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readwithnox · 1 year

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7 LGBTQ+ Indie Books Releasing During Pride Month

Looking for some new books to celebrate? Check these out!

Paragon Seven

by Phoenix Ning

The gritty setting and angsty sapphic relationship of ARCANE meets the ensemble cast and discussions of power in THE ATLAS SIX where seven queer people of color with superpowers work together to overthrow an oligarchy in a federation of four sectors.

Twenty-two-year-old Mu Lanying is one kill shy from graduating as Skyleen Military Academy’s next valedictorian. After that, she will be crowned as the Laurel Scholar in a private ceremony held in the Chancellor’s Office. Within the Office lies a restricted archive that holds the truth to her mother’s death — an enigma that has haunted her for the past six years. But when Lanying is tasked with executing a revolutionary called Marigold, she fails the mission.

Twenty-four-year-old Lee Chaewon is no stranger to threats. In the past seven years, she had been a triple threat in the entertainment industry and a threat to the Skyleen Administration as a member of the insurgent quartet called Blossom Four. But now, the only threat haunting her is the lack of funds needed to treat her older sister’s terminal illness. When Marigold offers to cover the remaining cost of her sister’s chemotherapy in exchange for a favor, Chaewon takes the money and agrees to assassinate the upcoming Laurel Scholar.

During the Academy’s Commencement Parade, Lanying gains access to the restricted archive where she learns that her mother was executed for posing as the Chancellor’s mistress while spying on his inner circle. On top of that, her mother had passed on classified information to a network of rebels including Chaewon’s father, and the Administration is still hunting for surviving insurgents. When Chaewon fails to assassinate Lanying, the former learns that her father had also died under the Chancellor’s order. Enraged, the pair set out to locate surviving rebels in hopes of recovering the information that is worth killing for. The girls eventually find themselves leading a coup d’etat with five other people that will either end in bloodshed or usher in a new age.

Releasing June 1st, 2023—LGBTQ+ Fantasy

Add it on Goodreads

By Your Side: A Queerplatonic Short Story

By Margherita Scialla

Emma’s relationship ends abruptly when she comes across her boyfriend cheating on her at a party. Yet another failed relationship brings her repressed platonic feelings for one of her best friends to the surface once more.

Emma’s scared to voice her worries and desires, but even if she manages to bring up how she feels, how will Noah react to such a revelation?

Releasing June 6th, 2023 — Young Adult LGBTQ+ Fiction

Add it on Goodreads • Get it on Amazon

Trick

By Cara Nox

Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments series meets V.E. Schwab’s The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue with a dash of Disney+’s Loki in this new adult urban fantasy.

WELCOME TO NEW ATLAS: A CITY WITHIN A REALITY JUST BEYOND OUR OWN.

Evie is a nobody. Spending her days in college classes and her nights studying, having a social life has never really been a priority. With her sights firmly set on the future to keep away her thoughts of the past, she loses her grip on the present when her world is ripped out from under her. And it’s all thanks to two mysterious strangers showing up on her doorstep, claiming that she can turn back time.

Cade is a notorious troublemaker. He’s never been afraid to throw around his name to get what he wants as someone who’s clawed his way to the top. But power is quick to change hands in this city, and when he chooses to blatantly disregard an order from his leader, his older brother, he’s tossed back down to the bottom again. He’ll be more than lucky to regain any sort of trust when everyone knows he’s one of the best spies there is, sliding in and out of shadows in the blink of an eye.

Ren is a bored teenager. Always labeled as the “golden child” or “gifted student,” he finds himself writing down cryptic messages and following strange leads, rather than putting on the same old song and dance for his family. Especially once he discovers his little stolen fragments of the future are starting to take a darker turn. Perhaps chasing the life everyone wants him to have isn’t necessarily in the cards for him, but there’s only one way to find out.

So when someone within the secret society known as the Custodians targets Evie for her power, the clock starts in the final sprint to hunt down the culprit. In order to uncover whatever hidden clues are lurking in the past, the three of them have no choice but to peel back the layers of obscurity built up between their factions to figure out why she’s being hunted and how they might be able to fix their bleak futures before it’s too late.

Just remember: time is nothing but a trick.

Releasing June 13th, 2023 — New Adult LGBTQ+ Urban Fantasy

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Scars & Secrets (Shield & Sorrow, Book #2)

by J.E. Ridge

Saving the kingdom was only the beginning …

Kings Archer and Silas successfully thwarted the plot to take over Arnsveld and Bellacosta. Now they’re struggling to maintain their tenuous relationship amidst dissenting soldiers, scheming nobles, and the trial of the century.

Valerian’s job is to neutralize the mage behind the plot without getting tangled in his sinister web. When Penn finds himself at the mercy of traitors, Valerian abandons everything to help him. Love and magic prove to be a deadly combination.

Releasing June 20th, 2023—LGBTQ+ Romantic Fantasy

Add it on Goodreads • Get it on Amazon

Hymn of Memory

By S. Jean

As the Divine of Blackburn, Morgan sends its departed souls into the afterlife. It’s a sacred job spanning generations of Divines before him, but there’s a problem: the process invites the dead’s memories inside and those memories quickly erode and erase his own. Before long, he fears he will completely lose who he is and no one seems to care.

Then Fin, a familiar face from town, sneaks into Morgan’s room to beg for a resending of his grandmother and Morgan quickly agrees, knowing it means an opportunity to escape.

As escape quickly turns into a road trip with Fin to replace the memories he’s lost, Morgan has to confront what it means if he never returns. Without him to send souls, they die completely, leaving a void in the world where nothing will live or grow. Returning, however, means he will lose himself.

And so, Morgan must decide if never returning and living his life as himself — not the Divine — is worth more than the souls he’s leaving behind.

Releasing June 27th, 2023 — Young Adult LGBTQ+ Contemporary Fantasy

Add it on Goodreads • Get it on Amazon

Of Knights and Books and Falling in Love

by Rita A. Rubin

A slice-of-life fantasy, perfect for fans of Legends & Lattes and Howl’s Moving Castle.

Jayce has little memory of life before entering servitude to the Dark Lord, and no hope of ever escaping. Until he meets Alexius, the knight with a heart of gold. He offers Jayce, his enemy, a chance to break free of the Dark Lord’s clutches, and Jayce is not about to let such an opportunity pass.

When the war comes to an end, Jayce finds himself finally free, with Alexius’s help, and surrounded by a new world of opportunity. And the prospect of a new love. The more time Jayce spends with Alexius, the more he finds himself falling for this knight in shining armour.

Releasing June 29th, 2023 — New Adult LGBTQ+ Romantic Fantasy

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Unpainted

By Dan Fitzgerald

In the hermetic society of the Painted Faces, pale, unblemished skin is rewarded with station, wealth, and power.

Tera would almost rather go unpainted than enter into an arranged marriage with a total stranger, but that would mean giving up the only life she’s ever known. Not to mention her share of her family’s Pureline fortune.

She’s always thought love was a fairy tale and sex a joyless chore, but the alternative might be worse.

Enter Aven, a soft buttercup of a man, the kindest and most considerate person she’s ever met. A tropical honeymoon awaits, and with the help of her intimacy consultant, Tera is determined to make the best of this awkward ritual. Amid the island breezes, she and her new spouse form a bond neither of them knew they were capable of.

But trouble stirs beneath the polite veneer of the Painted Faces’ society, threatening to tear them — and their entire world — apart.

Releasing June 30th, 2023 — LGBTQ+ Fantasy Romance

Add it on Goodreads

Disclaimer: anything purchased through the links provided in this article helps me continue writing with compensation through Amazon’s affiliate program.

#bookblr #indie books #queer books #lgbt books #lgbtq books #pride month #book rec list

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thekrows-nest · 1 year

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(anon)

I think the deadliest thing about Krow is how badly he can be underestimated due to being short, goofy and kind. He’s charismatic, persistent, sneaky, and shaped like a friend. Non-threatening. He covers his tracks. He can also gaslight.

So how are Gabby’s instincts so damn good? She seems a lot more switched on than the average person and is very confident and clear in her perceptions. She knows no specifics but read Krow to filth. There was no confusion, she sniffed him out inside that sheep’s clothing from day one.

Has she dealt with dangerous people before? Is she a Murderino/true crime fan? Naturally tuned in socially or good at body language? Very analytical? Guarded less trusting personality?

Gabby takes a lot of safety precautions. Is that specifically about Krow, living in a dangerous city, simply being cautious as an AFAB person? Had a family member or friend been stalked, attacked or killed? Is it due to her having past experiences of abuse that makes her wary of others, or her/her partner working a high risk job that requires it?

Is her partner working in law enforcement or as a psychologist, is she ex-law enforcement or ex-psychologist? (Perhaps she still is, or if she works with Dove as a barista maybe she didn’t continue after study or burned out and left for a less demanding job. Perhaps she’s working part time as a barista with Dove while she studies.)

Perhaps she’s sapphic and so has more emotional distance from *people assumed to be men not to be influenced by his charm. (Sorry if that question is intrusive/inappropriate or misgenders Krow.) She could be asexual. She could have a personality that doesn’t readily form connections with others so he can’t buddy up. All of this would give her a more objective view of his behaviours.

Or maybe she’s so happy and nourished in her relationship she just isn’t as susceptible. She has a strong support network and/or is not emotionally vulnerable.

I don’t know how she worked it out on so little. Because I know exactly what Krow is and still don’t know how she so intuitively saw the danger without being told, and I still find him a somewhat sympathetic/tragic figure.

Did he miscalculate, do something slightly sus and she saw it? Was he just that bit overly forward or persistent, coming to the cafe too much? Seeking Dove out specifically? Did she overhear him manipulating Dove or pushing them for a date?

The lady is street smart as hell and I need her to teach classes.

I love these detailed asks you send in anon. But you also need to get out of my head. /lh /teasing

You definitely have it right about Krow, that his greatest asset (I think) is the fact he is often so wildly underestimated. As you say, he's short, a bit goofy and rather kind and well mannered (most of the time). He's just a silly, quirky artist guy with a crush. What harm could he possibly do or be capable of? So why is Gabby so keen on saying he is a giant red flag?

Part of the answer is kind of spoilery (or well, wouldn't make much sense at the moment, other things need to be revealed), but the short of it is: Gabby is extremely paranoid and tends to have a 'glass is half empty, and what's left is probably poisoned' view of the world and others. Sometimes this benefits her. Sometimes it doesn't. This pessimistic personality she has now wasn't always extreme. It's something she has developed over the years.

Gabby has had some... harsh experiences in life, shall we say, that has left her with a pretty bitter outlook. She is in a MUCH better place in all regards (you ARE right anon that she is quite happy and nourished in her relationship and has strong bonds with other folks in her life) but the damage has been done. It still leaves her... wary of most others.

From her life experiences, and just brief interactions with Krow, he just ticks off one too many boxes on her 'most likely dangerous person' checklist for comfort. And the fact he is keen on getting close to Dove... is it any wonder she is so adament in telling you to stay away from him?

But this isn't exactly new or surprising behavior from her (and she HAS been wrong about people in the past, to be clear) so it's up to you, Dove, if you believe her warnings or not.

I will say though, there IS something that Gabby herself does in her own time that also has helped her hone her analytical skills, yet also has perhaps left her with some more bitter impressions on the world at large.

I'll say too her partner also has some skills which also come in handy for sussing out someone like Krow.

The major thing though is... something has happened to Gabby in the past that has reeeeally left her... wary and very cautious of others. Which may or may not be revealed in due time. (:

#winndy talks #gabby asked and answered #the krow's nest verse #the krow's nest #winndy asked and answered #about gabby

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cellostudying · 7 years

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8.9.17 / move in is officially only two weeks away, which is insane. it’s time for some intense cleaning and cello practicing!

#mine #studyblr #studyspo #sapphic study network #new studyblr #musicblr #journal

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academicsapphic · 7 years

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Excuse the basic banner I just didn’t feel like making one haha but I’ve decided to created a studyblr network! If you want to join, read the guidelines below!

To become a member of the Sapphic Study Network:

you must be a girl/feminine-aligned person who likes other girls/feminine-aligned people

trans and nb girls are obviously welcome and encouraged to join! and obviously, terfs can choke and need to stay away

follow me @academicsapphic

send me an ask letting me know you want to join the network

after you’re accepted, make an introduction post on the Sapphic Study Network blog (be sure to use the tag #Sapphic Study Network!)

if enough people don’t request to join, we won’t be able to do it :’( it’s not much of a “network” with only two people

As a member of the Sapphic Study Network, you will get to:

have access to the SapphicStudyNetwork blog where you can make original posts about anything studyblr/sapphic related and can reblog your own posts from your personal studyblr to for more visibility

be in a group chat with the other members (on a platform TBD)

make friends with other sapphics in the studyblr community, which is awesome cause there aren’t many!

I’m really excited about this and I hope I can meet a lot of you this way! And if no one cares and wants to join then we can all agree that this never happened haha.

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intcllectual-blog1 · 7 years

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500 follower celebration?

hey!! i'm getting close to 500 followers, and i'd like to know what you would like me to do to celebrate! so far, i'm thinking of either a follow forever or blogrates, please let me know if either of those sounds appealing, or something else!

#studyblr #studyspiration #sapphic study network #studycord #studyblr blogrates #op

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sapphicstudynetwork · 7 years

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hi all! i’m susannah and my studyblr is @gaystudyings. i’m 17, a lesbian, and going into my senior year of high school. they or she pronouns for me pls.

i’ve always been more of an arts person (notes are the best part of school tbh), but i’m hoping getting more involved in the studyblr community will help me be more motivated and to have better study habits.

music wise i listen to literally everything (even country) but love sleeping at last’s instrumental songs for studying. i also love horseback riding and work at a barn currently.

not sure what i want to pursue in college/as a career but time will tell!

#sapphic study network #intro #susannah

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rantingcrocodile · 2 years

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I just meant like for bi women in particular, butch and femme are big no nos apparently, some say we can't use sapphic, there was a post about us not using the double venus symbol, and I'm sure there's some I'm forgetting

Ah. Honestly - and you should know I'm probably the Angriest Bisexual Around and will call out a biphobe for sneezing the wrong way near a bisexual woman - I think that it's a good thing to stay away from lesbian words and symbols.

The most obvious reason is to, of course, not be homophobic. I'd argue that most bisexuals that use those symbols aren't being deliberately homophobic, but it's still hurtful and lesbians need their own terms and symbols for their own community.

The second reason, and the one that should be important for bisexuals in our own community, is that using lesbian terms and symbols reinforces the internalised biphobia that we're "half-straight-half-gay." What we should be doing is creating our own terms and our own symbols to properly build a community that's separate from lesbians and gay men entirely, so we have our own support networks and only come together with lesbians and gay men when we all need each other for solidarity.

Bisexual women need to remember that, unfortunately, we're on our own. A huge number of the lesbian community refuses to even believe that we're oppressed despite reputable, scientific studies proving that that's the case. We should always stand in solidarity with lesbians, but to presume that they'll be there for us or want to treat us with kindness and respect is just a naïve fantasy because we're the easiest female targets in this space.

I'm sure this might come across as a big surprise or even as controversial for some bisexual women reading this, being on the side of lesbians that don't want us even breathing near the idea of being women attracted to other women, but I think it's really an example of the reality check that some bisexual women need.

We can only truly rely on other bisexual women. Even then, the bisexual women that aren't filled to the brim with internalised biphobia are thin on the ground. That isn't to say that we have no allies at all, because I've been very fortunate to find incredible allies in some wonderful lesbians and straight women, where we've had great conversations and I think they're amazing women, but at the same time, we can't generalise. We're in such a biphobic world that letting our guard down too easily leaves us vulnerable to internalising even more biphobia.

So, yes. Basically, I'd recommend staying away from those terms, being part of bisexual communities (even online, just to connect with other bisexual women!) and focusing on ourselves instead.

#crocodilian answers #<3

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grizztheexplorer · 4 years

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I saw the emily in paris 2 announcement and immediately tweeted them to save the society and add a she-ra movie. Went into the mentions and everyone is asking for the society s2!!!!!!! That got me super excited tbh.

The show didn’t mean something super personal to me, but i loved the idea, loved ~most~ characters, and i think it has even more potential still. Plus one of the main focuses being in characters like a deaf lgbt person and having also the storyline of an abuse survivor its so important?????????????? I just really want this show to come back and im so happy more people want it as well and are STILL asking for it. Keep asking for it!!!!!!

Also keep asking for a She-ra movie, and if you haven’t, go watch the series. Is emotional, funny, and even heart wrecking. Plus, sapphic representation for kids??? (And adults too bc their storyline is captivating for all ages) fuck yeh!!! Catradora is SO well developed and Catra is an amazing complex character. Amazing show regarding war and rebellion and redemption. Plus again, wlw representation!!!!!!!!!!!

Also saw Julie and the Phantoms hasn’t been renewed??? Which is dumb but im sure it will soon. Show is really good, and receiving wonderful reviews. Plus the world needs Charlie Gillespie’s arms. We just do. But truly the music and storylines of that show are great, plus is an lgbt storyline in a kids show!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, unrelated, but infinity train has come to my attention, and while I’m just starting it, saw that is about to be cancelled bc Cartoon Network thinks the show is too mature. But the plot revolves around grief. I think is important for kids to learn about that since an early age and be allowed to grow emotional maturity since young. Kids don’t have to be oblivious in order to keep their innocence. On the contrary, they can keep their innocence while being educated over certain things, so once they do grow up they at least have a good foundation to deal with things. So if you haven’t, go watch infinity train and ask for a renewal too. Is also part of HBO max, so ask them and cartoon network to keep it going.

This really was just me talking about several shows that have or are currently being left in the air bc streaming platforms don’t really care about storylines, quality, or impact. They just care about money and buzz. No offense to shows like Emily on Paris, bc is not a bad show (haven’t watched it just clips). But its generic. Is not groundbreaking. The impact isn’t there bc is just white straight western people living. Is the same shit we see in every show. Then platforms have the opportunities to show on air deeper shows, even for kids which is amazing, and they cancel them even if they have a decent audience and wonderful reviews bc they can spend that money on another generic show instead. It’s awful. As a person studying to go into that field (I’m studying theatre, so entertainment and storytelling, but i have taken some film classes in uni too) its so sad quality storytelling, and an opportunity to actually make a change in people’s lives by bringing important conversations to the screen, gets left behind due to money. The industry is supposed to be about passion of stories. Instead it is often shown people at the top of the industry don’t care at all about it and yet control it all.

#the society #julie and the phantoms #jatp #she ra #infinity train #catradora #turned into a rant my dudes

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ruminantminds · 3 years

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me, my dream, my desire, how it's killing me, like i laugh at it.

SIOBHAN BLAKE ( SHE / THEY ) is a NON-BINARY FORTY * year old TOWN MAYOR who has been living in Moorbrooke for THEIR ENTIRE LIFE. Right now, they are currently residing in ELMSETT GREEN. It has been said that they look suspiciously like ROSAMUND PIKE and if they had to choose a song to describe themselves, they would choose VOILA by BARBARA PRAVI.

* they were originally forty-one on the app but after working out the birth chart i have decided their forty-first birthday is the fourth of june ! just in case you want to plan birthday things for her <3

mun introduction ;

hi everyone ! i’m shannon, i’m a non-binary autistic lesbian, i’m twenty-one && i never fucking learned how to sleep !

BASICS —

NAME: siobhan adrienne louisa blake.

AGE: forty.

GENDER: non-binary.

BIRTH DATE: fourth of june, nineteen-eighty.

BIRTH PLACE: moorbrooke, maine, usa.

SEXUALITY: lesbian.

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: married to alante patterson.

ZODIAC: gemini sun, aquarius moon, libra rising.

MBTI: enfp-a.

ENNEAGRAM: four, with a three wing.

HOGWARTS HOUSE: hufflepuff.

THEME SONG: voila by barbara pravi.

FAVOURITE SONG: no plan by hozier.

OCCUPATION: mayor of moorbrooke ( 2020 - present. )

PAST CAREERS: english teacher at moorbrooke high school ( 2004 - 2020. )

EDUCATION: bachelor’s degree in literature at yale university, the only period of time they’ve spent not living in moorbrooke.

DREAM JOB: senator for maine.

PARENTS: ciara & severin blake ( deceased. )

SIBLINGS: none.

SPOUSE: alante patterson ( m. 2015 ; together since )

PETS: two cats, vita && virginia.

PREDOMINANT TRAITS: wholesome, compassionate, ambitious, unconventional, humanitarian, self-critical, discerning, sociable, curious.

BACKSTORY —

apart from a few years at yale, siobhan has never lived away from moorbrooke. it’s where she was born, it’s where they were raised, it’s the place where she feels most at home. it’s filled with the people who watched them evolve into the who they now confidently are. but growing up with parents with massive expectations was never easy.

because while they moved from new york, severin blake’s old money attitude never left him behind.

( tw: fertility struggles ) and with old money, conservativism often follows. this is no exception. siobhan spent most of their childhood trying to be the golden child their parents wanted, even when it felt wrong. hopeful that some other sibling would come to take some of the weight off their shoulders, it never came to fruition, and she was their only child. severin blake — french-american businessman’s — only legacy.

siobhan was always more compassionate than their parents. when new people came to the town, she would always try to offer them a leg-up, no matter who they were, why they had come, or how long they were planning to stay. they had no issue playing chameleon to make others comfortable: wasn’t that what she’d always done, regardless?

this rang true when alante patterson came to town. a few years younger than her, split from her siblings in the foster system, it just made sense for siobhan to try to be the other girl’s constant. the beginning of a close relationship that still runs stronger than ever, thirty years later.

alante was always refreshingly honest, and always made siobhan feel safe to be . . . themselves, even if they were pretending to everyone else.

siobhan’s chameleonic tendencies made them highly popular as a teenager, her parents’ pride and joy, but the latter half began to fail when siobhan began to understand — began being operative, as it was a process that took them many years — their curiosity about their sexuality and gender. this relationship, and her parents’ desire for them to hide this evolving part of themselves, was a behind-closed-doors battle which led to anxiety & depression.

a vicious cycle, because the attitude to mental health on severin’s part was also quite . . . medieval, and ciara certainly never intervened to stop him.

( the blakes had always been protestant, though siobhan was reluctant to take part in any acknowledgement of such. siobhan has considered themselves agnostic since the age of thirteen, though she supports her wife in her faith as much as she can. )

siobhan came out when she went to yale at the age of eighteen, and her experience had been mixed. college took her away from her friends, estranging them from their high school friends and temporarily moving away from alante. when they returned from college studies and took up a job as an english teacher at the local highschool, her best friend was . . . married.

which made feelings that began to blossom particularly problematic. especially when over the years that followed, no matter how hard they tried to let it go, those feelings persisted. and — eventually — became an affair so passionate that alante left her husband for siobhan some thirteen years ago.

their relationship with alante is what made them truly decide to — and make them able to — exist fully as themselves. who they wanted to be. so now, they’re not quite as chameleonic, but she’s endearing to the people who are truly interested in her and that’s all that matters, isn’t it? ( isn’t it? they’re still learning, though they pretend the self-doubt is entirely gone. )

this part of their town-iconic relationship is not public knowledge, and thankfully never came to siobhan’s parents’ knowledge before their deaths five and seven years ago.

siobhan and alante married as soon as possible in 2015, but siobhan always had a dream of washington politics, buried for many years because the political climate of their youth would never take them. now... it’s possible, but alante likes this life, this town, their two cats, and wants to have children.

as a compromise, siobhan ran for mayor of moorbrooke this recent cycle, and won. but here’s the kicker: will it be enough for them?

CONNECTIONS —

family: while she has no siblings, she does have cousins on ciara’s side, so if you’re interested in that then feel free to let me know & we’ll explore it! i love a good family tree, especially in town rps where i imagine it a bit more interconnected like broadchurch !

family-esque: if your muse has been living in moorbrooke a while, it’s likely siobhan knows them quite or very well. you know those people you call your aunt/uncle out of respect because they’ve been friends with your family as long as you can remember? a bit like that! it’s also a habit because siobhan has been . . . distant from her own family since she was a teenager. they never outright disowned them for what they were calling their ‘ ideas ’ — i.e. being non-gender conforming & lesbian — but their disapproval was... clear enough. she doesn’t want anyone else to feel like they’re without support.

therapist friend: the thing about siobhan is that they are the ceo of telling other people to look after their mental health while letting their own degrade. ( see: she can’t help taking on other people’s problems & wanting to solve them. )

high school it squad: yes, this is my not-so-subtle way of pleading for more older muses here. these people were siobhan’s friends when they were trying to be who everyone wanted them to be, not who she herself wanted to be ; they were the popular clique, and she adjusted herself as necessary to ‘ ringlead ’ them. i’m thinking they split up when they all went to college, and the rest of them have only just come back to town. the siobhan blake they’re going to meet is . . . very different than the one they once knew. someone who is now comfortable ( at last ) unapologetically in their own skin.

ex-student: if your muse was in high school in moorbrooke anywhere during their tenure it’s likely that siobhan could have taught them! she was the emotional support english teacher. sapphics, you know what i am talking about.

ingenue: someone interested in politics who siobhan is sharing their passion with !

neighbours: anyone who lives in elmsett court, who wants to live next to moorbrooke’s favourite sapphic it couple? it comes with invitations to dinner and two adventuring cats called vita & virginia that they might have to retrieve from your house.

TAKEN CONNECTIONS

confidante: the only person, aside from alante, who knows the truth. that siobhan and alante’s relationship first ignited in a blazing, letter-ridden extramarital affair, eventually resulting in alante leaving her husband all those years ago. the person siobhan confides her worries in, sometimes. [ alec barlowe. ]

OTHER TRIVIA

owns a motorbike.

they can still write in anne lister code from letters to alante.

of course, she is a democrat. we do not fuck with republicans here.

watches vita and virginia three times in your average week.

has an eclectic music taste, but frequents the record store because there’s nothing like vinyl.

( yes, they have hozier on vinyl. )

will only drink white wine. don’t ask them why. they don’t know.

would have zero wardrobe sense if it wasn’t for alante. money just doesn’t equal style.

the only social network she knows how to use is twitter. please, someone, teach them how to use instagram. bestie needs a social media guru because the people who run the rest of her platforms don’t get it, either.

allergic to banana. but eats it anyway for the mouth tingles.

has kept a diary religiously since the age of twelve.

#mbintro

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skepticaloccultist · 7 years

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The Bookshop as a Meeting Place

Treadwell's Books has been a part of London occult life for more than a decade. A center for London's disparate and motley occultists, witches, and magicians of every ilk and path to celebrate and meet.

Between weekly events, book launches and tarot readings Treadwell's is a home away from home for occultists the world over. From regular lectures and presentations by Phil Hine, Michael Staley, Hannah Sanders, Chris Josiffe, Robert Wallis, Owen Davies and dozens more to walking tours of the British Museum and Bloomsbury's occult history it's a place to linger, searching for that rare bit of booklore, meeting others on their own path. Some incredible people have found their way through Treadwell's door, a couple of friend's even found each other and eventually married because of Treadwell's. Its a magical place in many ways.

Having moved seven years ago from its first location in Covent Garden it is now tucked away down Store Street in Bloomsbury. A bigger space upstairs and downstairs lends itself to more events, with a comfortable downstairs that is even available for lettings for various group functions, public and private.

Behind Treadwell's is proprietor and "presiding spirit" Christina Oakley Harrington. In between her sold out Magical Bloomsbury Walking Tour and otherwise busy schedule I managed to chat with her about London occulture, her passion for books and running a bookshop in 21st century London.

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Christina Oakley Harrington of Treadwell's

While Treadwell's has only been in London since 2003 it seems to be a fixture that is much more firmly rooted in the occulture of London than its teenaged years belie. How have you come to be so central to the occult community of London?

Gosh, are we really? I have to give the credit to the wonderful people who've come through the doors of Treadwells for that. I've been hugely inspired by London's history of occult communities and in particular, the exciting occult renaissance of the 1880s and 1890s, when the Order of the Golden Dawn and the Theosophical Society had hundreds of members and there were gatherings, rituals and conversations happening every night of the week. I saw that such a renaissance might be possible in our own day if there was a bookshop which was actually a meeting place -- and I saw from history that such a place needed to offer a combination of hospitality, friendship-building and events space.

We hosted our first event within a few months of opening our doors. Since then, it's never been fewer than three nights a week that we're here. That's why we can't open any earlier than 11 am during the week and at weekends we certainly couldn't start any earlier than noon. All our late nights here!

What misbegotten adventure led you to opening an occult bookshop?

I got involved in paganism and the esoteric community in 1987 in the US, where I lived for eleven years. In 1989 I moved to London. It was the Atlantis Bookshop under the ownership of Caroline Wise which was the hub of activity and occult community creativity -- she was a force of nature, hosting conferences, promoting groups, advertising pub moots, and generally making me (and other young people) welcome and feel so inspired. Through her we got to meet magical orders, attend rituals, learn about magic from practitioners. She kept the channels flowing. If you went into her shop, she'd bombard you with recommendations, hand-made fliers, posters and postcards. So I opened Treadwells just as she was retiring from owning Atlantis, and felt that in that regard, she passed on the baton to us. Caroline's been a huge supporter of Treadwells and she's my personal inspiration of what an occult bookshop owner should be.

Do you collect books yourself?

I do! My collection is pretty eclectic. I don't have the completist gene, so I don't need to own full sets of things, mercifully. Then I get bored. I collected all of Dion Fortune's first editions, then once I had the full set, I didn't care anymore, so I sold them. I now have her work in paperback, which I've marked up with my marginal notes and personal opinions in the front and rear covers. So I work most of my books pretty hard. It's from my days as an historian, that I have opinions on what I'm reading and want to debate with the authors, or agree with them. So the margins of my books show that.

In the corner of my study is a shelf of books mentioning Treadwells, signed by their authors. Authors sometimes mention the shop in their novels, or in their guidebooks. Occasionally students and scholars mention Treadwells in the acknowledgments if we've helped them with their research - and that's so lovely. We have a commitment to assisting scholarly research where we can.

My collection is a working library of books containing ideas I love, historical research that inspires me, and lots of poetry -- which I use in contemplative reading and adopt into rituals I write. Big subjects I read are witchcraft, sapphic writers from Sappho through the 1920s, Renaissance planetary magic, and biographies of magicians of previous centuries. I've got an entire room for my books at home, and most often there are lots of them piled up on the desk with bookmarks stuck in, and intermingled are my various notebooks with quotes scrawled from the books I'm reading.

You mentioned a background as a historian, were you an academic before becoming a bookseller?

I was! I was a medieval historian. I taught for eleven years at a college of the University of Surrey. My PhD was at University College London with supplementary study at Jesus College, Oxford. The links between the world of scholarship and magical practice have grown wonderfully over the past fifteen years, so I relish reading the recent academic articles and studies of medieval magical texts and practice.

Do you recall the first book of, or on, magic you remember owning? Not a library book, but something that was your own?

I am sure I had children's books with witches as a very young child, as I was crazy about witches, and always wanted to try to do spells, and I even pretended to be able to fly (I had a children's storybook called No Flying in the House). However, I was very taken with a book whose name I can't recall, which I took from my parents' bookshelves, on superstitions and charms. I would copy the best charms -- in my opinion -- into a notebook, which I called my spellbook. I must have been about six, seven years old....

What rare items have come through Treadwells shelves over the years?

I'm so fortunate to see treasures coming through here. We have had a good smattering of Aleister Crowley first editions, Gerald Gardner first editions and books signed by Kenneth Grant. These are the staples of occult rare bookselling. But I love the offbeat stuff - we've got awesome zines. Zines are overlooked but are truly collectible as they're snapshots of the occult community at a particular moment, at the working coal-face, as it were. A faintingly exciting moment was when we got a very early Rider-Waite tarot deck, from a lady who had it in her attic, and had inherited it from her grandmother. We had people coming in just to look at it before we sold it to its current owner - during those two weeks we were honoured to be able to let tarot-lovers view it and appreciate it.

Some rare items are new - we've launched very limited edition items here -- nocturnal parties for books which are individually consecrated and inscribed and of which only one or two hundred copies are made. Those events are very magical, as it's just a small group of guests, lots of incense billowing, and good red wine flowing.

How has occult bookselling and publishing changed from your perspective over the last 14 years?

Bookselling now is a harder living than even twenty years ago, with London rents being high and with people having the option of purchasing on Amazon. But it's still vibrant, and getting even moreso. Reading occult literature inspires people to want to practice and meet others -- that's where the bookshop is crucial, and always will be. A bookseller is a curator, an advisor, and a bit of a therapist even, at times. I love that it's a continuity, a continuity of over 200 years.

Has the environment changed since the store moved to its current location several years back? Do you feel the community has grown?

We've been here at Store Street for seven years, having moved here after seven years in Covent Garden. I find it hard to believe we've been in Store Street just as long as we were in the old address. So uncanny! The community is different here than there -- and well, times change. In 2003 there was a tight connected community of people, and newcomers entered that network of people, socially. Now, it's much more open, less a community than a wider base of many many individuals who have overlapping interests. They will meet likeminded people at more niche events. I think it's because the era of subcultures is largely over, or so it seems to me. But Treadwells itself is a kind of community of regulars -- we get to know people whose vibe is in tune with ours and they keep coming back so next thing you know, we know all their kids' names and are invited to their art openings. But we are keen not to behave like a clique. So many occult-oriented people were outsiders at school that honestly, we don't need to replicate that in adulthood. A friendly gesture and a welcoming hello for our customers and new acquaintances: that's essential.

So many occultists I know scattered around the world have stories to tell about Treadwell's, visits on trips, meeting future spouses there, finding some bit of rarity they had long sought. Any insights into the future of occult bookselling in London and in general? Where does the plot take us from here?

I'm very excited about a new bookshop/occult event space in Seattle, Mortlake & Co, run by a wonderful chap named William Kiesel (of Ouroboros Press fame). It's got not only a range of rare books, but it also hosts intimate, intellectually-engaged soirees. I think occult bookselling is at its most exciting when it overlaps, not with the New Age, but with history and anthropology. By which I mean to say, when we widen our interest from the practice itself to include the people and the cultures that produced it. As an example, if you you love Enochian magic, check out Elizabethan court life. If you are drawn to hoodoo, learn about how African Americans lived in the era of slavery. If you practice traditional witchcraft, read a book on old cunningmen.

Any upcoming events or releases you would like to mention?

I'm particularly proud of our commitment to traditional, classic tarot reading. The art of reading the cards takes over a decade to master, but one can learn enough to have a meaningful experience in a single day. We offer one-day workshops, eight-week courses and even intermediate brush-up days. Tarot cards came out of the Italian Renaissance, so the symbolism is rich and deep, and it's the same symbol code you find embedded in Renaissance art. If you study the tarot cards, your trips to art museums suddenly become much more exciting.

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Discover Treadwell's Bookshop for yourself:

Treadwell's Books 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London www.treadwells-london.com/

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saphostudies · 7 years

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Hello world!!! I’m finally making a intro post here after lurking around for oh just 3 almost 4 months. and ready to get involved in this wonderful community! So, let’s get started with this intro!

Basics

My name is Kim (she/they)

I am a senior and I am 17 years old

I am a Ravenclaw and an INTP

I am very much sapphic (gay, I’m gay)

I am Latinx and bilingual (spanish and english)

Aspiring pediatrician

School Life

I have thus far taken 5 APs total

AP Euro, AP Lang, APUSH, AP Bio, and AP Calc AB

For my final year, I’ll be taking 2 APs

AP Lit and AP Calc BC (maybe AP Chem)

I am currently taking French

I am Commissioner of Academics for my school’s ASB

I’m also in Leadership

Clubs I’m in are CSF and Key Club

My favorite subjects are Math and Science even though I tend to score better in english and history tests for some reason

Hobbies

I absolutely love love love books (send me book recs!)

Running and I are best of friends

Musicals, museums, observatories, aquariums, etc. are my favorite places to go to

Graphic design and coding

Miscellaneous Facts About Me

I used to be a three season athlete: cross-country, basketball, track but issues with coaches and what was best for me caused me to leave all three

My mom taught me how to do algebra when I was 4 years old

Chocolates are my ultimate weakness

My Rick Riordan’s books are my favorite ones out there

Talk to me about deities from any culture and I’ll love you forever

A Studyblr, Why?

Well, I struggled last semester in school because of personal issues and my mental health and I ended up with my worst grades I’ve ever gotten and just began to lose motivation for school. So, I made this studyblr to help me get that push I’ll sometimes need to keep going with school and pursuing my dreams. Also, in school, I’m the only one of my friends who takes school as seriously as I do so when I’m stressed over something about school and need help or something of the sorts, they’re not exactly the best for that.

Also, this studyblr community is so amazing and huge and has already inspired me to go ahead and learn new things. The studyblr community is so helpful (and that’s actually how I stumbled across it, I was looking for some history help) in a variety of different ways from academia, to life skills, to apps, to self care and I want to be able to participate in that.

What I Plan to Post Here

Study guides (they’ve saved me)

Notes

Book recs and summaries

Studyspo pictures

Masterposts on resources for school

Advice for high schoolers and any class you may need help in

Life updates and tips

Some Topnotch Peeps

@revisicn / @studybutch / @dophdintraining / @bonbonlanguage / @obsidianstudy / @julstudies / @idcstudies / @thegrangersapprentice / @learnign / @universi-tea / @juniorincollege / @studyquill / @emmastudies / @studylilium / @studyplants

So I think that’s it for now! Hopefully I gave you guys I good idea of myself even though I may have missed some stuff . My inbox is always open for anything you want to ask and I’m always looking for some new people to follow and new friends! You can also find me on the @co2018 network and meet other seniors like me!

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