When writing from a character's point of view or writing a multi-pov story, try thinking about what makes that character's mind different.
Maybe the maidservant is constantly thinking of how much everything costs when she's invited to come with to the king's banquet. Maybe her young master is preoccupied with how handsome the duke is. And maybe the duke is worried about a potential assassination.
Since the maidservant never went to school, the words she uses are simpler, and reading gives her a headache. The young master knows it's his last chance to prove his worth — by securing a good marriage — and forces himself to chew his tasteless roast goose as neatly as possible, lest he turn the duke away. And the duke's nerves are wounding tighter and tighter as the king brings a goblet of wine to his lips; has that burgundy's crimson soured with someone's malice?
Consider tone, differences in syntax, and how backstories and context factor into a character's present mindset.
Rating/Warning: Teen and Up Audience, Torture, Kidnapping
Chapter Count: 2/2
Description: Chrissy Munson is missing from the celebrations of a successful Chicago concert for Corroded Coffin. It seems someone has taken an interest in her recent name change.
Tags: Alternate Universe- future fic, established relationship, Hurt/Confort, Kidnapping, BAMF Chrissy Cunningham, BAMF Eddie Munson, Protective Eddie Munson, Don't mess with Chrissy and Eddie, Status: Completed, Multi-POV, Alternating POV, Multiple-chapter, Multi-chapter
Pre-read comments:Y’all don’t know how quickly I ran to pick up this book once I learned it existed. I know this is MG, but how is it that I didn’t know that this book was released this year? Timely book indubitably.
Full review:
Quick review for a quick read. So I completely fell in love with this book for how much it was a love letter to many things: GLBTQIA+ literature in MG and YA over…
Podrick didn’t even mind the loss of his early mornings with Ser Brienne, helping her into her armor, because she seemed so content with Ser Jaime in her bed. Pod couldn’t think of Ser Brienne that way, as a woman taking her pleasure in a man. Clearly Ser Jaime didn’t have that problem.
His eyes still follow her as she directs the men in setting up their camp, no softness but enough heat in his gaze to light a fire. Ser Jaime is angry with her, but he still wants her in his bed. Pod wonders if Ser Jaime felt this way about his sister the queen, and knows instantly, horribly, that it’s true.
Well- I've fallen a bit down the Heated Rivalry rabbit hole. So to not go completely crazy and derail all my other fanfics...this is the beginning of a 7 chapter story. Hope you enjoy! Full chapter below the cut or over on AO3.
Her precious boys. She’d always known she’d welcome whoever Shane loved with open arms, after the shock of Ilya Rozanov walking through the door wore off- she’d seen it. She’d seen that he was now going to be her boy as well- as much as he was Shane’s love and Shane was Ilya’s. That first kiss to comfort her panicking son cemented that Ilya was determined to stay. Ever since that day- she’d filed the moments away. Those times where her heart swelled to see her boy being loved so well.
The next time she’d felt it was when she’d gone grocery shopping with Ilya- on a quest to get the ingredients to make one of his favorite Russian dishes. It was a normal trip, nothing extraordinary. Until Ilya placed ginger ale in the shopping cart, then miso soup, then he searched the chocolate section until he found the cacao nibs Shane rarely bought- but she knew he loved. And Ilya knew that too. Ilya knew that these would bring comfort to Shane even as she made a meal for him. Safe foods. Ilya realized that these were some of Shane’s safe foods and although he’d try the Russian dish- it might just be too much for Shane. She’d had to walk ahead of him for a bit as the tears threatened. She’d always feared that no one would stay with Shane long enough to learn him- to learn what made him tick. And now she looked at a grocery basket with her son’s favorite things and she had not placed them there. No, his boyfriend had wordlessly shopped for him as if it was second nature.
Months passed. She grew used to the two boys being in her life and watching their love blossom. The season was about to be upon them and it was likely the last weekend the boys would be in her home for a while. Even if they were both in town- she expected that they would be stealing away as much time with each other as possible. David had made a magnificent dinner and the boys offered to handle the dishes. She walked into a full blown water fight in her kitchen. Suds streaked the cabinets- both Ilya and Shane had water soaked shirts and they were laughing with each other- taunting- teasing. Ilya launched a sponge and it hit Shane square in the face, the soap getting into his eye. She braced, but she needn’t have worried. Ilya gently guided him to the sink and washed out the soap, Shane’s tension easing as the pain was washed away. A quick kiss and Ilya passed Shane a dry towel- motioning to dry off the room and he’d finish the dishes. She wished then that they would get a chance to do life together sooner, rather than later.
Boston. She could not believe she was in fucking Boston watching the fucking Raiders as her son drug her along to one of Ilya’s games. They were working on the foundation this weekend, but first there was a game. She’d originally thought that they would stay at a hotel- watch the game from there and meet Ilya the next day. When Shane told her that Ilya had gotten them tickets- she’d nearly turned them down. Then she’d seen the look on his face- he really wanted this. He really wanted to be there for Ilya in one of his last games with Boston before everything changed. He hated change and while she was sure Ilya could stand it better- her son wanted to be there for him and she would be there for Ilya too. Ilya had played well and as Shane let himself into Ilya’s home- she found herself watching him. He was so excited to have time with Ilya- even if it was less than 48 hours and they had to work- he wanted to be here. He wanted to be with Ilya and she knew how rare it was that her boy longed to be with someone like this.
Ilya’s birthday. Shane paced in front of her as he rambled about not knowing what to do for Ilya’s birthday. He wanted to do more than just a dinner. He wanted Ilya to be celebrated- something she’d learned had not happened in his family. Ilya was a means to an end there- nothing more and that tore at her heart. One look at Shane told her that it tore as his as well. Even though they’d slowly begun to be seen together in public- she knew that he couldn’t do what he really wanted- celebrate their love outloud. Her heart ached as she watched him try to find something- anything- that would be special to Ilya. That would speak to Ilya the way Shane so desperately wanted to. In a way that was not a secret- in a way that brought them light. She watched as he settled, settled for a birthday gift that was not everything he wanted it to be and her heart broke for them. Maybe, someday soon, this wouldn’t be their lives.
Ilya moved to Ottawa later that summer- a two week road trip with Shane where they wove their way across Canada and she was sure soaked up time with each other. Now, one of her boys was home and Ilya became a staple in their home. David was out of town for his job? Ilya was staying for the week. They needed an extra hand to move furniture? He was in his car before she’d finished saying the words. Birthday? Presents arrived days before and he made reservations for a private dinner if Shane was out of town. Both her and David getting ill with the flu? He showed up with groceries and made soup. She’d asked him once why he did it- why he accepted them so completely. At first he had been confused, thought she was mad and she’d calmed him by saying that no one else Shane had dated had ever done this. And then his answer was simple- Shane was not here to care for them the way he wanted, so he stepped in and that he loved them. He loved them like the parents he wished he had. She was not sure who cried harder that night.
Shane flew into Ottawa early on Christmas Eve- a secret that he’d kept from Ilya for weeks. His next game was in LA; Ilya’s was in New York- but the Ottawa schedule was kinder this time of year. Montreal was in the middle of a west coast trip. Normally- Shane would stay on the west coast and they would catch up on Christmas later, but between their schedules that would not happen until February. She’d heard Ilya insist it was fine and she had not been surprised when Shane told her that he would be home. So she made breakfast and kept the extra plate off the table- Ilya had bought David having a last minute early morning meeting before he would be home for the holiday. Ilya’s concerned ‘Shane’ warmed her heart as she poked her head out in time to see Ilya launching himself into Shane’s waiting arms. His ramblings switching to Russian the only indication of how appreciative and overwhelmed he was. Their hearts were together again. And she loved being able to see it.
What do you do when you find out that the supernatural world exists… and that you’re not as human as you thought you were?
Follow Hadley’s journey as she discovers that she is part of the supernatural world when she’s dropped into Sorlphi, the home of the Fae—which turns out to be another realm. She has less than a month to learn about the Fae before her own magic reveals itself, and she becomes the Fae Queen—the last of which was killed hundreds of years ago. With so many secrets being kept from her and betrayal waiting around every corner, how will she ever figure out how to become the queen Sorlphi needs her to be?
Review: "The Haunting of Apartment #101" (The Paranormalists #1) by Megan Atwood
Review: “The Haunting of Apartment #101” (The Paranormalists #1) by Megan Atwood
Quick review for a quick read. So this is the first middle grade/possibly low end of YA, reluctant reader title I’ve read in quite some time from this publisher. I originally had this as a galley back in 2012 but am picking it up belated. I make a mention of the date because…there are aspects of this story that don’t age well, even with the young audience it targets. (Yeah, I hesitantly say this…
