niteshade925 · 6 months ago
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I've stumbled across a treasure trove for Chinese history enthusiasts
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This is not fiction btw. All stories inside are real history told in a way that's easily digestible for the average Chinese speaker. This author also wrote the original The Longest Day in Chang'an novel.
The author also adapted the first story into a historical cdrama show, and it may be the best one of its kind that I've seen in recent years. I might write a detailed review later or post some pictures from the show. 10/10 recommended.
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infamous-if · 2 months ago
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you can’t completely avoid any character in infamous especially in a story in which you are forced to be put in situations on a TV show built for drama and doing that would mean I’d have to rework full scenes so I can’t exactly do that, your MC does not have to be happy about interacting with seven but much like in real life, we have to interact with co-workers we don’t like …
a lot of people hate Blake but I can’t write them out of certain scenes, I’ve been told multiple times that people don’t want to deal with G like idk that’s the way of the game IK it’s interactive fiction but it’s still a story with a plot and a purpose at the end of the day…MC is part of an ensemble cast on a television show, they dont run the show so they have to do things they dont want to do sometimes!
I try my best to give the option to keep Seven at arms length but there are also sevenmancers I have to take account of, people who want to interact with sev whether to romance them or to simply learn more about their shared history
not to mention that sev is a vital part of the band's storyline and the band route so things need to be established with them for the band's arc to make sense
What I can do is I can try to add the option to ignore Seven and cut a scene short if it’s not important, but I cant promise that every scene will be like that. Unfortunately, MC will have to interact with Seven on occasion lol
Cory is like actively trying to make sure that happens as well
sorry! ik it sucks but there's not much I can do beyond having to rework entire plot points and I dont want to do that <3
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lackadaisycats · 8 months ago
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Why does Fablepaint draw such mean spirited art of Rocky. Is it a personal sense of humor kind of thing? Or does disturbingly mean spirited art the only way for FablePaint to draw this character. Is it possible for some more lighthearted and optimistic stories regarding Rocky to show up anytime soon? I’m not saying this to try to be offensive or aggressive, I just think the world’s depressing enough, why make the fictional world sad as well. I do love the comic, I just wish it was happier.
I don't think Fable's art of Rocky is especially mean-spirited. At least no more so than mine has been. Rocky has always been a character with a knack for getting himself into trouble. I do know that Fable likes Rocky and finds various aspects of Rocky's personality and circumstances pretty relatable. I think a lot of what you're seeing actually comes from a place of affection, and maybe even a little bit of vicarious self-deprecation. I will tell you from my own experiences, this is very common among creators (myself included). A character may not be an intended self-insert of any sort, but you inevitably still end up with bits and pieces of yourself reflected therein. And in many ways, you're also inevitably sorting out some turmoil close to your own heart through the character and the story they inhabit.
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About the broader topic of sad things in fiction... Yeah, the world is harsh, cruel, and unfair even at the best of times, but I don't think art that fully disregards this does much service to anyone. The most fluffy, pastel-colored, marshmallow-mild media will still tend to present us with some conflict, because that's how a story manages to resonate. It's hard to convey something meaningful about human resilience, or abiding love, enduring friendship, confronting inner demons, triumph over injustice, or about the absurdity of living without acknowledging the darkness. Even if you're just writing something to make light of the implacable dark, it must be there for you to laugh at.
I think it's fine to use fiction as a temporary retreat from your own real life concerns. And I think it's fine to have comfort characters who you turn to when you need some uplifting. There are a lot of really sweet and lovely fan-works featuring Rocky out there that are much gentler with him than Fable or I will be. You can stick with those! That's okay! But canonically, he's part of a story about a tumultuous time in history, and a tumultuous time in his own troubled life. He's a flawed character surrounded by other flawed characters. He's willfully taken on the role of a violent criminal, in fact. And though I don't think the story of Lackadaisy is without happy, silly, lighthearted aspects, it's not only that. I can't change that without undoing everything I've been working toward. I hope that's understandable.
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littleacebee · 1 month ago
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Let’s talk about comedy podcasts!
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Some of the descriptions/part of them were taken from shows themselves or their descriptions. Please, ignore all the spelling mistakes.
IDs in alt texts and under the cut (I guess they might be especially needed here)
[ID: Front cover of a zine. There is big text: „Comedy podcasts appreciation-recommendation zine” and red heart below.
Page 1: Text: „Comedy podcasts don’t get enough love and attention. There are so many of them out there that are so so amazing. As a big comedy enjoyer I would like to show some appreciation them and at the same time share few recommendations with you!”
Page 2: At the top of the page there is text: „Period piece comedy” on a scroll. Below there four podcasts’ cover arts and descriptions. First podcast is Fawx & stallion and the text says: „Team from Baker Street. The other one.”. Second podcast is Victoriocity and the text says: „Inspector Fleet and Clara Entwhistle try to solve a murder in unending city.”. Third podcast is The Kingmaker Histories and the text says: “Colette Geise experience the worst migraine of her life.”. Fourth podcast is Cry Havoc! Ask Questions Later and the text says: “Nobody said that running Roman Republic would be easy”.
Page 3. There is title at the top of the page: “Workplace comedy”. There are three podcasts’ cover arts and descriptions. First belongs to Mission Rejected and the text says: “The story of world’s most secret agents - the backups.”. Second belongs to Super Suits and the text says: “How is it to be a lawyer in a world filled with of superpowers?”. Third one belongs to G.O.B.L.I.N.S and the text says: “Elizabeth’s only chance to survive is work with messy team of Goblins and elvish prince.”
Page 4: There is title at the top of the page: “There is a workplace and there is comedy”. Below there are three podcasts’ cover arts and descriptions. First belong to The Amelia Project and the text says: “Welcome to the best death-faking agency!”. Second belongs to Wooden Overcoats and the text says: “Rudyard Fun runs a funeral home. It used to be the only one. It isn’t anymore.” Third belong to Forgive me! and the text says: “Father Ben takes confessions of St. Patrick’s parishioners and deals with their interesting sins.”
Page 5: There is a title at the top of the page: “Sci-fi comedy”. Below there are three podcasts’ cover arts and descriptions. First one belongs to Stellar Firma and the text says: “listen how most luxurious planets are designed! If only designers knew what they were doing…”. Second belongs to Starship Q Star and the text says: “”First all woman and non-binary crew” becomes the last six humans in the universe.”. Third belongs to Oz9 and the text says: “Join the useless crew of Oz9as they limp around in space looking for a new home.”
Page 6: There is title at the top of the page: “Fantasy comedy”. There are three podcasts’ cover arts and descriptions. First belongs to Dark Ages and the text says: “Rivercliffe Museum staff has to survive Dark Lord, low attendance and each other.”. Second belongs to Wizard seeking wizard and the text says: “Matchmaking show for wizards! Find a wizard you need!”. Third belongs to Absolutely No Adventures and the text says: “Chosen one of every prophecy opens a bakery with one rule: absolutely no adventures”.
Page 7: Text: “All these short descriptions do not do justice to how amazing and funny all these podcasts are. Please go give them a chance, they are definitely worthy!”. At the bottom of the page there is text: “#fiction podcast zine event”.
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unscripted-if · 10 months ago
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DEMO || PINTEREST
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Lights…
Camera…
Action!
Those three words, along with the flashing of cameras and screaming of thousands of people, had made up your life for over a decade. Following your rising star into the stratosphere where you could look at where you’ve been upon your lofty perch in the sky. You were the ruler of your universe and there was nothing that’d bring you down…
… Until, of course, there was…
Suddenly in a free fall, without any chance of catching yourself in sight, you’re hurtling back to the ground with only one thought, one goal, in your mind: Find your way back up.
When a new project comes your way, new opportunities arrive with it, but nothing is ever cut and dry within Hollywood. You’ll have to put your all into this movie if you want any chance at salvaging your career.
Try to stay on script…
Unscripted is a slice-of-life interactive fiction where romance, drama, and the trivialities of life intertwine to create your story. Rated 18+ for explicit language, optional sexual content, drug/alcohol use, and violence.
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Features
✰ Customizable MC: Name, gender (male, female, non-binary), sexuality, appearance, some of your past projects, and history with a few of the characters.
✰ Maintain your fan base and make sure that they haven’t forgotten about you. Will you earn more as your journey progresses?
✰ Be interviewed from sidewalk reporters to one of the biggest Late Night Shows within America. Just make sure that you make a good impression— there is such a thing as bad publicity after all.
✰ Romance one of the characters that’ll either have the crowd roaring or scratching their heads. Will you find common ground with your sworn rival? Take a chance at love with someone from your past? Give your hot-and-cold manager a shot? Time will tell…
✰ Adopt a new friend that will hopefully make your lonely nights less so.
✰ Rise back to the ranks of Super Stardom and take back your throne.
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Romances
The Rival: Angel Sinclair [M/F] — Ever since you arrived in Hollywood, Angel Sinclair has been there. You’re not quite sure when, or where, your rivalry even began, only that it’s made a ton of tabloids rich with the stories they’d print due to it, and you’re even less sure why you keep running into them on the same lot you’re shooting your newest movie. Is it another twisted form of punishment? With an icy exterior that puts the Arctic to shame, you don’t think you’ve ever seen them smile— at least when they’re not in front of the camera or interacting with fans. Will you uncover more as your random run-ins start losing some of their randomness?
Route: Rivals to Lovers.
The Manager: Kieran/Kiera Walker [M/F] — Probably one of the few reasons you’re still where you are. With a keen mind, a sharp eye for detail, and an even sharper tongue, K has never taken it easy on you, and they’re definitely not doing so now. While pragmatic about their approach, they’re not afraid to tell you what they think, when the time calls for it, which is something that’s definitely caused some tension in the past. Still, you don’t know what you’d do without them; as they’ve stayed steadily by your side through it all. And you don’t think they’re going anywhere anytime soon.
Route: Slow Burn.
The Director: Spencer Hale [M/F] — Last Laugh, the title of the movie you’re now part of, is the passion project that Spencer has been working on for years; trying tirelessly to get it to the silver screen. You would know— after all you were there when they began to write it back in college. Despite not having seen them in years, the gentle look in their eyes hasn’t shifted in the slightest; even if it is a bit more wary now, they don’t hesitate in offering you the same level of kindness as before. Though, even that, still feels different, wrong somehow. Can you recover what’s been lost between you? Or will you forever be two ships passing in the night?
Route: Ex-Best Friend/Lover (can choose if they were your lover or not) || Second Chances
The Newcomer: Cameron/Carmen Rivera [M/F] — An up-and-coming star within Hollywood from the music scene. Having wanted to take a shot at the silver screen for years it’s only with this project that they’ve finally been given the chance— cast as your love interest, no less. You’re not too sure what to make of them. From everything you’ve read they’re sunshine incarnate, with a beaming smile always on their lips, that completely contradicts the darker colors that they typically wear. Something tells you, an almost bone deep intuition, that they’re an array of contradictions all rolled up into one package. Will you ever be able to uncover any of them?
Route: First Love (to them) || Age Gap
The Bodyguard: Roman Locke [M/F] — With a penchant to wear nothing but black, sometimes with muted tones of gray thrown in, you don’t know much about the individual that’s been guarding you with their life for the last five years. Only their stellar history in the Navy, coupled with a possible connection to being a CIA Agent, though that’s never been confirmed, and the other rudimentary facets of their past that any employer needs to know. However, even if they rarely speak, you know that you’re in more than capable hands and that they take their job seriously. But what happens when that professional facade begins to crack?
Route: Bodyguard Romance.
The Assistant: Harley Park [M/F] — Someone who’s very good at their job while also being everywhere and nowhere all at once. You don’t know if they’ll ever get over the embarrassment of your first meeting— with them being in a fandom shirt from a project you had done a couple of years before, with you at center stage on it. With an undeniable charm, if a bit awkward in their approach, Harley is definitely someone that’d you miss interacting with once you got the chance to do so. You just have to get them to actually interact with you first.
Route: Oblivious Love.
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missstrvlightt · 1 year ago
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While studying in the library you get a real bright idea to test Ethan and see if he can keep quiet !
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MINORS DNI|18+ ONLY
warnings: smut, subby ethan, dommy femreader, sex in public library, handjob m!receive, P in mouth, Semi-Overstim, CNC?!
names used: baby, mommy, baby boy!
authors note: y'all can let me know if i missed anything if y'all spot it ! this story isn't proofread! and also lmk if you guys want me to make this a series. enjoy sluts😛💋
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It was a regular Saturday afternoon and you were studying at the library everyone goes to that's around the corner from school. Your boyfriend Ethan decided to tag along wanting to help you study for your upcoming exam.
The both of you have been at the library for about an hour now and you were starting to get pretty bored. Ethan had got up and went to look at the books while you sat and listened to the videos that you were assigned to watch.
You look around seeing if you can see Ethan from where you're sitting. When you see that he's not in your sight you pause the video and take out your headphones standing and walking around to the aisle .
Walking down a few aisles and not seeing Ethan till you turn a corner and see him reaching for a book on a high shelf. You watch as he reaches and his shirt lifts showing his toned abs and his happy trail that leads down into his pants.
You bite your lip before walking over and slowly wrapping your arms around his waist. Ethan jumps and turns around making you back away. He slaps his hand over his chest letting out a sigh.
"Baby, you scared me! I thought you were a random." Ethan says while looking down at you. You just smile up at him before letting your hands slide up his toned stomach sneaking your hands under his shirt.
Ethan's breath hatches and he grabs your wrists.
"B-baby what are you doing?" Ethan speaks softly not wanting his voice to get loud. You put your finger up to your lips before winking at him and dropping down to your knees.
Ethan gulps loudly watching as you get down on your knees in front of him. He quickly snaps back into reality when he realizes you both are still in the library. Ethan reaches down grabbing you by the forearm, trying to pull you up.
"B-Babe you can't do this! Not here, please." He whisper yells, that last part coming out as a whine. You don't listen and continue to undo his belt.
"What if someone comes down this way, we could get c-caught baby." Ethan whines out balling the side of his sweater up in his hands.
"You best bet is to pray no one wants to read history fiction and keep quite baby boy." You say while unbuttoning his pants and pulling his zipper down.
Ethan just nods really wanting you to continue, the thought of someone walking down the aisle and seeing this makes his cock grow harder.
Ethan has always been a sucker for public play so he just lets you do what you do best.
You pull his pants down a bit to hand low around his waist, just enough to pull his cock out from his underwear. His cock slaps against his stomach making his shudder at the cold air hitting it.
You look up to see Ethan looking down at you with hooded eyes and his mouth gapped open. You gently grab his cock making his hips stutter.
You slowly move your hand up and down making Ethan whimper and grip onto his sweater tighter.
"P-please go faster mommy." Ethan says fully slipping into his space. I listen to his wish and start moving my hand faster. Ethan lets out a yelp before slapping his hand over his mouth throwing his head back.
You continue to pump Ethan listening to his muffled moans and watch as his hips thrust into your hand. You feel as his cock twitches in your hand and see his tip becoming darker.
Ethan really wants to let his load go and cum all over your face , but he knows not to cum unless you allow him so he's trying his best to hold it and be your good boy.
"Does my baby boy wanna cum? You wanna cover mommy in your cum?" You ask while sticking out your tongue and kitty licking his tip making him put his hand on top of your hand.
"U-uhh m-mmommyyy pleaseeeee let me cum! I wanna give it to you mommy, please let me give it to you!" He says sounding recked and fucked out just from a simple handjob.
You let out a little chuckle watching as he falls completely apart. You wrap your lips around his tip and pull away with a pop. Ethan's knees start to buck feeling very weak right now. You look up at him and he looks down at you with tears rolling down his face and his nose red and lips swollen from bitting them.
"Go ahead baby boy, give it to me." You say and that sent Ethan over the edge. Ethan lets his load flow out of him and all in your mouth. You hold your mouth open letting it fill your mouth.
Ethan twitches filling overstimulated from you still pumping him. Ethan puts his hand on your shoulder and gives it a squeeze.
"No more mommy, no more please." Ethan lets out using the sleeve of his sweater to wipe his face clearing his face of the tears.
You stop pumping him and help Ethan out with his pants after you help him you stand back to your feet. Ethan quickly wraps his arms around your shoulders placing his face in your neck. You rub his back forming small circles.
"Was it too much for you baby?" You ask feeling worried never getting this type of reaction outta him.
"I'm just tired, but that was amazing." Ethan mumbles out making you laugh. You pat his back.
"Come on baby, let's get out things and go home." You say and Ethan nods his head in your neck but not letting you go.
"Can we just stay like this for a little bit please?" Ethan asks and you just nod your head allowing him to hold you.
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easternmind · 1 year ago
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The weird and wonderful history of Kowloon as a digital interactive space - Part I
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The Kowloon Walled City was one of the most emblematic locations in Hong Kong due to its irregular, fast-paced and largely ungoverned growth within a minute parcel of land. During the occupation of Hong Kong Island by the British in the mid 18th century, the Qing authorities surrounded the area with walls, turning it into a strategic position from where to closely inspect the foreign nation's covert activities. Almost a century later, during World War II, the area was seized by the Japanese, who tore down the walls and repurposed the stone for the construction of a nearby airport.
After the war, China would eventually regain possession of the city, though the disinterest of local authorities in addressing its increasing social disturbances placed it in a downward path to a state of utter degradation. By the 1970s, Kowloon had become the epicentre of Hong Kong's criminal underworld, dominated by a handful of its most vicious Triads.
Towards the last years of its existence, the ancient settlement was as a precarious heap of concrete, sheltering nearly half a million people within less than seven acres of land. Cultural and political changes in China made it increasingly difficult for this urban anomaly to remain unaddressed. In the late 1980s, an action plan was put together aiming to relocate its inhabitants and reconvert the real estate into an inner-city park. Stories about residents refusing to leave their unsafe and unsanitary homes were featured prominently in newspapers, baffling readers all over the world. Once the single most densely populated area in the world, this enclave was an architectural aberration whose disconcerting aesthetic influenced numerous works of art in different fields of creation; including a small yet consequential number of video games that briefly reference or prominently feature this abominably transfixing space.
九龍島 (Kyu-Ryu-Tou) - Starcraft - 1986
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The year is 2025. An arms dealer escalates the tensions between East and West by developing a genetic weapon in a secret base at Kowloon Island. The United Nations react by sending in their best man, Jamie Starr. Unrelated to the Walled City itself, the first game to be located in the Kowloon peninsula - and indeed include the name as a part of its title - is this obscure turn-based RPG, Kyu-Ryu-Tou for the NEC PC88 and FM-77 machines. The game is a sequel to Shangai, released the year before, featuring the same protagonist. Starcraft would also go on to produce a third instalment in 1987 named TO.KY.O. Clearly there wasn't much regard here from the developers part for geographic accuracy, as Kowloon is depicted here as being an island. While Hong Kong's southern territory is composed of an actual island, all the different areas named Kowloon are located in the mainland.
Riot City - Westone - 1991
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One of the most shameless specimens among a relatively long list of Final Fight clones, Riot City contains subtle references to Kowloon, though never referring to it by name. Two narcotics detectives are assigned with the mission of dismantling a cartel running a crime-ridden located in fictional Riot Island. This recurring yet geographically nonsensical notion of Kowloon as an island comes up here, yet again. The final moment of the introduction sequence for this minor Sega arcade success shows both protagonists approaching a tight cluster of buildings whose source inspiration is quite unmistakable. Because Westone maintained ownership of most of this production's intellectual property, a later port to the PC Engine entitled Riot Zone was made possible with the help of Hudson soft. Kowloon's Gate - Zeque - 1997
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Reviving the Walled City through the lens of cybermystic surrealism, Kowloon's Gate is a dense, daunting adventure masterfully capturing the slum's dark and narrow recesses. This 1997 Japanese Playstation exclusive spans across four discs of unparalleled full motion 3D CGI spectacle, alternating with real-time 3D dungeons brimming with outlandish characters and concepts deeply inspired by Chinese history, geography and cultural traditions.
Ironically, Zeque managed to embed the theme of Feng-Shui, the ancient geomantic art seeking harmony between the individual and their surrounding space, into a story set in the world's most historically untidy district.
SaGa Frontier - Square - 1997
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SaGa Frontier takes place in a solar system named The Regions, composed of multiple inhabited worlds for the player to explore, each with its different degree of civilizational development and culture. One of these planets goes by the suggestive name Kūron. Its pervasive neon light signs, food stalls, makeshift cabins and rooftop scaffolding instantly evoke the memory of China’s so-called city of darkness.
Shadow Hearts - Sacnoth - 2001
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Shortly after the release of Koudelka, Sacnoth's initiated the development of Shadow Hearts, the first episode from a cult RPG trilogy exclusively designed for the Playstation 2. In good Japanese fashion, the game proposes an anachronistic yet visually suggestive depiction of Kowloon, portraying its architectural style and degree of decay as it existed in the late twentieth century, despite the fact that the game's events take place during the nineteen twenties.
Just as noteworthy is the almost complete absence of any inhabitants, which inadvertently make this portrayal of the quarter eerily reminiscent of the state in which it was found circa 1993 or 1994, as local authorities brought the long, arduous eviction project to a close.
Shenmue II - SEGA AM2 - 2001
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Shenmue II exhibits the most complete and period-accurate video game representation of Kowloon to date. While more recent games featuring this area may represent a number of its aspects with the aid of improved visual fidelity, none features it with such depth as this masterpiece of masterpieces. More than mere background decoration, Kowloon exists in the Shenmue series as a crucial, climacteric element of its modern epic narrative.
It is a well known fact that Yu Suzuki and his team conducted extensive research of the region so as to achieve a result that impresses even to this day. It must be noted, however, that they have similarly taken a fair share of creative liberty when converting the area to best align with the themes they wished to explore. Further reading is required for a more complete context in this regard, namely how this area ties with an early Dreamcast tech demo design which fans lovingly named Tower of Babel. Ostensively, technical limitations did curtail the degree of precision in which the surrounding area could be replicated. The aerial view from the cutscene in which Ryo Hazuki arrives on location places Kowloon at an imaginary degree of elevation over surrounding vegetation. In the year of 1987, during which the game is set, the actual enclave stood perfectly levelled with a myriad of other modern buildings, undoubtedly more than could be reproduced under the circumstances. These trifling considerations aside, Shenmue II entirely succeeds in capturing the vibrant life and mesmerizing beauty of the destitute and decayed urban agglomeration, in a way that it was deemed entirely impossible at the time of its release.
For reasons entirely related to per post content limitations imposed by Tumblr, this article will be continued in PART II.
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venussaidso · 11 days ago
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Vedic Astrology Observation (based on shows/films part 6)
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Rewatching "Nevertheless" and yes Song Kang's character here is definitely more Ketu than Solar. His Solar nakshatra characters are seen in "My Demon", "Love Alarm". He specifically channels his Uttara Phalguni Moon in the kdrama My Demon especially, and his love interest is also an Uttara Phalguni. But in "Nevertheless", it is a whole nother nakshatra lord influence.
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The reason why I changed my mind on what energy he is channeling the most is because of Claire Nakti's Ketu Dominant Men video. He fits some of the negative descriptions.
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Every time a woman interacts with a Ketu man, she's so energetically and subconsciously pulled in by him (as is everyone), that she thinks she's gaining something from the experience but she leaves realizing how much she's depleted herself into him. But she's so subconsciously pulled in that she keeps coming back every time.
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Ketuvians are not necessarily known for being givers unless there's some other placement. But the emotions and excitement they evoke in others makes those people think they're receiving energy, when actually its their own energy shaking up and being extracted from them.
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This character will play into his magnetism, pull people in, then they'll realize they're one of the many he subconsciously (sometimes even deliberately) pulls energy from. Since Ketu wants to absorb everywhere, it makes sense seeing him breadcrumbing and stringing the female lead along while he keeps his numbers of chasers in his pockets (this trait is exaggerated in them being cult leaders or them liking to maintain large followings to extract more energies (again, sometimes they don't do this intentionally. look at magha native michael jackson's effortless effect on others)). Another reason why I think he's channeling his Ashwini Sun the most is because of his fear of commitment. Although it's more apparent in Ashwini women, the wild horse here doesn't want to settle down ever. His overall detachment to such things, the story leaving him mysterious (despite the ending) because we never go into his depths but we rather see him be this attractive sucking void that eventually becomes sickening to other women he strung along... The difference is, though Solar men can be womanizers, women often gain status and validation in association with them. With Ketu men, nothing much is gained, which is why they eventually become frustrating to women who'll then walk away.
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Another obvious thing, Ketuvians are mostly seen in spiritual spaces, learning about history or being into research, getting into interesting underground subcultures, and especially the arts. He "falls in love" (I don't believe that for one bit but sure) with a Vishakha Sun, Bharani Moon – Vishakha women dominate the arts and Bharani being a Venus nakshatra makes sense for her artistry.
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Being Jupiterian, she's quite meek and relatable. I believe the actress was channeling Vishakha, as its a nakshatra about transformation, and I believe her purpose in this story is finally standing up for herself to break free from the pattern of reliving a situation. But because of polarity, Ketu and Jupiter will always be drawn to each other. The best match for Ketu men is no one, in my humble opinion, though. They usually don't care about that anyway unless there's something to gain. They're quite similar to Ketu women. I've seen them be their best version with Ketu women. I could name a few examples of Ketu dynamics in fiction which don't have this exploitative aspect that Jupiter x Ketu pairings (platonic or not) usually do. There is a quiet understanding between the Ketu characters and a natural inclination to protect one another without even getting close, because of this unspoken connection they have. Such as in "Sweet Home", where Song Kang channels his Ketu energy yet again.
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He is drawn to the inwardly conflicted Magha Moon native Go Min-si. And due to his isolation, their connection isn't reliant on constant interactions, instead there is something there that's pulling them together in Season 1. In the later seasons, their protection of each other is more explored as their connection deepens through this horror story; his protection becoming a major aspect of their relationship. And because of the genres Ketuvians usually find themselves in, its rarely seen that these intense connections turn into some romantic endgame.(Ketuvians are the least likely planetary influence to be found in Romance, rather it's the Jupiterians, Saturnians and sometimes Solar natives. Instead, Ketu natives tend to be typecasted in the Thriller/Horror/Dark Fantasy genres).
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In the same drama, there's another Ketu pairing between a mysterious contract killer and former detective (Ketu characters commonly being detectives) and a healer (also related to Ketu/the Ashwini Kumaras). He immediately grows protective of her and even dies protecting her. Their connection was almost instant and just as short-lived before death did them part (there always seems to be a theme of separation in these nodal/Ketu pairings). But she remains unforgettable as he becomes haunted by her even after death. (Ghosts = Ketu).
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In the kdrama "Save Me", there's another Ketu-Ketu connection in them playing protectors of each other. The Ketu male characters find themselves tied back to a Ketu girl. They are all tied by some kind of destiny that pulls them back to when they met. Despite the gap between them, this undeniable connection has them teaming up to save her from a cult.
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And, interesting enough, the cult leader who cruelly exploits the Ketu woman, and everyone else in his cult, is played by a Ketu native.
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This powerful, subconscious connection between Ketuvians (in these fictional depictions) is so interesting as the characters usually keep at a distance from each other initially, never having to get close to feel each other — the connection is just naturally present. I specifically caught this when I rewatched the film "Through My Window", starring two Ketuvians.
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The Ashwini native here has an odd fixation on the Mula native. She stalks him and observes him from afar without ever getting close enough to meet him. But then when he catches her, a scene in the graveyard, he makes her aware that he knows. He would know that she's been engrossed in him (note, he also has Punarvasu Sun; Ketu x Jupiter strikes again, but his approach to her and their interactions are primarily Ketu x Ketu as he invades into her life (persistently stealing her WiFi connection, sneaking into her room whenever he wants), he strings her along and just like Ashwini native Song Kang in Nevertheless, we see him stringing along other female characters etc.). As Ketuvians are so in tune with the energies within themselves, they'd notice if someone were extracting energy from them on a subconscious level. His intuition (which led him into her life essentially), and her Ketu tendencies of absorbing him from afar, already tell us how Ketu would interact amongst itself. I could think of another stalking dynamic between two Ketuvians, from "Marvel's Jessica Jones".
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The Ashwini here is yet again obsessed with the Mula native. He used his superpowers to force her to be in a relationship with him and even after she escapes from his clutches, he means to regain his control over her to prove that she can love him willingly; yet again trying to drain her (very important to note that she also has Purva Bhadrapada ASC (Ketu yet again draining Jupiter)).
In the film "Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" starring two Ashwini natives, we see these characters form an unconventional bond – both having deep intrigue for each other, before developing this strong urge to look out for one another. It's not romantic, lacking that Venusian quality of connection we usually see. Instead it's very rare, complex, and created in darker or unconventional circumstances (literally all these Ketuvians bond amidst chaos or some unusual circumstance).
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It always seems as if almost every Ketu character drawn to each other can't just have a long-lasting "relationship". Even trying to reduce their indescribable connection to a mundane romantic relationship doesn't do them justice. Ashwini natives aren't typically relationship-orientated, anyway.
Usually a romance between Ketuvians in fiction can be depicted as ethereal, intense and just as short-lived, such as in the film "Meet Joe Black". A love that is shown to transcend time and reality, and so temporary and fleeting.
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The film needs an analysis of its own as it stars three Mula natives as its leads. But Ketu here reminds us how fleeting existence is. The Mula Sun native playing Death himself, in parallel to how Ketu can drain and take important things or people away. Death is drawn to a double Ketuvian woman, who happens to be the daughter of the man he is taking away to the afterlife.
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The Ketu woman is specifically drawn to his mystery and his innocence, sensing something off about him yet being pulled in by his innocent mysticism. A very bittersweet relationship develops between them that has this looming reality that he is not human and something inevitably heartbreaking is soon to take place. Very much getting into 8H themes, unsurprising as Ketu co-rules the 8H.
Here's the most Ketu "non-romantic" pairing edit with such 8H themes.
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God I love them sm.
Also, going back to "Sweet Home", I just realized a prominent Ketu aspect. Claire Nakti's Mula/Ketu explorations mainly revolved around Ketuvians being unafraid of beasts and being the main planetary influence that is often seen in roles where they tame monsters, being the only human to see which creatures (no matter how hideous and ugly on the outside) are actually innocent.
The beauty-&-beast dynamic between Casey and Kevin, played by two Ashwini natives, in Glass, reminds me of the dynamic between Hyun soo (Ashwini) and Eun yoo (Magha).
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The Ashwini pair, much like the Ashwini pair in "Sweet Home" (the detective and the healer/doctor), inevitably separate from 8H circumstances.
These characters below, in Sweet Home Season 2 & 3, are the main ones to embody this Mula archetype – even though they're trine nakshatras. This further validates Go Min-si being Magha Moon, as she's the only one who sees the humanity in Ashwini Sun Song Kang's monstrous character (the 2 edits i linked of them literally explore this beauty-&-the-beast trope of Ketu fantastically).
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On the left is the soldier played by Ashwini Moon Oh-seong Yu who, despite his tough exterior, has a soft spot for these monsters which makes him a threatening outlier in the team. Damn only if Claire Nakti added kdramas to her explorations too, she'd find more nakshatra archetypes! But honestly I appreciate her work so much because I'm able to spot influences she touched on in my favourite medias.
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thewriteadviceforwriters · 1 year ago
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The Writer's Guide to Mastering Dialogue
You've heard it a thousand times—show, don't tell. One of the most effective ways to do this in your writing is through dialogue. Dialogue helps bring your story and characters to life, propels the action forward, and engages readers. But crafting realistic, compelling dialogue is an art form that takes practice. Don't worry, Rin's got you covered. In this guide, you'll discover techniques for writing dialogue that sparkles. You'll learn how to make conversations sound natural, differentiate character voices, convey subtext and emotion, and use dialog for exposition. By the end, you'll be writing dialogue with confidence and watching your characters come to life on the page. So grab a cup of coffee or mocha (my favorite), settle in, and let's chat about the art of conversation.
Why Dialogue Matters in Your Novel
Dialogue is one of the most powerful tools in a writer's arsenal. It brings your story to life and creates realistic characters that readers can connect with. If you want to master the art of fiction writing, you need to know how to write compelling dialogue.
Dialogue reveals character and moves the story forward. Through dialogue, readers get a sense of your characters' personalities, backgrounds, and motivations. It's a chance to show, not tell, what your characters are like. Dialogue also propels the action and builds suspense, as characters chat about the events unfolding in the story.
There are a few keys to crafting believable and engaging dialog:
•Make it sound natural. Listen to real conversations for inspiration. Dialogue should flow and feel spontaneous, not stiff or forced. Use contractions, interruptions, and imperfect speech.
•Give each character a unique voice. The way people speak depends a lot on their background, education level, profession, and personality. Capture the subtleties of different speaking styles to bring your characters to life.
•Use dialogue tags and actions. Adding "he said/she said" and descriptions of characters' actions and expressions during conversations helps readers keep track of who's talking and provides context. Use a variety of tags like asked, exclaimed, and murmured.
•Move the conversation along. Keep dialog concise and avoid unnecessary filler words. Get to the point so readers stay interested in what's being said. Dialogue should always move the story forward.
•Show tension and conflict. Interesting conversations often involve disagreement, sarcasm, arguing, or questioning. Create tension through dialogue to keep readers engaged.
With the right techniques, you can make dialogue a pivotal part of your story. So listen, observe, and practice the art of great conversation - your readers will thank you!
Developing Distinctive Character Voices Through Dialogue
To develop distinctive voices for your characters, focus on how they speak. Dialogue is one of the best ways to bring your characters to life and propel your story forward.
Pay attention to your characters’ backgrounds, experiences, education levels, and attitudes. All of these factors influence how people talk in real life, so apply that to your characters. Maybe your wise-cracking character uses a lot of humor and sarcasm, while your shy character speaks hesitantly in short sentences.
Listen for speech patterns, accents, and catchphrases in real conversations and note them for inspiration. Capture the rhythm and flow of natural dialogue.
Give each character their own vocabulary based on their interests, jobs, and lifestyles. The tech geek’s dialogue will differ from the history professor’s.
Establish characters’ voices from their first lines of dialog. Look for a memorable way for them to express themselves. The impatient character may frequently use phrases like “spit it out already!” while the pessimist’s go-to is “what could possibly go wrong?”
Use dialog to reveal aspects of characters’ personalities and backgrounds without telling readers directly. Show, don’t tell. For example, a character who says “please” and “thank you” in every sentence likely has a polite and courteous nature.
Read dialogue aloud to make sure it sounds natural. Get friends or family members to read different characters’ lines. If anything sounds off, rework it.
With practice, crafting distinct voices for your characters through dialog will become second nature. Your characters' voices, conveyed through the words they say and the way they say them, will make your story come alive for readers. So take the time to get to know your characters by how they speak. Their voices are worth developing.
Using Dialogue to Reveal Character
Reveal Character Through Dialogue
Dialog is one of the best ways to reveal details about your characters and show their personalities. Carefully crafted conversations can expose a character's background, values, education level, and more without telling the reader outright.
As your characters talk, think about what kinds of words and phrases they would use based on who they are. An older British gentleman will speak very differently than a teenage skateboarder from California. Listen to people with similar backgrounds and life experiences to your characters for inspiration.
Also consider:
The rhythm and cadence of their speech. Do they speak quickly or slowly? Formally or casually?
Their vocabulary. Does your character use complex words and jargon or simpler language?
Grammar and pronunciation. Does your character follow the rules or have their own way of speaking?
For example, here's a short exchange that shows the contrast between two characters:
Jenny (teenage skateboarder): "Hey, you gonna drop in on the half pipe today or just pose by the ramp again?"
Mr. Edwards (older British gentleman): "I'm afraid vert skating is a young man's game, my dear. I'm quite content to watch you whippersnappers from the sidelines."
Even from this brief conversation, you get a sense of each character's age, background, and attitude without the author explicitly telling you. Mastering the art of subtext in dialog will make your stories come alive and allow readers to discover the depth in your characters for themselves.
Driving the Plot Forward With Meaningful Dialogue
To keep your readers engaged, your dialog needs to propel the story forward. Meaningful exchanges between characters should reveal information, create conflict, and raise the stakes.
Share Relevant Details
Use dialogue as an opportunity to share important details about the characters, their relationships, backstories, and the world they inhabit. For example:
“Did you hear they’re raising tuition again next semester?” Jenny asked.
“Ugh, not again,” Mark groaned. “How are we supposed to afford another five percent?”
This exchange informs the reader that Jenny and Mark are college students struggling with the costs. Look for natural ways to slip in context through dialog without sounding forced.
Create Conflict
Interesting stories thrive on tension, disagreement, and clashing perspectives. Have your characters bicker, argue, and challenge each other. For example:
“You never listen to me!” Alice shouted. “You always have to be right.”
“I’m not trying to be right,” Brian retorted. “I’m trying to protect you, but you’re too stubborn to see that.”
The quarrel fuels the underlying conflict in their relationship and keeps readers wondering how they’ll resolve their differences.
Raise the Stakes
Use meaningful dialog at key moments to increase the urgency, suspense or importance of what’s happening in the story. For example:
“The test results came back—it’s not good news,” the doctor said grimly.
Not only does this distressing announcement raise the stakes for the character’s health issue but it also creates a cliffhanger, leaving the reader wondering about the diagnosis and anxiously awaiting more details.
Meaningful dialog is essential for crafting an engaging story. Use it to inform readers, create conflict between characters, raise the stakes, and propel the plot toward a climax. With practice, writing authentic dialog will become second nature.
Creating Tension and Conflict Through Dialogue
To keep readers engaged, effective dialog should create tension and conflict between characters. As in real life, the conversations in your story should have stakes and push characters outside their comfort zone.
Show underlying tensions
Have characters disagree and argue to reveal underlying tensions. For example:
“You never listen to me. It’s always about what you want.”
“That’s not fair and you know it. I’ve sacrificed a lot for this family.”
This type of emotionally-charged exchange shows the couple has deeper issues to work through regarding resentment and lack of appreciation.
Create awkward situations
Put characters in awkward situations through dialog to ramp up the tension. For example:
“How’s the job search going?”
“Um, still looking. The market’s tough right now.”
“Really? I heard your company is hiring. I put in a good word for you with some people I know there.”
“Oh. Thanks, I guess.”
The second character is now in the difficult position of admitting the job search isn’t going well and they don’t actually have any leads. This cringeworthy moment translates the tension to readers.
Issue challenges and ultimatums
Have characters challenge each other by issuing warnings, demands or ultimatums, for example:
“If you walk out that door, we’re through. I mean it this time.”
“Don’t threaten me. You need me more than I need you.”
Throwing down the gauntlet in this way forces characters to back up their words with actions, which heightens the tension and conflict. Readers will keep reading to see who comes out on top!
Using dialog that highlights tension, creates awkwardness, and issues challenges is a great way to craft page-turning scenes that keep readers on the edge of their seats. Mastering the art of writing gripping dialogue is key to writing a story that resonates.
Avoiding Common Dialogue Mistakes
One of the biggest mistakes new writers make is crafting unrealistic or clichéd dialog. Your characters’ conversations should flow naturally and sound believable to readers. Avoid these common dialog doners:
Repeating Characters' Names
In real life, we rarely use someone's name in every sentence when talking to them. Only use a character's name when beginning a new exchange or for emphasis. Repeating names too often makes the dialog sound unnatural.
Overusing Exposition
Don't have characters explain things solely for the reader's benefit. Only include exposition that makes sense for the characters to actually say to each other. Find other creative ways to convey important backstory or worldbuilding details.
Forgetting Emotion
Dialog without emotional cues like facial expressions and body language can seem flat. Use emotive verbs and adverbs to show how the lines are delivered. For example, "she exclaimed" or "he muttered angrily." Also describe characters' physical reactions and behaviors to further bring the scene to life for readers.
Talking in Complete Sentences
Real conversations are often choppy, filled with interruptions, tangents, and imperfect grammar. Vary your sentence structure and length. Use fragments, run-ons, and breaks when appropriate. Not all dialog needs to be in perfectly punctuated full sentences.
Clichéd Phrases
Certain overused phrases like "it's quiet...too quiet" or "we've got company!" indicate lazy or clichéd writing. Come up with original ways for your characters to express themselves that fit with their unique personalities and situation. Avoid reusing trite or familiar sayings.
With practice, writing natural-sounding dialog will become second nature. Pay close attention to how real people speak, and aim to replicate the flow and cadence in your writing. Follow these tips, and your characters' conversations will truly come alive on the page!
Formatting Dialogue Correctly
When writing dialog, formatting it correctly is key to making it clear and compelling for readers. Here are some tips for formatting your dialogue effectively:
Use quotation marks
Place all dialogue between double quotation marks (“”). This indicates the character is speaking. For example:
“Hello,” she said. “How are you today?”
Start a new paragraph for each new speaker
Having each character's dialog on its own line makes it easy to follow who's talking. For example:
“Did you finish your homework?” Mom asked.
“I'm almost done,” I replied. “Just have some math problems left.”
Describe the speech
Use speech tags like "said", "asked", "replied" to indicate how the dialog was delivered. For example:
“I don't want to go to bed yet,” the little girl whined.
Punctuate properly
Place punctuation such as periods, commas, question marks, etc. within the quotation marks. For example:
“Where are you going?” she asked.
I said, “To the store. Do you need anything?”
Use beats
"Beats" are actions or descriptions that replace the "he/she said" tags. They make dialog more engaging and help set the scene. For example:
"I'm tired." John yawned and rubbed his eyes.
"Then go to sleep." Mary folded her arms, annoyance in her tone.
Avoid over-tagging
Don't tag every single line of dialog with "said" or the character's name. Let context and formatting do some of the work for you. For example:
"Did you talk to Mom today?"
"Yeah, she called this morning."
"What did she say?"
"That she'd be home in time for dinner."
Following these guidelines will make your dialogue clear, compelling, and help bring your story to life. Readers will appreciate dialog that flows naturally and is easy to follow.
Using Dialogue Tags Effectively
To write effective dialog, you need to master the use of dialog tags. Dialog tags are the parts of speech that indicate who is speaking, such as “he said” or “she asked”. When used properly, dialog tags can enhance your story without distracting the reader.
Choose tags that match the tone
Pick dialog tags that match the emotional tone of the dialog. For example, use “he whispered” for hushed speech or “she shouted” for loud, angry speech. Avoid reusing the same generic tags like “he said/she said” repeatedly, but don't get too creative either. Stick with simple verbs that imply the manner of speech.
Use action tags
Action tags describe a character's physical actions or expressions while speaking. For example, "“I’m not going,” he shook his head.” or ““What a day!” She ran her hands through her hair and sighed.” Action tags bring dialog to life and help the reader visualize the scene. They also give you an opportunity to reveal character details.
Drop the tag when implied
Once two characters establish a back-and-forth dialog, you can often drop the dialog tags altogether. As long as it's clear who is speaking, the tags become unnecessary. For example:
“Did you finish your homework?” Mom asked.
“Most of it,” I said.
“Most of it? What didn’t you finish?”
“Just some math problems. I’ll do them after dinner.”
“You’d better. I’m checking it tonight.”
After the first two lines, the reader understands that Mom and I are the speakers, so the remaining dialog does not need tags. Dropping implied tags creates a snappier feel and prevents repetitive, unnecessary tags.
Using a mix of well-placed dialog tags, action tags, and implied dialog, you can craft seamless conversations between characters that flow naturally, without distraction. Keep practicing and listening to real-world conversations for inspiration. With time, writing compelling dialog will become second nature.
FAQs About Writing Dialogue
When writing dialogue, questions inevitably come up. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about crafting realistic and compelling dialogue.
Do I use quotation marks or italics?
In fiction writing, use quotation marks (“”) to denote direct speech. Only use italics for thoughts or emphasis. Quotation marks allow the reader to easily distinguish between dialog and narration.
How do I avoid “he said, she said”?
To prevent repetitive “he said/she said” tags, use action tags that describe the speaker's actions or expressions. For example:
“We should get out of here,” he whispered, glancing around nervously.
She slammed her fist on the table. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
You can also drop the dialog tag altogether if the speaker is clearly identified through context or action. The dialog itself and how you structure the conversation can imply the tone.
How do I make dialogue sound natural?
Pay attention to the cadence and rhythm of actual conversations. Dialog should:
Sound like natural speech, not formal writing. Contractions are okay!
Have an easy back-and-forth flow. Keep responses concise and avoid monologs.
Capture unique speech patterns based on a character's background and personality.
Include interruptions, changes in subject, and imperfect grammar. We don't speak perfectly in real life!
What are the rules for punctuating dialog?
Use a comma between the dialogue tag and the dialog: “Hello,” she said.
If the dialog tag comes before the dialog, end it with a comma: She said, “Hello.”
If the dialogue is interrupted by a dialog tag, use commas to separate it from the tag: “Hello,” she said, “how are you?”
Use a period to end a sentence of dialog: “Hello.”
Use a question mark for a question: “How are you?” she asked.
Use an exclamation point for excitement or emphasis: “Wow!” he exclaimed.
Start a new paragraph each time the speaker changes.
Following these tips will have you crafting dialog like a pro in no time. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Additional Tips For Writing Dialogue
Keep it concise
When writing dialog, less is more. Keep exchanges brief and avoid long speeches. Readers will get bored quickly if characters drone on and on. Focus on using just enough dialog to convey key information or advance the scene.
Use natural language
Write dialog like people really speak. Use casual language, contractions, slang, and imperfect grammar. Drop words like “um”, “like”, and “you know” into conversations to make them sound authentic. Read your dialog aloud to ensure it flows naturally. If it sounds stilted or awkward when spoken, it will come across that way to readers as well.
Share emotions
Dialog should reveal characters’ emotions and attitudes. Have characters express feelings like excitement, frustration, fear or affection through their word choice, tone, and body language. For example, a character who sighs, rolls their eyes or speaks in a sarcastic tone conveys a very different emotion than one who smiles, makes eye contact and speaks enthusiastically.
Keep it relevant
All dialog should serve a purpose, whether to reveal something about a character, advance the plot or set a mood. Avoid “empty” exchanges that fill space but add no value. If a conversation seems pointless or dull, cut or rewrite it.
Use action and description
Don't rely solely on dialog to carry a scene. Include action and descriptions to give readers a more complete picture. For example:
"Where were you?" Anna asked.
Mark sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I got stuck at work. I'm really sorry."
The description of Mark's actions and appearance helps the reader understand his emotional state and see the full context of the conversation.
Leave room for interpretation
Don't have characters over-explain or outright state their feelings and motivations. Leave some details to the reader's imagination. For example, instead of:
"I'm angry that you lied to me," Amy said angrily.
Try:
Amy folded her arms and glared at him. "You lied to me."
The emotional context is clear without having to explicitly state Amy's anger. Subtlety and nuance in dialog make for a more engaging read.
Conclusion
So there you have it, the keys to mastering dialogue/dialog in your writing. I hope my extensive research was enough information for you all. Focus on listening to the voices around you, develop unique voices for your characters, keep your exchanges tight and impactful. Remember, dialog should always move the story forward, not just fill space on the page. With practice, writing compelling dialog can become second nature. Now go eavesdrop on conversations, study your favorite books and shows, and get to work crafting those conversations. Your characters and readers will thank you for it. Keep at it and before you know it, you'll be writing dialog with the best of them!
(Keep in mind I used both dialog and dialogue just in case there's a few who get annoyed with that.)
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darlingofdots · 1 month ago
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What is a romance novel, really?
So far, the response to this post has mostly shown me that a lot of people don't actually know what a romance novel is, and that's okay! I don't expect everyone to know! However, for my own peace of mind, I am going to do my best to explain what we mean when we talk about romance novels, where the genre comes from, and why you should not dismiss the pastel cartoon covers that are taking over the display tables at your nearest chain bookshop. Two disclaimers up front: I've been reading romance novels since I was a teenager, and have dedicated the majority of my academic career to them. I'm currently working on my PhD and have presented/published several papers about the genre; I know what I'm talking about! Secondly, all genres are fake. They're made up. But we use these terms and definitions in order to describe what we see and that's a very important part of science, including literary studies!
The most widely used definition of "romance novel" to this day is from Pamela Regis' 2003 A Natural History of the Romance Novel, in which she states that "A romance novel is a work of prose fiction that tells the story of the courtship and betrothal of one or more [protagonists]."* People also refer to the Romance Writers of America's "a central love story and an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending" and another term you will see a lot is "Happily Ever After/Happy For Now," which posits that the protagonists must be in a committed and happy relationship at the end of the novel in order to count as a romance novel. That's it. That's what a romance novel is.
Of course it's a bit more complex than that; Regis also posited the Eight Essential Elements which describe the progression of the love plot over the course of the book, and there's a similar breakdown from Gwen Hayes in Romancing the Beat that is intended more as writing advice, but both of these are really useful for breaking down how this narrative structure works. My personal favourite part of the Eight Elements is that the romance opens with a definition of the society in which the protagonists exist, which is flawed in a way that oppresses them, and then the protagonists either overcome or fix it in a way that enables them to achieve their HEA. A lot of social commentary can happen this way!
It can also be a bit difficult to pin down what exactly counts as a "central love story" because who decides? A lot of stories have romance arcs in them, including dudebro action movies and noir mystery novels, but you would never argue that the romance is the central plot. A lot of romance novels have external plots like solving a mystery or saving the bakery. A useful question to ask in this case is whether the external plot exists for its own sake or to facilitate the romance: when Lydia runs off with Wickham in Pride & Prejudice, it's so that Lizzie can find out how much Darcy contributed to saving her family from scandal and realise her own feelings for him. The alien abduction in Ice Planet Barbarians happens specifically so the abducted human women can meet and fall in love with the hunky aliens. There are definitely grey areas here! Romance scholars argue about this all the time!
I have a suspicion that a lot of people who responded to the post I linked above are not actually romance readers, which is fine, but it really shows the lack of understanding of what a romance novel is. I have a secondary suspicion that the way we have been talking about books has contributed to this miscategorisation in a lot of people's minds, because especially with queer books we will often specifically point out that this fantasy book is f/f! This dystopian novel has a gay love story! This puts an emphasis on the romance elements that are present in a book when a lot of the time, the romance arc is just flavouring for the adventure/uprising/heist and we are pointing it out only because its queerness makes it stand out against other non-queer titles. It makes sense why we do this, but there is SUCH a difference between "a sci-fi book with an f/f romance arc" and "an f/f sci-fi romance." I could talk for hours about how the romance genre has evolved alongside and often in the same way as fanfiction and how there are codes and tropes that come up again and again that are immediately recognisable to romance readers, even down to phrases and cover design, and how romance is an incredibly versatile and diverse genre that functions in a very specific way because of that evolutionary process. The same way that dedicated fantasy readers can trace the genealogy of a given text's influences ("this writer definitely plays a lot of DnD which has its roots in the popularity of Tolkien, but they're deliberately subverting these tropes to critique the gender essentialism"), romance readers are often very aware of the building blocks and components of their books. These building blocks (that's what tropes are, lego pieces you put together to create a story!) often show up in other genres as well, especially as part of romantic arcs, but that doesn't make every book that features Only One Bed a romance novel, you know?
Romance is an incredibly versatile and diverse genre and I really highly recommend exploring it for yourself if you haven't. I personally read mostly Regency/Victorian historicals and I've been branching out into specifically f/f contemporaries, and there are so many authors who are using the romance framework to tell beautiful, hard-hitting stories about love and family while grappling with issues of discrimination, disability, mental health, capitalism, you name it. The genre has a very specific image in a lot of people's minds which makes them resistant to it and it's not entirely unjustified, but there is so much more to it than Bridgerton and repackaged Star Wars fanfiction!**
*the original text said "heroines" but Regis later revised this. There is a very good reason for the focus on the heroine in the first couple waves of romance scholarship, but that's a different post!
**neither of these are a bad thing and part of that genealogy that I mentioned earlier.
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aclickbaittitle · 11 months ago
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What do Fiction Podcasts have to say about the future?
Whenever you write a story set years from now, how you construct the world around it creates a new way to see the future, a fictional image to a reality we could be headed towards.
Fiction podcasts love to play within the sci-fi genre, and the thousands of audio dramas they have given us new pictures of what our world could look like in the next century (or a few years closer).
In this article I want to analyze the settings in the following shows: Hello from the Hallowoods, Desperado and The Strange Case of Starship Iris.
Hello From the Hallowoods
Hello From the Hallowoods welcomes us to a world ravaged by black rains and capitalism’s greed. After a natural (but man-made) disaster involving acid rain and flooding the world’s successions gave birth to two different types of beings: those who prefer to dream in a company’s “Prime Dream” and those who stay awake to continue living.
Even though the world is post-apocalyptic on paper, it never feels like it. Rather it is enchanted, there are woods where gods, revenants, devils, giants and zombies fall in love with themselves and with each other, places where community is found.
This, I attribute this to the fact that most characters don’t lament a nebulous “end of the world”, since this is the world they have always been living in and they are going to make the best of it: find family, friends, lovers, build homes and destroy bigots.
You leave the world of Hello From the Hallowoods knowing that even a doomed world is worthy of being awake for.
Desperado Podcast
Desperado Podcast also takes us to a world that was looted, but this time mainly by religious colonialism. 
Neo-colionalism has made itself tangible through genocides and direct targeting to believers that worship other than the “Old man in the Sky”.  In its first episode a community in México which revere La Catrina (a goddess in the show inspired by a popular figure in mexican art) is wiped out by the crusaders. 
From there our protagonist Elio is the sole survivor of his people, however all is not lost as he teams up with Talia (the chosen of Baron Samedi) and Shinji (whom I believe is a death kami?).
Elio now literally carries the memories of his community as the vessel for her goddess. Likewise in Desperado, the magic of the characters is the legacy their ancestors gave them, and it is what keeps them alive in the violent world. 
Though if we are ever to worry that our protagonist could fall into its clutches, the structure of the world soothes our preoccupations. You see, it is the characters within the story that are narrating their own experiences to the audience so we know that after all the pain, they ended up safe.
What Desperado tells us about the future is that, even with the ongoing genocides, white-washing of our culture, and neo-colonialism in general we will end up victorious in the end, and that our history will be forever within our memory.
The Strange Case of Starship Iris
The Strange Case of Starship Iris, is the most sci-fi audio drama out of the bunch. It follows the crew of the Rumour, a smuggler's ship, as they try to uncover the dark secrets of the Federation and evade persecution.
As with the other two properties, the future is not an easy world, but our characters are making the most of it.
In a post-war galaxy, the crew of the Rumour is smuggling space-ship parts, medicine, and erotic magazines until they find a help alarm coming from the Starship Iris and rescue biologist Violet Liu. From there they are involved in a mystery which, if the truth comes to life, they could be charged with treason against the Intergalactic Republic. 
Throughout the two seasons of the podcast, Violet Liu and company heal together the scars that the war and its result: the Intergalactic Republic left them. They fight against the government not only through robberies, infiltration, and coordinated efforts with rebel groups but also by eating latkes, drinking, singing shanties, and getting gay jewish married.
To conclude
if queer podcasts are telling us something about the future, it is that it may be equally messed up as the present but that queer, disabled people of color will exist beyond the end of the world and that even in the bleakest of futures we will continue to love and thrive.
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alargehunkofdebris · 1 year ago
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The Unseen Apology Dynamic (And Dancing)
The thing about TV and media (and life in general) is that it can often give a biased, unrealistic look of a relationship simply by showing only a few days of it. This happens with reality shows, but it also happens with fictional shows. In terms of Good Omens, from what we’ve seen in the two seasons, we’re given the impression that Crowley is always the one admitting he’s wrong, with Aziraphale always waiting for him to come back and apologize.
Now, as far as this story goes, that is the case. We, narratively, need Aziraphale to have this arc of admitting he’s wrong about this very big thing he’s always been wrong about because the show is set up that way and this is the story it's telling. However, in terms of their actual relationship over many, many years, this has (likely) not been the set dynamic; I think the two of them have a very balanced history of being right and wrong, and admitting it accordingly. We have evidence, with the receipts Aziraphale provides about his frequency doing the apology dance, that he's no stranger to being absolutely in the wrong. In fact, there’s a good chance this is the first time Crowley’s had to do the apology dance himself in a very long time. With the vehemence that Aziraphale gave those dates, it sounds as though he had given the last several of the dances—there wouldn’t be any need to list them off with such vigor if the dance has been performed equally in the last 400ish years.
Now, I also don’t think Aziraphale is the only one that made mistakes in the past 400 years, either. That doesn’t seem right. It could simply be because Aziraphale just never pulled the “apology dance” card, and has always settled for a simple spoken apology or (more likely) food offering. The dance seems like a very Crowley thing to ask, because food isn’t as big an interest and speech isn’t something Aziraphale has any trouble with (unlike Crowley, who uses one thousand syllables to say three words).
I’d also believe that their dynamic is more “one who makes a lot of small errors, and the other who makes rarer, but heftier errors.” Crowley would get away with a lot of small apologies for smaller mistakes, whereas Aziraphale’s screwups are fewer, but bigger, and Crowley uses the rare occasions to have fun with it. He knows angels don’t dance, so he uses it as a unique punishment.
And as a kind of side note, this gives all kinds of weight behind him saying “You don’t dance” to the person he routinely made dance over hundreds of years. It’s quite a funny hidden joke, but it also just shows how their relationship is growing. I’m imagining B99, and Jake and Amy’s relationship pre-dating. Lots of jokes, lots of messing with each other. The apology dance is like the bet in the first season, with Jake forcing Amy to wear that awful dress on their horrible date. Then, later on, they actually have a grown-up conversation on the roof, where they learn things about each other, and it’s where their relationship really starts.
Crowley made Aziraphale do funny dances over the years as an apology, but only just finds out Aziraphale is the only angel who ever loved dancing. They know each other so well in so many ways, but absolutely not at all in other ways. They know how to joke with each other, have good conversation and debates, bicker and apologize in equal measure, know each other’s every tone of voice and current habit, but they still have past lives they’ve not even begun to unpack. That’s what’s happening now. It’s the best part of a relationship, really. The “learning about” phase.
They just need to kinda get over this slightly large speedbump before they get back on track.
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12amphantasm · 7 months ago
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People always meet you with reverence, “Father Andrew!”, they greet when you walk past, admiration heavy in their voices. They love you for how pious you are, friendly and loving, your patience and generosity.
And you love them, too. Just like the place you have stayed in for nearly twenty years, the huge complex composed of a humble yet luxurious church, the boarding school for troubled youths, the small but very warm house for the elderly, and the nearby university of theology - together known as The Hillset Private Conservatory.
God loves it all, every flower, every human, and whatever it might be that’s walking through these halls. __
The game is 18+ and meant for an adult audience.
Although the romance is strictly MxM, sexuality is relevant only for the romantic routes and the game can be played without engaging in intimate relationships, but at the expense of background information the player won’t be able to get in other ways. __
The game will be uploaded in parts, starting at least with 10k words. Planed release: Late April/early May 2024 ___
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Written by a gay man, the romance is MxM only and stays true to reality, portraying genuine gay relationships, without stereotypes and harmful tropes.
“We Are God’s Most Beloved” is an old-school text-heavy interactive fiction novel and recommended to those who love reading.
Choices are meaningful instead of flavour and used only when they have an actual impact, this means there are long passages of text, which requires the reader to keep track of the story – just like they would with a novel. There is a lot to explore, attentive readers might find more game in this interactive fiction than one would expect.
The main genre is horror, even if nothing is outrageously explicit and often handled with a focus on the absurd, it contains horror-typical themes and tropes such as blood, body horror, surreal imaginary, and other commonly used elements.
In addition, mental illness, dysfunctional familial relationships, and physical assault play an important role depending on which route is chosen.
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Hillset Private Conservatory, build in 1802, despite its long history, is a name few people know or have ever heard, and if one is aware of its existence, it’s rarely for good reasons.
Rumours have it that the owner was a paranoid man and the gigantic complex created solely to have a spacious cage for his family, namely his eight children, only for all of them to find an untimely death on this very property.
"It's haunted!", some say. "It's evil!", some claim.
Of course, nothing of that is true, the many teachers, counsellors, nuns, and priest can attest to that, and so would many of their students. At least a good portion of them. Maybe some, at least.
Now summer vacation has ended, and a new batch of fosterlings is about to arrive; frightened, misguided, and troubled teens in need of loving care, education, and a new chance at life.
Father Andrew, the only acting priest, will do his best, like always, to show them God’s brilliance and create a warm home out of these century old walls.
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No railroading, no hand-holding
Life is full of choices, you have to make your own and live with them, ultimately missing out on certain things, or ending up utterly regretting what you did. There is no right or wrong, no road I, more or less sneakily, force you to take, choices are all equally valid and accounted for. ___
A fixed protagonist
Father Andrew is a fixed character, with his own likes, dislikes, appearance, and convictions. But how he navigates the world, how he reacts, who he becomes fond of or rather avoids, his interactions and how he lives his life, and, of course, what you learn about him, is up to you. ___
One end to rule them all
There are no bad endings or early finishes, all choices lead to the same endpoint, but how it looks like… is on you alone. ___
No stats
“We Are God’s Most Beloved” doesn’t require you to master stats, the story changes based on your choices, how you interact with the world and characters determines the options you will have, who likes or hates you, and how the story will play out. ___
Explicit - Yes or No?
You can choose to either read explicit sexual interactions or go for fade-to-black. ___
Romance
Three romantic interests are waiting to meet you, but you can play the whole story without romancing anyone, at the expense of sexual moments, additional plot-points centred around these characters, and potentially interesting background information.
No indicators are used, you have to find your own way, going by what you know about a character, evaluating the current situation, and acting accordingly.
Use the relationship stats to figure out what you did right or wrong, you have successfully entered a romantic route with a RO when the percentage reaches 50% and will deepen, or lessen, the relationship from then on.
There are no poly routes, entering one will lock you out of the others, and while you can’t lose a route once entered, how the couple ends up is based on your actions.
Keep in mind that “love” comes in many forms and players might find it worthwhile to forge bonds with other characters.
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Profiles - Here
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Father Andrew
Thirty-three years old, he was admitted to Hillset boarding school for troubled youths at the tender age of fourteen and hasn’t left the complex since. He’s very out of touch with the outside, basing his worldview, manners and morals on the old nuns and priests that raised him, often colliding with the new students’ modern ways. Friendly, polite and helpful, he’s easy to get along with on first glance but hard to truly get to know, which leaves him without friends and often rather lonely. __
Sister Lucia
Thirty-five years old, she’s one of the younger nuns but the strictness with which she loves doesn’t pale in comparison. She’s very fond of Father Andrew, who is her inspiration and has warped the image of how a priest should be until it became unrecognisable. Her hobbies are flower-arrangements, cooking things no one who loves their life should eat, taking care of the children in their school, and writing in her journal. __
Ẻ̶̛̬̲̀͋͑v̷̟̫̌̄͂ẻ̵͙̆̎͐l̸̨̙̠̻̜̐͌̓̂ͅͅy̵̡̲̼̔̑̾̀̀͐n̶̻̰̬͛͂͊̏̕͜͠
They might or might not be human. --
Moby
They definitely aren’t human, but God loves them anyway.
The love interests
Ryan Harris
Twenty-four years old and a student of Theology, he’s a graduate from the boarding school for troubled youths. While not overly intelligent, he’s diligent, curious, and not afraid of hardships. Father Andrew’s liturgy is his favourite part of the week and helping out something he takes pride in, as he does in his paintings that are full of creative flair and appreciated only by those with strong artistic sense. __
Connor Price
Thirty-one years old, he has been teaching English for eight years at a famous school and will do so from now on at Hillset - even if only because other schools refused to take him. He doesn’t like the enormous complex, dated appearance, long, dark halls, how everyone is just too nice, and Father Andrew, who somehow gives him the creeps. Connor spends his time reading, avoiding coworkers, and having long talks with the elderly in their care. __
?
You have to find that out on your own.
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dk-ghostmachines · 6 months ago
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I gotta talk about FourDogs (again)
It's barely about her, though. I think "he's so lucky his dad was brutally murdered" and "people with trauma need a second handicap because they're too motivated" are such absolute-the-fuck-ly bonkers takes, they're not even worth the time it took me to get mad about them, which was immediately. This time around, I have way more to say about audience reception. I'll try to keep it civil.
It feels like a lot of us are responding from increasingly personal places because these are characters with which a lot of us identify, or we see traits in them that remind us of people from our real lives. And hey! Another performance and storytelling slay on the part of one Brennan Lee Mulligan. Who else can invent 50+ characters every year and play them to the point where any one of them can evoke both an "omg that's literally me!" and an "omg that's literally Dani, the girl that bullied me all of freshmen year until I punched out her front tooth in the student parking lot and got in-school suspension for a month!". And whether Kipperlily reminds you of Dani, or reflects your own anxieties about potential, ability, and trauma, an important thing to remember is this: she is not real!
Brennan made her up! Brennan made her up to tell a story, and when he made her up, he made her annoying, petty, antagonistic, and he gave her not just opposing goals to the the protagonists we know and love, but the explicit goal of ruining The Bad Kids' lives, specifically.
Now, I'm not saying she's fictional to be a dick, or dismiss any deeper readings on her or any of the Rat Grinders. I'm bringing it up because the way I'm seeing people talk to each other about these characters is starting to get a little wild and it's in danger of waking up The Olde Gods™ (i.e. the special brand of Tumblr Self-Righteousness that lives inside us all).
It's important to remember Kipperlilly is a character in a fictive work so that different interpretations of her don't get treated as stone law. Each reading of her is personal and valid, but none are gospel. The "Kipperlilly is but a victim" take is not the only correct one, nor is radical empathy for her as a character the only correct reaction. Also, even if I consider her sympathetic that is not incompatible with an opinion like "Kipperlilly needs to get roundhouse'd in the head by a lesbian in a tracksuit and/or a wizard in a jean jacket, posthaste". Sure, you can say that anyone who doesn't feel a deep and eclipsing empathy for Kipperlilly above all other emotions is immature at best and sociopathic at worst, but then I can just say anyone who demands solely empathy for Kipperlilly and excuses her literal crimes and bass-ackwards world view because she's insecure and has anger issues, is probably also someone who has a history of weaponizing whatever minority status they may or may not occupy to talk over, silence, or harass people of color.
They're both just opinions. And also, like. Y'know. A bit much.
To engage in the long and rich tradition of measuring character trajectories against those in the Avatar: The Last Airbender cartoon, let's compare Kipperlilly to Azula. Azula had an incredibly sympathetic backstory and untreated mental health issues. Azula was also a danger to herself and others, as well as profoundly manipulative and abusive (although, it was a children's show so Azula never killed anybody for whatever that's worth). Do I wish that fourteen-year-old girl had an Iroh-type in her life? Literally one adult who loved her genuinely and advocated for her best interests? Of course I do. I saw the Ember Island episode, I watched that one video essay! Does that mean it was any less satisfying to watch Zuko and Katara kick her absolute ass? No! And it was non-lethal anyway, children's show, duh.
That brings me to my other thing; Kipperlilly is a character in a fictive work that is not finished. And I know that point will age poorly, but I'm thinking it won't be the only one (hey-o). Remember the people that were calling The Bad Kids bullies? And then we learned that Kipperlilly hated Riz because his fucking dad fucking died?? And that was a full academic year before getting reanimated by a rage god?? I'll do a tame one; remember when Gilear wasn't cursed?? He was "just a guy"?? The show is serialized, gang, the world is still building! Clerickiller is not done yet, y'all need to let her cook! I'm sure we'll tune in next week to see her graduate from "unhinged" to "unaffiliated with the door frame or any frame-like structure". Reprimanding people on Tumblr will not change the trajectory of this character who, by the way, has not expressed remorse or any desire for a path other than violence. You look me in my black face after your blorbo slits a kid's throat and say "help her"?? Kipperlilly doesn't want get better right now, she wants one thing and that's for Kristen Applebees to go fuck herself and die!! You were there, you heard it!! When the fictional behavior changes, as it often does in stories, so will my opinion. There is no fore-forgiveness. Without an actual redemption arc I will continue to see the villain as a villain.
Speaking of, I think what some people have an issue with is the level of hate Kipperlilly's getting and how aggressive it is. But like.... isn't that allowed?? Because of all the stuff I said but also because like, mama said that it was okay! And by "mama" I mean Siobhan Thompson who said Kipperlilly belongs under the jail. Sure, in the real world, adults don't tell kids they belong in the ground that's crazy fucked up, but all these kids are played by adults and Emily as Fig joked that she was gonna smite the sixteen-year-old girl played by the thirty-something man. You're telling me the antagonist antagonizes the protagonists, and the protagonists go "boo, hiss" and then I, the audience, go "boo, hiss as well" but I'm wrong? I'm wrong, somehow, cool checks out.
"They're XP Levelling*punches a locker*!!"
"That girl is worse than Kalvaxus."
"Littledoggy Girlcollar"
Am I not engaging with the narrative on it's own terms if I say "i'd tell Clerickiller to die mad, but she clearly already did, Jojo Siwa head-ass, in reference to that fuck-ass ponytail and your toxic yuri" Do I need to draw a little caitmay-style OC to say it for me, would that be better?
God-forbid, we have fun? Must we discourse, always? FourDogs is tragic, FourDogs is compelling, FourDogs is Dani from 9th grade. She is Azula from Avatar and Clare from Fleabag and Brennan Lee Mulligan from my dreams and that is something that can be so personal. But no one else has to participate in your parasocial relationship. What's crazy is, I actually like Kipperlilly! As a character. I mean, the "trauma is privilege" obviously hit a nerve with me because of real life stuff, but the image of her over the rogue teacher's grave?? With a backhoe and a "gotcha, bitch" expression??? Come on, that is fresh-off-the-vine Cunt™. Even more so than I imagined that moment to be when we first heard about it. Her ending up in a Ragh or Aelwyn place would be way more satisfying than a Goldenrod or Penelope Everpetal place, BUT IT WILL ALSO be satisfying to see whatever Kipperlilly's version of the locked-in-a-chokehold-and-being-gaslit-into-thinking-you-shit-the-coach's-pants-scene is. In addition to the non-lethal ass-kicking that proceeds it.
Y'all can chuck the insinuation that something so clearly subjective is actually objective and has moral implications that make me bad, directly in the garbage. What is this, religion, hey-o.
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horizon-verizon · 2 months ago
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Thinking about how GRRM literally created Daemon to be Rhaenyra’s consort. For those who don’t know, originally GRRM couldn’t decide on who was the best option for Rhaenyra and that’s when he got the idea of Daemon. He literally created Daemon for Rhaenyra.
Rhaenyra was originally going to marry either a Lannister or Lyonel Strong (Daemon was not yet created or included in this draft) then GRRM thought up the character of Daemon and added him as Rhaenyra’s consort instead.
More male characters should be created SOLELY to love and support the female protagonist.
nobodysuspectsthebutterfly has a post showing GRRM originally had Rhaenyra marry Lyonel Strong (and how no matter what and by whatever husband, the greens were going to try to usurp her), evidenced by the RPG guide (2012) for ASoIaF.
F&B was published in 2015; The Rogue Prince was published along with other stories in an anthology in 2014; and PatQ was published back in 2013. I would say that he created Daemon for Rhaenyra to give Viserys more of a reason to want Rhaenyra as his heir, since Viserys, now that D exists, canonically also wished to make sure the realm would not go towards someone he didn't fully trust. Also it gives the story so much more breath when you have a character like Daemon. And, of course, Rhaenyra and Daemon are pretty compatible in terms of character and political necessities; they provide the other with what they need/want the most even as they aop were "rivals" for the throne even thought they also kinda weren't. This was always Rhaenyra's story, anyway, for all the other interesting characters that surround her and interacted, tried to remove or support her (Corlys, Rhaenys, Alicent, Aemond, etc.). Her childhood, rise, and fall impacted by the misogyny and what she did or tried to do to keep her kids alive AND vie for the throne she was given and had oaths of protection for.
"couldn't decide on who was best who was the best option for Rhaenyra" -- idk, perhaps it was more hi wanting to enrich the story and give more personality and "family" to this part of Targ history, as he has done more for Jaehaerys, Rhaena, Alysanne, Maegor-Aenys before them. This doesn't stop or negate how Daemon was likely made with Rhaenyra's support base in mind. It is compelling to hear of a man/partner do whatever he can for his lover/wife, whether or not he has a character the complexity or cooperativeness of a coconut or as complex as Daemon is bc you don't get that often in traditional fantasy, male centered fantasy. Or it's publicly reviled with a million excuses before whatever version and manifestation in a particular work is actually critiqued. Because sometimes, there is something to be said abt just fictional dudes who are just more trouble than they are worth being posed as a model man. The lines between such things can get crossed.
And it appears Harwin was also created for Rhaenyra since there is no mention of him before PatQ/2013. But he (Harwin) happens to have much less characterization & personality done for him AND Rhaenyra quite clearly wanted to live as freely with a partner as possible and that wasn't really going to happen with Harwin for as long as Laenor lived at least.
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Even if she was angry at Daemon for a myriad of possible reasons for the 111-112 incidents and perhaps they finally got through a successful reconciliation through their shared love for Laena (even before her death), there's room for a lot of complex & layered feelings on Rhaenyra's part towards Daemon. And I mention all of this bc apparently, GRRM also toyed with the idea of exploring Rhaenyra and Harwin's relationship more, saying that:
There’s a whole story there. At least a novella, maybe a novel but we simply did not have the time to tell it [in the show]. And it did not fit the format of my history book. But it’s a story and I’d love to do that.
(he is saying that their relationship's arc alone could fill/become a novella and he thought about doing it) which does goes to show you that Harwin WAS very important in some way to Rhaenyra--guaranteed to be someone she felt and experienced was a positive one for a time in her life at the very least.
I don't really go for Harwin bc I don't know anything abt him apart from his position, family, and devotion to Rhaenyra...so he has very little appeal for me in terms of shipping. That, and again, Rhaenyra seems to be the type who wants the "best" sort of conditions to be herself and have relationships in the open. I explain/rant HERE.
Still I agree; more males made only for a woman, plz and thank you. It's what we deserve (if a man is there and/or the attraction is there).
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horriblehistorieslandfill · 1 month ago
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youve gotten me interested in horrible histories, could we get a lil rundown of it all? what is the idea behind it? :D
GLADLY !! I’m feel so honored that I was able to get you interested in this wonderful show :-) !! I’m assuming you’re only asking about the show BUTT you’re also gonna get an explanation about the books, Horrible Histories: Gory Games show AND the animated Horrible History characters too hehe
HORRIBLE HISTORIES 2009 SERIES:
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Horrible Histories, a British sketch comedy and educational television series, first aired its 2009 season on CBBC. The show, primarily aimed at children, uses humor and parody to teach viewers about various historical events and figures. Each episode focuses on specific periods, cultures, or historical topics, presenting the information in a fun and engaging manner.
The series is based on the bestselling children's books of the same name by Terry Deary. It uses a combination of live-action sketches, animations, and musical numbers to make history more accessible and entertaining for its audience. The show's cast (Season 1 to 5), which includes Matthew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard, and Ben Willbond portrays a range of historical characters, often in a comedic or exaggerated manner.
Today’s Horrible Histories (Season 6 to 10) isn’t as much as loved compared to the older Seasons, and I see why. The main reasons as to why the recent Horrible History seasons aren’t as loved is because of some controversial topics and some rewrites of history (So I recommend maybe just watching the earlier seasons).
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(Just a quick note that I do not support nor condone any of the controversial topics that were written in the recent seasons, the only reason why I visit the recent episodes are to fast forward to the parts to where they show the animated clips.)
Back to the older seasons, Season 1-5 shows a great way of explaining and presenting historical topics in a fun, harmless and amusing way to its audience. There are also a bunch of British references and subtle jokes that will get a laugh out of you. The songs are quite catchy too :-D
If you are interested in watching Horrible Histories, you could always go to the BBC Horrible Histories Iplayer website or use this google drive I found on Reddit to all the episodes of Season 1-5 !!
Pros of watching Horrible Histories:
COOL FUNFACTS THAT YOU CAN FLEX TO YOUR FRIENDS THAT DON’T KNOW JACK ABOUT HISTORY !!!!!
FUN CAST I ABSOLUTELYLOVE THE SIX IDIOTS GO CHECK OUT THEIR OTHER PROJECTS
FUNNY SIDE CHARACTERS LIKE DEATH, RATTUS, SAM, CLIFF WHITELEY AND MORE !!!!!
someone kissed a priest idk
THE SONGS ??? THEY’RE THE BEST I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEM
Cons of watching Horrible Histories:
getting the Monarchs song stuck in your head for months
sad song ending :-(
there will never be another season of horrible histories with the original cast (six idiots)
Summary: silly history show that is hosted by a talking rat with a variety of fun signs and fun other characters like Death and a historical news report guy with ADHD. also uhm a lot of people really like Matt Baynton dick turnip for some reason
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HORRIBLE HISTORIES BOOK FRANCHISE:
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Horrible Histories is a series of non-fiction children's books written by Terry Deary. The books, published by Scholastic, delve into different periods of history, presenting facts in a humorous and often gory manner. The series aims to make history fun and engaging for readers by focusing on the unusual, terrible, and gruesome aspects of the past.
Each book in the series covers a specific historical era, such as the Awful Egyptians, the Measly Middle Ages, or the Terrible Tudors. The stories are told through amusing anecdotes, illustrations by Martin Brown, and timelines, often featuring shocking facts, jokes, and quirky characters. Some books also include activities, such as puzzles and quizzes, to further engage the reader.
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The first titles in the series, “Terrible Tudors” and “Awesome Egyptians”, was published in 1993, and since then, the series has expanded to include more than 30 titles, covering various historical time periods and regions, like the Rotten Romans, the Vile Victorians, the Cut-Throat Celts and even gruesome guides to places you may know such as the USA, France, London and more !
The books have been translated into multiple languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. By presenting history in this unique and irreverent manner, Horrible Histories has played a significant role in making history more appealing to readers, helping to inspire their interest and encourage further exploration.
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Martin Brown is an illustrator best known for his work with Terry Deary on the popular children's book franchise, Horrible Histories. He started off with illustrating greeting cards and now writes his own projects and draws illustrations for the recent Horrible History books such as “Up in the air”, “Right on Track”, Paws, Claws and Jaws”, and the upcoming new Horrible History book “The Truly Terrible History of the Toilet”.
Martin Brown’s illustrations play a significant role in the franchises' success, as they bring the gruesome and humorous aspects of history to life. His unique style combines a cartoonish aesthetic with realistic detail, creating a vivid and engaging visual experience for readers.
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Besides reading the books, you could also play some Gruesome (not really, I just added that word for fun) Games like the Horrible Histories: The Board Game, Horrible Histories jigsaw puzzles, Horrible Histories Battle cards, Horrible Histories: Gruesome Game-A-Thons and many more !
Pros of reading Horrible History books:
FRIGHTENING FACTS !!!!!
MORE ILLUSTRATIONS !! PICTURE BOOKS 🔛🔝 !!!
dude the books are genuinely so fun theres pop up books, sicker activity books, coloring books, journals, puzzles and MORE ?????? also horrible history themed stationary stuff ANDD horrible history figurines which is like ,, well wicked.
Cons of reading horrible history books:
I haven’t ran into any cons yet so THATS A WIN FOR THE BOOKS !
Summary: READ THE BOOKS DAMN YOUR EYES !!!! god I absolutely love the books so much they’re so fun to read when ur bored and the illustrations were the reason why I even got into Horrible Histories so let’s all say “Thank you Martin Brown” I’ve learned so much from reading these books ANDDDD I spend less time on my devices woohoo !
HORRIBLE HISTORIES: GORY GAMES:
(I don’t know much about Gory Games because uhm I haven’t watched them yet I’m too busy watching Horrible Histories and the Beatles Saturday morning cartoons archived on youtube)
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"Horrible Histories: Gory Games," a spin-off of the well-known BBC historical comedy sketch series, “Horrible Histories," is a children's game show that premiered in 2011. Created by the same team behind the original series, it's aired on CBBC. It also has a companion app for iOS and Android.
Hosted by Dave Lamb and Rattus Rattus, the show focuses on obscure historical facts. Three young contestants, known as "Horrible Historians," compete to collect "Year Spheres." These spheres represent years, either A.D. or B.C. Scoring A.D. years adds to their point total, while B.C. subtracts. The winner is determined by the contestant with the highest score after three rounds of historically-themed challenges or quizzes.
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Pros of watching Horrible Histories: Gory Games:
THE ANIMATED CHARACTERS ARE THERE WHATT !! AMAZING RIGHT
You get to see Ben Willbond is a georgian costume
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WATCH THE SHOW FOR YOURSELF I HAVEN’T WATCHED IT YET
Summary: if you wanna watch kids answer historical trivias then watch Horrible Histories: Gory Games (episodes can be found on youtube !!)
ANIMATED HORRIBLE HISTORY CHARACTERS:
(prepare for a long long LONGG explanation)
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Canon/Official Information:
The reoccurring animated characters you may remember seeing in a normal Horrible Histories episode are probably the Rotten Romans soldier, Gorgeous Georgian lady, Frightful First World War british soldier or the Measly Middle Ages peasant. But do they have any background other than being a character from that era ?
[DING, DING, DING !]
These lovable but forgettable cartoon characters you’ve probably seen before make appearances in Horrible Histories: Gory Games, Horrible History book covers, Horrible History merchandise and even in the Horrible History games.
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The animated/cartoon characters are used for the animated sketches or era headings in the 2009 Horrible Histories show. They also made multiple appearances in the Horrible Histories: Gory Games show, usually introducing the era topic, questions and answers. While most of the characters are recognized from the shows, almost all of them originated from the Horrible Histories book covers.
You may be surprised to hear that some characters have official names like this Victorian Gentleman, did you know his name was Howard ? Now you do.
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How about this Tudor lady from an animated Terrible Tudors sketch ? Her name is Alice.
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The Roundhead chief ? Oh yeah, his name is Victory.
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We don’t get much information/background about these little shits, but when we do it’s usually shown in a subtle or way that wouldn’t be mentioned again. So what do I do ? LIST DOWN EVERY SINGLE FACT ABOUT THEM. (Probably not every single thing about them, but a lot of facts that you may not know !)
Since my discussion about the animated characters might be a bit too long, i’ll be breaking some of the subjects I’ll be talking about into 3 topics:
Canon facts
Fanon information (Things I made up about them)
Crabby Clash (Fanon once again !)
CANON/OFFICIAL ANIMATED CHARACTER FACTS:
The animated characters can interact with non-animated characters.
The mummy giggles alot
The Vicious Viking has a daughter (Fanon name: Eirunn)
The caveman is a father of 2 boys.
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The Measly Middle Ages peasant’s family business is pig farming.
The Terrible Tudors headsman (Book cover character) does doodling
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The (other) Measly Middle Ages peasant is a pilgrim.
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The miner minor’s (Wales book cover character) father is shown in “When I grow up”
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The Viles Victorian gentleman has a wife (Name unknown).
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⬆️ He also sells cakes at science fairs !
The FWWI soldier has a trench mate (Shown in HH: Gruesome Game-A-Thons)
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The Terrible Tudors Headsman has an official voice claim, voice actor unknown
There’s an animated HHTV News reporter named “Simon Skirmish” (Shown in “Protesting with Pankhurst” S9 EP3)
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Animated Simon Cowell is canon in the animated Horrible Histories dimension
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The Vile Victorian gentleman was ran over twice
I would name abunch of other facts I know, but I don’t want to make this post longer than it already is.
FANON INFORMATION:
(Note: This is just MY personal fanon opinions, other people have their own views, names and headcanons for these characters :-D)
Since BBC won’t give us more background about the animated characters, we’ll settle this the old way like any other fandom would; MAKE HEADCANONS !!!
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Me and a few other HH fans gave most of the characters their own backgrounds and who they are, I’m truly taken back with what their creative minds came up with. You can check some of the names I’ve given the characters with the help of a friend in this post !!
I really don’t know where to start since there are so much fanon topics I could discuss right now, but here are a 2 topics I chose to discuss for now :-)
RELATIONSHIPS:
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Headcanons:
(You may want to read the fanon names before reading my headcanons)
Ma-Nefer is blind (due to the fact that his pet falcon that Senouphis trained to rip his brother’s eyes out so he could become Pharaoh), his artificial eyes serve no purpose.
While Ma-Nefer was stuck at his burial, his only companion was a mummified cat he named “Geb”.
Senouphis gets a reoccurring nightmare where Ma-Nefer comes back from the dead and takes his revenge, of course that would never happen ,, yeah right.
Wycliff used to have a pet parrot, unfortunately he still hasn’t gotten over his parrot’s death.
They all hate Rattus (except for Médard aka the frenchie)
If Madeleine was ever to die during a bombing, Madeleine’s daughter would think of her doll as her mother and treat the doll as how Madeleine treated her.
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Ma-Nefer is willing to forgive Senouphis.
Egbert is unaware that he’s related to the other medieval peasant.
Archie is the troublemaker, Toby is the problem solver.
Eirunn wants to be a vicious Viking just like her father, Ragnar supports her decisions but thinks that she shouldn’t be adventuring at her age.
Chopsalot loves plum pies he would devour one in SECONDS.
Rip Chopsalot you would’ve loved raisin muffins.
Ronnie likes to write poems and record his life in the trenches.
Lady Jane despises Egbert (peasants), she will not survive 5 seconds standing near him.
Benjamin is BALDING.
My mind has gone blank at the moment, so I don’t really know what else to say but I post a lot of animated HH character stuff so if you’re willing to listen to me ramble, then make sure to stay tuned :-)
CRABBY CLASH:
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“What is ‘Crabby Clash’ anyways ?”
It’s an HHAC (Horrible Histories Animated Characters) AU where all historical periods/eras go to war against eachother, some eras/periods will have alliances while some will be on their own.
As of right now, I stil haven't figured out the alliances yet, but the whole story is completely up to you! Who wins in the Crabby Clash? Yes, that's the name of the AU (corny I know :-( ).
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FUN FACTS about the Crabby Clash/HHAC:
The non-animated HH characters (Bob hale, Charles the II, Mike Peabody, Sue, Death, etc ..) are canon in the universe too.
A little conflict between 2 eras was the reason for the war (just like any other world war).
Women from some eras are able to go to war (because I SAY SO IT’S MY AU).
there will be yuri angst and brotherly angst so you should totally be interested in my au
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The AU is still in the making, if you’d ever like to suggest something for my AU that would be heavily appreciated <3
And that’s about it I suppose :-) thank you for coming to my ted Jimb talk and see you next Friday night folks ! walks off stage and gets swallowed by an ottoman
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