Love as a metaphor

“Thinking about maybe staying behind”

Ough. You know I’m really In the Building when I’m busting out the 8 page comics. Fuuuuck. Here’s my cringe, I’m gonna disappear now.

Marvel Swimsuit Special: Brand New Beach Day #1 (2026)

pin-up by Dan Panosian

context:

Divine Achilles left his spear to lie

among the tamarisks on the riverbank.

With just his sword he leapt into the river,

his heart intent on ruin, like a god.

Whirling around, he hacked and slashed and struck them,

And from the victims of his blade arose

desperate, agonizing wails. The water

ran red with blood.

I'm writing a story right now that I probably won't post at all and I still spent a good hour and downloaded a research paper to figure out if women in feudal China were allowed to have baths during their periods. The answer is no, as I suspected, but I checked! I also learned about their version of pads which sound much better than European historical period solutions and kept reading long after I'd found my answer. It was all fascinating to learn about because history is interesting.

So I guess what I'm saying is, why write historical fiction or make a period drama if you aren't even interested in or in love with history? When I read Bernard Cornwell, for example, it feels like he's fascinated by the period he's writing about. No one seems strangely modern, but they all feel deeply human. I don't need a female character to point out sexism or patriarchy to me, it's obvious. I'm trusted to think about it for myself. The author trusts that I care as much as he does about the past.