Can’t Get Enough Of The Department Q Books. Normally This Genre Isn’t My Thing (too Much Of A Scaredy

Same, Drac. Same.

I adore the Coco Wyo colouring books, especially Spooky Cutie. If I could add some more vampire pages, they would feature my favourite vamp and, instead of ‘Cute but Creepy’ I’d call them ‘Lazar but Loveable’… like this one, where he’s reaching Joey a snack from his fridge. It would be a niche market, for sure… 😝

Making progress. Decided to sketch him out by hand and crack out the copics 🖤 because, why not?

And finished… 🖤

Dracula Daily - May 12th

According to Jonathan, Drac’s creeping around. But someone needs to go to Asda… 🧛

OK. Now you made me need a ‘Covenant Breaking’ section in all lingerie departments. Just next to ‘Mix and Match’.

(🔊 on) A Discovery of Witches Real Time Read Ch17

"I want to take you home."

Matthew wants to take Diana to Sept Tours so he can protect her.

This is my favourite scene in the whole show, their coming together and leaving Oxford to meet their future. It's so unbelievably romantic and swoony and exciting, it gives me all the feels 💓💓💓

And the way Matthew looks at Diana 💓🫠

📷 Sky/Bad Wolf A Discovery of Witches (2018) s1:03 my edits

🎶 Rob Lane

⬆️ Fan-Photo-Art-Collage-Faffing-Around (still!) imagining an epilogue to Abigail (2024)

This imaginary mini epilogue scenario for Abigail (2024) popped into my head (can’t seem to shift Lazaar this week). Joey goes back to the house after a week or so. I know that really she wouldn’t go back… and if she did, she’d likely be 💀 BUT happily this isn’t real and I’m a hopeful romantic. Especially when there are vampires who look like Matthew Goode involved. Even in a horror film. It seems. Unwise, perhaps. But just for fun 🎡.

—————————————————————

(Imaginary) Mini Epilogue - A Visitor

— Characters are not mine (obvs): they are borrowed from the writers of Abigail (2024) —

When every self-protective instinct in your body begs you to fly but you don’t.

When you feel yourself submitting and you know that’s all part of it.

The plan.

Whose plan?

Is it his plan? Or was it yours when you returned here to this godforsaken place?

Has it been your plan since the moment you first felt his crisp touch on your skin?

Physically, you might be in turmoil but there’s no mental unrest here. Only serene, sacrificial curiosity.

And white-hot desire.

He’s studying you now. Pondering your reappearance. But it is not yet the look of a hunter appraising his prey. There’s a wisp of gentleness in the air between you.

“Ana,” he rumbles, with a depth that rattles through your chest.

He knows your name. Your real one at that. Did he ask? Was he told? What did they say about you? The fact that you’ve had air time in their family life brings a slight smile to your face. Abigail squeezes your hand, which you’d forgotten was holding hers in the moment he appeared, silently beneath the trees, out of the tepid dark air.

The vampire doesn’t know what to do with a smile from you. Yet. His chin recoils slightly and his eyes narrow.

“You’re here,” he observes. The old-worldly way he pronounces the second word widens your smile.

He looks to Abigail for an explanation of your presence - long past dusk, in their garden - but the girl simply shrugs and returns his steely stare.

“I came to check up on Abigail,” you hear yourself asserting as your focus is drawn to his hands adjusting the collar on his fawn cashmere sweater, exposing the pale skin of his neck.

He glances down towards his feet, suppressing a scowl that you suspect is defensive and guilt-ridden; you can’t feel the anger he emanated the last time you met.

“Ah,” he raises his magnetic gaze and your breath stops as you register gratitude in his expression.

His head still bowed towards you, he massages the back of his neck with slender fingers. You contemplate how he smells, right there, at the base of his hairline.

“Very well,” he nods and you feel Abigail squeeze your hand once more.

The vampire bows slightly lower, turns and begins to walk back towards the house. You watch his retreat appreciatively, his tall frame stalking across the darkened lawn, his overcoat billowing at the mercy of his long strides. You know that, once he’s safely shrouded in the shadows of the house, he’ll turn back to look at you.

And you wonder what the next move will be.

📷 photos above faffed around with using Procreate (my current obsession); I think if I were to start again from scratch I’d just use a straight-up Lazaar screenshot as I struggled to make MG as MDCM into him - think I need to elongate his face or something and then obviously there’s the mouth - but I learnt a lot by trying - and it’s all just for fun/ to express an idea so perfection’s unnecessary, I say. Original screenshots/ photos below - please let me know if the MG one is your edit and I’ll add credit; I saved it without any intention of using it (besides appreciating his withering side eye) but then this idea popped into my head and now I can’t find where I got it. Sorry ❤️📷

And I’ve never loved a vampire before… so that’s a coincidence. 🤔🫠

Love this post ❤️

"I have never played a vampire before."

Matthew goes on talking about Dracula, the most famous vamp.

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Fast forward a few years, Matthew has portrayed not one but two vampires, one of which is the iconic Count Dracula in Abigail! Never say never 😁

📷 My edits from Sky Adow featurette "All the best of Matthew Goode and Matthew Clairmont in one place", A Discovery of Witches (2018) s1, and Abigail (2024)

Lazaar ponders Joey

An Abigail-inspired photo edit. 📷 Originals by Phil Fisk (MG), Joe Pugliese (MB) and me (my car window). 📷

There’s a chapter about this on AO3. I’m not sure it really fits but I just wanted to write it, so there you go. (Trying to focus on the fun of the process, rather than overthink the finished product. After all, it’s all just for fun.)

This song, which I found afterwards, is perfect for the mood I was getting at. Lazaar certainly ‘slithered here from Eden’. What a sin indeed. Thank you, Hozier.

Carl should be thinking about the case but instead, he’s daydreaming about his therapist. 👌

Vampire and his prey mood board, using stills from ADOW, Abigail and random photo edits I made. It gets me when the stag kneels down and accepts his fate/submits to the predator.

And here’s a random rambling about Joey and Lazaar, which I wrote today because I was unwell and couldn’t go out: https://archiveofourown.org/works/59486872 It flows from the photo edit of them lounging on the couch above… and a comment made by the wonderful @pleasereadmeok 🖤❤️🩶 I’m not sure the fic even makes sense. But it’s just for fun… so there you go.

⬆️ Fan-art-photo-faffery using Procreate - photos of MG and KM edited just for fun to make them Carl and Rachel on a Department Q theme as I read the books

That cheered Carl up at least 🙃

There is a scenario for this somewhere in my addled brain. But, for now, let’s just guess what’s tickled him. I love MG’s cheeky grin in the @asgoodeasgold screenshot. Can’t wait to see what he does with Carl Mørck. I think I’ve said that before… 😂

I’m enjoying messing around on Procreate again. Photoshop would probably be the better platform but I’d need to take some serious lessons. Maybe in the summer holidays.

⬆️ Original photos (not mine; borrowed and played around with just for fun). From @asgoodeasgold, Getty (?) and whynow.co.uk

[90s filter just had to be done for the legendary Kelly]