’s characterisation. “I am not retained by the police to supply their deficiencies!” Holmes yells at Watson - Watson! - with almost as much frustration as he’d yelled at Ryder earlier (though thankfully with less venom). Seriously, I should have probably written Holmes’s words in capitals, he shouts with such emphasis. 

Is it a quirk of it being a Christmas story? With what Holmes says after his outburst, that he’s committing a felony to save a soul? Is it that Holmes doesn’t like prisons, really, unless the villain is a true one? (After all, he spoke plainly of Roylott getting what was coming to him last episode.) 

Or is it, with a queer reading, a combination of those, and something deeper? 

Goodnight. 

67 notes - Posted October 12, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Watching Granada Holmes: On David Burke as Dr Watson

Okay so before I watch the next Granada episode, Empty House, I need to say goodbye to David Burke as Dr John Watson. David Burke couldn’t continue with Granada’s adaptation after FINA due to scheduling conflicts, which led to him helping them find his replacement, Edward Hardwicke. 

This post is me processing that in the hope that I can learn to love Edward Hardwicke as Watson without feeling too disappointed he’s not David Burke.

You see, going into Granada Holmes, I’d already been informed that Jeremy Brett is the Sherlock Holmes. This is definitely true. However, at this moment, all I can say that for me, David Burke will be the Dr John Watson. 

My tag for David Burke is “he smiles with his whole face”. Right from the start, his expressiveness intrigued me, and made it very easy to feel like I was part of the story. His openness invited me as the audience in. It also doesn’t hurt that he has a very fine voice - I’ve memorised the way he says “Holmes” and other words like “black moods”. They’re very fun to say in his accent! 

Watching the Granada Holmes series has felt very personal. For starters, watching TV shows or movies are always immersive experiences for me, due to the way my brain processes information. I get “sucked in” to the story very easily - it feels like I’m another character, almost, observing. It’s also hard because I’m having to process the audio-visual information, the language, the social information, the emotional contexts - and anything they trigger in me from past experiences - all at once. 

Granada Holmes is a very safe way to do that, because most of the time, the bad guys get their comeuppance in the end, and the client of the week has resolution, and perhaps catharsis. 

It also feels very safe because Holmes and Watson guide me through it. I’ll say more about Jeremy Brett at the end of my entire watch through, but for David Burke, my “oh, you’re my Watson” journey really took flight with the end of Solitary Cyclist. 

See, the thing about David Burke’s Watson isn’t just that he’s very expressive. He’s very reassuring. Steady and dependable, but also openly delighted in Holmes’s brilliance. A perfect foil for the audience. 

He’s the one who instinctively knows how to handle clients (see: any Woman in Need episode), and takes care of Holmes almost before Holmes knows he needs it (see: Norwood Builder) - and when he’s protecting you/ the client, by goodness do you feel it. 

You’ll recall that I had plenty to say about Solitary Cyclist, so much so that I wrote two posts for it. One about the episode recap, and another, which I wrote first, of my feelings about the episode’s context. Look, the Woman In Need episodes always strike a little close to home for me for various reasons. And after my first experience of that in Solitary Cyclist, one of the things that comforted me after was remembering, well, this moment: 

See the full post

68 notes - Posted November 25, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[incorrect-tortall-quotes]

Okay, I'm not sure if you've done this before, but... How about the Kel version of the codenames meme from Parks and Rec?

Okay so I do have for every series [edit: the OG crew!], so I’ll just put them here, though please know that they’re just for fun bc very clearly most of them would never talk like this lol, anyone feel free to add your versions on :))

Neal: From this moment on, we will be using codenames. You can address me as Eagle One. Uline, codename Been There Pined Over That, Yuki is Currently Pining Over That, Faleron is It Happened Once In A Dream, Roald code name If I Had To Pick A Prince, Kel is… Eagle 2.

Kel: Oh thank god.

Yuki: Neal, we’re married...

Neal about Merric: I’d Be Lying If I Said I Hadn’t Thought About It is in position.

–––

Beka: From this moment on, we will be using codenames. You can address me as Eagle One. Dale, codename Been There Done That, Farmer is Currently Doing That, Rosto is It Happened Once In A Dream, Kora code name If I Had To Pick A Chick, Ersken is… Eagle 2.

Ersken: Oh thank god.

Beka about Aniki: I’d Be Lying If I Said I Hadn’t Thought About It is in position.

–––

Aly: From this moment on, we will be using codenames. You can address me as Eagle One. Taybur, codename Been There Done That, Nawat is Currently Doing That, Boulaj is It Happened Once In A Dream, Dove code name If I Could Pick A Queen, Winnamine is… Eagle 2.

Winna: Oh thank god.

Aly about Sarai: I’d Be Lying If I Said I Hadn’t Thought About It is in position.

–––

Daine: From this moment on, we will be using codenames. You can address me as Eagle One. Perin, codename Been There Done That, Numair is Currently Doing That, Kaddar is It Happened Once In A Dream, Alanna code name If I Had To Pick A Chick, Onua is… Eagle 2.

Onua: Oh thank god.

Daine about Jon: I’d Be Lying If I Said I Hadn’t Thought About It is in position.

[basmathgirl]

Rules: Write the latest line from a WIP and tag as many people as there are words in the line. Make a new post, don’t reblog.

Thank you @kira-7 for tagging me! You’re a star 😁

The last sentence I wrote for my WIP is:

A couple of the locals were sitting in the shade it offered, making the most of the respite it gave, although the flies hovering around them hadn’t got the same memo.

Oh dear. That’s far too many words, so I tag: @some-thrilling-heroics, @smackalicious, @raywritesthings, @uglywettiewrites, @jaskierswolf, @quillingmesoftly, @summerartist, @pia-writes-things, @imnotacommittee, @waywren and anybody else who might like to try this (and sorry to those who don’t want to do this meme).

[ellynneversweet]

Rules: write the last line from a WIP and tag as many people as there are words in the line. Make a new post!

Thanks @aquitainequeen for the tag! From the recently-revived fic best described as ‘Mr Bennet has chronic depression and is a real bastard’:

It is altogether too fragile for common use, and he does not dare keep it in his writing desk for fear of an ink spill.

Tagged if you want to join in:

@aifsaath, @yototothelalafell, @fairy-anon-godmother, @amarguerite, @freetoflythecrimsonsky, @rain-sleet-snow, @lordansketil, @poppaeasabina, @lilithdemonoftheunderworld, @goingforwards, @quillingmesoftly, @13phoenix m, @frecklybisexual, @whiteorangeflower, @hug-me-brutha, @tall-wolf-of-tarth, @lonelygingerpies, @dangerousalone, @marypsue, @lyricallinder, @persephinae, @timelorddarthswagger, @purplecatgarden, @salamandertoast, @nonasuch

[banditthewriter]

Quillingmesoftly is going through a rough time, so I wanna remind her that I’m here for her. 💜

@quillingmesoftly You've received an anonymous love letter!

[cycas]

10 first lines thingy

Thank you to @spiced-wine-fic and @grundyscribbling for the tags: I found it interesting looking at your first lines. So here are the first lines from my ten most recent fics, and then I look for patterns.

Inventing Hobbits  “Well, I finished making Ents,” Yavanna said, flinging herself down in dramatic exhaustion into what, for an incarnate, would have been called ‘her favorite chair’. 

Speak, Friends, and Enter “Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk, agh burzum-ishi krimpatul”

View from the Western Coast  An eternity, dark, cool, unformed. 

The Wondrous Tale of the Bee-wolf  Outside the long shaggy-thatched hall of Beorn, the winter wind was mourning against a sky grey with clouds that were heavy with the promise of more snow: a grey that was darkening as the short day failed.

Watch the wall my darling, while the gentlemen go by  A dark and clouded sky, waves lapping at the shore catching the light of the dark-lantern. 

A Leaf of the White Tree  Boromir had never really thought about death.

Fear, Fire, Foes The elf-kingdoms of Beleriand fell one by one. 

The Stones Remember Far below the ever-moving music of the waves, the wide hands of the kelp-forest move with the waters, swaying, as bright fish turn and scatter like silver jewels. 

 Gift of Uncertain Seas “Here,” Nerdanel called urgently. “Left a little!” 

Naught but Memory In Beleriand, at the mouth of the silver river Sirion, bright waves lap shimmering at the margins of a thousand tiny islands, girt with whispering reeds.

---------------------------------------------

Hm. Well, about half of these are word-pictures, and support my idea that I struggle to write where I can't work out what the weather is like. I don't think there's much pattern to the rest, but looking at these, I am thinking: blimey it's been a long time since I actually finished something and posted it. I live in a world of half-completed drafts now, it seems.

I'll tag @quillingmesoftly, @joyfullynervouscreator, @sotwk, and @oldshrewsburyian to do this meme!

[occasionallygiveadamn]

Last Line/7 up/Do what you want

I was tagged by the always wonderful @strivia. Thank you so much, Striv!

Rules: There are none. Share what you like :)

(I’ve been working on this one for a while. Not sharing the current last lines—because I’m stuck on what is apparently the Scene From Hell™ and progress has eluded me for months—but have a snippet from the scene beforehand. Also, Tumblr won’t let me properly format it with an indent, so I’m just throwing some quotation marks and spacing in here.)

“By the time Martin’s around fifteen or sixteen, he’s been drawing pictures for a while now.

Someone had apparently grown a shred of something like a conscience a few months—or years, or however long it’s been, Jesus, Martin hates the way time moves in this place—ago.

This means they’ve got blank paper and a shitty little box of crayons. Gripps can sketch pretty well, and it turns out Martin’s got some half-decent artistic ability, too.

(That seems to be the case with just about anything he tries—aside from actually managing to keep the others safe and figuring out ways to get the fuck out of here.)”

Tagging @full-clown-car @everythingremainsconnected @holistic-midnight-snow @brittlebutch @lazarusemma, and @quillingmesoftly (no pressure, consider this an excuse to post a snippet or line if you want to, feel free to ignore if you don’t. 💜)

[squirrelwrangler]

Mother-tongues

Another prompt from quillingmesoftly- Tour and Idril

Idril hates the sticky, sweaty feeling after making love to her husband, for the sweat rapidly cools no matter the number of blankets or how closely she clings to her husband’s warm body afterwards, leaving her chilled. Tuor usually falls asleep soon after, though he will attempt to stay awake, threading his fingers through her long hair with his remaining energy, mumbling nonsense. Soon he falls asleep, no matter how valiantly he tries, and Idril listens to his snores. She runs her hand across his cheek, feeling the prickles of hair where he has shaved a portion of his face. He has started to grow out the hair above his lips and on his chin, and Idril finds she enjoys the feel of his beard as much as she does the stubble that grows before he shaves. Her mortal husband is self-conscious about his hair, a product of his elven upbringing and his years of enslavement by the Easterling, Lorgan. He refuses to cut his hair short, for the long years where as a thrall it was cropped close against his will, but he learned to shave through self-training, and until recently had labored to remain smooth-cheeked. It does not disguise the lines of wear on his face, and the handsomeness of his features are that of a man, not elf. However, he speaks with the accent of a native of Nevrast and not a human accent like his father and uncle, and in his mannerisms Idril sees nothing of Húrin or Huor. He cannot speak the tongue of mortal men easily, be it that of the Houses of Bëor, Hador, or Haleth. Those of the Edain, that is. In his dreams he speaks the language of the Easterlings that enslaved him, and when he curses when stubbing his toe or pulling a muscle as they attempt a new position in their bed, he uses Sindarin colloquialisms. It pains her, for it pains Tuor not. Idril pulls out of bed and finds a cloth to wipe the sweat free of her body and slip on a heavier nightgown. Already her feet feel cold, so she crawls back into bed and shoves her toes against Tuor’s warmer feet. This jolts a break in his snores as he unconsciously jerks away. Idril slides into the warm depression on the mattress and snuggles against him as Tuor settles back into deep sleep. She begins to hum one of the tunes that Tuor taught her during their courtship, a song that he learned from his foster-father Annael. Supposedly the song was his mother’s creation, and it is one of the only pieces of Rían that he has. Tuor clings to those songs as the only tether that he has to his mother and her love. Idril strokes his cheek and tries not to cry for her husband’s sake.

[silmarillionwritersguild]

“Love Actually” Challenge Contributions List

Our Love Actually challenge is over, and there have been 11 lovely contributions. We hope that you'll find the time to take a look at some or all of them (if you haven’t already). The links in this round-up post go to the respective Table of Contents, where you can view more information about the story, poem or drawing. If you enjoy an author's work, please consider dropping them a comment to let them know!

Of Crowns and Sand and Fruitless Searching by StarSpray. Elrond and Elros, out searching for Maglor, make camp on the beach.

We Two, From the Wars by Himring. After the Battle of Unnumbered Tears, Beleg and Mablung arrive back in Doriath. (From the collection "Such Great Deeds")

Shifting Landscapes by HannaGoldworthy An account of how, through many sorrows, a small-town painter and hiking enthusiast becomes the unlikely Lady of Minas Tirith and Queen of Nargothrond.

All That You Can't Leave Behind by Grundy. Eärendil has, against all odds made it to Aman. But he's more nervous than he expected about being the first Noldo to return to Tirion.

Dry lightning by Idrils Scribe. Word of Morgoth’s latest endeavour reaches High King Fingolfin's court in Hithlum, and Fingon the Valiant eagerly rides to Ard-galen to investigate. Of course there is a one-handed, red-haired ulterior motive … Thankfully his Aunt Lalwen, the High King’s sister, comes along to keep things in check.

Burden by Independence1776. As promised, Elrond informs Thranduil of Maglor's presence in Rivendell.  

T’was many years ago we fell in love by Nienna. After Thingol’s death, Melian reflects on their life together and what happens next. (Sonnet)

Calmer Waters by Raiyana. Aulë claimed Uinen was the only one with the power to reclaim Ossë... and that's what she did, calming his fury with her love - or so the Children say.

above all shadows rides the Sun by quillingmesoftly. She has made her decision, and all he feels is relief. Or, Amárië and Finrod establish their feelings in the wake of his re-embodiment.

"the Eldar remember" by hennethgalad. Fingolfin meets the dying mother of Hador Lórindol.

Oromë among the Quendi by Lyra. It was during one of his journeys to Middle-earth that Oromë discovered and befriended the Quendi in Cuiviénen. In this drawing he's already telling them about the splendour of Valinor, hoping to convince them all to come there. Audience reactions vary. (Fanart)

Thank you for taking part in this challenge! We’re looking forward to seeing you around for the next challenge, which will start on March 15. See you then!

[prettybirdy979]

Just remembered I still owe this to @quillingmesoftly who tagged me the other day. I actually had one word in my last sentence when I checked it so I may have written a few more to make this fair.

The rules: write the latest line from your WIP and tag as many people as there are words in the line. Make a new post, and don’t reblog.

The Line:

“You can do this Aziraphale.”

No pressure! @goodduckingomens, @usoapp, @elvendorkinfinity, @geometricfractal, @linguini17

[cycas]

Tag thingy

RULES: Post the last sentence you wrote (fanfic / original / anything) and tag as many people as there are words in the sentence.

Thanks for the tag @verecunda.

 All the woods around the Mirrormere were felled for the burning, and the smoke of the dead rose high, even to the peaks of the mountains that still stand tall in our dreams: Baraz, Zirak, Shathûr.

Aaaaah that's 34 tags! I don't think I can really tag 34 people, can I?

@joyfullynervouscreator @grundyscribbling @gellalaer @polutrope @cuarthol @rekishi-aka @swanhild @the-elusive-soleil @thescrapwitch @lathalea @dreamingthroughthenoise @muse-write @searchingforserendipity25 @sotwk @ach-sss-no @chthonion @chrissystriped @potatoobsessed999 @sallysavestheday @quillingmesoftly @anne-wolfe @admirablemonster @radioactive-earthshine @thethermocline @nimium-amatrix-ingenii-sui @elfscribe @hhimring @spiced-wine-fic @eirianerisdar @findrahil @elennalore @oldshrewsburyian @awesome-bluehair-universe @lferion

I feel weirdly obnoxious tagging you all, I hope nobody feels too Sackville-Baggins about it :-D