Paper CutOuts

Paper CutOuts by twistedcoincidence and astilbe13 was recently recommended to me by a few friends and I am glad that they took the time to point me in the direction of this little gem. There is a reality to the writing that cuts through to the heart of things and I have found myself in tears with this Bella.

She sees her life as a story, an empty one. The first chapter opens:

Ordinary: -adjective; of no special quality or interest; commonplace; unexceptional.

This is how she sees herself, how others have seen her in the past. But her story finally begins when she spots an interesting stranger from her office window. She is tired of being a face in the background and wants to be a lead character so, for once in her life, she writes her own story and sets out to meet him. In the process new characters enter her life and change her story forever.

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Read Bella’s story on FF.net http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5993984/1/Paper_CutOuts

Âme Soeur Chapter 13: Red Pill

A blue pill will give you a world of blissful ignorance and illusion. A red pill will give you the truth of reality. In ange de l’aube’s Âme Soeur it’s time to take that red pill. It might hurt and it might taste bitter, but how do you really know sweet if you’ve never tasted sour?

It’s truth time and we’re about to see our hero and heroine face it head on and hopefully find happiness in each other. Can the truth and beauty of young love heal and spirit away the ghosts of the past?

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“They sat in silence for a while. The wind blew small yellowish leaves around their feet and Bella observed their little dance. She wondered why life had to be so hard on them. They were too young to be dealing with all this, too young to be haunted by nightmares, too young to be dealing with alcoholic parents and unsolved mysteries.


I guess you're never too young for life, Bella mused as she focused on the leaves dancing swirls and doing pirouettes on the ground.”

Quote from Chapter 13

Read Âme Soeur by ange de l'aube here http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5971351/1/Ame_Soeur or take a look at the authors blog http://angedelaube.blogspot.com/?zx=479f1ff2d67307cd where you can find playlists and Âme Soeur art.

Master of the Universe

Firstly and foremost, I must thank Icy so much for this story and for sharing so much of herself with us. You are one generous lady!


As you will know, Icy sat down to write a story and this time last year she posted the first chapter of Master of the Universe, soon to become known as MotU and take the fanfiction world by storm, or leather plaited whip as the case may be…

MotU is my favourite fanfiction of all time. I doubt I need to tell anyone reading this post why. Icy created a world with powerful and captivating characters that I fell in love with along the way. Bella is young and sometimes naive, but is astoundingly brave with an emotional maturity that shines through in her kindness. Edward, fifty shades of fucked up with a tormented spirit hiding behind his sexual prowess, gets a lot more than he bargains for when he meets the unassuming Miss Swan. The rest is now MotU and fanfic history enshrined in out little computer screens and in our hearts.


To celebrate the anniversary of MotU, here is something I just cooked up:

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Thank you to @KlrTwiLuver for the words for this banner.

Please take a look at the MotU Tribute blog for some beautiful words and some beautiful banners and wallpapers at http://www.motutribute.com/home

Also, in case you're interested, here is the first alternate banner that didn’t make it onto 50shades.com. There is only room for the one after all ;)

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Master of the Universe: The Separation

I was reading the Master of the Universe outtake for the Fandom Gives Back this morning and I was just as consumed and drawn in as ever. Fifty’s pain hurts my heart. He thinks so little of himself in some ways, while he is massively egotistical in others; quite the enigma.

Abused as a child, never overcoming the pain, his heart is bound tight in the iron grasp of his determination to never be hurt again, so much so he’s even willed himself to believe that it doesn’t exist.

Enter Isabella Swan; unknowingly unravelling everything he ever thought he knew, everything he had put in place to separate himself from the world. And now he’s separated from her, because he wouldn’t let himself be loved. Feeling all the pain and anxiety of losing her, reliving the nightmares that she chased away, replaying their short relationship in his mind he finally realises how much he needs her.

It was amazing to see the revelation as he succumbed consciously to his love for Bella, still unable to call it love, but willing to do anything and everything he could to catch himself a Swan.

Beautiful, Icy, as always.

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If you haven’t read the outtake, click on the link below to find out how to make a charitable donation and get a copy of the outtake. It’s for a good cause and the chapter is definitely worth it.

http://teambbbof.blogspot.com/?zx=cbb0436b30b6ced8

Go now.

Our Meadow

With Eclipse coming our way shortly I thought I would share these meadow scenes with you.

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The Angel and his Love

Here are two Twilight banners that I made some time ago. My banners are usually inspired by something I find moving. As Twilight readers, you’ll recognise the scenes. I know the banners themselves aren’t very good, so please forgive me, but I thought I would share them and the thought behind them.

The Angel

This is a part of the book I always find very poignant – Bella hanging on the cusp between life and death, floating into unconsciousness and Edward calling her back to him.

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As I drifted, I dreamed.


Where I floated, under the dark water, I heard the happiest sound my mind could conjure up — as beautiful, as uplifting, as it was ghastly. It was another snarl; a deeper, wilder roar that rang with fury.


I was brought back, almost to the surface, by a sharp pain slashing my upraised hand, but I couldn't find my way back far enough to open my eyes.


And then I knew I was dead.


Because, through the heavy water, I heard the sound of an angel calling my name, calling me to the only heaven I wanted.


"Oh no, Bella, no!" the angel's voice cried in horror.


Behind that longed-for sound was another noise — an awful tumult that my mind shied away from. A vicious bass growling, a shocking snapping sound, and a high keening, suddenly breaking off…


I tried to concentrate on the angel's voice instead.


"Bella, please! Bella, listen to me, please, please, Bella, please!" he begged.


Yes, I wanted to say. Anything. But I couldn't find my lips.

Chapter 23 of Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer.

Impasse


Bella yearns for forever with Edward but Edward, denies himself the one thing he’s ever really wanted as he is unwilling to risk his love’s soul.

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"So ready for this to be the end," he murmured, almost to himself, "for this to be the twilight of your life, though your life has barely started. You're ready to give up everything."


"It's not the end, it's the beginning," I disagreed under my breath.


"I'm not worth it," he said sadly.


"Do you remember when you told me that I didn't see myself very clearly?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. "You obviously have the same blindness."


"I know what I am."


I sighed.


But his mercurial mood shifted on me. He pursed his lips, and his eyes were probing. He examined my face for a long moment.


"You're ready now, then?" he asked.


"Um." I gulped. "Yes?"


He smiled, and inclined his head slowly until his cold lips brushed against the skin just under the corner of my jaw.


"Right now?" he whispered, his breath blowing cool on my neck. I shivered involuntarily.


"Yes," I whispered, so my voice wouldn't have a chance to break. If he thought I was bluffing, he was going to be disappointed. I'd already made this decision, and I was sure. It didn't matter that my body was rigid as a plank, my hands balled into fists, my breathing erratic…


He chuckled darkly, and leaned away. His face did look disappointed.


"You can't really believe that I would give in so easily," he said with a sour edge to his mocking tone.


"A girl can dream."


His eyebrows rose. "Is that what you dream about? Being a monster?"


"Not exactly," I said, frowning at his word choice. Monster, indeed. "Mostly I dream about being with you forever."


His expression changed, softened and saddened by the subtle ache in my voice.


"Bella." His fingers lightly traced the shape of my lips. "I will stay with you — isn't that enough?"


I smiled under his fingertips. "Enough for now."


He frowned at my tenacity. No one was going to surrender tonight. He exhaled, and the sound was practically a growl.


I touched his face. "Look," I said. "I love you more than everything else in the world combined. Isn't that enough?"


"Yes, it is enough," he answered, smiling. "Enough for forever."


And he leaned down to press his cold lips once more to my throat.

Epilogue: An Occasion, Twilight.

Bella and Edward Enthralled

So let’s go back to the beginning now with my first ever Photoshop creations, they are basic, but as the subject matter is Master of the Universe the emotions I tried to capture are complex.


This idea came to me before Edward and Bella had declared their love. They were both confused in the extreme, feeling a strong pull to one another that neither understood or had felt before, all the while not knowing if they could be what the other wanted and needed. Both nevertheless captivated; drawn in with magnetic force, but afraid of what could happen, afraid of being hurt if they shared their true and complete selves.

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I made Bella’s portion colourful and bright, linking to the Icarus metaphor and how she feels drawn to the sun that is Edward, but fears the burn. Conversely, Edward sees himself in darkness and is plagued by black thoughts of unworthiness – thoughts that resonate in Tallis’ Spem in alium, chosen perfectly by Icy. The English translation reads:

I have never put my hope in any other but in you,
O God of Israel
who can show both anger
and graciousness,
and who absolves all the sins of suffering man
Lord God,
Creator of Heaven and Earth
be mindful of our lowliness

There may be fear and doubt, but overall there is hope.