Links post

[brigdh]

The citynextdoor challenge for December is "Postcard to Myself": write a story, any fandom, set in a city you've never been to but have always loved. More details here. Since clearly a community all about the love for cities appeals to me, you might want to consider joining the community even if you don't write something this month.

Speaking of cities, the creators of Gankutsuou (that unbelievably gorgeous retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo) are producing a new retelling of Romeo and Juliet, and the trailer's up for viewing. There's swordfighting and girls dressed as boys, and kissing while falling, and the whole story of Romeo and Juliet- you know how I adore the play- but most of all, god, look at Verona! The crumbling buildings packed in and threaded past by narrow alleys, that juxtaposition of ruins and ancient carvings and shiny-new constructions...! I cannot wait until this comes out. I wonder what they've done with Mercutio; I use his icon in celebration, because I have to hope that my beloved crazy character gets a major part.

Stop over at fst and vote for your top 20 soundtracks of the last two years. Or make a soundtrack; December is amnesty month, so any challenge from the past year is fair game. I've got a few I'm considering myself, but I feel that I should point out that there is a request for a Richard/Alec soundtrack, and not even from me. Someone should do that. Nudge, nudge.

Speaking of Swordspoint, there's a line where Alec mocks a bookseller by saying he sells books by the foot for decorations. I thought this was a joke, but Yahoo news is here to dispell all of my illusions, as apparently books intended to look pretty and not be read is the hot gift this season. And they're actually sold by the foot. Yahoo: making you hate humanity, one day at a time.

Literate Heart by ranalore. PG, Hisoka/Tsuzuki, mmmmmmm. Lovely.

The Death of the Swordsman by rm. PG, character death, Richard/Alec. It will make you cry, but oh, it's wonderful anyway.

Comments

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

Gah, you're ruining all my illusions. You can't waste books- and all that space for books- on things that aren't even meant to be read. It's like kicking puppies! Next you'll be telling me that there are people who don't like to read.

No worries!

They do have a "cities of the imagination" challenge too, just for those sorts of cities, which I think will probably be next month. Isn't it so tempting? There are so many cities that I'd love any excuse to set a story in. I haven't written anything for citynextdoor yet, but I don't think I'll hold out for much longer. If you want a rec, quixotic_sense's ode to Melbourne (http://qithathu.livejournal.com/21812.html) was gorgeous, even though I know absolutely nothing about the fandom.

[ranalore.livejournal.com]

Sorry, hon, but it's true. Of course, there were those who did have reading copies of the books, but you didn't spend that kind of money on a leather binding just to get it all worn out with reading. ;-)

The challenge post specifies you can run with impressions of the city you've picked up via poetry, TV, movies, etc. Maybe "cities of the imagination" is more for fictional cities like Newford and Mélusine and such?

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

Sure you did! Then you'd have the pretty leather to hold and feel while you were reading it. I suppose at least this is better than those shelves and boxes that look like books, but are really just a false front to make it look like you own a lot of books. At least this way someone someday might read them. As long as they're not "Pottery Sherds of the Archaic Period: Volume Five" under the leather, I suppose.

Hmmm. They mention several historical cities in the description for the imagination challenge, but since they're real, if not currently existing, they might well be open to both.

[ranalore.livejournal.com]

Oh, but you could hold and feel leather while hunting, and then you didn't have to worry about losing that lustre you paid so much for on the books. Also, there were false books, although they weren't the nutty little novelty boom they are these days. Actually, I kind of like them, as I do find wellbound books to be attractive decorating components, but I only like them if they contain items I need to have anyway, and might as well have in a case shaped like a book.

You're probably right, and they count for both. And you should know my brain has been running through possibilities since you pointed me at the comm. *G*

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

Not me. I'm always fooled at first glance, and then I'm so disappointed to realize that it's not a real book. *laughs*

Eeeeeexcellent. My plan is working, then. I've been wanting to write one myself, but haven't been inspired. For whatever reason, I have no interest in Swordspoint AUs (yet! But that's probably just a result of time; I never start to look at AUs until after I've been in a fandom for a while), and I just wrote a Saiyuki AU that was all about the city it was set in a few months ago. I'll have to think about YnM possibilities, I suppose.

[ranalore.livejournal.com]

*snicker* Well, I would prefer real books, but since you have to have certain other items around for living, they might as well look like books, you know?

Hee. Well, nothing's yet talked loud enough to get me to the writing of it, but I'm sure it'll come. Prague and my newest boys could be very fun. And Swordspoint's own setting is so intriguing and still so mysterious, I'm not looking for AUs either.

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

Oh, do Prague! I know little enough about it that I'd have to do more research than I'd want, but I know enough to want to see someone else write it. And I'm sure your boys would fit it marvelously.

Yes, I'm sure the appeal of the original setting also has a great deal to do with my lack of interest in AUs. I mean, a city! With bridges and slums and hot chocolate shops and old houses converted to apartments and a university district and, and...! It is quite likely not possible to hit more of kinks with one place.

[ranalore.livejournal.com]

Prague is where they filmed parts of "O" and did the attendant photoshoots, and you should see those photos (collected as "The Prince in Prague" series, which should be "Princes," but oh well) and hear them talking about it in interviews. They loved it. Nobody knew who they were; their rather tyrannical management company was halfway around the world. They could explore without body guards, they could (and did) go where they wanted, when they wanted. They didn't have to worry surprise interviews or autograph sessions or fans or anti-fans. People just watched them, bemused and nonplussed at these pretty Korean boys playing in the old streets, singing and dancing and loving each other and the city.

They've all said they want to go back, but I suspect with their growing popularity, it won't be the same when they do.

I've done a bit of research on the city, thanks to interest in a certain well-known noble of the region and Senor's potential Bohemian blood, but I'd need to do more to really get the flavor of it.

The city of those books is marvelously rich with detail, but again there's still a lot of room to explore. Like you, I love its complexity and history. Which reminds me, have you read Mélusine? That city is another treat.