#trio if you include emerie

[mycadences]

I know we've analyzed a lot of Azriel and Elain interactions (admittedly mostly to debunk Elriel theories), but I'm so curious to see how Gwyn and Lucien will interact with each other (I am praying with all hope that they will end up meeting). Given Gwyn's ancestry there is a lot of speculation that she might be related to the Vanserras, and her last name "Berdara" (presumably her mother's) might trigger a memory in Lucien whether he's her grandfather (noooo I did not just say that 😭) or Eris is her grandfather (...) or somebody else. I mean there was that random throwaway line about Sangravah in Lucien's thoughts in ACOWAR... I've also seen theories where Tamlin is her father and oh god the CHAOS.

And if anyone has any Gwynriel and/or Elucien fanfics where Gwyn and Lucien are friends or interact please leave a rec 👀 Yes that was my ulterior motive LOLLLL

[stargirlfeyre]

The problem I have with the Valkyries friendship. PT 1

I wasn’t going to write this because I usually can’t be bothered to care about the friendship among these three but if their fans are so obsessed with over analyzing Feyre’s relationships…why can’t we?

One of the main reasons people love to say that the Valkyries are better than than IC is because they would never choose anyone over Nesta but the problems lies in the fact that…they have no one to choose over her.

Let’s break it down.

Gwyn has no one in her life right now. No family and no close friends outside of the Valkyries. I mean you can say that she’s friends with some of the priestesses but close friends? The same can be said for Emerie. She has a family but an abusive one. She is an outcast in her community, runs her shop alone, and like Gwyn has no friends outside of the Valkyries.

Their friendship with one another isn’t even treated as important as their friendship with Nesta. Because of this they look less like a trio and more like Nesta and Gwyn//Nesta and Emerie.If one of them is mad at Nesta who are they going to go to? The other person in their group who also is friends with Nesta and has loyalty towards her? Y’all say that Gwyn and Emerie would never put anyone over Nesta and does that include one another? Is their loyalty and friendship towards Nesta more important than the one they have with each other? In canon it sure is treated as such.

Praising the Valkyries because they would never put anyone above Nesta is not only a void point because they have no one to put above her, but it’s also reinforces the toxic view a lot of Nesta fans have when it comes to her relationships. They don’t want her to have friends, they want her to have followers. They want undying loyalty and turn a blind eye to the obvious shitty writing when it comes to Gwyn’s and Emerie’s relationships outside of Nesta because them lacking those relationships means that Nesta will always have that undying loyalty.

A problem that people have with the Valkyries is they aren’t their own characters when you really think about it. A lot of their characterization surrounds Nesta. And that’s why Nesta’s fans have zero problem with them. Whereas when it comes to the Inner Circle they are their own people before they are Feyre or Rhys’ friends. They have multiple people who are important to them instead of their lives just revolving around this one person. Their relationships with one another is equally as important as their relationships with Feysand.

Gwyn and Emerie are less characters and more like tools for Nesta’s healing journey. All confirmed when, after hearing about how Nesta abused her sister, Emerie of all people went on to say she’s absolved of any fault. Emerie, who is a victim of familial abuse herself, thought it was her place to forgive Nesta’s abuse towards other people. You genuinely want me to believe that some of the things these girls do weren’t written with the sole intention of healing Nesta?

They are not their own people. That’s why it’s easy for this fandom to self-insert onto Gwyn and blatantly ignore Emerie. They don’t have a big enough presence in these books to force you to pay attention to who they actually are. Without Nesta they kind of just fade into the background. You can hate or love members of the IC but at the end of the day you see them.

There’s also a lot to be said about their relationship from Nesta’s end and why she latched onto them…

[aldbooks]

ACOTAR Masterlist

AO3 ALDBooks

ACOTAR 🥀

Like After Images - Valkyrie Week prompt 'Blood Rite' *TW*

Several weeks after the Blood Rite, once the excitement of Nesta's mating ceremony and the birth of Nyx subside, the Valkyrie wade through the aftermath of what they faced in the Blood Rite

The Temporary Roommate - T - 3/3 - 13,951words

ACOTAR Secret Santa 2022 gift Mor's meddling family sends her and Emerie away to her estate for two weeks. It's either the best, or the worst thing that ever happened. She hadn't yet decided.

A Strange Melody - M - 12/12 - 19,752

ACOTAR Secret Santa 2023 gift for @sunshinebingo - a Gwynriel Little Mermaid AU

ACOTAR Writing Circle 3

A Friendly Wager - M - 1/1 - 2,205 words

Gwynriel oneshot fluffy fun - Alternate storyline A Fresh Spark

“Because of you I didn’t sleep at all last night” prompt Gwynriel

“I’m guessing you stole them?” Prompt Gwynriel

Azriel and his mother headcanons

Gwynriel/Kanthony headcanon

The necklace - Angsty Gwynriel

Snap me baby one more time - Nessian 2,175 words

Inspired by all the gym bro thirst traps that keep crossing my FYP that remind me of Cassian. Here's a silly little Nessian one shot with a side Gwynriel and Emorie plot (naturally)

Bodyshop - E - 4/4 - 19,441 words

Inspired by the song Unholy by Sam Smith & Kim Petra Mor and Cassian drag Azriel to Rita's the strip club the partially own with their friend Rhysand to see a new troop of dancers. A trio of women who go by the name Valkyrie.

Don’t you wanna be more than friends? - M - 3,839 words

Azriel and Gwyn have been growing steadily closer thanks to their midnight meetings in the training ring but, tonight, something is different... TW: mentions of SA

“Who says I want to reject it?” - Elucien

Drunk confessions - Elucien

Elucien angsty Drabble & Part 2

More angsty Elucien 

The haircut - Lucien cuts his hair and Elain has feelings about it

Gwynriel/Elucien drabble

Should've Stayed Dead - M - 4,437 words

Nessian (sort of) Lucien receives a message requesting a meeting with the Night Court. Specifically, the Archeron sisters. Cassian's POV

Angsty prompts requests:

Elucien [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

Gwynriel [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Lucien/Feyre [1]

Her tears like diamonds on the floor - 1,610words

Angsty Gwynriel Starfall drabble

Embrace - E - 14/? :

Collection of Smut prompt requests including the following ships:

Amren x Varian

Gwynriel

Helion x LoA

Feysand

Elucien

Viviane x Kallias

Jassa

Nessian

Gwynriel week prompts:

Solstice Night

“You’re the new ribbon Az”

To Win a Prince - Cinderella AU

Future Elucien story inspired by Persuasion - The Remembrance of Regret

Rosaline inspired Gwynriel scene

Gwynriel sparring

My Jolly Sailor Bold - Gwynriel mermay

I thought my demons were almost defeated but you took their side and you pulled them to freedom - Gwynriel based on @acourtdelaluna head canon

Moth to Flame - Gwynriel Summer Solstice

Frost and Flame - Pure angst from Lucien's POV, no happy ending

A Court of Light and Shadows series - Elucien/Gwynriel

This series consists of an Elucien prequel then a Gwynriel and Elucien story that run tandem to each other - the directions for the tandem read are in the notes of each respective chapter for those interested

A Breaking - M - 1/1 - 2,899 words

After witnessing the almost kiss on Winter Solstice, Lucien makes a decision.

A Court of Shadows - E - 37/37 - 94,718 words

Azriel has begun to notice that his thoughts regarding a certain priestess have begun to shift. Before he can fully set aside his more inappropriate musings, Gwyn makes a proposal he can't resist

A Court of Light - M - 31/31 - 88,258 words

A year after the events of A Breaking, Elain feels a tug on the bond and realizes her estranged mate is in danger. Lucien, now returned to the Night Court, wonders if he might have been too hasty in his decision to leave, and if there might still be a chance for him with his mate

[rosanna-writer]

Cool for the Summer (3/3)

I was SO EXCITED to write part three of Cool for the Summer, which was started by @aldbooks and @vikingmagic33! Emorie is a new pairing for me, so thanks to both of you for giving me such fun material to work with <3 And thank you to @azrielshadowssing for organizing the event!

You can find chapter three under the readmore, and the first two chapters are here on AO3.

Feyre: Hey Nesta? You up?

Nesta: Unfortunately.

Feyre: Cassian says he's sorry for running off, fwiw

Nesta: It's fine. It sounded like an emergency. Is Morrigan alright?

Feyre: Having a really bad night, but she'll be okay. Right now she's too drunk to be making a ton of sense, so do you have any idea what happened with her and your friend?

Nesta: With Emerie?????

Feyre: Well, Mor's mostly upset because something about being in a bikini that showed off her scar for the first time triggered her, but she did also say that totally blowing it with a pretty girl was the cherry on top so………yeah

Nesta: We were at WORK, she better not have made Emerie uncomfortable.

Feyre: She wouldn't, but could you maybe talk to her?

---

Nesta: so idk what happened with you and Mor but

Nesta: wantmetokillthem.gif

Emerie: what? No?

Nesta: word on the street is that you rejected her

Emerie: i just didn't let her kiss me because she was drunk. that would have been stupid.

Nesta: ………so you're saying you would have kissed her if she weren't drunk?

Emerie: i would have done a hell of a lot more than just kissed her

Nesta: Duly noted.

---

Nesta: Emerie wants Mor so bad it hurts

Feyre: *exploding heart gif*

Nesta: but I think she's going to be too much of a gentlewoman about it

Feyre: Mor certainly isn't going to try and make a move now

Nesta: lucky for them i want my friends to be happy and have the world's biggest busybody for a little sister

Feyre: *eyes emoji*

Feyre: Nesta, are we ~scheming~

Nesta: yes, but ew don't put it like that, you sound too much like rhysand

Elain: i love you two but go to bed <3

Elain: But let me know if you need any help with the scheming! >:)

---

Perhaps Emerie should have suspected something when Nesta invited her to a party at the Archerons'. Nesta didn't speak about her sisters much, but even Emerie knew that Elain was the party planner of the trio. And considering how hesitant Nesta had been to introduce Gwyn and Emerie to Feyre and Elain, it was awfully strange that they were hosting a get-together with everyone there.

And "everyone" included Mor.

Emerie didn't even consider making an excuse not to go. There were enough people invited that she could probably avoid Mor all night, and if not, then a little awkwardness was nothing she couldn't handle. Nesta and Gwyn would be there, and there was nothing that could faze her with them around.

But still, as she parked her truck on the Archerons' street, Emerie couldn't help but wonder if any of the other cars already there were Mor's. Not that it should matter.

As soon as Emerie walked through the front door, Feyre disentangled herself from Rhysand and bounded up to her. "Emerie!" she said. "Glad you could make it. We were getting worried you wouldn't come."

If Emerie didn't already suspect something, now she did. She barely knew Feyre—there was no reason Nesta's little sister should be so pleased to see her. And she'd been late, but not that late.

"It's good to see you, too," Emerie said, not sure what else to say. She scanned the living room and tried not to look too obviously relieved at the sight of Gwyn and Nesta coming in from the kitchen.

"Em, let's grab you a beer," Nesta said, herding her towards the basement. Beer was beer, so Emerie let her, the living room door closing behind them just as she heard Feyre calling Mor's name.

So Mor was here, then.

Before Emerie could say anything, Nesta smirked and added, "You know, my offer to dropkick Mor for you still stands. Just ask."

Emerie laughed and said, "There's no hard feelings, I promise. If you want to dropkick anyone on my behalf, there's always my family."

"Good," Nesta said, her blue eyes going icy. There was nothing else she needed to say—Em knew that her friend was thinking and Mor had better make sure it stays that way. Emerie couldn't blame her; she was just as protective of her own friends—Cassian would be getting the "break her heart and I break your face" speech by the end of the night. And if Gwyn was here, she might already have beaten Emerie to it.

Nesta opened the cooler on the basement floor, and gestured for Emerie to pick what she wanted. There was the sound of footsteps on the stairs behind them, and just as Em turned at the sound, Nesta dashed up the steps at the speed of light. The basement went dark. The door closed.

Emerie swore to herself and felt for a light switch. Before she could find it, there were several thuds and a warm body knocked into her.

By some miracle, Emerie managed to catch whoever it was before they face-planted onto the concrete floor at the bottom of the steps. They were on the smaller side, so definitely not Cassian or any of his friends from the swim team. Probably a woman.

"Are you alright?" Emerie said as whoever it was stepped out of her arms.

"Yes, thanks to you. Oh my god, I am so sorry," Mor said.

So this must have been whatever Nesta and Feyre were planning. Emerie would kill them. She just had to find a light switch first.

"Please don't tell me someone pushed you."

"No, Feyre just said 'after you,' then Nesta ran up past me and closed the door and…" Mor trailed off, swore under her breath, then added, "And they are not nearly as clever as they think they are."

Despite her irritation, Emerie found herself laughing as she brushed the wall with her hand. She found the switch and flipped the lights on. Before running back up the steps, she couldn't help but rake her gaze over Mor, telling herself that she just wanted to be sure Mor was uninjured.

But if Emerie was being honest, it was also because Mor looked amazing in the red sundress she was wearing, even if it was a little much for a casual get-together with friends. Red was definitely her color, and the short length and cutouts on either side of waist showed off plenty of sun-kissed skin.

Before the staring turned creepy, Emerie tore her eyes away from Mor and hurried back up the steps. She tried the door and found it locked.

"We'll unlock it in ten. You two figure your shit out," Nesta called from the other side.

Emerie turned back to Mor, who was still standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking like she wanted to be absolutely anywhere else.

At least that made two of them.

Mor shook her head and said, "Goddamn Archerons." As she sank down onto the lowest step, Emerie didn't think she could agree more. Mor leaned back against the wall and sighed, crossing her arms against her chest. "Well, while we're here, I owe you an apology."

"For what?" Emerie said.

"Trying to kiss you while you were on the clock. I promise, it's really not like me to get sloppy drunk like that. I just…I had a really hard day, not that it excuses anything."

Mor's brown eyes had gone sad again, and at the sight of it, Emerie had absolutely no idea how to say that if the circumstances had been just a little bit different, a kiss would have been the perfect end to a long day of staring at Mor in a bikini.

"You didn't bother me at all. Really. I'm just relieved you got home safe."

At that, the tension seemed to melt away from Mor's body. "I'm really, really glad you don't hate me."

"You seem like a pretty difficult person to hate."

Mor blushed, the color picking up the red shade of her dress. The effect was just so pretty, and if Emerie didn't already know she was a goner, now she would have.

"And you seem like you're always there at just the right time. Making sure I made it back to Rhys when I was drunk, catching me when I fell…"

That flirtatious tone she'd used at the pool was back. Emerie knew an opening when she saw one and willed herself to stay cool. She shrugged in a way she hoped was nonchalant. "The lifeguard job seemed like a natural fit when I'm already so good at saving damsels in distress."

Mor crossed the space between them, sitting down next to Emerie on the bottom step. This close together, Emerie was suddenly all-too-aware of every place their sides and legs were touching and the floral smell of Mor's shampoo.

"Sounds like I should stick right by you in case I need saving again."

Emerie slid an arm around Mor, fingertips brushing the bare skin near her waist. When Mor leaned into the touch, Em nearly purred with satisfaction.

"If you do, you won't see me complaining."

Mor leaned in and kissed Emerie softly, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Before the kiss had a chance to deepen, Mor pulled back, an obvious question on her face. Emerie didn't bother to answer with words, just cupped Mor's cheek with her free hand and drew her in for another kiss.

It was all the encouragement Mor needed to let her hands roam a bit. The brush of Mor's fingertips up Emerie's side before they tangled in her hair made Emerie really, really wish they were doing this somewhere that wouldn't risk smacking someone's head into a stair or a railing if they moved the wrong way.

Because damn—Emerie prided herself on being a good kisser, but the sweep of Mor's tongue in her mouth was something else. Maybe if they made their excuses and left the party for somewhere more private, she could see what else that tongue could do…

The sound of the door opening made them jump apart. Emerie sure as hell wasn't ashamed, but her cheeks heated all the same. Something about being walked in on with a girl in the basement during a house party made her feel like a teenager sneaking around.

She turned to find all three Archeron sisters standing at the top of the stairs. Their identical pleased expressions couldn't make it more obvious that the three of them were related. And because she refused to be left out, Gwyn was peeking over Nesta's shoulder.

"Should I take this to mean you figured your shit out?" Nesta said coolly.

Mor jumped to her feet and tossed her hair, looking completely unbothered. She held out a hand. Emerie took it and stood up, but when she was back on her feet, Mor didn't drop it.

"We did," Mor said, breezy and confident as she gave Emerie's hand a squeeze. She glanced over at Emerie and smiled. "That day at the pool might have been a hard day, but I don't let the hard days win."

[of-twilight-and-moonshadow]

Apologies - Kenny x Emery

Part of my Dark Angel of the Bullet Club series.

I needed something soft and fluffy I guess, after everything I've put Emery through recently.

Summary: After the argument over Hangman, Kenny returns home alone. He's starting to wonder if he chased Emery away for good until he hears soft crying coming from his bedroom. Kenny realizes he needs to be completely honest with both himself and Emery if they're to get past this.

Word Count: 1,335

Tag: @katries @summertimefun1982 @blxxckheart

Warnings: a man letting himself be vulnerable? emotional

(divider by)

Kenny sighed as he returned home after the chaotic night, shutting the door behind him. After Emery had run out, Matt following her—Nick had a small conversation with him that opened his eyes some.

“Ken—what are you doing, man?

“What are you—what am I? What am I doing?! I said what needed to be said—Hangman isn’t—”

“He isn’t part of the group. Currently. But he was—and you know how close Ree was with him. No—stop. Just listen, okay? Emery is in a delicate state of mind right now after Sinister coming out. She doesn’t need you tossing aside her feelings right now.”

“I wasn’t--!”

“You were—and you did! Kenny, dude—she loves you. That’s a given. But she also loves Hangman. She loves a lot of people, all equally. You sitting there, claiming that nobody here cared about Hangman, cut her deep, man. Despite everything, including what has gone on with us and Adam, Emery has been by our side. By YOUR side. If she didn’t love you, she wouldn’t have. She’d have been gone a long ass time ago. So just cut the bullshit, get past the jealousy, and realize that--- that you’re just gonna have to share a spot in her heart with him. That or risk losing her altogether.”

Afterward, Nick left him alone in the locker room and headed to his hotel. Kenny had sat there and thought it over for a while, coming to the realization that Nick was right. Emery had stayed by his side, in his corner, for years now and hadn’t once deviated away. Every championship, every win, and every loss—she was there. Upon realizing this, Kenny had searched the entire arena for her—but Emery was nowhere to be found.

So, he sent her a text and returned home. Alone.

The house was dark and cold when he arrived. Some part of him had hoped she’d be there, sitting in the living room waiting for him, but no such luck. Kenny dropped his keys onto the stand beside the door, walked over to the couch, and dropped his bag on it with a heavy sigh.

Had he fucked up this time beyond saving? Was that the last straw in their relationship—and now she was gone?

After everything that had happened the past month, Kenny was tired—and right now, he just wanted to sleep. He’d unpack his bag in the morning and try calling her again, but for now—bed sounded like a good idea. Toeing off his shoes at the couch, Kenny padded up the stairs, his eyes feeling heavier with each step. While he loved coming back and winning the Trio’s belts with the Bucks last year, Kenny began wondering if he might have returned too soon. Or maybe he was just getting too old.

Approaching the bedroom door, Kenny reached out to push it open but stopped dead in his tracks. He strained his ears, listening closely, before slowly looking through the gap between the door and the frame. In the darkness, illuminated only by the moonlight outside, he saw a figure on the bed. Instantly, he realized it was Emery, but before he could call out to her- he heard the noise again.

The sound of a sob, accompanied by a sniffle. Narrowing his eyes, Kenny watched closer and saw her body twitch in time with the sounds. An overwhelming wave of guilt rushed over him, his arm dropping to his side as he realized she was still crying from their argument earlier. Taking a deep breath, Kenny swallowed his pride, let go of any resentment and jealousy he might have towards Hangman, and reached out towards the door, gently pushing it open. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he quietly walked over to the bed—spooking her was the last thing he wanted to do.

“…. Kitten?” Kenny whispered when he was close enough. He saw her entire body tense, and despite trying as hard as she could to keep her body from moving, Kenny could see it still shaking. Wordlessly, he crawled onto the bed, laying down behind her and slowly reaching an arm out towards her. Upon first contact, she jerked away, but Kenny persisted, letting his hand gently lay on her waist. This time, she didn’t move away, so he slid his arm around her, pulling Emery as close to him as he could. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath; the smell of her shampoo still lingered in her hair from her earlier shower.

“Angelface… I’m sorry.” Kenny murmured, gently tilting his head against the back of hers, “I… I’m sorry I made you feel this way… that I made you cry… that I hurt you. I don’t—”

The words died in his throat, and upon taking another deep breath, he let himself be vulnerable to her, “I feel… jealous, at times… of Hangman and you. He’s younger than I am… attractive, blonde cowboy with baby blue eyes and a southern accent—I… I fear that you’ll… you’ll begin to not want me anymore. That I won’t be enough for you…”

As he spoke, he could feel her body slowly un-tense, her shaking going away.

“You mean the world to me, Emery. The Bucks bringing you into my life back in 2015… it was, as cliché as it sounds, a godsend. I couldn’t have been happier… but I just… I see you and Hangman together, and I just…”

He sighed, unsure what to say to help get his feelings across. Hell, he wasn’t sure if she was even listening to him anymore—until he felt Emery move in his arms. At first, he thought she was pulling away from him, and his heart dropped; but then he realized that Emery was just turning around to face him. The guilt returned as he saw her puffy, red eyes and tear-stained face. Gently, Kenny reached his hand up to wipe away the tears, his blue eyes searching her brown ones for any sign of what was going through her mind.

“I love you,” she finally whispered, her voice still raw, “I love you both. I don’t want to have to choose anymore…”

Kenny inhaled deeply, swallowing a lump in his throat before he hesitantly nodded.

“Then I… I won’t make you. If you want Hangman in your life… that’s your choice… I hope I still have a place… but if not, I… I understand….”

“You… you mean that?”

“If it’s what would make you happy, sweetheart… yeah,” Kenny nodded slightly, cupping her face before slowly tucking some hair behind her ear, “I won’t… I won’t necessarily like it… but I’ll just have to get used to it… If I want to keep you in my life…”

“T-thank you, Ken…” Emery whispered, her chin wobbling as a few more tears escaped her eyes. Kenny was quick to wipe them away, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

“No more tears, not tonight, okay?”

She nodded against him before he leaned backward on the bed, pulling her with him. Kenny’s head hit the pillow as Emery placed her own head on his chest, her arms wrapping around his midsection and holding him tight. Kenny’s arms wrapped around her securely as a small smile came to his face.

He still had her in his life, and for the moment, that was good enough for him. He’d have to learn to ignore the jealousy and co-exist with Hangman—for her.

Kenny would do anything for her, and he’d prove it to everyone with this. The two lay there, cuddling in the silence with the moonlight around them. The simplest thing, the touch of the other, comforted them both as it chased away the voices of insecurity and heartache in their minds. With one final kiss to the top of her head, Kenny let himself be lulled into a peaceful sleep, Emery already out cold, a soft smile on her face.

[qnewsau]

Last hurrah for Darwin gay icon John Spellman at memorial

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/last-hurrah-for-darwin-gay-icon-john-spellman-at-memorial/

Last hurrah for Darwin gay icon John Spellman at memorial

Longtime Darwin pub owner John Spellman has been farewelled at a lively funeral service in the Northern Territory.

The gay businessman owned nightclubs and restaurants in Darwin for decades. He died last month, prompting a flood of tributes from locals.

In 1969, John Spellman dressed in drag and opened his Pianola Palace, widely credited as the first gay-friendly Darwin club.

In the following decades, John also ran other popular venues including the Mississippi Queen, Dix and The Train.

At the weekend, the community gathered to farewell John Spellman at a colourful and lively memorial service at Darwin’s Botanic Gardens.

During the service, John’s ashes sat above a wooden “Mississippi Queen” sign surrounded by disco balls. The memorial service was livestreamed online.

Image: courtesy of James Emery

Darwin producer James Emery from Drag Territory said John was a “gay icon and hospitality industry legend” and threw “epic” parties in Darwin.

“John was an extraordinary businessman and entrepreneur who welcomed everyone to his bars,” James told us.

“He supported the gay community privately through donations and accommodation and gave us safe spaces to allow people to be whoever they wanted to be.”

Image: courtesy of James Emery

James said John’s service was a “great party and a family reunion” with speeches, funny stories and memories of the beloved Darwin figure.

“We took over the streets in the CBD with over 60 cars in John’s funeral procession. Horns were blasting and 80s music was pumping,” James said.

John Spellman was a ‘provocateur and protector’

Last week, a moving obituary paid tribute to John Spellman as a “provocateur and protector” of LGBTQIA+ folk in Darwin.

Images: Supplied

Former Mardi Gras President Kate Wickett, Party Passport co-founder Daniel Cunningham and Darwin local Mookie Hesketh remembered John in the obit as a “complex, caring, cantankerous and ultimately generous human.”

“We met him in our late teens in the late 90’s. We were young, gay and discovering who we were in a time and place where we were not always accepted, or even safe,” the trio wrote.

“John was many things to many people, but to us, he will always be someone who provided us with a space to meet friends (new and old) and chosen family, where we could have fun, be ourselves and feel connected, where we felt that we belonged – the Train.

“Thank you John for your hilarious stories, your cutting quips and for providing us a place where we had so much joy.

“You were unapologetic in your ways, and you were a trailblazer.

“From the young, gay kids growing up in Darwin, thank you for not only providing us a refuge, but a place for community.”

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by Drag Territory (@dragterritory)

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[babyrowann]

so i really tried my best to come up with a list to see if an elain book next (most likely elriel) makes more sense than an azriel book (which would be gw*nriel). i tried to stick to text material only and interviews with sarah and to keep my own biases out of this. if you think i missed anything please leave it in the replies! also sorry this is loooong

argument for elain (elriel book) next

- interview where sjm said the entire series is about the 3 sisters (and this interview was quoted to describe the tv show too)

- interview where sjm said that new side characters have expanded the world but the main plot and story hasn’t changed

- she already wrote ideas for elain’s book while pregnant

- said elain is the character she’d be bffs with and that in another life she would be a florist

- she likes writing about the characters people hate (nesta and chaol)

- special cover of acofas that includes elain and azriel mirroring nesta and cassian

- actual story plot points that support elain’s book next:

- 2 of 3 sisters have had a book and there are 2 books left

- her powers are a mystery and she still has her power and connection to the cauldron whereas feyre and nesta don’t anymore; she is the only one

- she said she is ready to help and she will brush up on her powers

- she said the nc is her home

- the cauldron loves her and gifted her powers

- she has visions of koschei and vassa

- she has a mate who is an autumn prince and heir to day

- been given hints that she is up to something; being very stealthy

- she appeared out of a shadow when she stabbed the king (powers?)

- rhys telling feyre to focus on one sister and then the other

- of two bonus chapters, elain was the common factor in both

- she was missing when bryce appeared in nc

- az gave her tt

- his shadows disappear when she’s around and want to protect her

- she is friends with nuala and cerridwen, matches the pattern of feyre and nesta being friends with people related to their love interest (feyre with mor and amren aka rhy’s circle, nesta with gw*n and emerie aka all warriors like cassian)

- she had visions of the prison (potentially through the mountain and dusk court)

- 3 brothers 3 sisters

- azriel questioning the cauldron being wrong & feyre and rhys talking about bad mating bonds and why the cauldron didn’t pair elain and az

- feyre and nesta noticing az feelings for elain and getting over mor

- az going to save elain even if he would die

- az being the one to know she’s a seer and not lucien

- az is not from the og trio like chaol was in tog, which is why his book might not make sense

- az would have to get over elain before he could be with gw*n in his book

- gw*n lightsinger theory to disprove gw*nriel mate theory

- az wouldn’t save gw*n in br but went for eris

- gw*n can’t read old fae language

- no one noticing gw*n liking az when other priestesses’ crushes were noticed

- book ended with elain nesta and feyre

- sjm doesn’t like writing about “first times” and elain isn’t a virgin (feel weird talking about elain like this tbh)

argument for azriel book next (gw*nriel)

- az had the bonus chapter in his pov

- chaol got a side story so could az?

- az and his powers and backstory are mysterious

- rumors of illyrian uprising

- koschei was asking about him

- he found bryce

- elain wasn’t there when az brought bryce back

- 3 brothers 3 sisters is “cliche”

- he saved gw*n at sangravah (kind of gross for why this couple could be together but i’m gonna put it since it’s a theory that’s used)

- his shadows dance with gw*n’s voice

- you’re the new ribbon

- being drawn to the library

- gw*n being related to an unnamed autumn court high fae

- thing of secret lovely beauty

- gw*n studying diff worlds

- flexible bones (hate that i’m even including this)

- black “leeching the life” from elain

[valkyrie-shadow]

After rereading both ACOSF and FBAA I have come to the conclusion that

Poppy Balfour would so fit in with the Valkyrie Trio

⚠️ FBAA and ACOSF Spoilers⚠️

Assuming she just showed up one day in the House of Wind for a visit

- they train together

- she’ll at least attempt to cut the ribbon if not succeed

- they bond over smutty books

- Miss Willa Colyn’s diary is passed around if poppy has it

- have mutual respect over past and present traumas

- they swap stories about the bat boys and Casteel and Kieran (nsfw ones included obv)

- “And he was like ‘we go home to marry, my princess’ and I was like ‘what makes you think I would ever want to do that’”

- she roasts Cassian and Nesta dies laughing

- she really wants to ask questions about Azriels shadows but vibe checks him and decides against it

- she is fascinated by Emerie’s wings and asks the most random questions about like sleeping with wings or how their clothing works around them

- she obv has a thousand questions about Illyria and Prythian in general

- Cassian thinks her dagger is cool and asks questions about it

- The House does its magic hospitality thing and she is amazed

- if they take her down to the library she kinda stiffens seeing the priestesses and their veils and Gywn explains how it’s their choice to be there and totally optional to wear the veils

- they probably don’t spend a lot of time down there because poppy’s power gets kinda overwhelmed

- if Casteel is with her the girls definitely make suggestive jokes about him

- “Hey Cas!” *Cassian and Casteel both respond*

Wow there are a lot of potential headcannons abt this crossover I might do a part 2,,,, y’all should reblog w ones you think of <33

[vidalinav]

Is it just me or does the acotar series seem to get more anti-feminist every book? I mean where is even GirlBoss!Feminism if Feyre had little to no major role by politics or power or by narrative and was very obviously being withheld information regarding her body? Where is it if Nesta by the end has lost a good portion of her powers, never realizes she doesn’t have to deserve love, holds her spouse up on a pedestal that he doesn’t deserve, and ends up in a house she can’t leave? And that’s just the end, I didn’t mention anything about the beginning. Where is it when Mor is merely a plot device and not even an interesting one at that, she’s been reduced to petty one-liners that do not really reach any conclusion and cab rides and the constant CONSTANT reminder that she’d been hurt by her father and the autumn court and some guy (choose any one) wants to kill them for that? Where is it when we still no virtually NOTHING about Elain? I’m not going to include Gwyn and Emerie here because for now they’re side characters and have not been with us for 3+ books. But I’m not holding my breath here. I’m like where is the performative feminism? Where is the surface level feminism, where the women have power and triumph and rule and kick ass or whatever in a male dominated world, who climb that ladder.  Where??? We only see a glimpse of it, because of the trio winning the Blood Rite, but that is it. A whole 800 pages and that is it. That’s the extent of our feminism and our GirlBoss!Feminism. 

But you know what what I see, Rhys saying you have a choice. You have a choice. It’s your choice. You have a choice. Until it starts sounding like the other line that is said so often, like calls to like. So all I’m stuck with is Like calls to like. You have a choice. Like calls to like. You have a choice. And I go to sleep with that echo in my ears. Music for the regretful fan. 

[televinita]

Library Triage

Am in a mini-slump as far as reading goes (very much enjoying my Tortall books, but also reserving them for audio), so I think I gotta re-examine my library checkout options here, especially since I’ve had some of these for like 7 weeks and it’s time to read up or give back already.

In a departure from tradition, these are actually in order of least to most likely to read next.

1. Fame, Fate and the First Kiss - Kasie West I had such fun with Lucky in Love at the beginning of June that I went back and fished out the next best looking option for another reading day outside, but I seem to have reverted back to my usual "Kasie West looks right up my alley, why do I feel nothing drawing me toward her work" feelings.

2. Love & Luck - Jenna Welch Evans Same story -- loved the first book at the beginning of summer, figured I'd roll right into the second on a sunny day, but somehow can't bring myself to get into it.

3. The Start of Me and You - Emery Lord Yet another perfect-for-summer-reading-outside looking title, but even though I got like 10 pages into this, it's just not grabbing my interest.

4. Save the Date - Morgan Matson I feel like if I could just! START! this one, I'd be on a roll, but it's really long and the font is small and those are the reasons I love her books, but right now they're forming a barrier to entry for me. The part where the MC almost lost her virginity via random hookup in the first chapter did not further endear me. Also every time I pick it up, I think about trying the audiobook, then remember I found out all of Matson’s books are friggin’ Audible Exclusives, and I get angry all over again.

5. 96 Miles - J.L. Esplin: I grabbed this at random because semi-dystopian survival, but I'm just not in quite the right mood to read about boys traversing an arid desert landscape. I think I want one of the next two on the list instead.

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

Now we’re into more recent/upcoming checkouts that have my interest properly piqued.

6. Be Not Far From Me - Mindy McGinnis I read her first three and have been meaning to get back to her good-but-dark-as-hell work for years. This one, about a teen lost in the forest, injured and trying to survive (not without considerable survival knowledge), combines a lot of my favorite things at once.

7. The Trail - Meika Hashimoto

“Boy runs away to hike the Appalachian trail because Reasons” is a middle grade trope I think I will never tire of

8. Tempests & Slaughter - Tamora Pierce

There is absolutely no reason for me to read this until a) I run out of chronological canon w/ Numair and b) she finishes these Chronicles, but GUESS WHAT, I went to Half Price Books last weekend and I saw this there and I read a few pages and now it’s all I want in this life. I have done a full 180 from “eh, I don’t think I’ll read these books because I don’t really care about a boy learning magic; I don’t care who that boy is” and “I don’t WANT to fall in love with a friend trio that will eventually end in attempted murder/betrayal and a doomed romance, respectively!”, to realizing a) how badly i crave male friendship stories, which seem to be more prevalent in fantasy than contemporary, and this is like the one fantasy story I can stomach, and b) WHAT IF I THOUGHT OF THIS AS NUMAIR DESCRIBING HIS PAST TO DAINE (or her reading a journal, depending on how the style flows/what kind of detail is included) and now I’m dead of anticipatory joy.

[maridelgado]

( jeanine mason, cisfemale, she/her ) i took a trip into town and ran into MARIGOLD "MARI" DELGADO at the general store. isn’t that the NATURALIST you told me about last week? the one who is THIRTY-ONE, as well as SELF-RELIANT and ABRASIVE? well, we didn’t chat for long because they had to get back to their job as FLORIST & FARMER, so i can’t say for sure, but i think you might be onto something…they even mentioned they want to START A NEW LIFE like you said.  ( + britt, 24, she/her, est )

name; marigold alma “mari” delgado birthday; 05/01/1989 pronouns; she/her orientation; pansexual occupation; florist & farmer

TW: Car Crash+Injury / full bio will be coming eventually but here’s some bullet points. i just copied the points i had for ben’s relationship page stuff that i just realized i hadn’t opened for people to view so here it is just because i tried not too include too much of her and ben’s relationship on here.

an only child.

has two best friends who are basically brothers to her: ben and oz.

piano prodigy as a child. also a genius when it came to guitar.

at eight-years-old, her father died. her mother started drifting away after the unsuspected tragedy. 

two years after her father’s death, her mother got remarried to an absolute bastard. they only gave mari the time of day when it came to her piano practice. they wanted her to perfect her piano skills to become a world famous pianist.

around this time, mari was zoning more into playing the guitar thanks to the band that the trio had formed: mari on guitar, oz on drums, and ben on bass.

the summer before their freshman year of high school, she was forced to move to california with her parents to attend some private school for the arts to really hone in on her piano playing.

she ended up running away, going back to new york.

hasn’t spoken to her mother since she was disowned. she was a teenager when it happened. mari moved in with one of her best friend’s, ben and his parents after this happened.

stopped playing the piano and focused solely on guitar.

worked part time at ben’s aunt rosalia’s flower shop delivering flowers. 

after graduating high school, her and oz moved to new york city together. they got an apartment with the latest addition to their band, a new drummer since oz took ben’s position of bass.

started off playing small shows, ben was there for each one. one of those shows is how all three of them met perri.

at this point their friend group which consisted of ben, mari, oz, emery, and perri mainly, oz proposed they all get tattoos. so they each got their birth month flower after mari suggested it.

marigold’s tattoo was of a lily of the valley which she got on  her right collarbone.

started a relationship with a guy andrew stark, moved in with him six months into their relationship.

TW *once they moved in together, the whirlwind romance turned into a lackluster one. at the point of her about to break it off, the two of them got in a terrible car accident. mari’s side of the car got the worst of it; her hand ended up pinched between the door and the seat, getting pulverized. andrew had been the one driving and the cause of the accident. at the hospital, she found out that she’d never be able to use her hand quite as well therefore not be able to play guitar or piano like she used to. That news was followed by the news that she was pregnant.*

found work at a flower shop in the city, started focusing her passions there because she had loved working in rosalia’s flower shop. even went back to school to pursue a degree in  floriculture.

was thinking of moving to the valley for the past 3 to 4 years, but after a certain even she felt it would be best for her and her son. she wants to give her son the best life possible and be the best mom she can for him. 

head-cannons/random facts

as i get to know my boy more, i’ll be adding new random facts about him here!

still close to oz, and is very happy and proud he was to achieve their dream and become a famous rock star.

not really into sports, but does have a little interest in soccer since both her best friends and her son like the sport.

mari’s love languages are ranked as the following: quality time, physical touch, acts of services, receiving gifts, and words of affirmation.

her son, jason edmundo delgado, will be ten-years-old on november 8th. he is named after ben (jason was inspired by his middle name jae) and mari’s father (edmundo delgado-fernández.)

jason’s father, andrew, gave up custody not too long after he was born.

has a golden retriever that used to belong to ben and perri. his name is pie. technically ben gave it to jason, but mari refers to him as her second son.

owns a 1970 ford truck that her father and his best friend fixed up together. felix, her father’s best friend, gave it to her when she was sixteen.

potential connections

people she butts heads with! that may or may not turn into friends later on. or turn into enemies!

i don’t know besides that! she will be new, so ben’s the only connection she has in the valley. she would be familiar with names and minor details of some of his friends in the valley. like what they’re occupation is and how ben feels about them which may or may not impact how she interacts with them.

[purkinje-effect]

The Purkinje Effect, 33

Table of Contents

‘Choly and Geek both glanced at their Pip-Boys, the former on his right wrist and the latter on his left. Then, they glanced to each other, almost as though to insinuate they needed to turn their keys at the same time like some kind of launch sequence.

“Didn’t know it worked on vaults besides the one they came from.” The pink ghoul waved off ‘Choly and scaled the stairs of the mezzanine up to the vault door. “Don’t worry ‘bout gettin’ down, I’ll get it.”

While Geek looked over the lead yellow panel and unreeled the tension-rolled wire key-prong of his Pip-Boy, ‘Choly and Hancock watched from ground level.

“Pip-Boys are RobCo tech, not Vault-Tec.” ‘Choly couldn’t not interrupt the silence. “They’re compatible, and they’re both military affiliates. You shouldn’t be all too surprised, really.”

“Like ya better when you’re not spoutin’ off condescending trivia.”

Geek remembered how to engage the panel. He inserted the cylindrical lipstick-key into its port, then flipped the protective clear lid off the big red square button and mashed it with the butt of his fist. When the alert sirens started their low bleating, and the amber warning lights to either side of the gear-shaped door got to rotation, he rejoined his compatriots, unsure which direction the door would be pulled. After a series of mechanical processes, the door pulled in a few feet and rolled away to one side, producing a telescoping catwalk into the vault.

Geek shouldered Hancock.

“After you.”

Hancock took the lead, Geek close behind, and ‘Choly lagged a bit to keep an eye peeled. They entered, with caution, into a collective jumble of different colored aluminum shipping crates.

“Goddammit,” a ghoul Triggerman muttered. “I hate it when they open the door. Why’s that thing so loud?”

Geek shot an arm out to keep Hancock from going any further, the hand of the other hushing him.

“Skinny? Darla? That you?”

The Triggerman came out from behind the concrete support pillar where he’d hidden, and when they startled him, he pulled a pistol on them. He knocked a few bullets into Geek before the pink ghoul could get in close enough to rake the guy’s throat open, and the ghoul mobster crumpled with a gurgle.

Hancock tried the pocket door immediately ahead of them, and when it wouldn’t open, he steadied his shotgun at the lock panel in squinting irritation, only to bum a Mentat off the chemist instead of following through with the threat.

“Damn.” Hancock sighed. “Door’s out. Either it’s fritzed out or the terminal for it must be on the inside.”

“This vault is quite strange.” ‘Choly popped a sublingual Mentat of his own and squinted off to the right of them, where the Medbay lay. “Not even one room into the place, and I already feel like nothing is going to be located where one would expect it.”

“Glad we’re on the same page with that one.” Geek lit up another cigarette, trying to steel his shaking as he glanced off at a second storage room to the left. “Take it yours ain’t set up like this, and mine ain’t, either. Also glad that ass got my left shoulder. Better with my right.” He pointed at Hancock. “Before we step another inch in this place, you’re talkin’. This ain’t just ‘bout your little friend, comin’ in here.”

Hancock raised his hands in a sly resignation.

“Guilty as charged. I figured this job would be a better starting bonding exercise than the library. These rats keep creeping up in my territory, and this is their nest. Does multi-duty, clearing this place out. This is mostly about Nick, but it also stands to make Goodneighbor a lot safer in the process. That, and...” He gave Geek a mollifying smolder. “This is a vault. Hopefully there’s some useful information here besides a nonstandard blueprint. Might even find some... familiar equipment?”

“Mmh. And the muzzle?”

“I meant it when I said it was for everybody’s protection, but I also mean it that it ain’t ‘cause I don’t trust ya. It’s just, ah. Nick’s the reason I came around to synths, and I know a lot of folks--him and me included--who’d rather he got home in one piece.”

Appeased by the answer though a bit hurt by it, Geek left Hancock and ‘Choly to talk between themselves while he ducked into the Medbay to retrieve a Stimpak. He administered it just under the armpit, through the fabric of his jumpsuit, so it could do its work while he surveyed the side storage room for anything useful. He came across a functioning terminal and sat and read while his companions jabbered.

Geek skimmed the Check-In instructions. It read just like his own had. Line up and maintain calm. Change into your Vault Suit immediately. Save all inquiries for orientation. The list of families slotted to inhabit Vault 114 was far shorter than the one for Vault 82--a mere thirty-eight individuals plus one dog annotated, between nine families and one bachelor--and it nagged at him that some of the names seemed vaguely familiar somehow. Unlike Vault 82, however, personnel had marked the dog as “do NOT allow,” and he sneered at the notion that the residents had to pick between their pets and shelter from annihilation. Plenty of 82′s families had included a variety of different animal members, but within a year of being sealed up from the outside world, all but one had been the first casualties of relying on the nutritive paste.

He didn’t much enjoy the reminder of Emery’s African grey. Not that it stayed grey for long.

“A synth?” ‘Choly got knotted up in a tangled sarcasm. “We’re down here to rescue a robot? You pulling one on me now?”

“Hey now, Nick's way more than just a robot. Take it from your tone you never met any of the more... high end models?” Through the window in the wall, Geek glanced up to see Hancock trace a jocular hourglass gesture with his fingertips.

“Just how many callers have you got, Casanova?”

“It was a joke! Really, though, I’ve lost count...”

Geek opened a disclosure file, and skimmed what read at a glance to be an outline of the type of traffic to expect and allow prior to the vault’s completion. He tried the vertical metal hydraulic pocket door, to no avail, so he vanished the cigarette butt and doubled back to where his companions stood waiting for him.

“According to that terminal in there, Vault-Tec didn’t just buy land that had already been dug out, by cuttin’ a deal with the city to use Park Street Station for the vault... but they also outsourced labor to a number of contractors instead of using their own employees. Somethin’ tells me this vault wasn’t made top quality. Some a the names on the roster are buggin’ me too, soundin’ familiar. Like... Todd Gates.”

“You don’t remember Todd Gates!” ‘Choly scoffed over the gossip. “He ran for Boston mayor a few years before everything went to hell. He hadn’t settled down with kids let alone a wife, and it hurt his public image bad enough to sabotage his own election success. Boston wanted a family man. He lived here?”

Geek could only squint at the chemist a moment, uneasy to have his memory jogged with what felt like proof of ‘Choly being unequivocally prewar, for him to blurt that out like it had just happened yesterday. He sighed and let it go.

“If it’s the same guy. That door over there don’t lead to a supply closet. Let’s try it.”

The door in mention lay in the storage space to the left of the atrium, and the three took it to find a long maintenance hall with winding stairs. Approaching another storage room, they all hugged either side of the open pocket door’s frame, to eavesdrop on the Triggermen inside. The two conversed in the next maintenance hall to the left of this room. Despite the shipping crates, what seemed like another storage room at a glance might have actually been intended as a locker room.

“So, I got a question,” one of them started. “Why the hell would anyone build a vault out of a subway station? This place is like... the opposite of air-tight.”

“Because they weren’t planning to use it, you moron.” The ghoul sounded wounded by the naivete of his ally. “We used to pull this kind of con all the time back before the war. Get a bunch of union boys to work some construction job that would go nowhere. Keep everyone on payroll.”

Geek rolled his one good eye that he’d cold read the vault construction process, and proceeded to try to get the rush on the two of them, managing to slash the human’s throat from behind before the ghoul caught wind of the ambush. He rolled his left shoulder and made eye contact with the other Triggerman as he dropped the first one. Before the second one could steady his submachine gun in Geek’s direction, Hancock had fired off a pair of rounds from just behind him, which clipped the Triggerman in the arm and throat.

“Startin’ t’like this knife.”

“It sure is messy.” Hancock shot him a concerned look. “Don’t let me makin’ you mad get you running reckless into predicaments, all right? You know I’m doing my best. For both of you.”

“Could have fooled me.” ‘Choly loitered behind in the locker room, just watching. “I really don’t understand why you dragged both of us into all this.”

“Mister Carey means to say he feels like a third wheel,” Angel elaborated.

Geek snorted and made an inviting gesture to the Handy-bound vaultie.

“Tight corridors like these, it’s best to trade off in pairs. By all means. Lead the way, y’Nimrod. Anybody’s guess which way’s the right way, with what I’m guessin’ was the front door locked tight. I’ll let you two take the lead.”

‘Choly gladly led them off down the hallway, Hancock right behind him and Geek a ways after that. The chemist opened the pocket door at the end of the hall, only for them to come upon another maze of mezzanines, enormous pipelines, and blinding construction spotlights. Another chaotic fray erupted between the trio and ten Triggermen occupying the chamber of halted construction, much in same the fashion as the first before they’d passed the vault door. Once they’d dealt with the criminals, they spread out to look for a path to proceed.

“A Plutonium Well?” ‘Choly remarked with a sniff, recoiling away from the source of radiation that lit up the Geiger counter of his Pip-Boy. “They hit a Municipal Plutonium Well drilling and just... left it?”

“I’ll do you one worse,” Hancock replied, shaking his head in disbelief as he stared at what could only be skeletons and coffins spilling out. “I don’t think Vault-Tec had a permit to be excavating this far in. Talk about cuttin’ corners...”

‘Choly joined him and frowned with a deferential Russian mumble.

Meanwhile, Geek had investigated the wall through which they’d entered the chamber, and happened upon another room. He rooted through the toolkit he found in the middle of the room, and pocketed the fistful of cash he found beside it without a word. He peered down the two-story-deep opening in the floor to a room below them, and he rubbed his face when he recognized its original function would likely have been an elevator shaft had it been finished. 

“Did y'all find any other way deeper in?” he asked them from the doorway.

“No. You?”

“Hope you’re not scared of heights.”

The pink ghoul doubled back with a bated breath. There was only one way to put his new leg armor framework to the test. Power armor had impact resistance mechanisms for jumping off ledges in minor cases, or from Vertibirds in extreme cases. He lit a fresh cigarette, and didn’t wait for his companions to join him before he leaped down with a metallic din. Looking to his footing, he’d left a dent in the enameled metal flooring, and he chuckled through a long smoky exhale.

“I’d say they work.”

[buzzdixonwriter]

Four Movies About Movies

If you love movies the way I do, you’ll appreciate the quadruple goodness Netflix is currently offering.

First off, Shirkers, a wild story about a lost film made over 30 years ago by a group of female Singaporean punks and their con-artist film school professor.

Of course, being a Singapore punk back in the 1980s meant you looked like an anime fan girl, but it’s the thought that counts, right?

Wikipedia sums up the basic premise: “In 1992, Sandi Tan, alongside friends Jasmine Ng and Sophie Siddique, as well as film teacher Georges Cardona shot the independent film Shirkers. After wrapping, Tan, Ng, and Siddique left the footage with Cardona as the trio went to study abroad for college. However, Cardona disappeared with the footage and the trio never saw or heard from him again. “20 years later, and 10 years following Cardona’s death, Cardona’s wife emailed Tan, informing her that she was in possession of the footage for Shirkers, minus the audio tracks. In the proceeding years, Tan decided to digitize the footage and use it to make something new - a documentary about the making of the film.”

Shirkers is a delight. It captures the edgy exuberance of youth (and contrasts same with the middle age reality the three teens grew into) and offers an insight into the culture of Singapore, squeaky clean on the outside but containing its own forms of social rebellion.

Cardona, the bogus film school professor, is one of a long line of cinematic con men who tried to get a project off the ground with nothing more than a smile and a shoeshine.

That he comes across as more misguided than malevolent may be part of Tan’s shading of the story, but it may also reflect something about the man himself:  Never fully satisfied with who he really was, always wanting to build and embellish on that life, but while reckless apparently never cold hearted or cruel.

It’s a wonderful movie and extremely thought provoking.

Another cinematic con man can be found in The Other Side Of The Wind and They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead, both released through Royal Road Entertainment.

It’s the savvy film company that releases not one but two movies based on an infamous lost / unreleasable film.

We’ll start with They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead, a documentary about Orson Welles’ struggles to complete The Other Side Of The Wind and incorporating a lot of footage from that project that couldn’t be used in the final assembly (among other things, actors were replaced or changed parts).

While one could cite Welles as the titular con man, in truth there was a legion of schnooks, scammers, and slickee boiz attached to The Other Side Of The Wind over the years. The film was a hard luck project from the gitgo, getting mixed up with deposed shahs, revolutionary governments, and international embezzlers.

By the time all the dust had settled and some sense could be made out of the complicated rights’ claims, Welles and 90% of his cast had died.  What little bit he had assembled was analyzed, his copious notes and interviews were pored over, and in the end The Other Side Of The Wind was finally released.

Was it a good movie?

Well…let’s say it a movie, an Orson Welles’ movie, and let it go at that.

The Other Side Of The Wind had a long genesis, starting shortly after Hemingway’s suicide and evolving over the years to become a story about a macho film director.

However, the Great Big Shocking Reveal that Welles planned in the 1960s / 70s had become pretty passé by the 1980s and is now kinda corny.  It’s valid in the movie as a period piece but that works against the film; it’s not a living document but a look back at a different era, a different attitude.

The conceit of The Other Side Of The Wind is that it’s a documentary about the last film / last night of a legendary film maker, J.J. Hannaford (played by John Huston).  “The Other Side Of The Wind” is the uncompleted film he is shooting at the time of his death; it will remain uncompleted because the star stormed off the set (part of the aforementioned Great Big Shocking Reveal) and Hannaford, faced with a hostile studio and investors who have puled their cash, dies in a car crash, possibly a suicide.

The bulk of the film takes place at Hannaford’s home during a birthday party for him; it is shot using various film gauges and stocks to represent different film crews / journalists / film buffs recording the same event.

It’s a very free flowing / highly improvised affair with moments that can pass from brilliant to banal and back again in a flash (how much of this is because Welles’ was unable to assemble it the way he envisions, and how much is just a lack of material is open to debate).

A grim joke running through the bigger film is that “The Other Side Of The Wind” (i.e.,  the film-within-the-film) is constantly being interrupted during its various screenings, so there’s no way of appraising it as a totality. 

“The Other Side Of The Wind” was Welles’ attempt to ape the free form film making style briefly popular during the late 60s and early 70s.

It actually looks like a Russ Meyer film of that era, beautifully photographed, filmed with striking images, and lots of naked ladies.

Lots and lots and lots of naked ladies.

There’s a story about Alfred Hitchcock working on his supposed last film at Universal (in reality, the studio indulging an old man who made them a fortune by giving him an office and a secretary and the chance to hang out with old film making friends). Hitchcock worked on a script with a writer he’d used in the past, but the further they got into the story, the more the writer realized what he was writing had nothing to do with what could possibly be filmed and released by a major studio, but rather were the erotic fantasies and fetishes of a doddering old man.

“The Other Side Of The Wind” has that kind of feel to it, and while it’s well done and memorable, lordie, it ain’t good.  That The Other Side Of The Wind manages to rise a couple of notches above that is a credit to Welles and his posthumous collaborators.

Rounding out our list, Filmworker is a fascinating story about Leon Vitali, a successful young worker who landed the choice role of Lord Burlington in Barry Lyndon and become so mesmerized by Stanley Kubrick’s directorial prowess that he abandoned his acting career to becomes Kubrick’s assistant.

This isn’t the kind of story one expects to see about a talented film maker, a story about an acolyte who remains loyal and steadfast decades after the master’s death.

While Filmworker references most of Kubrick’s films, it focuses most tightly on Barry Lyndon, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, and Eyes Wide Shut.

There’s a wealth of fascinating material here, including R. Lee Emery crowing about how he stole the role of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman from under Tim Colceri in Full Metal Jacket, and the intricacies of finding a compatible work around for Kubrick’s obsessive directorial style vs child labor laws.

Vitali’s own career and early life, especially the not-at-all-positive influence of his father, are also delved into.

By the end of the film, one feels happy for Vitali: Looking back, he thinks he made the right career choice, and if he’s happy with the way things turned out, who are we to question that?

© Buzz Dixon

[heartfeltflowers-a]

↬ @bottledlies

↬ Emery ringed the bell to Sam’s apartment, and once the door was open smiled largely, holding up the pie and a big bag. “Soooo, yesterday was like really awkward with finding out about Dimitri well--whatever. Sooo I thought it’d be really a great idea to come over and I brought: Pizza, large with extra cheese, Ice creams, hangindaaz trio chocolate salted caramel, dove milk and dark chocolate packs, extra fluffy blankets, and me to cuddle while watching your option between the GROSSEST sappiest RomComs including 27 Dresses, or a TON of horror, including to the not so scary Babadook.” Emery... how did you say all of that without taking a break to speak.

[gadgetsrevv]

Fantasy Premier League tips: Last-minute transfers, bargains, captain picks for FPL GW6 | Football | Sport

Fantasy Premier League tips: Who will you sign and sell ahead of GW6? (Image: GETTY)

Fantasy football managers have very little time to sort out their squads following a packed week of European action, with GW6 getting underway tonight.

Southampton host Bournemouth at 8pm this evening, just 24 hours after a trio of Premier League clubs kicked off their Europa League group stage campaigns.

Manchester United, Arsenal and Wolves were all in action yesterday while Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester City played their first Champions League matches of the season earlier this week.

With so much football to digest and a looming Fantasy Premier League deadline on the horizon, Express Sport have given FPL bosses a helping hand with some last minute tips and hints – so who should you sign and hand the captain’s armband to this weekend?

Top FPL transfer tips for GW6

DEF: Kieran Tierney (Arsenal) – £5.4m

The clash with Watford last Sunday came too soon for Tierney but the Scottish full-back is in training and closing on a Premier League debut.

Unai Emery did not risk Tierney in the Europa League so a home match against Aston Villa on Sunday could provide a perfect opportunity for his first start – if he is fit.

MID: Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur) – £9.6m

The South Korean burst back onto the radar of FPL managers with a brace against Crystal Palace last weekend.

A hefty £9.5m price tag will put some bosses off but Son plays as a second striker under Mauricio Pochettino and will be well worth the investment, particularly after he was rested against Olympiakos.

FWD: Tammy Abraham (Chelsea) – £7.3m

Abraham’s price has already risen considerably after his hat-trick against Wolves moved him on to seven goals for the campaign.

Sunday’s opponents Liverpool have just a single clean sheet so far this season so the Chelsea striker will fancy his chances of adding another strike next time out.

Fantasy Premier League tips: Tammy Abraham scored a hat-trick last time out against Wolves (Image: GETTY)

In-form FPL players for GW6

MID: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – 10.0 form

Salah wasn’t at his best against Newcastle but still got on the scoresheet in the 3-1 win, taking his season tally four goals already.

The Egyptian failed to fire against Napoli in midweek but will be eyeing a leaky Chelsea defence that has conceded 11 times in five games.

FWD: Tammy Abraham (Chelsea) – 10.2 form

All seven of Abraham’s Premier League goals have come in his last three appearances, showing he has definitely found his feet at Stamford Bridge.

Another striker who failed to find the net in Europe this week, but Liverpool have just one clean sheet so far this campaign so the Chelsea ace will fancy his chances.

FWD: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) – 11.7 form

Aguero is joint-top in the race for the Golden Boot with seven strikes, including consecutive doubles against Bournemouth and Brighton before his effort against Norwich last week.

The Argentine was given the night off against Shakhtar Donetsk so he should be fully rested when City look to get back to winning ways domestically against Watford.

Fantasy Premier League tips: Sergio Aguero has produced attacking returns in every match this season (Image: GETTY)

Best-value FPL players for GW6

MID: Todd Cantwell (Norwich City) – 5.5 points per million

Victory over Manchester City last week has seen the value of Norwich assets soar, with Cantwell’s goal against the champions significantly boosting his points per million.

Over 23 per cent of managers now own the Canaries playmaker, with his price rising to £4.9m.

FWD: Tammy Abraham (Chelsea) – 5.8 points per million

Abraham’s ownership has skyrocketed in recent weeks thanks to his flurry of goals, with the Chelsea frontman having pocketed 42 FPL points already this season.

The Blues striker now costs £7.3m but represents excellent value as a guaranteed starter in a traditional top six club.

FWD: Teemu Pukki (Norwich City) – 6.9 points per million

Pukki was back among the goals against City and now has six this season, one behind the likes of Aguero and Abraham.

The Canaries frontman will cost new owners £7.1m, but his value cannot be argued with.

Fantasy Premier League tips: Teemu Pukki offers best value for money in FPL (Image: GETTY)

Most-transferred FPL players for GW6

OUT – 5. Martin Kelly (Crystal Palace) – 101,873

OUT – 4. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) – 107,134

OUT – 3. Ashley Barnes (Burnley) – 114,287

OUT – 2. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) – 125,502

OUT – 1. Raul Jimenez (Wolverhampton Wanderers) – 141,477

IN – 5. Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur) – 183,128

IN – 4. Mason Mount (Chelsea) – 240,318

IN – 3. Todd Cantwell (Norwich City) – 288,251

IN – 2. Teemu Pukki (Norwich City) – 306,003

IN – 1. Tammy Abraham (Chelsea) – 487,669

Fantasy Premier League tips: Abraham has scored seven goals in his past three matches (Image: GETTY)

Who should I captain in FPL GW6?

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) vs Aston Villa (H)

Injury to Alexandre Lacazette has left Aubameyang as Arsenal’s sole natural striker, meaning the Gabon international is almost guaranteed to lead the line against Villa.

Three goals in his last two indicate a man in form, and don’t be surprised if he adds to that tally this weekend.

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) vs Chelsea (A)

Plenty of managers have abandoned Salah in favour of team-mate Sadio Mane, but the Liverpool winger is still matching his strike partner’s output.

Chelsea one of the worst defensive records in the Premier League this season, and the Egyptian should take advantage this weekend.

TOP CHOICE: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) vs Watford (H)

Aguero was an unused substitute against Shakhtar Donetsk, meaning Pep Guardiola is almost certain to pick the Argentine from the off against Watford.

Attacking returns in every game so far suggest the City frontman is a reliable choice to wear the armband.

Fantasy Premier League tips: Aguero is our top captain pick this weekend (Image: GETTY)

Source link . More news

via wordpress https://ift.tt/30AU0ky

[sportsleague365]

Mesut Ozil made a rare start for Arsenal against BATE Borisov (Picture: Getty)Alex Iwobi hopes Mesut Ozil keeps his place in Arsenal’s starting XI after Unai Emery recalled the midfielder for the side’s victory over BATE Borisov. Arsenal had to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg in Belarus and got off to the perfect start on Thursday evening as Zakhar Volkov turned Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s cross into his own net in the 4th minute. Goals from Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis Papastathopoulos either side of the break sealed a comfortable 3-1 aggregate win as the Gunners booked their place in the Europa League last 16. Ozil was not even included in Arsenal’s squad for the first leg but produced an assured performance alongside Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang and Iwobi at the Emirates. It was only Ozil’s second start since the turn of the year and Iwobi has urged Emery to stick with the German ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Southampton this weekend. Asked about Ozil’s return to the side, Iwobi replied: ‘We know what Mesut’s like, we see him in training every day. He’s world class. ‘You know we’ll create a lot of chances with him in the side so we just have to hope that we put our chances away and we’re able to score three goals from it, like today. ‘So hopefully he continues to play.’ Mesut Ozil made his second start of 2019 (Picture: Getty)‘It’s about trying to create space and makes the right runs. ‘I know if I make a run he’ll be able to find me because he’s got the vision to spot it, so I just have to make it easier and try to make a run so that he can play the ball for me.’ Emery’s side booked their place in the Europa League last 16 (Picture: Getty)Emery believes Mesut Ozil showed his ‘quality’ and ‘experience’ against Belarusian outfit. ‘Well I said to him carry on, be available like today, like the last two weeks,’ the Spaniard said after the final whistle. ‘Today I am happy, it was like what we want from him.’ On whether Ozil’s showing is what he expects from the midfielder week in, week out, Emery responded: ‘Be available, carry on. Today he showed us he wants. ‘If he is available like the last two weeks, his experience like today is good and his quality and capacity. His combinations are good.’ MORE: Jurgen Klopp picks out Manchester United trio ahead of clash Liverpool clash #MesutOzil #UnaiEmery #BATEBorisov