Belated Birthday

I’ve just realised that my blog being one year old completely passed me by! It was one back at the beginning of the month. I just wanted to do a quick post to acknowledge it at least.

I haven’t made many posts and I don’t have many followers, but I do cherish the friends that support my blog and make me want to continue. I have really enjoyed all that I’ve done here.

I love nothing more than hearing that someone has decided to read a story because of something that I’ve said. And this blog gives me somewhere to put my banners rather than them going unseen in some folder on my lappy.

So even if you barely stop by, or don’t really know me I want to say thank you. I’ve had fun and I hope you have too.

I am thinking about getting a new blog that I will use to post about my non-Twilight loves – books, music, films, food… anything that I’m enjoying enough to want to share with you. What do you think? Is that something that people might be interested in?

Thanks for your help in advance, never be shy of contacting me J

Rhian

Emancipation Proclamation: Hope

"In every man's heart there is a secret nerve that answers to the vibration of beauty."

Christopher Darlington Morley

All Isabella ever had to look forward to was a life of hardship and cruelty and to dare to dream was to dare too far, for the loss of hope is more painful than a life without it.

Edward’s soul was shattered as a young child. The loss of his dear mother crippled him, his suffering could not be eased and he never even tried to heal.

But there it is – that little glimmer of hope that changes everything. The light is still dim, the dream still ethereal but now there is a chance that there never was before for something more than mere survival; a chance at life.

 “In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.”

Albert Schweitzer

Fifty Shades of Grey

This week I have said au revoir to Master of the Universe by Snowqueens Icedragon the story that has taken me on a journey for over a year now. But I can say a massive hello to Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James. *makes mental note to ask Icy where the 'James' came from*

I don’t have anything more to say than I already have about how much the story has meant to me, as I’m sure you’re all well aware by now, but I couldn’t let this day go by without a bit of a hurrah. Well done Icy, Ms Author.

I got my copy *squee*

If you want to buy your own head over to the Writers Coffee Shop now:  http://www.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/publishinghouse/books/detail/23

You can follow Icy in her new splendid guise on her new blog https://sites.google.com/site/eljamesuc/ Very pretty by the way.

Oh and just because I love a bit of naughtiness, why don’t we see these again ;)

And just to be thorough...

Oh my, I love some FiftyShades....

Rhian

xx

Emancipation Proclamation: Edward and Bella

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."

Anais Nin

Isabella Marie Swan. Edward Anthony Cullen. Worlds apart. Born into different realities. But there is a spark. A thunderbolt. Colpo di fulmine.

Can they break a cycle of hate and pain?

"Just as despair can come to one only from other human beings, hope, too, can be given to one only by other human beings."

Elie Wiesel

Rhian

xx

Emancipation Proclamation: Carlisle

“I was sobbing loudly. Dr. Cullen stood up and took a step back, eyeing me. I glanced up at him, frightened and uncomfortable. He seemed to be contemplating something, and after a moment he grabbed the roll of duct tape. He pulled a piece of duct tape off, ripping it with his teeth, and pressed it over my mouth quickly to muffle my sounds.”

Emancipation Proclamation Chapter 17

I may be hating Carlisle right now.

I have been sobbing for Isabella’s pain. I wailed the most when he speaks to her the next day, saying that he hadn't intended to be so cruel. I honesty can’t quite pin point exactly why that section got to me as much as it did, I'll let you know if I figure it out.

I really hope that he does redeem himself.

Now I’m going to go cry some more.

“Punishment - The justice that the guilty deal out to those that are caught.”

Elbert Hubbard

Emancipation Proclamation: Isabella

“Abraham Lincoln delivered the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862, outlawing ownership of other human beings, but it didn't end there. Slavery exists in every corner of America. With enough money, you can buy anyone.

It’s the year 2005… and today I’m being sold.”

Emancipation Proclamation Chapter 1

“Sleep is good, death is better; but of course the best thing would to have never been born at all.”

Heinrich Hein

EP is such a poignant tale that I have been drawn into completely. The harrowing tale of Isabella, born into slavery, sold to a new master at the tender age of sixteen. She knows nothing of the world and much of human cruelty. She inhabits the dark side of the world where life is mere survival without hope or possibility. Isabella’s life is about to change. That much I can tell already.

Find the story here http://kharizzmatik-ep.blogspot.com/2009/08/prologue.html

Rhian

xx

Emancipation Proclamation: Edward

"This is a world of compensations; and he who would be no slave, must consent to have no slave. Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it."

Abraham Lincoln

Babsiebaby has finally talked me into reading Emancipation Proclamation. I put my big girl panties on and I’ve cried like a baby already. I am only part of the way through, so no spoilers please, but my Photoshop vibe has come out to play.

Kharsizzmatic has some of the best quotes to start her chapters that really show an insight not only to her story, but to humankind. She shows us humanity in all it's guises. Naturally, I felt inspired.

This banner was inspired by Edward and who he is at the beginning of the story.

"Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not; and oftentimes we call a man cold when he is only sad."

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Find the story here http://kharizzmatik-ep.blogspot.com/2009/08/prologue.html

Sinspiration

I have naughty thoughts this evening and thought I'd share.

The things I'd let him do with that tie...

*breathy sigh*

Rhian
xx

Master of the Universe becomes Fifty Shades of Grey

It has been dubbed Master of the Universe Appreciation Day so of course I had to post something! So here goes – probably my last MotU banner *sniff*

It’s no secret that I am a huge Master of the Universe fan. This little blog gives me away even if my tweets and reviews don’t already. I was thrilled for Icy when she shared the news that she was publishing with The Writers Coffee Shop. It came as no surprise as it was obvious that publishers were going to want this story – they would be crazy not to want this.

But for me, my obsession with Twilight FanFiction is just that – an obsession with Twilight and its characters. I found FanFiction.net because I was looking for a finished version of Midnight Sun, but once I opened that Pandora’s box I got all kinds of addicted. I just couldn’t leave the characters of Edward and Bella alone and for almost two years I didn’t read any other fiction purely because their story is never complete for me. Every film that I watch, song that I hear and now that I have started reading original fiction again, story that I read, all comes back to Edward and Bella – they are so deeply are they ingrained in my psyche.

So originally at the thought of MotU being reworked and stripped of all it’s Twilight references, I found myself wondering whether I could love it still if it wasn’t Edward and Bella – the characters I have grown to love so well. I was happy for Icy of course, just a little apprehensive that I, due to my crazy brain, would lose something essential in the conversion from Edward and Bella to two unknown, unfamiliar names and faces.

I am a sharer by nature and so just to get a little TMI – turn away if you must – I was browsing some tweets in the bath when I read one from @Raizie7 about a Christian Grey. I wondered who it was and followed a link and saw this -> http://www.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/publishinghouse/books/detail/23 and literally got goose bumps!

My fear fell away and I was left with pure excitement. I should have known to trust in our Icy. The title is so stirring to a MotU fan – the fifty shades analogy and persona still in place, the duality of the title playing on the strong name of Christian Grey. We can live this story again in all its glory. I can’t wait and will definitely be pre-ordering this book for my Kindle to hear what Ana has to say… I wonder if she rocks the ellipsis as much as Bella ;) Does she have a wanton inner goddess and a snarky subconscious with half-moon shaped glasses? I am excited to find out.

And so I suppose it’s time to say thank you, Icy. It’s been one hell of a ride. From finding a good story on FanFiction.net, to ambling innocently into a Twilighted forum, to gaining a wealth of friends on Twitter. MotU is an amazing story that holds a special place in my heart, but even more so because it is the story that prompted me to join this crazy community of Twi-lovers that has become a huge part of my life. I’ve done more, learnt more and made more friends in the last year than I have in a long time. So this is a thank you to you, Icy for being not only a talented writer with an infuriating penchant for painful cliff-hangers, but for being the catalyst of my journey into this world. And this an equally grateful thank you to all of you amazing ladies that have shared this experience with me, made me laugh and made me cry and changed my life for the better.

 

Laters, baby, because of course this ride isn’t over!

Rhian

xx

And naturally, I just couldn't leave that tie picture alone…