#maybe finishing this book will give me the motivation to read more of Rebecca...

[sixofravens-reads]

okay, well, I've read almost 50 pages of The Woman in Me in about half an hour, so I guess starting it was a good idea...

#the writing style is extremely plain and simple which is mildly annoying but makws for a quick read #maybe finishing this book will give me the motivation to read more of Rebecca... #thinking about reading

[stormhearty]

Let's see, let's see. What would writing be without a distraction, right? Hahaha. It usually happens that we get stuck in a fanfic, it does :) maybe it's time to give a little time to the one that's making you question yourself? I don't know, take a breather and come back to see if you've come up with a concept? In fact, you're questioning yourself because maybe it's not the way you want it to be, you're afraid it won't turn out the way the anon asked or it's just an author's insecurity? (we usually always feel insecure, lmao). I ask a lot of questions, my sincere apologies😳

Tiktok influences us a lot. I have a huge list of books to read and it tends to grow, since with each scroll, I'm seduced into adding even more books😅

There's nothing better than getting back to reading after a while of not being able to touch a book. "Especially fantasy novels?" That gives me the vibe that you didn't used to read this kind of genre. Ahn, I've never heard of this book by Dan Brown, maybe I'll check it out later to find out more. Which duologies? If I may, I have a duology that's my favorite… You've heard of "six of crows" it doesn't focus on romance, there's practically no romance, let's start there (I realized that I love fantasies with crumbs of romance or almost nonexistent, hahaha) this duology has a place in my heart💘

It's a book that divides many opinions, even here in my country. Have you heard of "All Your Imperfections" by Colleen Hoover? That's the book in question. To be honest, my reaction was more motivated by the fact that pre-established concepts before I even finished it went against what I realized at the end. I don't know what to think… I'm on the fence and all I know is that I like it enough to wonder why I don't like it, and I don't like it enough to wonder why I like it, lmao.

I might lean into re-writing one of them again from the top. The other one, I'm seeing if I can start again and I might just continue the way it is going - it's with the reader healing so, I'm happy about it for now. And it's a combination of all of those, in all honesty. I want to fulfill the request to the best of my ability and of course, author's insecurities. This is the first time, in a long time, I have written fanfiction. And I'm still reading the books, so it's always so difficult to ensure that the characters are still in character.

I'm just now playing Sims 4 as a breather and watching old Among Us videos LMAO. And don't be sorry! I love it!

You speak the truth. I try to step away from TikTok to prevent that from happening. Hahha.

I am mostly a murder/mystery type of girl when it comes to books, movies, and dramas. I used to read, of course, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, Hunger Games, etc. I used to read fantasy romances, but that was a long time ago. As an adult in my 30s, I tend to stay away (because I always thought it was very... predictable). And so picking up ACOTAR was a big thing for me. And I really don't regret it. I loved the story and the world building.

Dan Brown's is a murder/mystery novelist. Some of his books became movies that featured Tom Hanks! I highly recommend them! I have "One Dark Window" & "Two Twisted Crowns" by Racgek Gukkubg and "Divine Rivals" & "Ruthelss Vows" by Rebecca Ross as the two duologies on my shelf right now that I will read next after ACOTAR. I have heard of "Six of Crows"! I might look into it!

I've heard of Colleen Hoover, but never really heard of her books. But I also heard of the rumors (?) that surrounded her? I don't know the full story but does the matter revolve around the rumors surrounding her or is it just the story plot itself?

#( .nikki ramblings ) #( .asks ) #( .anon )

[mysterioh]

ᕼEᒪTEᖇ ᔕKEᒪTEᖇ - [2/8]

Pairing: Cop!Bucky Barnes x Cop!Reader

Summary: The year is 1989 and what better to prepare for the next decade than with a killing spree? A string of gruesome deaths has thrust the city of New York into absolute mayhem and terror causing intoxicating fear to settle within the niches of the city’s underbelly. Having used up every trick in the book and earning nothing, Police Commissioner Stark seeks the aid of the NYPD’s most elite task force.

A force of two.

A reticent genius and a cheeky casanova.

WARNINGS: Death, Murder, Graphic Depictions of Violence and Gore, Language, Usage of Drugs, All the makings of a Crime Show.

Written for @captainscanadian 1k Writing Challenge!

Masterlist

A Recording

11:22 AM

New York City Police Department - 88th Precinct

Brooklyn, NY 

Saturday, October 14, 1989

“You can’t do this!” 

Tony slams his fist on the desk in frustration. 

“I don’t see why I can’t,” Fury responds calmly through the phone.  

“This is my jurisdiction, I run things around here,” Tony retorts with a sharp edge to his words.  “I don’t need help, especially from two kids.” 

Fury sighs deeply. “Really now?” he asks with a mocking chuckle. “And how far have you come in your own investigation?” 

The line goes silent. Tony knows the answer, but he’s unwilling to reply. Despite his inadequacy, he remains obstinate in his opinion as he sits perched on his office desk. Teeth clenched. Lips tugged down into a scowl. Finger twisting around the telephone cord violently. 

“Have you found the killer?” Fury asks another question. “I’ve checked the files, you have nothing,” he snaps at him. “I want answers, Stark. I need results. I need whoever the hell it is that’s running around killing people behind bars. And what have you given me? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.” 

Tony pinches the bridge of his nose and lets out a slow exhale. “If you give me more time I know my team will be able to do it,” he assures. “I don’t need those two to do it.” 

Fury chuckles haughtily. “You’re new around here, Captain,” he states. “This isn’t sunny Malibu, this is New York.” 

“I grew up in Manhattan,” Tony replies boldly. “I know exactly what it is.” 

“Then I suggest you quickly learn to accept help when help is given,” his stalwart says firmly. 

“Those two are more than qualified for this job. They’re not kids, they’re fully trained and capable agents. Both the top of their class with mastery in the sciences and combat. They’re goddamn geniuses,”

Tony rolls his eyes and scoffs silently. 

“If anyone is going to crack this case, it’s them, and if you do anything to get in their way. I can assure you it will not end well for you,” Fury threatens with emphasis on each word. 

“Do I make myself clear?” 

Tony sighs exasperated and turns his head to look through the blinds of the window. His eyes narrow, shooting daggers at the two detectives. 

“Crystal.” 

------

“So the last shall be first, and the first last.” Peter reads off the photograph. “What does that mean?”

“It’s a bible verse,” Bucky tells him. “Written in the gospel of Matthew. It means that those who have prospered through wickedness will fail in the end and those who do good works will earn salvation.”

Peter and a few other officers stare at him, silent but judging in their expression. 

“What?” Bucky asks. “My grandma used to take me to church with her every Sunday when I was a kid.” 

You shake your head with a sigh and examine the photographs pinned onto the bulletin board. 

“Harold Tucker. Age forty-seven. Died October 6th.” you read off.

“Rebecca Reid. Age fifty-five. Died five days later.” 

“Louis Clark. Age forty-two. Died October 13th.” 

Bucky gasps. “And on Friday the 13th. What an unlucky day for her,” he shakes his head in pity.

“Oh god, don’t tell me you actually believe in that bullshit,” Tony growls as he approaches them. 

“I don’t,” he shrugs. “But it seems to be more than just a coincidence.” 

“Coincidence or not. They’re dead,” you deadpan. “Repeatedly stabbed in the chest and left to die.” 

“But the writing on the wall?” Peter asks again. “What does it have to do with them? They’re just ordinary people. Law-abiding citizens.”

“Did you run a background check?” Bucky asks, turning through papers in Louisa’s file. 

Peter nods. “Yeah, all clean. I think old Harry had a DUI somewhere but that’s about it.” 

“Maybe it’s something not written on paper,” Tony suggests, coming to stand next to you. “Something more personal?” 

“We all sin. Some more heavily than others,” he notes. “Maybe, the killer has his own sense of justice. He’s taking the law into his own hands.” 

“That’s highly unlikely,” you shut him down quickly. He glares at you. “In a city of over a million, how would you even know who to pick?” you question. “They aren’t mindlessly killing people. These are targeted victims.” 

“Y/N’s right, they must be connected in one way or another,” Bucky adds, “the writing on the wall speaks about justice but to the killer, it must mean more than that. It’s revenge. They are people who have done something to him and now it's his turn to get back at ‘em.” 

Rhodey shrugs. “Makes sense to me.” Tony elbows him in the arm. He looks at him confused. “What?” 

The captain sighs, returning to the board. “Moving on. Our lovely perpetrator decided to name themselves.” 

“The children of Oedipus,” Bucky finishes. 

“Oedipus was—” you started

“The man that killed his father and married his mother,” Tony interrupted quickly. “We know the story.” 

You huff, returning his earlier glare. 

“He had four children,” Bucky chimes in, trying to ease the tension between the two. “Eteocles, Polynices, Antigone, and Ismene." 

“Does that mean there are four killers?" Peter asks. 

You open your mouth to speak only to be stopped by the receptionist. 

“Captain, we found this box outside the station,” she walks to the group with it. “It’s addressed to you.” 

“Me?” he asks. 

She nods and hands him a plain cardboard box with a white name label plastered on the top. He takes it with a raised brow, looking at his comrades before ripping the tape off. He lifts the flap of the cardboard box to reveal a single Panasonic Cassette Recorder wrapped in a newspaper. 

He takes it out. “It’s a tape recorder.” 

Rhodey scans the newspaper. “This is today’s paper,” he states. 

“There’s a cassette inside,” Tony notes.

“Play it,” you tell him. 

He places it on the table and presses the play button. 

The black tape begins to roll and they all listen quietly to static, waiting anxiously for something to happen. 

“Heyo! It's me, Polynices!” a spritely boyish voice greets. 

“Don't forget me, Antigone!” a girl speaks from behind. 

"We are the children of Oedipus!" he informs with pride."Cursed from birth and doomed for destruction!" 

"Lemme guess your first question is who are we really?" Antigone asks. "Too bad, we can't tell you or it'll spoil all the fun.”

Tony scoffs with a turn of the head. 

“Now that we finally have your undivided attention and some new faces to help,” Your head whips towards Bucky to find him just as confused as you. “How about we play a game, huh?” 

"Let's play Cops and Robbers!” Polynices exclaims like a child. "Where you're the cops and we're the robbers. All you have to do is catch us. Sounds pretty easy right?” 

“Super easy!” Antigone chirps. “Since this is our first time playing, we’ll give you an easy riddle to catch us in the act.” 

"Let's see if you can get to 'em before we do, huh, Captain Stark?" she asks, her tone shifts dramatically from childish to taunting and dangerous. 

“Here's the clue for today,” she states. "What walks on two legs in the morning, then four at noon, and three in the evening and never stops?”  

“The hell does that mean?” Rhodey murmurs. 

“You have till midnight tonight to solve our riddle,” she states. You can hear the wicked smile in her voice as she speaks along with the devil snickering in the background. 

"Happy hunting!"

8:15 PM

Montague Apartments

Brooklyn, NY

Saturday, October 14, 1989

-

It's early morning, the sun comes out

Last night was shaking and pretty loud

My cat is purring, it scratches my skin

So what is wrong with another sin?

-

Music blasts from an old stereo that sat on the kitchen counter and bounces off the old stained walls of the apartment. High-pitched guitar riffs threaten the glass in the cupboards into cracking as the deep bass of the drums makes tabletops vibrate, rattling the objects around the house. 

Charlie, the orange tabby, digs his face deeper into the blanket left in a pile on the couch as the raspy voice of the lead singer screams in his ears. You sit next to him, slouched into the squeaky sofa, feet resting on the rickety coffee table, completely unphased by the music. Your eyes were glued to the wall that was stickered with photographs and red lines of thread twisted around thumbtacks running in every direction.

Three hours left and you still couldn’t figure it out. 

"What walks on two legs in the morning, then four at noon, and three in the evening and never stops?” 

Her voice echoes in your head. They both sound young. Filled with energy and a lust for blood. You were beginning to question yourself. Was there a motive behind it all or was it just a game like the Captain had stated? 

-

The bitch is hungry, she needs to tell

So give her inches and feed her well

More days to come, new places to go

I've got to leave, it's time for a show

-

Bucky walks down the hallway and catches the loud knock on the door. He opens it to find the landlady. A short, stout woman who swore she was still in her thirties, even when the wrinkles embedded in her face stated otherwise. 

The brunette leans against the doorframe and gives her a wolfish grin. His blue eyes gleam under the stale white light of the hallway, charming the old lady. Her heart beats rapidly like a teenage girl under his alluring gaze. 

-

Here I am, rock you like a hurricane. 

Are you ready, baby? 

-

“Mrs. P, how’s it going?” he asks smoothly. 

She straightens herself and clears her throat. “I’m fine,” she replies curtly. “I’ve been trying to catch you all day. I’m here to talk about the rent.” 

“The what?” he brings a hand to his ear, I can’t hear you! The music’s too loud!” 

He can hear her perfectly fine. 

“The rent! You have to pay me rent! It’s been a month!” she shouts over the music, “Please turn down your music! The neighbors are complaining!” 

“I can’t talk right now.  I’m in the middle of a very important case,” he replies, slowly closing the door. “It was nice talking to you though!” 

“No! No, wait!” she shouts before he shuts it in her face. 

He snickers as he crosses the living room and into the kitchen. He turns the music down, earning a snap of the head towards him. “Hey!” you protest with a shout.  

“Do you want the neighbors to murder us?” he replies, opening the fridge to find it like usual. 

Empty. 

He slams the door of the fridge in disappointment. There’s no real reason to be disappointed. Both of them were experts in neglecting their household chores.

“Y’know, we should go do some shopping soon,” Bucky says as he walks back to you. 

You grimace. “Someone is going to get murdered in less than three hours and you’re worried about food?”  

“Are you kidding me?” he retorts. “Look at me!” he exclaims, lifting his shirt to reveal a lean torso. “I’m all skin and bones! You’re starving me to death here!” 

You roll your eyes then get up. “I’m not your mother. Feed yourself.” 

“But it’s your job to do the grocery!” he protests with an accusatory finger. 

“Since when?” you ask incredulously. 

“Since we started living here,” he reminds. “Stop acting like you don’t know what I’m talking about.” 

You click your tongue, walking over to the pantry and take out a bag of potato chips. You throw them at his face and walk back to the suspect board. “Now shut up and let me think.” 

“Thank you,” he smiles warmly and you have a sudden urge to feed him a punch. 

He opens the bag and begins chomping. He comes to stand next to you in front of the wall. “So got anything yet?” 

“No,” you sigh. “You?” 

“You’re smarter than me, Sis,” he remarks. “If you don’t have anything, how do you expect me to?” 

“That’s not true.” 

Bucky snorts. “Whatever you say, Valedictorian.” 

“Shut the hell up, Salutatorian,” you smirked, side eying him. 

He bumps your hip with his, earning a chuckle from you. 

He enjoys the rare moments he can make you laugh. It makes him feel like a million bucks because if he can make the grumpy goth grandma laugh he can make every chick in the city laugh. 

"What walks on two legs in the morning, four at noon, then three in the evening and never stops?” You repeat for the umpteenth time. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“It’s the question that the Sphinx asked Oedipus outside of Thebes.” 

“I know that,” you replied. “But what does it have to do with us?” 

“The answer was man,” he takes another chip into his mouth. “And it ended up curing the city and made Oedipus king.” 

You hum bringing a hand to your mouth in contemplation. “Wait a second,” your hand falls. 

“What?” 

“The riddle. It’s different,” you dash over to the bookshelf, scanning through them to find the collection of Greek Tragedies by Sophocles given to you by an old professor friend. Bucky comes over and looks over your shoulder. Flipping through the pages and skimming through the words with a finger, you stop when you find the scene of Oedipus and the Sphinx. 

“See,” you show him the passage in the book, “here it’s a four-two-three progression. The stages of a man’s life. An infant in the morning, an adult in the afternoon, and an old man in the night.” 

“They changed it,” Bucky says. "That means the answer isn't man anymore.”  

"The "never stops" in Antigone's riddle was clearly added," you pointed out. "So they are alluding to a place that’s open twenty-four hours." 

"This is New York!" Bucky throws his arms in the air in exclamation. "The whole damn city is open all the time!" 

"Runs at two in the morning, four at noon, then three at night and never stops,” you repeat softly. 

Silence settles in the room as the two of you dig deep into the crevices of your mind. Unfurling through files and tidbits of information that could give even a minor lead. 

tick - tock - tick - tock

The clock echoes the beat of your heart. Eerily calm. Heavy and systematic. Achingly slow. Reminding you that every passing minute wasted here was the countdown to someone’s last. 

Bucky’s head whips towards the map of New York hung on the wall by the suspect board. The bag of chips in his hand drops to the floor as he makes his way to it. Your eyes follow him in confusion. 

"2-4-3,” he murmurs, scanning the map.

"What?" 

"2-4-3!" he exclaims, turning back to you with a dopey smile. 

"Speak words dumbass!" you hiss. 

"Don't you get it?” he asks, a chuckle coloring his word. “The 2-4-3!" 

Your eyes grow wide in epiphany. "The 2-4-3!" 

Bucky runs towards the door, yanking his coat off the hook on the wall. "C'mon, let's go!" he shouts. "We don't have much time!"

A/N: No, I have not been listening to 80s music for the past three days. 

TAGLIST (OPEN): @murdermornings @chuckennuggets1213 @miraclesoflove @marshyrebelcloud​ @fckdeusername @undiadeestos @spiderrpcrker @welovecaptainamericaass​ @flyingowls​

#bucky barnes x reader #cbc1kwc #bucky barnes imagine #cop!bucky barnes x reader #cop!bucky barnes x cop!reader #bucky barnes x y/n #bucky barnes x you #bucky x you #bucky x reader #bucky barnes

[thebookrat]

Yesterday, Julie Cooper stopped by to share a bit about her recent release, Nameless, as well as offer up a chance to win a copy (so make sure you go check that out). Today, Sophia Rose is dropping in to share her thoughts on the book. Enjoy!

Nameless by Julie Cooper

Historical Romance, Romantic Suspense, Classic Variation

Publisher:  Quills and Quartos

https://www.quillsandquartos.com/

Published:  8.9.21

Pages: 292

Rating: 5

Format: Paperback

Source:  Quills and Quatros

Sellers:  Amazon

GoodReads

GoodReads Blurb:

“This was not a man who would explode in a rage, or who would give way to shame or temper...which meant my choices were simple: either he had killed her in cold blood, or he had not killed her at all.”

ORPHANED AND ALONE IN THE WORLD, Elizabeth Bennet has found reasonable contentment as a companion to the Dowager Countess of Matlock, the affairs of 1811 and Fitzwilliam Darcy long forgotten. But the past intrudes upon her again, and Mr Darcy returns to her, handsome, wealthy, and widowed, and hiding many secrets beneath his solemn exterior. 

BUT IF TIME HAD ALTERED THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES, one thing remains: Mr Darcy still wishes to marry her, and this time, Elizabeth consents. At nearly twenty-nine it is inarguably a good prospect for her and indeed, not until they arrive at his vast estate does she realise how large a shadow his late wife will cast over their growing love. But the new Mrs Darcy’s courage will continue to rise despite the many attempts to intimidate her; and she vows to use whatever power she holds over the master of Pemberley to keep him.

Nameless is a tale of the triumph of good over evil, of passion over prejudice, of loyalty over lies…and most of all, of enduring, unfailing love.

Review:

“I dreamed I went to Pemberley again…”

That opening line set fire to my imagination.  I wasn’t many chapters in when I confirmed that I was getting a clever rendition inspired by Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca.  Dark, brooding, but hopeful and sparkling.

For seven years, Elizabeth Bennet has lived her life without encountering the haughty Fitzwilliam Darcy she once knew when he visited her home neighborhood in Hertfordshire.  Enough time and significant events have passed to consider her early distaste and foolish adherence to another man’s lies.  So, when he re-enters her life again, far from her carefree days as a daughter of Longbourn, she is in a different frame of mind and situation.  They’ve both trod a darker path and now she hopes for a chance at peace, some happiness, and maybe more when Fitzwilliam Darcy sweeps her way from the drudging life as his aunt’s companion and takes her to Pemberley.  However, a ghost must be laid to rest before she can have a glimpse of any of those things.

Nameless, as a result of marrying two classics, becomes a whole new story.  Those who enjoy Pride and Prejudice variations and sequels will rejoice in a fresh, well-written variation that displays excellent setting, tone, characterization, and a beloved hard-fought, dramatic romance.  At the same time, fans of Rebecca will not be disappointed.  The names and places are different, but key elements of the story are in strong evidence.  Readers do not need to worry if they have not read the source stories.  Being familiar with either or both provides for more anticipation, but this is its own splendid tale.  Ah, and let me also mention that an astute fan will spy familiar minor characters from elsewhere.

Being familiar with both did not mean there were no surprises.  The book has excellent mounting tension moments that offer good payoffs, but sometimes there are twists that come out of nowhere.  Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam both are put through the wringer and it is unsurprising that they come through because both have grown stronger through past adversity and still trying to find their way, particularly Elizabeth who gets knocked down, but keeps dusting off and getting back up.  She won’t give up on Fitzwilliam even when he gives her reason to.  Elizabeth narrates the whole story from first person perspective so Fitzwilliam’s actions and motives are something of a mystery for some time, though, yes, being familiar with both stories led me to make several correct assumptions about where something was going before Elizabeth figured it out.  The biggest mystery was not the possible murder, but whether the romance would weather all that was thrown at it.

Thoroughly engaged from the beginning, this story stayed on pace and my focus never lagged.  In truth, I found it unputdownable.  Usually when there is a vast deal of angst, I want a break, but the troubles were such that I found the story more absorbing not less.  The glowing epilogue was the right finishing touch.  Like Elizabeth, I am caught lingering in my memories of this bewitching variation and recommend it to fans of historical romance with a gothic atmosphere and those who adore classic variations.

Sophia’s Bio:

Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate. Writing has been a compelling need since childhood. Being published is a dream come true.

Sophia has moderated a fun-loving bunch of Austenesque lovers group on GoodReads for six years now and welcomes newbies anytime!

Click here to return to the master list of Austen in August posts!

via The Book Rat

#IFTTT #The Book Rat

[evalocity]

Password to your Heart

Pairing : Junmyeon x Becky (my friend Admin B from @noona-clock !)

Words : 2k

Genre : Fluff, Hogwarts!Au, a little bit of angst

Summary : They do say stereotypes have a part of truth in them, and when it comes to the smart, nerdy, bookworm Ravenclaw and the brave, athletic, witty Gryffindor, it seems that this part of truth lies in Becky, Junmyeon and the cheesy crush they have for each other but will never admit. Or will they ?

Message for Admin B : It’s been a while since I’ve shared my work to anyone at all, but when Admin T came to me and asked me to do something for your birthday Becky, it was with great pleasure that I accepted. I honestly don’t remember being more motivated and enthusiastic for a fic than with this one ! Waiting a whole week for you to read this was absolute torture, and I low key forced a few of my mutuals to read some parts to have feedback because I wanted everything to be perfect. I truly hope you’ll like this. I wish you an amazing Birthday and year, you’ve been such a good friend to me B (you and T !) I’m so so glad I decided to follow your blog and that we became mutuals cause damn I don’t know what I would do without your writing and, well, you ^^ Hope you enjoy xoxo

“Password ?” 

“What ?” 

“I asked for the password you have to say for me to let you pass.” The portrait of an old, bearded man in front of Becky replied with an annoyed tone. “Don’t you know how it works ?”

The Ravenclaw frowned. The secret passages she’d use to arrive on time for her classes never required a password before, and she sure as hell wasn’t going to deal with Sprout’s wrath would she be late because of the stubbornness of a portrait.  

“I’ve been using secret passages for seven years. How come are you the only one enforcing a password to cross yours ?” 

“Because I decided so.” 

Great. Becky thought while rolling her eyes as she tried to think of a way to pass. 

After a minute that felt like an eternity of the girl’s dark eyes glaring at the portrait’s painted ones, the old man sighed, having seemingly gave up trying to get out winner of this situation. 

“Are you going to stand here all morning ?” He asked, this time fear more present in his tone than irritation. 

"Well that depends..maybe you could make an exception for me ?” Becky asked while doing what she hoped would look like puppy eyes. “It’s my birthday and I really, really, don’t want to start the day with a detention. Pretty please ?” 

The portrait stayed silent for a few seconds, visibly weighing his limited options. 

“Very well, very well.” He finally said, defeated. “Normally I would obviously have refused you access to my passage but as it’s your birthday...maybe I could give you a present for the occasion.” 

“Look that’s nice but I really don’t have the ti-”

“Pumpkin Pastry. Happy birthday.” 

Becky couldn’t help but carry a smile of content as she realized what the portrait meant and thanked him.

“Don’t mention it.” 

“Sweets as passwords, though ?” She said sarcastically, crossing the passage’s entrance. “Isn’t that Professor Dumbledore’s thing ?” 

“He stole it from me.” 

Becky loved using secret passages. Yes, of course, it’d provide her with a quick and efficient way to move around the castle, but mostly she’d use them to be in her own world for a few minutes, or a few hours would she sit in the middle of the dark yet warm corridors to finish a book. And the best thing was, whereas wherever she’d be or whatever she’d touch in the gigantic castle had been someone else’s before - even her own bed - these long passages were that one thing that she and only she owned. 

It’s not that she didn’t have friends or anything. Actually, Becky was well-liked amongst all Houses combined. Ambitious, loyal, friendly and smart, it seemed like the Ravenclaw was the best student and friend you could ask for. But that was the heart of the problem. Her problem. One might think that being this “perfect” brought the perfect life along, but truth was all it truly brought was the unbearable pressure of always hiding behind a flawless facade, leading Becky to need a break from the rest of the world pretty often.

Although her joyful aura was appreciated by many, there were still students at Hogwarts that rather preferred picking on the young wizard to see it finally break. Sometimes, they did succeed, but she’d never cry in front of them and instead would opt for hiding in a secret passage until the tears would stop falling. 

And when Becky thought about who these bullies were, it truly didn’t surprise her that most of them were Gryffindors. Not because in that House necessarily lied meaner people, but because it was in that House that belonged Kim Junmyeon.  

Ugh. 

Only thinking about him made her want to throw up. 

When she saw him sit on that small wooden stool, waiting to be sorted and nervously playing with his fingers when they were only 12 and had been in Hogwarts for no more than 15 minutes, her young and inexperienced heart had ridiculously missed a beat. 

That was before he’d actually open his mouth. 

Nowadays the Ravenclaw prefect saw Junmyeon as he truly was : the Gryffindor troublemaker. Always late in class, always with his tie undone - Becky had to admit it was kinda sexy, but nobody needed to know that - always picking on her and calling her “Becca” or “Becs” or anything that wasn’t what she liked to be called as...

The young girl shook her head. Trying to forget about all that, as after all it was the point of using these secret passages, she focused on the feeling of her fingers sliding against the cold stone walls when she was walking until, by turning a corner, she was stopped short by a jet-haired boy in front of her she recognized way too well.

His doe-brown eyes widen as they met hers, both of their faces distorted in horror. 

“Jun-Junmyeon ?” Becky stammered with bulging eyes. “What the hell are you doing here ?”

“Becca ?!” He said, visibly just as shocked but also suspiciously uncomfortable and out of breath, as if he had been caught rather than surprised. “I...huh didn’t see you there. What’s up ?” 

“I've told you a thousand time it’s Becky.” She stuttered trying not to look at the boy’s unsurprisingly undone tie and messy hair but only ending up turning red. “And you didn’t answer my question...” 

“Why are you blushing ?” Junmyeon asked, quirking an eyebrow arrogantly as he knew so well how to.

“Just tell me what you’re doing here !” 

The Gryffindor didn’t answer right away, and Becky could swear he was up to no good though investigating the mess he’d done 10 minutes before class wasn’t what she had in mind. 

“I’m not sure that concerns you, princess.” He simply said, and Becky prayed she didn’t turn even more red at the nickname, internally confused at why it was suddenly so hot in the confined space. 

“I’m a Prefect, so yes whatever you’re up to does concern me.” She tried to reply as sharply as possible. “However, I’m late for class and you’re definitely not on my priority list right now, so I’ll deal with you later.” And with that she passed him by, heading to the passage’s exit. 

“Not your priority, huh ?” Junmyeon inquired as he followed her lead. “I’m hurt.” 

“Just leave me alone, Junmyeon ! I already had to fight my way in here with a portrait, I don’t want to fight my way out with you.” 

“Why are you acting all high and mighty suddenly ?” He continued, obviously having other plans in mind than respecting the boundaries the Ravenclaw was desperately trying to set. “I know you can be fun, Minseok hyung told me you’re always the one making people laugh in your common room.” 

“Didn’t know Minseok was in your group of bullies.” Becky said, her mind racing at the thought of her friend telling Junmyeon about what she was like. 

The back of the tapestry that hid the passage’s exit was now only a few feet in front of the two teens and, without even waiting for an answer to her comment, she accelerated her pace to finally get out of what seemed to be hell.

“I thought I told you to leave me alone !” Becky hurled, looking behind her shoulder at Junmyeon who’d seem to keep following her once outside the passage. 

When she finally saw him stop in his tracks, the Ravenclaw satisfyingly turned around to look in front on her until she was stopped herself by noticing that the tall and imposant figure of her transfiguration professor was standing in the middle of the corridor, her green eyes staring at them both with reprobation and discontent. 

“So this really isn’t my day, huh.” The prefect couldn’t help but say out loud. 

“Professor McGonagall, Rebecca has nothing to do with this.” Junmyeon said, stepping forward next to Becky who, confused, was trying to silently ask the boy what he could possibly be talking about. 

“Please, spare me your excuses, Mr. Kim.” The woman said firmly, her piercing gaze almost magically forcing the teens to stay quiet. “It is very noble of you to try to defend your classmate, but I am sorry to tell you that both of you, along with the other students that helped perpetrate this prank, will be forced to attend detention tonight in the Forbidden Forest.” 

“What ?!”

“Yes, professor...” 

“You must be kidding me.” Was the only thing Becky could manage to add as she watched McGonagall quietly turning a corner of the corridor and disappearing. “For Merlin’s sake, please tell me this is a dream.” 

“Becca...” 

“Pinch me. You have to pinch me cause I need to wake up I swear this can’t-” 

“Bec stop !” 

“No YOU stop !” Becky almost shouted to the point where the Gryffindor took a few steps away from her. “Minerva McGonagall just sent me to the Forbidden Forest on my birthday because YOU fucked up as you always do !” 

The girl took a deep breath and didn’t speak for a few minutes, merely acknowledging Junmyeon who hadn’t moved an inch. 

“So, see you tonight, right ? Can’t wait for the birthday party to start.” She finally said and with that she was stormed off without another word. 

“Where are the others ?” 

“They already went in, I waited for you.” Junmyeon answered quietly as they walked towards the dark forest, noticing how Becky’s dull eyes didn’t even bother looking at him when she sarcastically snapped back “too kind.”

When Becky was sarcastic, it was never good. Junmyeon knew that well. It was her way of protecting herself from him, from others. 

How she’d act when he’d put a lock of hair behind her ear for her on purpose. What she’d do when he’d stare at her just a bit too long as she’d blame her cheeks getting red on her being angry instead of shy. 

The teenagers both had a warm cloak over their uniforms, the Gryffindors eyes shining under the light of the Ravenclaw’s wand. The boy was trying to find a way of making conversation, but before he could say a word he was cut by his counterpart who was visibly feeling uncomfortable by the deafening silence too. 

“Do you ever comb your hair ?” She asked and Junmyeon was taken aback by the weirdness of the question. 

“I don’t know...I never really bothered, why ?” 

“It’s been 5 years and it seems everyday is your bad hair day.” 

“Oh, so you noticed that ?” He teased as Becky’s cheeks unsurprisingly started getting red. 

She didn’t answer and instead looked away, embarrassed that someone now knew how, when she’d drift away and stop listening in class, it was him she’d observe. 

Why did Junmyeon always had to make her uncomfortable ? She hated that. She hated him. 

You started it. Becky thought only to curse herself for thinking that.

“What are you thinking about ?” 

The girl stopped in her tracks, turning her head to look at Junmyeon who had spoken up and found herself destabilized by the way he was deeply staring at her. 

“That this night sucks.” She muttered, trying to keep her composure by crossing her arms. 

“No it doesn’t.” The boy softly said but shut up as Becky shushed him. “What is it ?” 

“I heard a noise...” 

“It’s probably just the wind.” 

“Or a wild, big and hungry animal.” 

Junmyeon rolled his eyes and shook his head. 

“Whatever.” He chuckled, a smirk on his lips as he quicken his pace. 

“Hey ! Don’t you dare leave me behind Kim Junmyeon or my ghost will haunt your ass !” 

The boy slowed down but kept smiling at the thought of Becky opening up to him, being funny around him and, just, being herself. 

Wasn’t it little steps that mattered most ? 

“I’m serious though ! This is by far the worst way to celebrate a bir-” Becky tried to add but was cut off by the forest around her illuminating suddenly as all she heard was Lumos !. 

With her mouth slightly opened, she saw garlands light up in the branches of the old trees of the forest. Minseok, Yixing, Irene, her best friend Seulgi and even Junmyeon’s own best friend Chanyeol were all there, holding a cake in the air with their wands and smiling at her. 

“Jun...Junmyeon ?” She stammered, looking at the boy who had the brightest smile of them all.

“Happy Birthday Becs.” 

For a few seconds no sounds would come out of Becky’s mouth. Until all she could ask was “Was that...your idea ?” 

“It was.” Chanyeol answered for his friend with a wink. “And he owes me 5 galleons for helping making the cake.” He continued, but a simple glare from his friends told him to shut up. 

“So...are we going to eat that cake or not ?” Yixing asked, and in that moment Junmyeon regretted he didn’t plan something without his guy friends. 

“How about you start eating and the birthday girl joins you in a few minutes, yeah ?” He proposed, and everyone seemed to understand what he meant. 

Everyone except Becky who couldn’t remember being more confused in the entirety of her life.

“I-I don’t understand.” She said, looking at the Gryffindor in desperation for an answer. 

“Look, I don’t want to sound cheesy here, but I...I really like you, Becca. I wanted to show it to you tonight, with this birthday party in the woods and witg professor McGonagall’s help as..I know I haven’t always been able to do so properly before.” 

“Yeah...that’s an understatement.” Becky murmured, letting out a sigh. “I’ve had a crush on you ever since I watched you during the Sorting Ceremony and...Merlin this is embarrassing.” 

Junmyeon laughed warmly, embracing the young girl who stood stoic in his arms, unable to move from the shock of how her day went on. 

“This is crazy.” She said, feeling weak, but was shut up by the chaste kiss that the boy put on her lips. 

“Was that alright ?” He asked nervously, and Becky could swear the last time she had seen him this nervous had been 5 years ago when he sat on that wooden stool. 

“It was perfect.” 

“I meant if it was okay for me to kiss you, but I’ll take that too.” 

It was the Ravenclaw’s time to laugh, and taking the boy by his loose tie, she pulled him against her to kiss him again. 

“Huh Becky ?” Seulgi called. “Not to ruin the moment, but there are people...watching this.” 

“Not in a thousand years would I have believed professor Trelawney had she told me this day would be real.” Becky softly said to the boy who was now inches from her face. 

“Happy Birthday, princess.”

#exo #exo suho #exo junmyeom #exo xiumin #hogwarts au #harry potter au #k-pop #fanfiction #alternate universe #harry potter universe #hogwarts #ravenclaw #gryffindor

[queermequeeryou]

chapter one

Leo was arranging all the papers on her desk and just preparing for the next lecture as usual. Nothing has changed in her life recently. University work, evenings with her brother and few drinks with him and his boyfriend during the weekends as well. She really enjoyed this way of living. She would never come back to Spain. However, thinking about mother was still making her feel indifferent. They were never really close but it was strange to her when she was realizing that she doesn’t have anybody in the country where she has grown up. Anyway, life goes on, everything changes. Why should she bother? She was quite tend to reflect on life and dozens of other things so it was kinda unavoidable. She opened the window to let some fresh air inside the room.

“Good morning, Professor” said few students who just came into the class and started unpacking their notebooks.

She leaned her head as usual and checked if she has all literature that she needed for today. When she realized that Paris Burton has arrived in a company of the other student named Rebecca Bray, Leo immediately focused her look on the notes. She didn’t like to catch her glance today. This was all very strange. Leo would never do the first step or even show any kind of unusual interest towards a student. She has always considered herself a professional so it was beyond consideration. Although, when Paris started to come to her in extra hours to ask about helping with Spanish grammar, she knew that something is on. She couldn’t resist her. That was very straightforward and it was impossible to read it the other way. Paris was very brave and reckless with her flirt and eventually, Leo replied for her gestures. She couldn’t say without hesitation  that she regretted it. Paris was great lover and they enjoyed each others companion but Leo couldn’t stop blaming herself and tried to distance. Although, it was really hard as they were seeing each others three times a week at university. Sometimes even more, when they accidentally met on the corridors or somewhere between other lectures. Paris was really hot and had this very tempting vibe that one couldn’t neglect. Leo didn’t know what to do but she decided not to go crazy on this. If the principal will find it, she’ll find it. No need to further concerns. Nevertheless, personal second-thoughts can sometimes be harder punishment than others opinions.

“Buenos dias estudiantes” said Leo when the time was right and all students gathered in the room. “Today we’re going to review the Pretérito Indefinido.”

*

After one and a half hour of practicing Spanish grammar with the students, Mad thanked them for the time spent together on learning and started to pack her things as this was the last lecture for today. People started to flow out of the room as it was also finish of their study day because Spanish course was an extra thing they could choose if they had enough points from grades and also enough motivation to stay and learn after hours. Mad took her case bag and closed the window.

Leo?” she heard Paris’ voice behind and immediately felt cautious as she wasn’t sure if everybody else’s out so they could speak that openly to each other. “Could you give me a ride?”

Mad gave her a look and started to think about the excuses. It was quite pointless as she figured out quickly.

“Yep. Come on. I’ll be waiting in the car. Hurry up, please” she replied and sped up her walk a little bit.

Nothing unusual. She was working at university. Nobody cared. She opened the door to her Ford Lincoln Continental from 60s that she really admired as it was not only a good car but also looked like a piece of art - matching her everyday elegant suit that she wore almost all time. Mad loved old cars. She could have dozens of them if she would be a billionaire. She lit a cigarette and waited not more than two minutes. Paris was there.

“Sorry, had to buy cigarettes but this fuckin gas station near uni is already closed” she said putting on the safety belt.

“You can have mine” replied Mad and gave her a cigarette.

“Mind helping me with the fire?”

Mad took a look around. Nobody near her car or in the close sight. She lit her cigarette as well also trying hard to glance too hard on her lips.

“You look gorgeous” said Mad when she started the ignition and they headed to the highway.

Paris put a hand on her knee.

“Maybe I can have a drink at your place? I’m not alone at the flat today” she suggested with a smile.

“Ok, sure” Mad took Paris’ hand from her knee and kissed it gently.

*

Paris took a nap while Mad was simply laying down and smoking. Trying to thing about anything else but self-blame. She was mature. Why blaming? She just didn’t want to lose the work she loved the most. Paris woke up and smiled then lied closer to Mad and let her arm embrace her.

“I love you” said Paris while looking at smoke.

Leo tried to not show her real reaction. She just kissed her on the cheek and rubbed her arm gently. That was all she could do. Although, inside she was panicking.

*

Mad really didn’t see that coming. Of course, she knew how much admiration Paris has been showing towards her from the first lecture and throughout their affair but love declaration wasn’t what she expected. She didn’t know what to do. She was the worst when it comes to stable relationships and she wasn’t into starting anything serious with 24-year-old girl. She shouldn’t let this happen. She really liked her, found her an intelligent, talented woman and she also found her very attractive although she didn’t consider declarations. It was something like friends with benefits for Mad. She was thinking about what has happened yesterday while she was on the steps at university. She came earlier today because she wanted to look through the library and work a bit on editing her book on Botswana she has finished writing recently. There was a sophisticated, classy looking women sitting in the main corridor. She seemed to wait for somebody. Leo met her glance for a second and she stare into her eyes while also straightening her dress a little bit. Mad went to the library and started work. After a while, she forgot about this incident because she focused on work she really loved. Leo went into the flow that always helped her to forget about the problems. She loved teaching Spanish, working and writing about Africa. She felt strong urge to go there again soon. Maybe there’s going to be a good idea. She thought she fancy some coffee so she decided to do a break after an hour or so. Went out of the library therefore. She saw that an elegant older woman was still walking around and looking onto her phone, then again around. Mad went closer.

“Excuse me, I’m a lecturer here. Maybe I might help? Are you looking for somebody?” she asked the elegant woman.

She stare at her for a longer moment.

“Yes, my niece was said to finish at 11:00 AM because she had only one lecture but she’s still not there. I’m worried”

“Mind if I’ll ask which major and year? Maybe I know more about that”

“Linguistics.Third year.” she replied with the worried voice.

Mad smiled a bit.

“Oh, they have two lectures more because they had them cancelled last week so professor Morgan decided to use the time for it so they won’t be forced to do it in the future and stay late at night” she replied kinda proud that she know it.

Paris has studied linguistics so she knew everything as she told her yesterday.

“Oh, so I have plenty of time. I might have a latte first and probably I’ll come later. Thank you. Do you know if there a café’or something?” said the lady.

Leo smiled again.

“Yes, I do. I am also heading there so I can lead you”

“Yes, please” replied the lady and followed Leo’s path.

“So, what do you teach?” she asked accidentally.

“Spanish. I was born in States but actually grew up in Spain so I’m well prepared to that” Mad was thinking if it’s not too much information but at this point, she just wanted to keep interest for a while. This woman was very fierce and she wanted to meet her a little bit more.

“Oh, that’s fascinating. I was in Spain hundreds of times. Mostly, because of gigs I used to have in the 80s”

Mad looked at her again and then she realized why her face seems familiar.

“I though I knew you somehow”.

“Oh, you don’t have to lie. I was really a one hit wonder. Nobody knows me anymore except old people like me” her reaction was kinda sweet but she said it in a really cold tone. Like most of what she said it was meant to be careless. Even if she used polite words it was all with a sense of privilege in her voice although, Mad didn’t mind it. She found it seducing.

“I’m not that young and besides that, I listen to 80s music mostly so I’m really not lying. LaToya Johnson. Your hit’s song name is Glance of love, right?”

She probably blushed a little bit and focused her gaze in the opposite direction.

“That’s correct. But I hope you’re not listening to this kind of cheesy music too much.

“Honestly speaking, no. I’m not a huge fan of music by artists like Jennifer Rush, Dionne Warwick or I don’t know... Celine Dion but I heard their hits few times and I can say which one is whose. Although, I know you’re more like Taylor Dayne than Whiney Houston but I hear the song and I enjoy in some kind of strange way” said Mad while trying to examine the older lady with her glance.

She didn’t reply. The coffee was ready so Leo stood up and brought both. Their hands touched, of course not accidentally as she gave LaToya her cup. Mad took off her suit jacket and put it on the back of the chair. Rolled her sleeves a little and then tried the coffee.

“It’s been so hot there, isn’t it?” said LaToya giving her a look above the cup and then, she focused on her drink.

Leo felt the tension from the first moment but this time it was quite different. The woman was approximately half her age older and she was very classy. She didn’t want to read her signs too far or too fast. LaToya put her leg on the another in a very sophisticated gesture but she also jogged Mad’s ankle. Leo wasn’t looking for another affair as she decided to focus on work after this thing that happened with Paris but the woman was really hard to resist.

“What’s your name?” asked LaToya quite out of the blue.

“Leo” she replied without further explanation.

LaToya didn’t ask about the details. She accepted that;s her name even if she obviously knew that it’s not a birth name for a woman.

“Leo, what really interests you?” it was another question that made her really intrigued.

She was thinking for a moment. What was the point of giving her the answer?

“Besides languages. Africa. I wrote quite a few books on this topic. Just finished one on Botswana. I was living in Gaborone for eleven months also in other little villages nearby. I was teaching English there. Honestly, I can’t wait to get back to Africa. It’s quite addicting” she told LaToya getting comfortable with her immediately.

“So, why are you there?”

“I have father and brother and the rest of my family in the States. Most of them, in NYC. Mother was from Spain, we were living there. She was adopted and her parents where weirdos, so they were not in touch. And she died last year. So, I’m here. I love it there but also I will go to Africa for few months again soon, that’s for sure” said Leo and took a sip of her coffee.”What interests you, LaToya?”

Mad hestitated a little before asking that straightly. She didn’t even know if she can call her that informally but it was the best way to try it out.

She put her coffee back on the table and played a little with her ring.

“I have a book publishing. I really like meeting interesting people.Not only because of my job.In general.I guess that I’m just interested in people the most. Considering my background, it’s quite surprising I’m still that into others but that’s, I suppose, the best answer to that” as usual Mad heard some coldness in her voice.

She was very closed. Phone notification has interrupted their talk. Mad apologized and looked onto her mobile screen. That was the mail from the staff telling her she has two lectures canceled because of the exams.

“All’s right?”

“Yes. I’m sorry for just staring into my phone silent that long.Just got the message from administration and have cancelled lectures. They need to occupy the language room for the exams” she explained to LaToya.

“Oh, I see. Do you mind having a short stroll and telling me more about your books?” asked LaToya in a very sophisticated manner.

“Sure, that’s an interesting idea” Mad took her suit jacket and they went out.

They were walking for half and our or so. That was very interesting conversation. Leo couldn’t recall the time when she was talking with somebody who had that much knowledge on some subject but still made her feel good in their presence, without much distance. Maybe, it was because she found LaToya’s coldness attractive because most of the people felt annoyed or bothered. She liked that game. First, she tried to act like she’s not realizing that at all and was just normally pleasant but she also has started to play a little bit. LaToya seemed to enjoy it but the older lady always stopped that in a moment she felt it was right. Like she wanted to control the situation. After another joke, she just suggested:

“Ok, Mrs. Africa. How would you find talking again? That’s my business card. Call me, we’ll discuss again and maybe, I will publish your new book” LaToya smiled for the first time not ironically but it was really quick.

She passed her the card but also held it for a moment giving her a short but deep glance.

Mad has put the card in the inner pocket of her jacket.

“See you soon, LaToya” said Mad and went to her old, elegant car.

LaToya were observing her for a while smoking a thin cigarette. Leo met her glance when she was about to come into the car. She put the jacket on the backseat and drove away.

Older Lady spent few minutes just smoking and thinking.

“Auntie? I hope you got my message. We got more lectures today” that was Paris Burton looking as good as everyday when Mad was meeting her at Spanish course and also after hours.

“No worries, honey. I was working nearby. Come on, I have my car on the opposite site of the road. How was the day?” replied LaToya while stubbing out her cigarette.

#story #writer #lgbt #queermequeeryou #queer

[coffintanz]

Rebecca book and musical comparison

Since getting into Tanz and the world of German musicals, I’ve been getting more interested in watching musicals that are very well-known in Austria and Germany. Rebecca is one of them. But this was a different case compared to all of the other musicals, this is because I wanted to read the book months before I ever found out that there was a musical. So I did that, today I finished reading the book and I watched a bootleg of the show right after. So here is my comparison of the two, click the “read more” option to read what I thought.

First off is my review of the book, this is copied directly from my review on Goodreads:

When I said that I was reading this book, multiple people said that they liked it very much and that I would probably love it, well, I didn't really. It was just an okay book. The amount of times that I wanted to DNF this book was quite high, this book is incredibly slow and not much happens. My edition had 428 pages, so to get through it was quite a chore. The only motivation that kept me reading is that I want to compare it to the Austrian musical Rebecca which is based on this book. Luckily when I got to the last 129 pages the book became much more interesting and I finished that part in 2 days. Just know if you want to read this book, you'll be reading this book for the sake of the last quarter, because the 75% that comes before that is not particularly interesting. Why did I still give this book 3 stars? Well, I didn't hate it. A lot could have been improved and the book is much too long for what it's trying to be. But on the other hand I didn't really have a problem with any other things, the writing was fine and the characters were okay. This is a forgettable book to me, I'm happy that I've read it for the sole reason that I am done with another book on the top 20 most gothic books challenge that I'm doing. About the gothic-ness, it isn't very gothic, there are some gothic elements in it, but I wouldn't say that this is a must-read if you like gothic literature.

Now you know my opinion about the book, I didn’t love it and I didn’t hate it. With regards to the musical, I watched the bootleg with Wietske van Tongeren and Uwe Kröger from 2008. I took some notes while watching it, which are the following:

It's basically a lot of the cast of Rudolf together again, Uwe, Wietske, the person who plays Mrs Van Hopper and Robert D Marx! (I know that Rebecca came before Rudolf, but I watched Rudolf first.) That whole fox around mrs van hopper's neck! Mrs Van Hopper shouldn't have been made that funny. Is the staircase gonna move again?! I get it now Raimund theatre, you like to rotate staircases. The musical really suffers from not being able to convey what manderley looks like because they've got a stage to deal with, the whole grandness of the house and the valley and the sea can't be portrayed here. Also I miss the dogs, but I get that they can't possibly put dogs on a stage. The way they pronounce the English names is not how I said them in my head, they use the more German interpretations of the names, they say Manderley, Maxim and Favell in ways that I wouldn't. They are really taking things quickly, there is already talk of which dress she should wear to the ball. No wonder that they have to make the story more quick-paced for the musical. The element of “Ich” being scared of Ms Danvers is not very apparent at all. The golf playing scene is not great... The set with the seaside shed is very good! It's a rip-off of masquerade! ;) Jus kidding. What does Ms Van Hopper do at the ball? She wasn't there in the book. Okay, the rotating wooden staircase during the ball is impressive. The most important part in this story is told in a song, which I don't think is a good approach, it just should have been said instead of sung. I tried to keep this spoiler free, but the house being on fire is really well done. Really? A falling chandelier? POTO vibes.

Finally, to get to the section of comparing the book and the musical, I think that the musical was not very good at getting some points from the book across, this has to do with it being on a stage (they can’t put a boat on a stage and I get that) but it also had to do with it being a musical, certain things were very hurried and I wonder if people in the audience who hadn’t read the book would understand everything 100% in the musical. Maybe it would have been better to me if it was a play instead, the songs didn’t do much to me, this probably has to do with Sylvester Levay who came up with the music, I don’t really like the music he makes for musicals. (Yes, I also don’t like the music in Elisabeth, unpopular opinion.) The only song from a musical that I like written by Sylvester Levay is Wie wird man seinen Schatten los from Mozart!

For the most part it is a true adaptation of the book, which is a good thing. But I’m sad to say that although the musical is better than the book, (the story didn’t drag as much as the book) I still don’t really like the musical. Maybe it’s because I just don’t love the story, so whether it’s done in a musical or book doesn’t influence my view of it. If you like the book I would recommend watching the musical. But I wouldn’t recommend reading the book if you like the musical because you will be a bit disappointed I think.

#rebecca daphne du maurier #rebecca das musical

[thelastperformer]

for the writer's ask game, can you please answer questions 1 through 4, 11, 13, 14, 19, 21, 30, 37, 41, 49 through 54? :D

Lmao jeez that’s so many thank you fren

1. Favorite place to write

At home, at my desk or in bed. All my stuff is there lol. Although when I have writing days with one of my friends, we tend to go to a library by her place, and I’ve actually been really productive there too. It’s really nice.

2. Favorite part of writing

Outling and drafting. Love that “ah-ha” moment when you realize how the plot is gonna work out. Funnest part is the beginning stages

3. Least favorite part of writing

Editing and revising. Hate that moment when you gotta go and fill in the plot holes, finding what doesn’t end up working. I like making a story stronger, but the rewriting process is… not fun.

4. Do you have writing habits or rituals?

Uh, I tend to write with headphones on.

When revising, I always rewrite/retype the whole story so that I’m rereading and refamiliarizing myself with parts of the story.

11. Describe your writing process from scratch to finish

It starts with the idea, whether it’s just a title, a character, a plotline, or a dialogue. It usually sits or simmers in the back of my mind for a while. If I cant shake it, I’ll start investing more thought into it. I tend to take notes on paper but I draft on microsoft word. These days I’ve been trying to outline more, which I either do on paper or on the wavemaker app. If it lasts through an outlining stage, then I’ll start drafting it. If it’s original fiction, I’ll send it on to my writing friends for critiques before starting revisions. Then I’ll revise and repeat until I feel comfortable enough to query or submit lol. If it’s fanfiction, I’ll usually just revise it on my own and post.

13. How do you deal with writer’s block?

These days, the main reasons I cant write are because I’m either depressed or too fatigued to write. I can’t fault myself for that so I just rest and work when I can. Thinking is writing, and I’m always thinking about it.

If it’s a motivation thing, I just try to push through it. Then I go back and revise it later because like hoo boy those words will not be eloquent lol. If it’s an inspiration thing, I try to input some creativity. I either go back and read some of my own stuff to remind myself what it is that I’m striving for, or watch/read something to get my mind going.

14. What’s the most research you ever put into a book?

My current novel ms takes place in the 1920s. Once I decided a time period, I ended up having to go and pour a lot of research into the time period and ww1 and things. I did not do any of this beforehand lol I just do it as I realize I need info, and it was mostly at the beginning of the novel, but it did stall me a lot

19. First line of a WIP you’re working on

Novel ms: “The night the letter arrived, he couldn’t sleep.”

Also for funsies, here’s one from a fanfic: “The  small coffee shop was sandwiched between two equally crummy buildings, tucked far back on the sidewalks of New York.”

21. Post the last sentence you wrote in one of your WIPs

From my novel ms: “ As he was falling asleep, he dreamed of hands running through his hair, whispers thanking him, praising him, so he didn’t think of the aches in his body.“

30. Favorite line you’ve ever written

Uhhh idk I have written a lot of lines.

“Your name is Rebecca / on the lips and hearts of your children” from a poem I totally forgot about

37. Most inspirational quote you’ve ever read or heard that’s still important to you

Oddly enough, one of my college profs in a class that was a fucking distaster and ended bottoms up said something really beautiful. He told us about how he enlisted and deployed instead of going to grad school, and as he was watching like the gunfire and seeing the war in the distance he thought something like, “I’m not going to find a reason for all of that out there. I’m going to find it here, in literature,” and that’s why he went back to school.

Also in hs, a teacher told me that conclusions are for wrapping the paper up in a way that relates to people, in a way that tells the reader, this is why this matters to the real world

41. How many stories do you work on at one time?

It just depends on how much my mind is working lol. Usually at least one or two big ones and maybe a couple small ones. Currently, I have a novel ms wip, a fanfic, and then like bits and pieces of 4 other stories floating around in my head

49. What do you find hardest to write in a story: the beginning, middle, or end?

It kind of depends on the story. Sometimes the middle, sometimes the end. The end of my novel wip is giving me a lot of trouble.

I want to be someone who writes towards the end of a story, but at this point, I am not lol.

50. Weirdest story idea you’ve ever had

This was a prompt someone gave me: “His name was Doofus, and I thought we were friends.” It became a story about aliens and stolen identities.

51. Describe the aesthetic of your story in 5 words

My novel ms: Rain, teeth, green, family secrets

52. How did writing change you?

Tbh I’ve kind of always been writing, even if I didn’t realize it. In high school I realized how much I enjoyed it and that it came somewhat naturally to me, and I wanted to pursue it and work towards it. I was going to say it didn’t really change me, because it’s always been with me, but maybe that realization gave me something more to strive for.

53. What does writing mean to you?

It’s just a part of me, it’s part of who I am. I don’t have a deeper answer than that lol

54. Any writing advice you want to share?

Uh…… idk.

You gotta know the rules to break ‘em, but please do break them.

You will inevitably write a lot of bad stuff to get to the good stuff. Don’t be discouraged about that, every step is a good one. Innovation is deconstruction and thinking outside the box. So please write a lot.

You will need to learn to take criticism. You will need more than one or two drafts, but take some time between drafts so you can look at it with fresh eyes. Build a community with some writing friends, they will help you in so many ways and it’s so fun to talk about writing processes and see their growth and their projects. You will need to learn to give criticism as well.

Understand that you aren’t just explaining the pictures you see in your head like a movie. Poetry and prose are their own mediums and should be treated as such. They have their own techniques you can use to achieve different affects on the reader but you have to know them.

Above all, enjoy writing. Enjoy the process of writing. If you don’t enjoy the process, what’s the point?

#clevercatchphrase #answered

[db-best]

45 Training, Fueling, and Mind Hacks to Get You Through Your First Marathon - runnersworld.com

Hero ImagesGetty Images Running your first marathon can be intimidating. Between learning how many miles to log, what to eat, and what training routine works for you, there’s a lot to get down. On top of all that preparation that goes into it, the uncertainty of race day itself can be nerve-wracking, too. Don’t worry: All marathoners have been there. And as they’ve continued crossing races off their lists, they’ve developed a solid arsenal of tips that get them through each one. To help all first-timers out this marathon season, we asked readers in a Facebook post to share what they learned after running their first marathon—and what they wish they would’ve known leading up to the race. Here are 45 things to help you feel better prepared to toe the line for the first time and to finish strong. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Focus on Fuel “That three egg McMuffins aren’t a good prerace meal.”—James Howe “Nutrition! I wish I had realized how important race nutrition is during the run. I bonked at mile 19 because I ran out of calories. Now I take a Hammer gel every 40 minutes.”—Ben Dilla “Refuse the chocolate candy along the way. BIG mistake eating it.”—Maiya Maiya I wish I had known to eat a light breakfast the morning of the marathon. I also wished I knew to began hydrating early during the marathon instead of waiting until I was thirsty at mile 19.”— Frankie Ybarbo “This is new territory (for most) and it’s going to hurt...like really bad. If the course you’re running offers pickle juice and your legs are cramping...DRINK THE PICKLE JUICE.”—Megan Shilling Cross-Train “I wish that I had prioritized weight resistance training a little higher as a cross-training activity.”—Patrick Williams “How much a difference cross-training can make !! Adding a swim and bike or two.”—Richard Adrian “Strength work is even more important than the runs. It’s going to be hard. Really hard. And you will want to quit. That is normal. Running 26.1 miles is not normal. It will be super hard on your body.” —Dee Swartz Put in the Distance “My race performance went up when I started focusing on the quality of the 16 and 18 mile runs.”—Stephanie Petersen “I wish I knew that I was supposed to run at least one 22-26 mile training run. The most I ever ran in my training was 13 miles. I still managed to finish my first and only marathon in 4:58. First half was 2:15, second half was nearly 2:43. What powered me through the last four miles were the sugar wafer cookies that the Marines handed out in the Pentagon parking lot. I ran the Marine Corps Marathon in 2001 one month after 9/11.”—Barbara Henderson Parks “Training involves more than the runs—it’s stretching, icing, strength-training, yoga, fueling and rest!!”—Stephanie Zeka Mallory “Lay a foundation of miles, core and strength training down. Then begin training for the marathon. Hit the gels before you feel fatigued, everything after mile 20 is mind over matter. Be ready for the pain. Beer tastes even more amazing at the finish line.” Jay Mooney Know Your Gear “Footwear! Invest in a great shoe and replace at an appropriate time.”—Gina Bolanos Saunders LPC “Don’t try or wear ANYTHING new on race day—my biggest injury was a huge blister from a fancy new belt!”—Fiona Leigh “Never, ever, under no circumstances wear shoes that are not at least a half-size bigger than ‘snug fit.’”—Anders Thelemyr “The importance of the right socks. I might have not lost three toenails.” —Rebecca Bentley Poire Trust Yourself “I was so nervous about not finishing and hitting the dreaded wall. When it never came, I realized how much mental energy I wasted worrying about it throughout the race. I spent too much time not trusting the process and not truly believing in myself after training and preparing for the miles. Big mistake. Next time I am going all in mentally and physically and plan to enjoy the hell out of it! 2020 NYC!” —Anna Diolosa “I was well prepared for my first marathon. I knew what to expect pretty much at every point in the race. And despite all that, I was still surprised at every step right until the finish. A marathon is like parenting, no amount of preparation truly prepares you.” —Sam Reynolds “Focus more on your body and how your runs feel during training rather than sticking so strictly to a plan. I trained way harder for my first marathon than I did for my second and I PR’ed my second by almost 20 minutes. Listen to your body and ENJOY the race.”—Andy Decker Recovery Is Key “Take recovery after the marathon seriously. I struggled with postmarathon blues and probably started back up with training too soon. I ended up with IT band pain,”—Jennifer Stephens “Not to commit to my wife that I would help lay 10 pallets of sod when I got home.”—Jim Peterman “I should have eaten more in the few days after. I felt great muscle and joint health wise, but struggled with some major fatigue.”—Holly Bergum “I wish I hadn’t taken such a long recovery and maintained a type of ‘marathon maintenance’ running routine. I was in the best running shape of my life training for 26. After, I slipped back into half/10K level.” —Jennifer Spark You Might Feel Down After “I wish I would have known how depressed I would feel after an amazing marathon. It was weird, I was completely happy after my first marathon and then got depressed in the weeks after. Maybe because I wasn’t running as much as I recovered.” —Jabber Jawz “That postrace depression is real. Google ‘posthike depression’ for info.” —Mel Wittmaack “When I was preparing for my first marathon, I was pretty psyched/stressed out and thought I’d so happy once this whole thing was over. I remember reading in Higdon’s book about postmarathon blues. I thought NO WAY. After an awesome experience running the race I was surprised by how ‘blah’ I felt for weeks afterwards. It wasn’t exactly depression, but it was kind of an emptiness. It was like a void, or a blank place where there was once all this focus, energy, thought, etc. And now it’s done. It’s not devastating, but I was definitely surprised.” —Geoff Haas Run With Friends “Take advantage of running groups if they’re available near you! I’ve been running solo for years out of intimidation and finally joined one this year in time for my second marathon. It’s only been a month or less since I joined, and the motivation and support have given me huge boost in my training and overall attitude about it. There are a lot of different groups for what runners might be looking for, so you don’t always have to be a certain pace or experience level to join.” —Kayla Giacin “I wish I would have done it with a friend. Some of the marathon miles got pretty lonely that first race. Now I always race (not always train) with a buddy or join a pace group.”— Hollie Reina Find Your Pace “The importance of pacing, especially the first half, so you won’t spend the last three miles walking and asking yourself, ‘Why did I do this?’”—Craig Sheppert “Ditch the pace device on race day, go by feel, and trust it! I start with a pace that feels slower than I want to run.”—Kim Ehrlich Geisler “Be fast at the end, not the beginning.”—Per Hel “It’s okay to walk.”—Catherine Hiles “Good pacers are angels on earth.” —Jenny Schweinert “Pace, pace, pace...pay attention to your pace.”—Kelly Bloom Barbieri Give Yourself a Break “I wish I knew how to be easier on myself for a missed workout or a bad training run. It’s what I tell everyone training for their first that the schedule is simply a ‘guide.’ That guide doesn’t know what’s happening in your life or at work that particular day. It’s such a long commitment, there’s no reason to fight yourself along the way.”—Will Wilson “It’s okay to focus on YOU. It’s okay to be, dare I say, selfish. There are going to be many times where you have to put your training first, whether it be passing on a night out with your friends because you have an early morning long run or missing brunch because you’re out running. If your friends and family support you like I’m sure they do, it’s all going to be okay.”—Lisa Christine “I wish I had a coping strategy for when things got tough. I hit the wall big time at 35K in the Edinburgh marathon and just fell to pieces physically, but totally lost it mentally. Last 7K took an hour, and because I’d missed my target time, I forgot about what I’d actually achieved in getting to the starting line and then finishing a marathon.”—Paul Stewart Mind Over Matter “Bad runs are the best mental training. Remember how it feels and how you pushed through it. It will give you so much confidence when you hit mile 24 and you already have experienced gritting your teeth and getting the job done. I am always weirdly pleased when a run doesn’t go to plan, as I think it prepares me much better for races which will always throw a curveball at you.” —Debs Thorne “Marathons start at mile 20. And the mindset and mental toughness required to complete one is equally or more important than the physical preparation is.”—Nick Malfitano “Enjoy the whole distance. The starting line is exploding with excitement, anticipation, and nerves. The finish is thrilling and exhilarating. Unless you’re in it to win it, say ‘hi’ to people along the way. Cheer each other on. Say something nice to a volunteer. It’s an amazing experience; help make it one.”—Maranatha Poirier You’ll Love It “I wish I had known just how awesome it is, before I was 37.”—Dwayne Steele “I ran my first marathon 2.5 weeks ago and it was one of the best things I’ve ever done. I wish I had known how amazing the whole experience (training all the way to race day) would be. Also, how addicting it is! Already want to run another.”—Niki Neumann “I wish I’d have known how much joy comes with running with a bunch of strangers of all shapes and sizes who set their fears and doubts aside and who encourage one another like only family and close friends normally do. If I could have known that I’d be brought to tears seeing grandfathers running hand-in-hand with their grandchildren, runners fearlessly and selflessly pushing for 26.2 miles the wheelchairs of their mobility-challenged friends, and family and rows-deep bystanders cheering the field on to the final runner, I would have started running marathons way sooner in my life.” —Casey Jones “I wish that I would have known how amazing it was to cross the finish line. Life-changing feeling that can never be taken away.” —Debbie Armstrong “The finish line feels even more amazing than you imagined. Enjoy it, because every marathon finish is awesome, but the first 26.2 feels the best.”—Michael Mahan Lawlor Jordan Smith Digital Editor Her love of all things outdoors came from growing up in the Black Hills of South Dakota, and her passion for running was sparked by local elementary school cross-country meets. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Read the full article

#advice #tips

[ceciliatan]

The #RWA17 Workshop on Creating Ensemble Casts

I’m at the RWA national conference in Orlando right now, where there’s always something more to think about, learn, or analyze about writing or romance publishing. In particular one writing craft panel I wanted to highlight was yesterday I attended a great panel workshop given by four New York Times bestselling authors: Lexi Blake, Cynthia Eden, Laura Kaye, and Rebecca Zanetti. The topic was on creating a large cast of characters to carry a series and the room was packed.

The discussion ranged over various details from the nuts and bolts of creating a series “bible” to keep all the details right from book to book (character eye color, favorite catch phrases, back stories, each character’s hidden secret or flaw, etc) to developing secondary characters into primary ones when “their turn for a book” comes.

I didn’t transcribe the entire panel since I was trying to focus on absorbing things relevant to me, but two questions in particular I got down almost every word, and I’m posting to share it with everyone.

Laura Kaye acted as moderator, asking the leading questions for the panel and then finishing off giving her own answer.

First she asked the panelists to describe the pros and cons of working with large casts.

Cynthia Eden: We’ve all heard the expression that no man or woman is an island? Characters don’t exist in isolation. You’re never just writing about one individual. You are by circumstance always writing about a cast of characters. You give them an instant background with their family and friends. With my romantic suspense novels I like to use teams. I write FBI teams. You’re going to need a lead investigator, a profiler, an ME, etc. You’re going to need all these people. So that’s a major pro. And any cast leads to sequels. That’s the biggest pro because it has your reader eager to go on to the next book.

Lexi Blake: Pro of a large cast? It’s fun! I like to write a lot of dialogue and you get a lot of dialogue when you have a big ol’ cast of characters. The con is… I guess there isn’t one. Well, maybe it’s that you have to make each character unique. That can be a challenge. (But that’s fun, too.)

Rebecca Zanetti: A large cast is great to show characterization. You act differently with different people. I have one sister I tease like crazy and one that I can’t. You can show different facets of a character and that’s one I like a lot. Also the slow burn character, I love. That person who shows up in book one and they build up for a long time before they get their story. You can develop them over a series. The con is you sometimes get too many people on a page. Even if you’re on book 4 or 5 of a series, you hope new readers are picking them up. You don’t want to confuse that new reader with too many new characters all at once.

Lexi: Well, and as you write the books they get longer because you keep having to put everyone’s favorite characters in there. Then you have to do the backyard BBQ scene to get them all in!

Laura Kaye: I agree, on the backyard BBQ. The thing that is great about having all these characters is you have the built in relationships where it’s easy to have humor, and it’s easy to have stakes because there are many people who could be hurt or feel lied-to or betrayed. Lots of emotional hooks for your readers. Not just for your sequels where they buy into a beloved secondary character, but for the tertiary characters who can manage to hook interest and get pulled into the story. You can expand a series if it takes off and starts doing well. It gives you the flexibility to do spin-offs. The cons are that your POV characters can’t just absorb a tennis match of other people talking. They have to be engaged in the conversation. Then there’s the giant pronoun problem when you have, say, five military guys on your team planning a mission and you have to figure out the mechanics of writing that dialogue so it’s not monotonous to the reader. The other con is if you’re going with a traditional publisher and you have 5 main characters, but your publisher stops after three books. You can end up with disappointed readers on your hands.

What are some tips for developing such a large number of characters? What are some tips for distinguishing them?

Rebecca: One thing I like is nicknames, if he calls her honey or sweetcheeks makes a difference. Also their motivations. If you play a joke on one friend, they laugh, another one never forgives you. They’re different. There are the little tidbits you put in. I have one guy that likes grape energy drinks and if I don’t put that in readers will write and say does he not like those anymore? Also their wounds. What hurt this guy, what is he still afraid of?

Lexi: if you don’t know those characters, the reader won’t know them. I think you don’t have to know everything before you start, but you have to know what makes them laugh, what makes them cry. I’ve written a lot of small town romance. And getting to know the neighbors and walking through the town can pull you in. But even an office building can have a sense of place. Put your characters around a table and see who talks first. If you’re just putting traits in a notebook and there’s no real emotion behind them it’s going to show. I love using dialogue. Some speak, fast, some slow, and you need to be able to hear them in your head.

Cynthia: I like to work with opposites on a team. You’ll have one guy who’s the hothead and always jumps right in. Then I have a team member who likes to sit back and get all the info before jumping in. So she and the first guy are going to have a clash. My action-first character, if he’s angry, he’s not just going to sit still. He’ll be pacing and clenching his fists and all that. All this body language that this character is doing with reveal his personality. The one who is the analytical sort? She’s not going to just kick in a door. She’ll be trying to talk the person down. Those personality styles lead me into what they should do in each scene. You don’t want them doing something that isn’t their normal nature without a really, really good explanation. Be aware, though, I’ve had New York editors tell me that the way I talk isn’t real, people don’t say that. I’m Southern. Something that seems so normal to me was something they didn’t like. But I think bringing in realistic dialect is a great way to distinguish the characters.

Laura: Think of it as a shorthand for your character. I learned a lot about creating unique characters from reading JR Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series. One is the blind king who wears the weird sunglasses. And one is the sarcastic one with the dragon tattoo who sucks on lollipops all the time. Then there’s the black-eyed, scarred one who is soulless and never speaks. I don’t even have to use their names: they’re immediately distinct. And when all twelve are in a room having a briefing session, you don’t have to use their names, because you know when so quickly from their distinguishing characteristics who’s who. Also, what are things that make the reader see them as endearing or real, that make the reader fall in love with that person? That grape energy drink or they’re a dog-lover or whatever. The more you can create those personal things the better, beyond scars and tattoos, beyond eye color and hair color. I have a lot of guys who swear but they can’t all say “Aw, hell.” Only one of them can say that and the other guys have to say something else.

As usual, the conference has been fantastic. If you are writing romance, or any kind of commercial fiction, I highly recommend attending one of these if you can afford it. In romance, I really feel I can’t afford *NOT* to be here!

from cecilia tan http://ift.tt/2w6aSkj via IFTTT

#cecilia tan

[thesassybooskter]

VENGEANCE by Rebecca Zanetti: Review & Excerpt Tour

Vengeance by Rebecca Zanetti Series: Dark Protectors #9.5 Published by Evil Eye Concepts Incorporated Publication Date: 19th 2019 Genres: Paranormal Romance Pages: 167 Source: Publisher Format: eARC Goodreads Buy Online: Amazon

Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely mine.

From New York Times bestselling author, Rebecca Zanetti, comes a new Dark Protectors/Rebels Novella…

Vengeance and revenge are the only forces driving vampire soldier Noah Siosal since losing his brother to an enemy he’s been unable to find. He’s searched every corner of the globe, going through adversaries and piling up bodies until finally getting a lead. The last place he wants to be is in a ridiculous anger management group with people expressing feelings instead of taking action. Until one fragile human, a green-eyed sweetheart being stalked by danger, catches his eye. One touch, and he realizes vengeance can’t be anywhere near her.

Anger and self-preservation are the only motivations Abby Miller needs or wants right now. Falsely accused of attacking the man who’s terrorized her for years, she’s forced as a plea bargain to attend an anger management counseling group with people with some serious rage issues, while learning true self defense on the side. Yet a man, one more primal than any she’s ever met, draws her in a way and into a world deadlier than she’s ever imagined. He offers her protection, but she finds the fight is really for his heart, and she’s ready to battle.

  Review

The appeal of this series is never-ending, and every installment just makes me hungrier for more. I for one, am very glad that the author has kept it going and spun off several series from it, and I will keep reading them for as long as she keeps writing them. I wish the story had been a little longer, but part of the fun is trying to connect the dots and characters with the past stories. 

Abby Miller is in a lot trouble, with no help in sight. Forced to plea bargain and attend anger management classes to avoid jail time and finding herself under the thumb of a controlling ex-husband in cahoots with the town sheriff and judge, she has no recourse available. Until she meets Noah.

Noah is consumed by a need for revenge against the man who killed his brother, but an owed debt lands him in anger management classes. One look at Abby and vengeance takes a back seat to the need to protect her. Now Abby has Noah and every resource available to him behind her and life isn’t looking so bleak anymore. In return, she’s about to enter a world beyond her wildest imagination. Noah is about to get more than he bargained for in Abby as she finds her inner strength and goes head-to- head with him, but it’s all worth it in the end.

Filled with the usual drama and action I have come to expect from Ms. Zanetti, VENGEANCE is another enjoyable installmet in the Dark Protectors series and I’m really looking forward to Ivar and Raine’s stories.

    Excerpt

Abby tried not to feel sympathy for the screwed-up guy who looked like one of those actors from the Viking show on Netflix. He really did see demons everywhere. She smiled at the detective. Without him, she’d be in jail right now. The guy definitely had come to her aid, when everyone else was against her.

He smiled back.

The sexy guy next to Ivar pinned her with a look. Noah. Such a nice name for somebody so obviously dangerous. What was it about him? Heat climbed into her face, and she turned toward the shrink. “I’m not sure what all to say.” Nobody believed the truth. Except maybe the cop.

“Just tell us what happened,” Mariana said, clutching her files.

“Well, I agreed to a plea bargain for throwing a pitcher at my ex-husband’s head during a domestic dispute that the asshat started and finished.” The judge had warned her, very sternly, about slander charges if she said anything bad against Monte, so she stuck with the judge’s final Order. It didn’t matter that she’d never even had a chance to throw a pitcher before he’d hit her. She still had bruises on her ribs from that last fight. “The prosecutor was going for a jail sentence, and I took a plea deal that Detective O’Connell made sure I could get.” Abby sat back.

Mariana blinked. “Your file shows several arrests and plea bargains.”

“Yeah. I’ve read my file,” Abby said, not expecting anybody to believe the truth. They never did.

Mariana tapped a file. “I can’t help you with your anger issues if you don’t delve into the full truth about where your anger comes from.” Her voice was soft and kind.

“Nobody can help me,” Abby returned, plucking a string on her jeans.

Ivar looked at her for the first time. “I can kill him if you want. Then you won’t have to throw pitchers at his head any longer.” The total unconcerned way he spoke made his words all the more chilling.

Noah chuckled and elbowed him hard in the gut. “He’s kidding. Bad sense of humor. We learned that in the service.” But his gaze stayed on Abby, searching deep. She could almost feel his intent, and it wasn’t an entirely bad sensation. Warning ticked through her head, even as he spoke again. “Can we read each other’s files?” he asked.

“No,” Mariana said. “But this is a safe place, and we can talk about anything.”

“There are no safe places,” Raine returned, almost cheerfully, his gaze square on Ivar.

  Book Trailer

    About Rebecca Zanetti

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Rebecca Zanetti has worked as an art curator, Senate aide, lawyer, college professor, and a hearing examiner – only to culminate it all in stories about Alpha males and the women who claim them. She writes dark paranormals, romantic suspense, and sexy contemporary romances.

Growing up amid the glorious backdrops and winter wonderlands of the Pacific Northwest has given Rebecca fantastic scenery and adventures to weave into her stories. She resides in the wild north with her husband, children, and extended family who inspire her every day–or at the very least give her plenty of characters to write about.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

  Tour Schedule

March 20th

Book Lovers Reviews and Recommendations – Review & Excerpt

Ilovebooksandstuffblog – Review

Shelleen’s Musings – Review & Excerpt

The Escapist Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

March 21st

Jen’s Reading Obsession – Excerpt

Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Excerpt

romance-reader.com – Review

March 22nd

British Bookworm Blog – Review

Canadian Book Addict – Review

Nerdy Dirty & Flirty – Excerpt

Sip Read Love – Review

March 23rd

Cat’s Guilty Pleasure – Excerpt

The Reading Care – Review & Excerpt

TjLovesToRead – Review & Excerpt

March 24th

Anna’s Bookshelf – Review & Excerpt

Dog-Eared Daydreams – Review

Literary Misfit – Review & Excerpt

March 25th

Cup of Tea Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Stephanie’s Book Reports – Review & Excerpt

The Sassy Bookster – Review & Excerpt

March 26th

All Things Dark & Dirty – Review & Excerpt

CoensK Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Reading in Pajamas – Review & Excerpt

March 27th

Angels With Attitude Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Bookaliciousbabes blog – Review & Excerpt

KDRBCK – Review

March 28th

Book Loving Pixies – Review & Excerpt

Family, Books and Food – Excerpt

Obsessive Reading Disorder – Review & Excerpt

March 29th

Cupcakesandbookshelves – Excerpt

Hannah’s Words – Review & Excerpt

Jax’s Book Magic – Excerpt

Read-Love-Blog – Excerpt

  VENGEANCE by Rebecca Zanetti: Review & Excerpt Tour was originally published on The Sassy Bookster

#Demons #Hybrids #Paranormal Romance #Vampires #Warriors #Witches