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Live Reading Stream from Queen of None
As I continue the one year celebration of the Queen of None release, I finally set up my audio arrangement in my office (read: space in the open loft area of my house where, if late enough at night, is relatively quiet enough). So last night I did a little live reading of two scenes from Queen of None: one, Hwyfar’s first introduction, and two, Anna’s total tear down of Gawain when she first arrives to Carelon. During the reading I was reminded, as I gave a voice to Anna… just how wily she is. She really is so calculating. It’s covered in a lot of beautiful language, good intentions,…
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QUEEN OF NONE is One! New Book Trailer and More
Queen of None was always about the stories within the story. But I also knew that Anna was not always the most reliable narrator. She is a good and compelling hero–but like all heroes, she has her faults, her missing pieces. The version of the characters you see in Queen of None is her take on them. Even some of those closest to her, like her own sons, are portrayed and informed by her own biases. Back in 2010, I actually started the sequel to Queen of None, originally entitled Knight of the Blood. At that point, it was going to be about Gawain and Palomydes at war. A story…
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A Bit of Québécois Heritage Food: Cigares au Chou
The Story The undisputed favorite heritage dish in my household isn’t even remotely French, but it comes from Mom’s family, and so I include it in this section. I like to make up the provenance here, that my grandmaman lived next to an old Polish woman at some point in her life and got the opportunity to watch her make galumpkies out of ingredients she already had, was inspired and delighted and ran home to make it for her mess of eight children and demanding husband. It became her staple, she won church cooking contests, and with her winnings bought her signature red lipstick. But, no. Cigares au chou, a…
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Men’s Regency Style: Is Beau Brummell to Blame?
1 – Welcome to #ThreadTalk! Our topic: the dandy of the Regency Era, Beau Brummell, oft credited with ruining men's fashion. Yes: he arrives at a cultural moment when "masculine" fashion takes a sharp turn away from color, patterns & frippery. But let's dig deeper, shall we?👔 2 – The Regency look is now iconic, thanks to Brummell's contemporary Jane Austen. But at the time, it was quite a shift. The elaborate "Macaroni" style favored wild colors, wigs, & designs, frequently mocked in satirical comics, had been the playground of rich young men. 3 – Although the English were a bit more restrained, Paris knew no limits. (Keep in mind…
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The Costumes of Villeneuve’s Dune: History, Texture, & Storytelling
Let's go on a trip to interstellar space and check out what fashion is like on Arakkis and beyond. A look at the threads that keep the new Dune film together.
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Mourning Traditions and Fashion History
Mourning... in fashion. Just because you were sad, didn't mean you didn't have to look amazing. Well, if you could afford it.
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#TheadTalk Halloween: Ghostly Garb
Ghosts and ghouls, wights and lost souls... what are they wearing?
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Halloween Film Fashion
A look into the movies, and fashion, that scarred (and inspired) me.
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Bad Romance: The Romantic Era in Fashion, Volume Two
1 – Welcome, intrepid readers. The week’s #threadtalk is the 2nd half of our dive into the wild world of #Romanticism. 🎀🌹🎶🎨 And it’s all about sex, drugs & art, fueled by good ol’ imperialism (but make it #fashion). But first, a refresher: 2 – We’re begin tonight in 1836 w/ Charles Darwin, who returned to England in this year. Though we owe a great deal to Chuck, for all his study, for all that, he still determined women intellectually inferior. Not to mention his support of his eugenicist cousin, Francis Galton. 3 – For our 1836 gown, we have a lovely green and floral number. Francis Galton might have…
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Queen of Fury is Drafted!
What a long, strange trip it’s been. I started out Queen of Fury with a fairly straightforward idea. It was going to be 100% Hwyfar’s story. She was the standout character from Queen of None, and seemed like the ideal character to continue the whole invisible women of Arthur tale. But I wanted a foil for her, and very early on, I liked the idea of playing Gawain of Orkney against her. They have a very similar backstory: they’re both the same age, both royals from pretty messed up dynasties, both from toxic families, and they’re both gingers. Not to mention super tall. What I did not expect was Gawain…
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Bad Romance: The Romantic Era in Fashion, Volume One
Ah, romance. Sweeping vistas, sumptuous fabrics, and advancements in human thought. Well, for a select few.
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The Queen of Fury Playlist
Music makes me write. And I like to share, so here you go.
