seastarr08’s The Expert

I spent the rest of the morning plugging away on a proposal for a small writing guide, which was one of my pet projects. It was small, portable, and was going to be quite affordable, which I hoped would translate to big sales. When Amelia popped her head in, I was ready for the distraction.

“So, big shot, let me see your list.”

“You’re the big shot, Ms. Top rep two years in a row.”

“Yea, I won’t argue that. Human sexuality eh? I have just the guy for you.”

“Oh?”

“Go to the NYU website and type in Eric Northman.” She squeezed into my office and closed the door.

“Ames, the man is a God. I don’t think he’s quite what I’m looking for, well not as an author for this huge book.” Most of my authors were old men with comb overs, not Nordic Gods with piercing blue eyes.

“Just read his little bio there. He’s a bit of an overachiever, much like someone else I know.” She gave me a knowing look.

“He’s the youngest professor to be given tenure, well, ever, at NYU.”

“So he’s a good ass kisser, it doesn’t mean he’s a good writer. I mean, how long has he been teaching for? He’s not even 35.”

“His class is always impossible to get into. I’ve been trying to sell him a book for two years. His enrolment is nearly 600 students a semester. People stand Sookie, just to get into his course.”

“Its human sexuality. Of course they do. He’s a God, talking about sex.”

“He has office hours tomorrow. I was going to stop by anyway, see if we have anything he’d be interested in this year. Why don’t you come with me and see for yourself.”

“Fine. Pick me up at my place tomorrow morning. At worst, maybe I’ll be able to help you sell him some book for his course.” We had sexuality books, but not a big book like they wanted me to sign.

Read more here. See more of seastarr’s work here.

J-saw’s presents

See the big version here. See more of J-saw’s work here.

DraskoDondic86’s Godric

See it here too. See more of DraskoDonic’s work here.

Enjoy, my lovelies!

~simba_317

stealingdreams’ Picking Up the Pieces

“Ms. Stackhouse, I..” Mr. Brigant was interrupted by the phone that had started ringing on his desk, which he quickly apologized for and picked up. “Yes, Gloria. Send him in.”

Before Mr. Brigant could say anything to me, the door opened and my breath hitched. The most stunning man I had ever seen walked into the small office. The chair I had sat in directly faced the front of the door he walked through, causing our eyes to meet immediately. The stranger stopped mid-stride, with his hand still on the door handle. Instantly my ankles and thighs tightened together as if my muscular system had now joined my respiratory system in malfunctioning. I couldn’t help myself, but to break contact and rake my eyes up and down his form. His blond hair looked to be longer than the typical cut of most men’s. It was tucked behind his ears and brushed back on the top. His skin was tanned which accented his chiseled features and the most stunning pair of cerulean blue eyes. His clean-shaven skin allowed his strong jaw line to be seen. His height forced my eyes to take a lot longer to cover the entirety of his body. He looked fit and wore his deep navy pin stripped suit very well. Just as my eyes were making my way back to his, I noticed that he too, was checking me out. I felt a warm blush settled on my cheeks as he finally met my gaze once again and smiled.

I heard Mr. Brigant clear his throat, causing both the stranger and I to remember that we were not, in fact, the only people present. “I’m glad you could make it. I was just about to get started,” Mr. Brigant continued, and as he spoke, the stranger seated himself in another chair to the side of the desk creating a perfect line of sight to me.

Everything was fine until this man entered the room. I was the perfect form of poise. Now I was the perfect form of insecure. My hands had started to slightly sweat and I noticed that the heat from the blush that has spread all over my face had not disappeared, but rather intensified. I had to get a hold of myself and fast. This job was important to me and to my Gran. I put my head down briefly and tried to steel myself once again. Gran. That was who I needed to focus on. If I could focus on her depending on me then I could do this. I took a deep breath and relaxed my ankles and thighs. When I finally picked my head back up, both the stranger and Mr. Brigant had a ghost of a smile playing out on their faces as if they knew something I didn’t.

Read the rest of the story here. Read the rest of stealingdreams’ work here.

Artistmind’s Sinner

To see the big version, click here. To see more of Artistmind’s work, click here. For Artistmind’s myspace, click here.

Devillaa’s Eric/Sookie- Tainted Love

To see the video, click here too. See more of Devillaa’s work here.

Sorry this is late! I hoped you enjoyed!

~simba_317

Review of Dead Until Dark

Hello, my lovelies! I apologize for how long this has taken to get out. It’s just that…it’s just hard to get into Dead Until Dark. It is not my favourite book in the series by any stretch of the imagination.  Anways, as this will be part of my Series Reread, please bring forth any discussion into the Forums by clicking the link on the right side bar and going to the DUD section. I’ll provide links at the end under the ‘Discussion’ heading. This Series Reread is done under the intention to stimulate discussion and reinvigorate our forums.

Anway, to the review! I’m starting with what I dislike and ending with what I do like.

More after the cut!

Continue reading ‘After School Special’

I am 2500 words into the review…and have 8 pages of notes left on DUD. A lot of it is repetitive…but hey, they’re good notes! lol. Come back tonight. I promise.

DeeDeeINFJ’s Eric

At first he barely registered the blonde who entered Fangtasia that night with Bill Compton; he had seen blondes before, had sucked and fucked more than his fair share, and had his pick of them every night. This evening was too tedious – and his mind too full of other things – to warrant the notice of yet another yellow-haired human woman.

“Did you look at Bill’s new pet?” Pam asked.

Eric made a motion with his hand, an acknowledgment and dismissal in one.

“Well, I’d have her,” said Pam. She was quiet a moment, during which time she casually kicked away a would-be admirer. He was vaguely aware of refusing a few advances himself. “Why are you so quiet and boring tonight?”

He said nothing, but his eyes rested on Bill’s human again, and he realized that something was different about the woman. She was obviously human, but there was something else…

Bill had evidently noticed that Eric’s interest was piqued, because he and his partner rose and approached. Eric furrowed his brows as they came closer, trying to discern something – anything – special about the woman, but he quickly rearranged his features into something more pleasant when he realized that the woman was watching him with apprehension. Bill stopped several feet away from the table, holding the woman back with him, and Eric wondered at this with amusement. Surely Bill couldn’t be that insecure about introducing his companion to Eric and Pam?

To read more of Eric, click here. For more of Dee Dee’s work, click here.

antoanela91’s SVM: Arlene Fowler

To see the big version, click here. To see more of antoanela’s work, click here.

Sparralex’s Why Can’t I Say It?

To see the video, click here too. To see more of Sparralex’s AWESOME work, click here.

Oh! Imagine Uncle from Jackie Chan Adventures…

One more thing…

Just because…

~simba_317

And OMG this time one of my Peeps is Alexander Skarsagrd! Ok, Ok, breathing, in through my nose out through my mouth.

First I am sure all of you are very aware of the suffering and pain those in Haiti are suffering. I have been trying to find a way to help make some kind of difference. I made a small donation to a local charity via our grocery store the day of the earthquake. It was a small amount and I knew there was more I could do. Then I stopped in to one of my favorite websites

Skarsgard News and saw my chance. Alexander and AS News have teamed up to ask fans to make a donation to Doctors Without Borders. I contacted Lilja and asked her how I could help. I have always admired what DWB has stood for and accomplished all over the world. They truly make a difference to every life they touch. Lilja asked me to whip out my pimp hat and spread the news, so that is exactly what I am doing.

Photo Courtesy of CBC

Lilja has added a secure link to Doctors Without Borders and their donation phone number is posted in the article. No one is looking for a large donation, $2 will add up when all of Alex’s fans make the commitment to help. If you can do more than that wonderful. If all you can do is pass on this message that is wonderful too!

I live in South Florida we have a large Haitian population. I look into the faces of my neighbors and know someone they love most likely was injured or lost in this disaster and my heart aches for them. I can’t take their pain away but maybe all if all of us come together we can make sure they don’t have to face this disaster alone. I am asking all the fans of True Blood and SVM to stand together. I don’t care if you are Team Bill, Team Alcide, Team Sam, or Team Quinn when it comes down to it we are all part of Team Human and Team Human needs us!

A small article featuring Skarsgard News efforts: Exaniner.com Article

Welcome to Fan Friday No. 6!

Meg2’s Dead Wrong

He looked at me as if stunned.

“Sookie, would you just sit and listen to me…”

“I don’t want to talk. I don’t want to listen. What I want is to get back to work. My area is packed. And I really need the tips.”

I started to open the office door and faster than a lightening strike, he was at the door slamming it closed again and looking down at me. The look on his face was twisted with anger and with something that I just couldn’t quite understand.

“I know you are angry, Sookie. I know you feel like I didn’t take care of you. You don’t have any idea what I did just to go fight and to keep you safe. I defied orders and had to put down something of a rebellion with my own people to go and fight for you. Bill went with Niall, then I came to defend you. I lost Clancy defending you. I felt everything. Everything that you endured. I tried to give you strength. And when I told you that you were killing me by saying that you didn’t understand why I didn’t come to you, I meant every word of it. You are mine. You have been grievously harmed and I understand your anger. And I am proud that you survived but I am not happy that you had to survive anything. I wanted to protect you. I…”

I cut him off with a wave of my hand in front of his face.

“Just stop. Stop. Listen, I’m sorry if I have caused you a lot of problems. You know, you told me once a year ago that I was so much trouble. Well, maybe I’m too much trouble, Eric. Maybe I should take a leaf from Niall’s book and just say ‘let’s call it a day’, okay? Maybe we should just call it quits. Whatever protection you guys all feel you owe me, you, Felipe, whoever, just forget it. The whole vampire marriage thing? The one I took being tricked into for the so-called added protection? Forget about it, Eric. Because I am. Just quit trying to help me. You’ve done quite enough. Just… leave me alone. What I really want is for all of you to just leave me alone. Frankly, the more I get protected, the more hurt I get. Claudine is the only one who ever managed to protect me for any length of time without getting me in even more trouble and I got her killed. Really… leave me alone.”

His arm suddenly went slack on holding the door shut and without looking up to meet his eyes I opened the door and walked back out into the bar to serve my tables. I had the impression of his standing near the bar looking at me for several minutes and I felt twisted internal conflict from him and even from myself, but it faded away. I didn’t see him leave. I would have cried if I’d had the luxury of the time to do so. But we were packed and I had no such luxury.

Read the rest of the fic here.  Read more of Meg2’s work here.

aecr’s Sequential experiment 4

To see the big version, click here. For more of aecr’s work, click here. For her blog, click here.

smvgrey74’s THIRST

See the video here as well. See more of her awesome work here.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s Fan Friday. And I know I said Thursday…but I’m sort of adjusting to my schedule again, so bare with me on the review.

~simba_317

And You Can Bid On Some Amazing And Talented SVM and TB Fan Fic Writers!

Support Stacie Vampire Auction is a fundraiser to help rasie much needed funds to pay medical bills incurred by Stacie’s breast and ovarian cancer treatment. Please check out Stacie’s website and blog to read about what she and her family have been facing. Stacie\’s Story Here

Auction Rules and Bidding Info

When I was asked why I was offering myself up for sale for the Support Stacie Vampire Auction I thought about my answer for about three seconds…..

What Stacie and her family have been dealing with has touched my heart and I wanted to to do what I could to help. I have friends and family who have been directly affected by cancer and lack of insurance. More often than not people go without proper care until it is to late to avoid going into debt. Seeing it happen over and over again has spurred me into action. First step? Stacie’s bills… next step making sure our children never have to face the same issue.

I bugged a few of my fellow writers to sit down and talk with me a little about what made them choose to offer up their skills for the auction. So without further ramblings from me……

BBB: youbettago, my love, my light! Can you share why you decided to offer of a collaboration with Kyss Ericsson aka Lil?

YBG: Freakin’ awesome! I can’t wait to collab w/Lil to write a steamy Swexy Fic for the winner! It could be anyone of us in Stacies’s place. Let’s all band together to help her out!

BBB: Rumor has it you both have decided to offer slash as an option for your fic, SVM slash? This could get very interesting indeed! Thanks for your time YBG! Oh and hot off the presses! Meads has a little surprise for YBG!

BBB:Suki59! Thanks so much for talking to me about your decision to place yourself up on the auction block!

Suki: I’m a hopeless Eric addict and writer of Southern Vampire Mysteries
fanfiction.  Those of you who know me have most likely suspected for some time
that I could easily be bought and you were right!

BBB: LOL

Suki: I am very excited at the prospect of helping to raise money for our fellow
fanfic writer, Stacie, who needs our support.

BBB: Here’s your chance to pimp yourself Suk! You have 30 seconds!

Suki:Please go to my profile (Suki59 FF.net Profile) and
check out any or all of the thirty-three stories I’ve written about our
favorite Viking.   Clearly, I can’t seem to shut up about the man and now
you have a chance to tell me exactly what you want to read about him.  Want a
human Eric?  Not a problem.  Vampire?  Okey-dokey.  Like your fics angsty?
Fluffy?  Funny?  Sad?  Name your desires and I’ll be your faithful servant.
I’ll happily do the bidding of the highest bidder, and deliver your favorite
blond Sookie-magnet right into your lap!  Happy bidding, my lovelies!  Eric
and I will be waiting for you at the end of the auction.

BBB: And TIME! Thanks Suki for taking time out of your evening to pimp the auction and your offer!

Suki's Auction Offer

BBB: My next guest is Zigster. Zigster is pulling double duty for the auction. She is not only offering up a story she is also donating her artistic talents! Zigs is part of my Team Vampire, but I digress, more on that later. Zigs stop looking so nervous….stop biting your nails!

Zigs: *stares at an annoyed Lil*

BBB: Ok, no passing out, it’s just a little blurb, no cameras…promise.

Zigs: *nods*… Okay, it’s official. I’ve been labeled many types of h00rs in the past — review h00r. slash h00r — but now I am actually a full on, grade A, legit ho! Yes. I’m selling myself… err.. my words, for charity. In this case, I’m gladly offering my time, fingers and keyboard to help the Support Stacie Auction raise money for cancer [Stacie].

BBB: *nods encouragingly*

Zigs: I view this fabulous idea for an auction as a win/win. We all get to pitch in to help raise money for a good cause, and  the winning bidders get some fantastic new fiction on top of it. How could anyone deny the awesomeness of that?

BBB: Not me!

Zigs: So, if y’all feel so inclined, please stop by the forum and register to bid. If you’re jonesing for some more Hellcat or Northman’s, you’re in luck, cause that’s exactly what I’m offering.

Zigs: oh, and then banner. …..*beams* ciao bb

Now onto another auction development. After some begging, pleading, and flashing I was able to obtain the artistic talents of Meads, Zigster, and sawyersmine/ECB to make story banners as bidding incentives! Ok, I didn’t have to beg and I would have flashed them but it never came to that. Why? Because these women are amazing and wonderful and have huge hearts! So if you are bidding and your author has chosen to use a story banner as an incentive you will have the opportunity to have the chance to work with the author and artist to develop the perfect banner for your personal SVM or TB story!

BBB: So ECB what made you decide to offer up your mad skills?

ECB: I know people who have had cancer and I beleive it’s something we need to find a cure for, it’s a terrible disease and I’m just happy to be able to contribute to this event for Stacie. Plus, being mad is so much more fun when you can do it charity.

BBB: Do you think next time you will offer up your deliciously angsty writing skills? *gives flirty smirk*

ECB: um possibly, but im better at the art

BBB: *stares blankly @ ECB*

BBB: Dude? WTF? You are the author of I Need Your Love Tonight, it’s fuckawesome.

ECB:lol, I’m so not good at interviews….. I’ll just say perhaps

BBB: Ok, good enough! For now! Thanks for your time ECB!

And a sample of ECB’s work…. she whipped this up for me after Simba and I debated over Rebel E or Angsty E. Rebel E feelin’ the angst won out!

Tonight I was able to chill with my other partner in crime for the auction. When I made the call to arms for SVM and TB writers smfogleman was one of the first to contact me. SMF is going to venture into a SVM/Twi crossover with me. I know I am excited but I wanted to know how SMF felt…

BBB: SMF, what was your motivation to offer to partner up with Lil for a special SVM/TWI fic?

SMF:I wanted to help out but was 1) afraid to do it on my own the first time and 2) I don’t think I’m popular enough to get any bids. Lil asked for a partner so it seemed like a win for everyone involved.

BBB: I read the auction offer and I heard you will take the Twi side of the story. Have you ever written Twific before?

SMF: Nope, which is weird since I’ve read the Twilight series more often than I’ve read SVM. But I got started on FanFiction because of looking for SVM stories, so yeah. I will hopefully be writing a Twific for the FML Contest….. as soon as I figure out what to write for my prompt. LOL

BBB: Nice.  One last question, how do you feel about having a partner in writing a story? And do you think Kyss will go all diva on ya?

LOL I’ve never had a partner for a story before so I’m actually looking forward to it. I’m not worried about Kyss going all diva on me, just worried she’ll go all angsty on me. I hate extreme angst so I’m a little afraid to even think about the possibility of ever writing it.

BBB: *ignores Evil Lil laugh in background* Oh, um, I am sure she could lay off the angst just this once *coughs nervously*….. Well thanks SFM for your time tonight!

Now to pimp my auction offer! This includes the special offer with smfogleman. I am going to make it real simple, click on the the fekking hot banner Zig’s made for me!

Click On txone’s banner for her offer!

Art By Meads

Meads made this for Nyah, top banner is linked to Nyah’s offers!

Southern Vampire Mysteries/True Blood

View Full Author List Here

1. Charlotte Clark
2. Ithilwen K-Bane/Darkfrog24
3. KyssEricsson
4. KyssEricsson and Youbettago collab.
5. Makesmyheadspin
6. Miss Construed
7. Morgaine Swann
8. Nyah
9. OhFortunesLost
10. Oz
11. PrincessStayPuff
12. RPatzFan101
13. Scoopchick
14. SouthernLady23
15. Suki59
16. Texanlady
17. txone
18. Zigster

A little Extra Banner from Meads for YBG and I. I had to hare!

So it’s 1am…I’m back on the university grindstone…thinking about literature and how my studies in East Asia have really helped me in my English courses…and then it suddenly hits me. Why TB Sookie sucks. One of the reasons anyway.

One theory that was always in the back of my mind had to do with the current economic crisis, causing people to lose their jobs, houses and go into bankruptcy. Who is it who are losing jobs and unable to provide for their families? Men. Men, who are the traditional breadwinners are losing out on the job, meaning that women are probably picking up the slack. Well, culture reflects our anxieties and our needs. The conception of masculinity is changing or always in flux, but it has come to the point where the entire culture feels it is threatened. So is it any surprise that TV provides a fantasy for us where ‘men are men’ and ‘women are women?’ Is it any surprise that the kickass, self-reliant, strong heroine is on the Endangered Species List on TV? Where there was once Buffy, Sydney Bristow and Xena, we are left to deal with the unsatisfying heroines of Kate and Sookie. Hell, Erica Evans is like spotting the Tasmanian Tiger in Tasmania…how long will that last? And where were the people watching BSG?

I never thought I'd say this. I miss the Mini-Slayers. Dear True Blood, please get Buffy's hair colourist.

We are tempered by our culture. Writers are influenced by it and all art and literature reflects who or what a culture is at a particular moment. I’ve always thought Kate presented an interesting transition through Lost as it as aired from 2004 to present. She started out strong, independent and self-reliant, but along the way, the stupid fucking triangle took away all her strength and power. She’s been reduced to ‘the girl character’, the one that is the whore or the madonna figure, nothing more. Her only story is the love triangle. And it’s funny, because you can almost see that transition in Season Three after the mini-arc as she had to go back for Jack. Her character has never been the same since and because of it, she’s the pariah of Lost fandom, because she’s horrible to men. She’s become the Eve is EVOL thing. Seriously. In fact, all the women just kinda got dropped on Lost. And it’s almost like strong women characters just died when Buffy went off the air along with Alias soon after…when the economy started going down the tubes with the Iraq War.

So when the writers of Lost or hell, True Blood, giggle and pat themselves on the back with how strong their females are, it’s like, ‘Are you fucking kidding me?’ Lost is a TOTAL Boys’ Club. What do the women do exactly on the show to move the plot forward? They’re prizes for the men to win or the girlfriend, really. Sure, they might do something cool now and again, but the fact remains, the boys do all the cool stuff. As for Sookie, she’s not so much strong as she is strong-willed, ignorant and petulant. On True Blood, she’s not exactly the model of a modern woman. Really, what are her aspirations besides being Bill’s girlfriend? Lorena and Maryann are strong, but they’re conceptions of women who take advantage of men, who are out to get men. You know…Eve is evol! Women=BAD!

Both Kate and Sookie represent the fears of our culture, but it’s just sad that their mentalities have been shaped by it and the women in those writers’ rooms let it stand because yes, that fear is out there, but they’re not the best representation of women now. Literature is supposed to move forward ideas, be the forerunner, the model, the trendsetter, show us what we COULD be as a culture, but in terms of women, but both Lost and True Blood fail to be that.

Kate Austen, Pariah.

But that’s not really my epiphany.

The changing conceptions of masculinity has ALWAYS caused conceptions of femininity to change. This was true in the reaction the the rule of the Mongols in the Yuan Dynasty in China. See, the Mongols were a foreign power that ruled China some 700 to 800 years ago. They invaded and took over China successfully for about a hundred years. Those horsemen were really great at invading, but sucky implementers of power and rule, so they got kicked out pretty quickly. The Chinese weren’t exactly into being ruled by foreigners. But Mongol rule had a lasting effect on China.

Think of Confucianism and chances are, one of the most enduring images is the patriarchal nature of it all, how important males are, the power of the patriarch over the family, sons having to do filial piety, the husband’s power over the wife, the wife having to serve the husband, daughters sold off to men in marriage…the lack of women’s rights in all this. Hell, women were exempted from the civil service exams that made people bureaucrats, meaning upward mobility and increased social status. All males could take the exam.  Sure, it took years of study, and lots of money, but it did mean that farmers and merchants COULD go up on the social food chain. Women? Nope.

Well, that whole situation was a product of the Mongol rule in China during the Yuan Dyanasty. Gender relations before this point used to be a lot more equal, but the Mongol rule changed Confucianism and gender relations. You see, what was valued as masculine by the Chinese at this time was a refined, cultured, cultivated scholar. He was a writer, artist and poet. He didn’t exactly get his hands dirty. He’s sedentary. Compare this to the Mongols, they were hot blooded, nomadic horsemen, invading, going to war. Guess what? They came, they saw, they conquered. The Chinese male feel threatened by this, he calls his whole masculinity into question. Are they at fault? Of course not, they’re masculine, dammit. So because the Chinese male is already so refined and cultured, females have to be even MORE refined, cultured and feminine. What happens? The role of the female becomes subservient. The culture changes.

Eric is amused by the poster child for mainstreaming.

How does this apply to True Blood. Imagine Bill is the refined, cultured, scholarly dude. Yes, that makes Eric a hotblooded, invading horseman. …The freaking alpha.  And what does Eric do at every turn? Well, he’s pretty much putting Bill’s masculinity into question at every turn. The smirks, the jabs, the scoffs, the ‘How do you stand that stuff? Don’t you find it metallic and vile?’, ‘True Blood, it keeps you alive, but it will bore you to death’…Oh, and Eric is going after Sookie. Now with Bill, with his masculinity constantly being threatened, of course he doesn’t like that. No, he’s gotta be the paragon of masculinity. And because of this, the relationship between Bill and Sookie has to change. Sookie has to become more feminine and refined.

So is it any surprise that Sookie spent an entire season decked out in dresses that aren’t exactly practical for being rough and tumble, battling FOTS goons, escaping churches and what not; with her hair ridiculously curled, which no doubt took HOURS because you know, girls spend HOURS doing hair and makeup; and let’s not forget the ultimate-sitting on her ass waiting for Bill to save her? I didn’t think so either lol.

The Gawdawful Pancake Dress

What does Sookie do on her day off? She spends five hours curling her hair! ...For a trip on a PLANE.

St. Beel will save me! ...I'm sure there's nothing useful in this storage closet.

Duh. Those caps are great LOL and mockage material. Like I wouldn’t post them. Hee…Anyways, Sookie is Bill’s ego prop, the device he uses to reassure his masculinity. Her vision of him as good, spangly white and all that reassures him that he is good, right, nawt like those OTHER vamps. He is one apart and he may not win cockfights, but he’s masculine! Dammit!

So why does True Blood Sookie suck? Being around Eric causes Bill to feel threatened and question his masculinity, forcing Sookie to become even more feminine and sedate to counteract that, so Bill can be a strapping example of masculinity. Not to mention she is also a cultural product of our moment and the overall threat of masculinity that is felt from the economic crisis.

Off to work now and use my academic knowledge for stuff that will at least get me actual marks! lol.

ETA: I have to finish a paper for university…but I don’t have classes on Thursday, so you can expect my review for DUD then. I’m about 80% finished with seven pages of notes on Word. Quotes and notes lol.

~simba_317

Just to update…I’ve finished 1/3 of DUD for the review I plan to do…It’ll probably be up this weekend.

educatedguess’ Love You ‘Til the End

“And we’d also like you to do a shoot the cast of Dead Until Dark, if that’s possible,” Niall said.

“Excuse me?” I said, hoping I hadn’t heard him right.

“The new season starts in what, June? We’d like to do a shoot for the June episode and an interview with the Big Three: Selah Pumphrey, John Quinn, and Eric Northman.”

I sighed. “Well when you want to figure out the schedule for that shoot, contact my assistant and she’ll see how… available… I am at that point and where we want to go,” I said, trying to keep the distaste out of my voice.

I hung up the phone and leaned back in my desk chair, studying my office. I did mainly freelance work that I would sell privately in addition to art shows at various galleries, but the necessary evil of being freelance photographer was that I had to do some commercial work, which was where the Rolling Stone shoot was coming in. I sighed, decided to hang it up for the rest of the afternoon.

[...] I shoved the file of prints and a zip drive into the messenger bag with my laptop and headed out the door. I jammed the DOWN button on the elevator and swooped down to the ground floor.

The cool spring breeze hit my face as I walked out into the crowded streets and already I could feel my mind clearing. I loved New York. I had done considerably well for myself after graduating Louisiana State University six years ago with my degree in Art, concentrated in Photography. My best friend Tara was living in New York as a fledgling designer after graduating from Parsons with a degree in Fashion Design and was in need of a roommate so I moved in with her and started my adult life full of small town ideas of big city adventures.

Now, six years later, I lived in a fabulous loft and was engaged to be married to a wonderful man, and we were going to move into a gorgeous brownstone in Brooklyn. Only there was a slight problem that was continually hitching my plan.

I still had to get a divorce from my first marriage.

God I haven’t thought about him in awhile. I thought, taking in a deep, cleansing breath. I still remembered the day we got married. It hadn’t been anything huge or elaborate, but it was quick and impulsive, surrounded by our best friends in Vegas. That was all that had mattered at the time.

Oh how things change.

[...] I finally made it back to my loft and let myself in, being greeted by the quiet that made me feel like I was completely shut out of the hustle of New York City.

I smiled and walked over to my iPod, flipping on some music. Bach’s Cello Suite #1 swelled around me as I poured myself a glass of wine and pulled a thin file out from my lawyer of my bag. I plopped down on the couch and propped my feet on the coffee table.

I looked down at the papers that I had pulled out of my bag and sighed. My lawyer, Mr. Cataliades, had given me a copy before he sent them out tomorrow. I practically knew them by heart. They hadn’t changed in three years.

JOINT COMPLAINT, PETITION, OR DECLARATION FOR SIMPLIFIED DIVORCE

I sighed and looked down at the spaces that were filled in.

“We, Susannah Louise Northman, Wife, and Eric Alexander Northman, Husband…”

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Luthienne88’s Last Breath

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nutbustedhaji’s Why Did I Ever Doubt You?

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Enjoy all!

~simba_317