It has happened! I’ve officially switched over to Wordpress. *TRUMPETS AND FANFARE*
You can now find me over at…
And I may be A LITTLE EXCITED. Can’t wait to see you over there!
Saturday, March 30, 2019
Musings of an Elf Has Moved to ChristineSmithAuthor.com
Monday, March 25, 2019
Call for Fairy Tale Central Blog Tour Sign-ups
Oh, hi there! It’s been a while. Last time you guys heard from me I announced I was taking a hiatus to do a huge move of my blog over to Wordpress, and next time I posted everything would be different. You may have noticed things are…not different.
Did I fail? NOPE. My big blog move is in fact underway! *confetti* It’s taking longer than I thought though. But, at the same time, it’s going waaay better than I feared. Like, way better. Turns out importing a Blogspot blog to Wordpress isn’t too big of a deal. But since I’m redesigning things AND learning a completely new platform, it’s taking time. But NEVER FEAR. I am aaaalmost ready to launch it. And I CANNOT WAIT. I think you guys are going to like the change. *grins*
But ANYWAYS. That’s not why I’m appearing out of the woodwork today. No, no. Today I’m here to discuss that other huge project I’ve been working on that I also announced in my last post. Remember the big fairy tale website Arielle, Faith, and I have been teasing about all over social media? Yeah. IT’S COMING.
NEXT. WEEK.
*shrieks in excitement forever* (And no, this is not an April Fool’s joke. I promise. The start of April was just a convenient time for us to launch. Lol.)
We are so excited, guys. SO EXCITED. This is going to be such a fun place to engage with fellow fairy tale lovers. With that said, we want to make sure all the epic fairy tale enthusiast out there know about this new space. Which is where we need YOUR help.
For the FIRST WEEK OF APRIL, we’re going to be holding a blog tour in order to get the word out. Soooo if you’re as excited as we are, we’d be thrilled for you to join us.
I know this is pretty last minute, so we’re making it simple and easy for everyone involved. If you’d like to join the blog tour, all you have to do is fill in the Google form below, then, either next Thursday or Friday (March 28th and 29th), I’m going to send out a prewritten post to you about the site, which means all you have to do is copy, paste, and post it on whichever day of the week you choose in the form. EASY PEASY. Although, IF you want to write your own post and not use my prewritten one, that’s awesome! But we know life is CRAZY and sometimes time doesn’t permit, so we wanted to make it quick and simple for all you awesome peeps.
Also, if you don’t have a blog and/or time to do a spotlight post, we’d be THRILLED if you want to spread the word via social media. Word of mouth is the best! Or if you want to join the blog tour AND share on your social media sites, we will love you all forever and ever. (JK. I already love you guys to eternity, but I can at least offer virtual cookies??)
We’ve already started launching social media sites for Fairy Tale Central (FTC), so if you want to give them a follow and share the news about the launch now (or during the first week of April once the site is for reals live) you can find us on TWITTER and PINTEREST, and we should have some more places up and going soon. I’ll share more details in the email I send to everyone who signs up for the tour!
And if you have any questions whatsoever (about the blog tour, the FTC, social media, ANYTHING), don’t hesitate to toss me an email (you can find an email icon under my profile pic at the top of the sidebar) or ask in the comments.
ALL RIGHT. Enough of my babbling. Here’s the Google form for the blog tour sign-ups. WOOT, WOOT!
If the form isn’t showing up for whatever reason, try THIS LINK.
Our eternal thanks for joining in the enthusiasm! We are going to have sooo much fun!
Alsooo stay tuned. Because I will very, very soon be announcing here the launch of my new personal blog, with a link to the new place so you can all find me. I’M EXCITED.
TALK WITH ME!
Who’s pumped about the FTC? BECAUSE I AM. SO SO PUMPED. (I know I’m so subtle about it though.) Also, how’s everyone doing? It feels like it’s been aaages since I’ve talked to you guys. I’VE MISSED YOU ALL. (Never fear, I’ll be back to blogging regularly very soon!)
Monday, March 4, 2019
Hiatus Notice + Fairy Tale Site Announcement
Happy March! Am I the only one in complete and utter denial that it’s actually March? How? What? Why? I’m pretty sure February was 3 days long. Buuut March is one of my favorite months! The weather is beautiful, there tends to be a bunch of good movies releasing in theaters during March (am I the only one who’s noticed this trend?), and there’s just something exciting about the beautiful Spring-like month. I just can’t believe it’s HERE.
Because, see, back when I was making my New Year’s Goals at the beginning of January, I had decided to try to accomplish a certain one or two of those goals in March. It seemed feasible. After all, back then March seemed faraway. I had pleeenty of time to prepare myself, right?
Ahahahahaha!!! How delusional Past Christine was. You’d think I’d learn, but we all know that will never happen.
(No, I am not dramatic, what are you talking about?)
So here we are in March, the month I had set high and mighty goals for myself. And…I am not ready. At all.
The main goal I had for March? Moving my entire blog over to a professional Wordpress hosting site with a completely new and improved design. Lolololol. That’s not scary at all. (#LIES) My 8th (EIGHT???) blogiversary is this month, and I thought what better way to celebrate than risk exploding my blog and completely derailing everything over to a whole new hosting site and stressing myself out over it? (I really know how to party, amiright?)
Okay, but really, I’ve been wanting to leave blogspot for yeeeeears now. I’ve just never had the nerve to. But the word I chose for this year is BRAVE. So I’m going to be brave and start getting more professional around her. It’s way, way past time.
SO. So. I’m gonna try to do it. o.o Or at least research it more closely and see what happens. Even if I don’t switch to Wordpress (which I probably will) I’d still like to at least redesign this place so it doesn’t look so…cheap. I don’t know. My design’s been bugging me lately. It’s high time for something more professional!
Buuut this means I probably need to use that time to actually do the thing instead of continuing to post content. Thus, I’ve spur of the moment decided to go on hiatus for the month of March. I may still post a thing or two, depending on how things go and if I get inspired. But I may disappear for the whole month only to come back with a brand new blog… Or come back a failure and still be using my old blog. Eheheheh. Let’s hope not! But that’s why I’m announcing this here, the pressure of telling you guys AND going on hiatus is kind of forcing me to FINALLY take the plunge, be brave, and DO THE THING. The thing I’ve been wanting to do for like…5 years now. (Procrastination much?)
SO LET’S DO IT.
Changing up my blog is not the only news I have!
If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram (#shamelessplug), you may have already seen this announcement. But if not, I have some VERY exciting news that I’ve been waiting on pins and needles to share with you guys.
I’m pretty sure you all know my complete and utter love for all things fairy tales. I mean, I’m working endlessly on a Beauty and the Beast retelling and have like 298384 other retelling ideas I hope to write one day. Fairy tales have been a central part of my life since…like…birth. I just love them!
WELL.
A few months ago, my fabulous friend Arielle contacted me saying she was working on something with another fabulous person, Faith, and asked if I wanted to be a part of it. When she told me what “it” was, my answer was something along the lines of “AJKLDKJFLSKJLJSLDKJFLJSD YESSSS!!!” Super professional as always.
Ever since, the three of us have been tirelessly working on putting this thing together, and will continue to be through the month of March.
Introducing…
A Fairy Tale Site for all our fellow fairy tale fans!
This site will include:
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Lists of retellings
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Lots of reviews (from fairy tale related books to media and perhaps even of different fairy tale collections themselves!)
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Essays and posts analyzing fairy tales and their themes (remember my Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella posts? Yeah, things like that and a whole lot more!)
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Writing prompts inspired by specific fairy tales
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Mini galleries of fairy tale art
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Plus mooooore! We have SO many ideas!
GUYS. I. Am. So. EXCITED!!! I know so many of you love fairy tales just as much as I do, and I think you’re gonna love this place!
We will be launching in the not-too-distance future, which means March will be slam-packed with putting things together, writing posts for it, and getting ready. Thus another reason I think it’d be wise to take a hiatus.
But don’t you worry, soon you’ll be getting even more content from me, from my own personal blog and the fairy tale site. IT’S GOING TO BE A BLAST!
So do keep your eyes peeled for more details and the actual launch date coming SOON. To keep up with the news, you should totally go follow Arielle and Faith on Instagram as well, as we’ll probably be sharing lots of news over there.
I’M JUST SO EXCITED!!!
I have one more piece of news…
I’M OFFICIALLY REGISTERED FOR REALM MAKERS 2019!
I’m all signed up as of last week and I CAN’T STOP SQUEALING. I was so hoping to go again this year after my utterly magical experience last year and IT’S HAPPENING. *SQUEE*
What does this have to do with my hiatus? Well, it’s just another push to get my blog moved over. I’d love to have my new space all set up before I go to Realm Makers and hand people my business cards with my site’s URL on them, ya know? It will be so nice to have a more professional, clean looking domain to send people over to.
So between my blogiversary being this month, the fairy tale site coming soon, and Realm Makers approaching, March just seems like the logical time to get this done. Plus like 2983 other things. *nervous laughter* Icandothis Icandothis Icandothis.
Thus a hiatus it is!
If it starts looking funky around here, just know it’s probably because I’m trying to switch and change things over. But never fear, when I come back I should (hopefully) have a nice new space. Plus the fairy tale site is coming soon so ALL the new spaces!
IT’S GONNA BE AWESOME!!!
TALK WITH ME!
Is anyone opposed to me switching my blog over to a new place (I hope not…)? What do you think of this new fairy tale site coming? (I’M A LITTLE EXCITED IF YOU CAN’T TELL.) And who’s making it to Realm Makers this year???
Monday, February 25, 2019
Fantasy Favorites Tag
My awesome friend Jenelle is hosting “February is Fantasy Month” on her blog and across social media, and it’s just as the name suggests—spending all of February celebrating the greatest genre of all time (not that I’m biased or anything). As a part of the fun, Jenelle has created a TAG. Which is what I shall be doing today!
I honestly can’t believe we’re so close to the end of February. Like HOW??? Can I get a refund? I had about a million and twelve plans for this month, and only got to touch like…a fourth of them. I feel like I’ve been either sick or working all month, and all my plans collapsed. Ah, well. Life happens. And there’s always March!
But hey, February isn’t quite done! And there’s a month worth of fantasy goodness to scroll through if you missed it. Jenelle put together a whole line of posts from herself and many other participants. The schedule and links are at THIS POST if you want to peruse! There’s also been a hashtag game over on twitter which I’ve been participating in. I JUST LOVE FANTASY MONTH. So before we must bid it a farewell, let’s do this tag, shall we?
This tag is centered all around fantasy favorites, which is both terrifying and exciting. On the one hand, I HAVE TO CHOOSE FAVORITES??? On the other hand, I love talking about my favorite things. (Hey, I never claimed to be consistent.)
. . . Rules . . .
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Thank the blogger who tagged you. (Erm, I totally just stole it from Jenelle’s blog. But she was basically tagging everyone so it wasn’t exactly stealing…? So thank you, Jenelle!)
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Include the graphic somewhere in your post. (*points up*)
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Answer the questions. (Almost there!)
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Tag a few blogger friends – and let them know they’ve been tagged! (See end of post!)
. . . THE TAG . . .
You would think this would be agony to decide but NO. Yes, I have a gadrillion favorites, and they’re basically ALL fantasy. But I think your favorite book is that one you can read over and over and over again and never get tired of it. That tale that never ceases to make you smile. Your happy place. With characters you consider your best friends, and a setting that feels like warmth and hot tea and joy and home.
For me that book is, without a doubt…
HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE
by Diana Wynne Jones
*in which everyone takes a collective gasp*
*in reality everyone groans, “She’s talking about this book again?”*
Yes, yes I am talking about it again. But it’s my favorite book, guys! My absolute favorite book of all time. I could spend forever inside that moving castle with Howl complaining about his hair or some girl, Michael agonizing over magic lessons, Calcifer burning the bacon in a rage, Sophie cleaning and groaning about the spiders and everything else. It’s hilarious and delightful and whimsical and cozy and just makes me HAPPY.
But, of course, I have many other favorites as well. If you’re super curious, I have a GoodReads Shelf dedicated to my favorite books of all time. (Though it probably needs updating…)
Oooh, let’s do both! Bwahaha.
Favorite Movie:
LORD OF THE RINGS
(I honestly don’t know why I’m even doing this tag. I doubt a single one of these answers will surprise any of you.)
Yes, I have manyyy complaints about the movie (namely how they made Frodo a whiny, jerk and how they destroyed Faramir’s EPIC character at first *ahem*), but, overall, those movies give me a sense of adventure and longing. I feel both full and empty after I watch them. They fill up my adventurous spirit, but make me long to call Middle-earth my home, to be friends with those amazing characters. Which is probably why I’ve watched the whole trilogy some 283938 times. UGH. IT’S JUST SO GOOD.
If I had to choose a favorite between the three it’d prooobably be The Two Towers (you really can’t beat the battle at Helm’s Deep), but I love so much from each movie.
My other favorite fantasy movie (and movie in general) would be Maleficent. I really should just do a review or something on that movie, because it’s seriously one of the greatest things ever created.
FAVORITE SHOW:
BBC’S Merlin
Okay, THIS SHOW GUYS. It is cheesy, low budgeted, and so full of plot holes and cop-outs it’s just downright hilarious. And yet. AND YET. I’ve never loved and obsessed over a show more than I have with this one (which is saying something…I really love TV shows). First of all, it’s ARTHURIAN LEGEND. I’ve been fascinated by King Arthur stuff since I was tiny. Gimme alllll the Arthurian Legend. Second, the premise is really fun: A young Merlin who becomes Arthur’s servant and has to hide his magic because magic is forbidden in Camelot. Bit of a switch on the ultra powerful old guy we’re familiar with, yes? Third, it’s emotional and hilarious. Some episodes will have you sobbing your eyes out, others will have you rolling on the floor in stitches. It’s a great balance!
But the TRUE gold of this show is the characters themselves. The writers may not have been great at ultra deep, clever plots, but they knew how to make you love the characters. The banter, the friendships, the romance, the arcs…just EVERYTHING. I adore these characters with all my heart and soul.
Merlin and Arthur’s bantering friendship is my favorite friendship in all of fiction, just so we’re clear.
I absolutely recommend this show to everyone! It’s quite family friendly, save for some low cut dresses the girls occasionally wear, and of course there’s lots of magic. But if that doesn’t bother you WATCH IT. And then thank me later. *smile, smile*
OKAY. I need to move on before this whole post turns into a Merlin fangirl session…
Favorite hero? Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle.
Favorite heroine? Sophie from Howl’s Moving Castle.
DON’T HATE ME. You had to know a tag centered around fantasy favorites would have to have multiple HMC mentions. Let’s be real here.
Okay, but Howl is such a, erm, different hero. He’s a coward and ridiculously melodramatic and so beyond full-of-himself. And yet you love him anyway? It just makes it that more satisfying when you discover all the good things he does and how much he actually cares. I just…can’t.
Then there’s Sophie, who starts out mousy and a bit of a pushover, and turns into this sass-master and throws things at Howl when she discovers she’s in love with him and like #relatable?
Diana Wynne Jones’ characters are not your stereotypical heroes, and I LOVE that. I love how much personality and ridiculousness they have.
(I was gonna do an honorable mentions list of some of my other favorite heroes/heroines, but lolololol then I realized it’d be a mile long so yeah. We’ll just stick with Howl and Sophie.)
GOOD GRACIOUS. I…don’t know? There are so many great side characters out there. UGH. All right, this one is getting a list, because I really don’t have one specific favorite.
- Luna Lovegood (from Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling)
- Neville Longbottom (also Harry Potter, the HP side characters are the best.)
- Samwise Gamgee (from Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien but I think you guys already knew that. ;P)
- Carswell Thorne (from The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer)
- Iko (also from The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer)
- Walter Foley (from The Dragons in Our Midst series by Bryan Davis)
- Calcifer (from Howl’s Moving Castle [yes I had to, shh])
- Crispin Beasley (from The Beaumont and Beasley series by Kyle Robert Shultz)
- Arbrook Huxley (from The Electrical Menagerie by Mollie E. Reeder)
Yeah, we could be here forever. I’ll just move on…
Blermf. I DON’T KNOOOW. Again, I don’t have a specific one I can name at the drop of the hat. There are so many.
Some I’ve always loved to hate are Bryan Davis’ villains (he writes some formidable ones). Devin and Morgan from his Dragons in Our Midst/Oracles of Fire series seriously do not. know. when. to. QUIT. You want the heroes to defeat them SO BAD. Then there’s Mictar, from his Echoes from the Edge trilogy, who is one of the most spine-tingling villains to exist. That guy gave me the CREEPS. Which was epic but…yeah. Ewgh.
Death-in-Life/the Dragon from the Tales of Goldstone Wood by Anne Elisabeth Stengl is soooo hate-worthy. The destruction he caused just…yeah. Not one of those dragons you want to mess with.
Then of course there’s Levana from The Lunar Chronicles. Who is so detestable and deluded. Like seriously lady, take a chill-pill.
OH. And Cora from ABC’s Once Upon a Time TV series. Ugh. I hated her so, so much. The completely twisted things she did made me furious.
Mainly what draws me to a villain (in a I-hate-you-but-respect-you-as-a-villain sort of way), is if they’re a seriously formidable foe. If they’re easy to take down, then what’s the point? No. I want villains who make it so hard for the heroes, you can’t imagine how they’re going to make it through it. It just makes the villain’s downfall that much more satisfying!
Oh good, an easy question for a change! That would absolutely be fairy tales and retellings. I WILL TAKE ALL THE FAIRY TALES THANK YOU.
DRAGONS!!!
Okay, okay. I’ll tryyy to answer this seriously. (I mean, dragons is 10000% one of the biggest things I love about fantasy, but ya know.)
I think my favorite thing about fantasy is the infiniteness of it all. There is literally NO end to what you can do with fantasy. With contemporaries or historical fiction, you’re stuck with rules of time periods and this world. But with fantasy? ANYTHING goes. Literally anything. I just love the utter imagination of it. How you can make stuff up, or use things that exist but turn them into something new, or even change history. Dragons and fairies and talking trees and shapshifting cats and magical weapons and prophecies and chosen ones and lost princes and princesses and literally ANYTHING ELSE you can ever think of can EXIST in the realm of fantasy. Just thinking about the possibilities makes my reader and writer heart soar.
But also fantasy has dragons. So yeah.
JENELLE. You are killing me with these questions!
Again, I have the hardest time choosing just ONE. It’s always been a toss up between Middle-earth, Narnia, Neverland, and Wonderland. But I have never been able to choose. MEH.
Hmmm! I’ve never really thought about this much.
I really liked the magic system in Fawkes by Nadine Brandes. It involves color magic and masks, in which you’re chosen by a specific color (if I remember right?), and when you wear that mask of that color, you can move objects of the same color. Like let’s say I was chosen by the color green, then, when I had my green mask on, I could telekinetically move any thing the color green. Epic, right? And I love masks, so using them in that way was BRILLIANT.
I also love the bending in the Nickelodeon show Avatar: The Last Airbender. It’s all about controlling, or “bending”, specific elements (earth, fire, water, and air), and I think elemental magic is super awesome!
Oooh, fun. I have of course written a fantasy book (okay, lots of them) but nothing’s published. So let’s go with an actual published book. Hmmm… What book do I want to force convince you guys to read? I’ve already talked about Howl’s Moving Castle. Eheh.
OH. I KNOW.
The Electrical Menagerie
by Mollie E. Reeder
(Link leads to GoodReads page so you can add it to your TBR. *wink, wink* *nudge, nudge*)
This book is compared to The Greatest Showman, with good reason. But imagine The Greatest Showman set on floating islands with automatons powered by stardust and a competition to perform for the Future Celestial Queen herself all interwoven into an intriguing mystery. So yes, The Greatest Showman but...better. YES, BETTER.
Our protagonist is Sylvester Carthage, a middle-aged man with a knack for creating “electricals” (basically robots that he makes to perform in his traveling circus-eque show). THIS MAN. I love how he wasn't your stereotypical 17-year-old perfect hero. He's a man struggling with a health problem and to make ends meet but with stardust in his eyes. He clings so tightly to hope and dreams and doing the impossible, while also much preferring to tamper quietly with his electricals than attend parties. I ADORED him. ADORED. He was seriously one of the most precious of characters I’ve ever met.
Then there's Arbrook Huxley, the younger, charming, smooth-talking business partner who always provided a laugh. You’d think he’d take over the show and I’d like him more, but somehow Carthage stole my heart completely. But AWK. Arbook was amazing too. AND THE FRIENDSHIP. Epic bromance anyone? YES PLEASE. The friendship between these two was pure gold. Possibly one of my most favorite literary friendships in existence.
Oh, and can we also talk about the SETTING? Floating islands and flying trains all above the aether sea and set in a steampunk-type atmosphere. YES. It was so…magical. I don’t even know how to explain it. It’s just something you have to experience. But it was, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful, unique fantasy worlds I have EVER come across.
The plot is also so engaging. Full of mystery and friendship and dazzling performances. I was enraptured. YOU GUYS. I literally cried when I finished it, just because I loved it so much I didn't want it to end. Like…I’m not joking. I don’t know if I’ve ever done that before?? But wow. THIS BOOK. Just…just read it. You won’t regret it, I promise.
(I should probably just do a proper review of this because I could talk about it forever.)
Whew! Those were some tough questions. But so much fun! Thank you, Jenelle, for creating such an epic tag! Now let’s pass this awesome thing on!
Kiri Liz @ Lianne Taimenlore | R.F. Gammon @ The Writer's Song | Madeline @ Short and Snappy | + YOU (because I love this tag and want everyone to do it bwahaha)
Here are the questions for easy copying and pasting purposes.
What is your favorite fantasy book?What is your favorite fantasy movie or TV show (or both!)?
Who is your favorite fantasy hero/heroine?
Who is your favorite fantasy side-kick?
Who is your favorite fantasy villain? (the one you most love to hate?)
What is your favorite fantasy sub-genre?
What is your favorite thing about fantasy?
What is your favorite fantasy realm?
What is your favorite fantasy magic system?
Sell me a fantasy book! Have you written a fantasy book? Give me your best pitch for it! Have you read an exceptionally great fantasy book recently? Convince me to make it my next read!
Don’t forget Fantasy Month is still going on for a few days. You can find the full schedule HERE!
TALK WITH ME!
What’s YOUR favorite fantasy book? I NEED TO KNOW. And favorite fantasy movie and TV show (I’m always looking for more!)? Do we share any favorite fantasy things? Let’s give fantasy ALL the love!
Monday, February 18, 2019
A Heart-Shaped Box of OTPs Tag
Valentine’s Day might has passed BUT that doesn’t mean we have to stop the love. And, to be honest, I usually just use Valentine’s Day as an excuse to gush about my favorite fictional couples. I HAVE A PROBLEM OKAY?
Luckily, in honor of this month of love, my dear friend and awesome person all around Kiri Liz has created a linkup literally catered toward gushing over fictional ships. Best tag ever? I THINK SO. This tag focusing on all our different OTPs (which is fandom-ese for “One True Pairing”) and compares them to chocolate. Like opening a heart-shaped box only to find a dozen adorable couples packed inside instead of chocolate (er…wut?), which is fine by me since I don’t actually *ahem* like chocolate. *cue half of you unfollowing me* DON’T HATE ME.
I should probably just do the tag now before this gets more awkward…
SO. Kiri split this tag into two parts. The first ten questions are more mainstream and classic. Then, she made ten more optional questions that add a bit of an exotic, bizarre twist. It’s totally optional if you want to do the additional 10 questions. But, me being the obsessive shipper I am, OF COURSE chose to go for all 20 questions. So get ready for a boatload of ships! (Wait…how do ships ride on boats, isn’t it the other way around?)
WARNING: Fangirling ahead, proceed with caution.
CLICK HERE to get the questions and join the linkup!
BOX OF OTPS
FIRST SET
{The OTP that started it all}
Beauty and the Beast
Disney Animated Film
So this was HARD. Because I really have no clue what my first ever ship was. I didn’t really consciously think about couples and all that when I was real little. Ah, the simple days when I could watch TV and read books without being emotional scarred. Good times, good times.
Ahem. ANYWAY. If I had to guess, I’d say Bell and the Beast from the Disney animated classic was my first foray into shipping. I grew up on those Disney classics, and these two were always my favorite couple.
So yeah, I’ve been a Beauty and the Beast fan since I was born. Anyone surprised?
Dark Chocolate{The OTP with the most drama}
The Storm Siren trilogy
by Mary Weber
This one was hard because lolololol they’ve ALL got drama. I mean, these are fictional people after all. Usually they’re off saving the world and almost dying and being put through tension by their evil authors just for the sake of drama (gotta have that over-the-top drama in fiction after all). As we all know, OTP really stands for “Oh The Pain”.
But, the first couple to come to mind when I thought of drama was Nym and Eogan from The Storm Siren trilogy. No spoilers here but OOMPH. The thiiiings those two went through just… o.o Pain. So much pain.
{The OTP that's simple and sweet}
Robin Hood & Marian
Robin Hood
Disney Animated Film
Who doesn’t love them??? I don’t care that they’re animated foxes. THEY’RE PRECIOUS. We all shipped it as children. You cannot deny this.
{The forbidden-love OTP}
Snow & Chayse
Falling Snow
(Part of the Five Poisoned Apples anthology)
by Skye Hoffert
Gonna try to avoid spoilers here, but but but Snow my precious broken girl and Chayse my also broken fae boy. There was like a billboard worth of reasons why they couldn’t be together and and and MY HEART. JUST BURY ME NOW I AM DONE FOR.
{The odd OTP you still somehow manage to love}
Iko & Kinney
Wires and Nerve Graphic Novels
by Marissa Meyer
This relationship is a little awkward because while Kinney is a human, Iko is, erm, an android. But but but their relationship was so funnnnn. Kinney is such a grump and prejudice against androids, while Iko, is, well, IKO. Carefree and spirited and a total romantic and YEAH. Watching her basically force Kinney to warm up to her with her never-give-up attitude was hilarious. I LOVED THEM OKAY.
{The OTP everybody and their sisters ship}
The Princess Bride
by William Goldman
(book and film)
I don’t think I even need an explanation for this one. I mean, if you don’t ship this pirate and princess then what have you been doing with your whole life???
{The OTP that you fear no one knows about}
Betsy & Joe
Betsy-Tacy series
by Maud Hart Lovelace
This series, guys. This was my life before I turned 10 and discovered The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Okay, actually, it continued to be one of my favorite series through pre-teen and early teen days. I adored it. Still do. Betsy was basically me. An extroverted writer with big dreams. Then Joe comes on. Such a fun cinnamon roll. And I loved them. Their relationship was slow moving and sweet. These books had me shipping yeeeears before I had any clue what shipping was.
Unfortunately, I never see anyone talk about them. Was I the only one who grew up with these delightful stories??? Where is my Betsy-Tacy crew???
{The fun and nutty OTP}
Lord Teddie & Bramble
Entwined
by Heather Dixon
Cheerful, proper Lord Teddie and rambunctious, mischievous Bramble were such an unexpected, hilarious pair. Their interactions had be hiccupping with laughter. Bramble has such a temper, and Teddie only wants to please in his awkward, happy manner. Brb while I go SHIP THEM FOREVER.
{The OTP who came from different backgrounds}
The Doctor & Rose
Doctor Who
BBC Television Series
Eheheheh. The Doctor is a 900-year-old alien with two hearts who can travel through time, while Rose is a 19-year-old girl from London who works in a shop. One can say their backgrounds are a smiiiidge different. But we ship them anyway because WE CAN’T HELP IT.
{The OTP you'll love until you die}
Cress & Thorne
The Lunar Chronicles
by Marissa Meyer
(If you’re shocked I didn’t put Howl and Sophie here, don’t worry. They’re coming. *winks*)
MY PRECIOUSESSSS. Cress is all shy and awkward and a hopeless romantic, while Thorne is suave and charismatic and cocky. And this just happens to be one of my TOP favorite types of ships ever. Seeing Thorne’s heart of gold come out of hiding when he’s around Cress, and her adorable infatuation of him just just just…I CAN’T. I WILL BE FLAILING ABOUT THEM TO MY GRAVE.
SECONDS SET
{The OTP you never expected to love}
Red as Blood Couple
Red as Blood
(Part of the Five Poisoned Apples anthology)
by Maddie Morrow
Okay so I’m not mentioning any names because that’d be HUGE spoilers. But, let’s just say a couple that formed in this novella took me by surprise but in THE BEST WAY. By the end of the story I was totally on board the ship. It was so unexpected and fun! Of course, now you’re going to have to read the story to find out what I’m talking about. Bwahaha.
{The OTP who worked the most on their relationship}
Billy & Bonnie
Dragons in Our Midst/Oracles of Fire series
by Bryan Davis
This was another hard one. I kept thinking of so many couples who had to fight for their relationship. But I finally had to go with my sweet Billy and Bonnie. These two not only had to fight dragon slayers, corrupt dragons, amongst dozens of other psychotic villains, but also travel through different worlds, and fight for their love on a spiritual level too. They went through years, YEARS, of fighting for each other and to be together. And just… *wipes tear from eye* MY SWEET CHILDREN. Theirs was such a beautiful love story.
{The young OTP you
Stranger Things
Netflix series
Notice how I changed the question up there because I HAVE NO IDEA IF THEY’LL WORK OUT. The way these show writers treat their characters chances are nothing will work out. I just want my little bby children to be happy. Is that too much to ask???
(Disclaimer: Stranger Things is more or less a horror show and can get very gruesome and dark. It also has an immense amount of language, unfortunately, so I can’t recommend it to everyone.)
{The OTP that can't be together but you ship it anyways}
Neville & Luna
Harry Potter series
by J.K. Rowling
Hello, yes. I adore Neville and Luna with all my heart and soul. And I think they’d be the sweetest cinnamon roll couple to ever exist. But apparently it’s not canon that they get together??? And I AM NOT OKAY WITH THIS. THEY WOULD BE PERFECT.
I refuse to accept whatever the actual canon is because Luneville is perfection and I will GO DOWN WITH THE SHIP.
{The best dressed/best looking OTP}
Ella & Kit
Cinderella
Disney 2015 Film
I mean just LOOK AT THEM.
{The energetic OTP that keeps you on your toes}
Beaumont and Beasley series
by Kyle Robert Shultz
These two! Crispin, my boy, is a ball of energy. Something akin to a five-year-old on an endless supply of sugar. While Molly is a total sweetheart who’s always looking to aid the Beaumont and Beasley team but, erm, her wacky ideas aren’t always helpful. We love her for it though. Her and Crispin are great together. And by great I mean hilarious mishaps follow them wherever they go. Actual hyper puppies. <3
Chocolate Dipped Strawberry
{The OTP that's just absolutely adorable}
Ginny & Halcyon
Paper Crowns
by Mirriam Neal
I feel like I haven’t talked about this book in a while and THAT NEEDS TO BE REMEDIED. Not only is it one of the most whimsical, delightful reads of all time, THE CHARACTERSSS. Ginny is sweet and awkward and a little innocent, but strong when she needs to be. Halcyon is sarcastic and protective and enigmatic. Oh, and he also shapeshifts into a CAT. SO THERE’S THAT. They’re precious together. ABSOLUTELY PRECIOUS.
{The OTP full of fluff and nonsense}
Shawn & Juliet
Psych
USA Television Series
Okay, Shawn is the one mostly full of nonsense, but Juliet has her moments for sure. I love how Juliet totally goes with Shawn’s constant absurd ideas, and can speak fluently in moviequote-ese, as that’s Shawn’s favorite form of communication. And Shawn’s love for his “Jules” is everything.
Such fluff. Such nonsense.
(Disclaimer: This is another show with some language and the occasional other meh content. Some episodes are fine, some are not, so be warned.)
{The OTP with the bumpiest relationship}
Rumple & Belle
Once Upon a Time
ABC Television Series
The prime couple of “Oh The Pain”. Rumple and Belle are the Beauty and the Beast characters of this show, and, of course, most B&B relationships are strenuous. But UGH. We go through SEVEN SEASONS of back-and-forth relationship drama between these two. Don’t mind me, I’m just sitting over here with A THOUSAND KNIVES IN MY HEART. Can we just live happily ever after for once? PLEASE???
Chocolate Butterscotch
{The OTP with the best banter}
Howl & Sophie
Howl’s Moving Castle
by Diana Wynne Jones
(Told you I was getting to them.)
The very best happened to be saved for last. Yes, I did originally have them on the “love until you die” question buuuut COME ON. Their banter! Their banter is basically what makes their relationship.
“Really, these wizards! You'd think no one had ever had a cold before! Well, what is it?" she asked, hobbling through the bedroom door onto the filthy carpet."I'm dying of boredom," Howl said pathetically. "Or maybe just dying.”
“I'm delirious. Spots are crawling before my eyes.""Those are spiders.”
“More about Howl?” Sophie thought desperately. I have to blacken his name! Her mind was such a blank that for a second it actually seemed to her that Howl had no faults at all. How stupid! “Well, he's fickle, careless, selfish, and hysterical,” she said. “Half the time I think he doesn't care what happens to anyone as long as he's alright—but then I find out how awfully kind he's been to someone. Then I think he's kind just when it suits him—only then I find out he undercharges poor people. I don't know, Your Majesty. He's a mess.”
Life giving content right there.
When I talk about my “OTP” this is truly it. They’re such a ridiculous pairing and I love them with my whole heart.
Whew! I won’t even tell you guys how much time I spent on these answers—changing and switching them around, agonizing over who to choose because I had so many choices for like every one, questioning myself again and again. I JUST HAVE TOO MANY SHIPS. But I regret nothiiiing.
If you want to join in on the pain fun, check out KIRI'S POST to snag all the questions and join the linkup! It runs through February, so get your heart-eyes ready and let the shipping begin!
TALK WITH ME!
!Obviously I need to fangirl/boy with you guys about these OTPs. Do we have some of the same ones? Do you agree with my answers? Do your ships give you as much emotional trauma as mine do? Let’s discuss ALL THE SHIPPING. And don’t forget you can join the linkup HERE