Author: Ana C. Blacklace

Dark Romance and Psychology for Readers

Personality Test – What do your Money Quotes say about You?

On By Ana C. BlacklaceIn Psych Secrets, Psychology, Quizzes28 Comments

Time for another special personality test! Today we’ll look at what your attitude to money says about you. Please read the quotes below – which one sounds more true to you? Your choice will say something about you . . .

  1. “The lack of money is the root of all evil.” – Mark Twain/George Bernard Shaw
  2. “Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it won’t replace you as the driver.” – Ayn Rand
  3. “I have always been afraid of banks.” – Andrew Jackson
  4. “If I have enough money to eat I’m good.” – Shia LaBeuuf
  5. “Never spend your money before you have earned it.” – Thomas Jefferson.

Interpretations:

  1. You’re wise about money, and even though you’re totally NOT avaricious or in love with money, you know you can’t live without it; you’re realistic, dependable and strong; you feel good about yourself when you earn money, because it makes you feel you’re strong enough to master the system.
  2. You’re idealistic and sometimes you wonder about this invention called money. To you, it’s more of a matter of philosophy. It doesn’t interest nor does it bother you that it exists, but you’re a freedom lover, and need of money is a restriction you’d rather people didn’t have.
  3. You’re probably more of an artist and an intellectual; you may be highly intelligent, but financial and technical progress might be a challenge to you; on the other hand, this shows that you’re wary of the inventions of powerful people – they did a lot of harm before.
  4. You have a rather utilitarian kind of thinking, or you’re concerned with matters much above trivial greed and craving of luxury; you may be above the trivial in quite a number of ways, and you may see way beyond them; you’re well-grounded and sort of intellectually “elevated” at the same time.
  5. You’re definitely money savvy – or at least money talented; grounded and smart, reliable and hard-working, present and cautious, your mind works like a Swiss watch; you’re mature and mostly right, so you have every reason to be confident.

 

Enjoyed this? Plenty more personality tests here for you to enjoy! I’d love to hear from you in a comment and, to prove my love and appreciation, I’ll keep the personality tests coming next week as well. Stay tuned : )

 

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Quiz – What do your Love Quotes say about You?

On By Ana C. BlacklaceIn Psychology, Quizzes23 Comments

Time for a special quiz, prepared carefully with love! Please read the famous quotes  below – which one appeals to you most? Your heart’s choice will say something about you . . .

  1. „Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible tot he eye.” H. Jackson Brown Junior
  2. “True love is like ghosts which everyone talks about and few have seen.” Francois de la Rouchefoucauld
  3. “Take away love, and our world is a tomb.” Robert Browning
  4. “Love is like war: easy to begin, but very hard to stop.” H.L. Mencken
  5. “The course of true love never did run smooth.” William Shakespeare

Interpretations:

  1. You are wise and deep; possessive and demanding, but also accommodating, perhaps sometimes indulging; you’re idealistic and have the wisdom of insight rather than the wisdom of experience.
  2. Your feelings run deep; your love is hard to earn, but once obtained it’s rock solid; to you, love must encompass body, soul and mind, and must be tried in the challenges of time.
  3. You’re incurably romantic and dreamy; you not only dream of the perfect love, but can also be the embodiment of romance; you make efforts for that, you’re sweet and kind.
  4. Your feelings are so intense, that even you’re afraid of them; you keep control on them because once they roll, they’re like an avalanche; you’re probing and demanding.
  5. Your soul is old, no matter how young your body; you either have a lot of experience or you’re a keen observer; you have understanding for your partner and are capable of loving their imperfections.

Enjoyed this? Plenty more quizzes here for you to enjoy! I’d love to hear from you in a comment and, to prove my love and appreciation, I’ll keep the quizzes coming next week as well. Stay tuned : )

 

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Quiz 5 – What kind of Lover are You?

On By Ana C. BlacklaceIn Psychology, Quizzes2 Comments

Welcome to Quiz 5 of the Quiz Series – What kind of Lover are You? Just like last time on the What’s Your Calling Quiz, this one will be crisp – it’s time to find out some of the darker sides of yourself as a lover.

Note: this may be more applicable for men (but not only!). The next quiz next week will be more applicable for women (but again, not only!)

For this purpose, please answer the question below with the utmost sincerity:

Which of the following would you bring to a romantic date?

  1. A rose
  2. A jewel
  3. A poem
  4. Condoms
  5. A business card

Interpretations:

  1. A rose – you’re a good manipulator; you’re charming, a seducer but sometimes also a heart breaker;
  2. A jewel – you know how to make your date feel valued; you follow your interest, you conquer and you possess;
  3. A poem – you’re an incurable romantic; you impress with your mind, you seek communication, but you might end up in the friend zone often;
  4. Condoms – you like to always be prepared; you’re well anchored in the mundane world; it’s hard for you to choose a partner; you might be busy with your work, or be easily bored with your dates;
  5. A business card – you love with your mind more than with your heart; you believe in the superiority of intellect over feeling; you’re prone to good arrangements, not good romances.

Of course, once aware of some of these things, they can be either sharpened or blunted according to your wishes. For that, you might need to know more. Stay tuned for the next quiz of the series next Thursday, but until then, make sure you keep an eye open for this blog, there are many more goodies to come.

If you’re interested in a whole load of quizzes, check out many more of my quizzes here.

I’d love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts and feelings in a comment and, if you like, especially your chosen answer to this quiz. I’m always happy to read them!

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Personality Test 4 – What’s Your Calling?

On By Ana C. BlacklaceIn Psychology, Quizzes19 Comments

Welcome to a special edition of the What’s your Calling? Series Personality Tests! This time we’ll make it short and crisp, and we’re getting down to the nitty-gritty – some specific discoveries about your professional inclinations. Please answer the following question (to yourself or to us too in a comment – we’d love that!) with the utmost sincerity, as you did in the previous quizzes:

Which of the following possible (fictional!) Movie Titles appeals to you more:

  1. I saw more than just a ghost
  2. Money Jackals
  3. The Nurse
  4. The Unknown History of Pharaoh P.
  5. New earthlike Planets – BBC documentary

Interpretation:

  1. I saw more than just a ghost – Personality: inclinations to the abstract; writer, worker in the visual arts, coach.
  2. Money Jackals – Personality: mundane and driven; broker, financial advisor, accountant, banker.
  3. The Nurse – Personality: helper, selfless; doctor, nurse, therapist, counselor.
  4. The Unknown History of Pharaoh P. – Personality: inquisitive, logical thinking; archeologist, lawyer, researcher.
  5. New Earthlike Planets BBC documentary – Personality: curious, dark depths; writer, scientist, professor.

If you enjoyed this personality test, stay tuned for more of the What’s your Calling? Series Personality Tests next Monday, but until then don’t miss the next quiz of the What kind of Lover are you? Series Personality Tests on Thursday.

If you’re interested in a whole load of personality tests, check out many more of them here.

I’d love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts and feelings in a comment and, if you like, especially your chosen answer to this personality test. You know I’m always super curious : )

 

Quiz 4 – What Kind of Lover are You?

On By Ana C. BlacklaceIn Psychology, Quizzes13 Comments

Welcome to Quiz 4 of the Series Quizzes – What Kind of Lover are You? Today’s question is:

Which of the following descriptions do you feel suits you best? Do you feel you are

  1. The Sweetheart
  2. The Provider
  3. The Parental
  4. The Friend
  5. The Lover

Please keep as honest as humanly possible in choosing an answer, since it is absolutely necessary in order to get the right interpretation. Speaking of interpretations, here they are for each choice:

  1. The Sweetheart – You’re emotional and sensitive; you need love declarations and devotion, time and warm embraces; you offer the same, dedicating yourself entirely to your beloved; you’re idealistic and believe in “fantasy” and “perfect,” but this may cost you a good real-life lover; you may be shy or fragile, and many people underestimate how vulnerable you truly are; you’d adore an intuitive lover who can appreciate that about you.
  2. The Provider – You tend to the needs of your beloved, but this says much more about you as a lover than you might expect; you feel your lover’s needs as if in your own flesh, and you’d even die for the one you love; you’re quiet, but your feelings are profound; you’re not exactly exuberant or verbose in the expression of your love, but you won’t spare any effort to make sure your beloved is well taken care of; capable of sacrifice and selflessness, nothing hurts you more than betrayal.
  3. The Parental – You’re protective, but you also secretly think you know things better than your beloved; you can’t help feeling that they’re alone in the world without you, and that you’re the mature one who should steer their decisions; you’re reliable and always there for your beloved, and you’re giving the relationship your heart and soul; you can be demanding and your lover might sometimes feel smothered and even oppressed, or it can be the other way around – your lover may be clingy and immature in your eyes.
  4. The Friend – You place great value on your beloved’s trust; you want them to feel completely safe with you, and you’re able to put up with the darkest secrets in order to achieve that; to you, durability isn’t in the love, but in the respect and intimacy; you desire complete intimacy with your beloved in order to reach the peak of true love; you need to truly know them, and you also need them to know you – not as thoroughly, though; you prefer to keep “safe” by keeping certain things only to yourself.
  5. The Lover – You’re a lot about sensuality and physical intimacy; the sweetness of love-making or consuming passion helps you understand your lover on a deep level; to you, the physical aspect of the relationship is very important because you’re a tactile person who experiences and knows the world through their senses above all else; you can put it this way – you “decode” your surroundings and your lover through your senses; you suffer greatly if you’re denied the physical part of a connection, and don’t completely feel it; to you, the connection cannot survive without physical love.

If you enjoyed this quiz, stay tuned for more of the What kind of Lover are you? Series Quizzes on Thursday.

If you’re interested in a whole load of quizzes, check out many more of my quizzes here.

I’d love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts and feelings in a comment and, if you like, especially your chosen answer to this quiz. I’m always happy to read them!

 

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Quiz 3 – What is Your Calling?

On By Ana C. BlacklaceIn Psychology, Quizzes25 Comments

Welcome to a new quiz of the Quiz Series – What is your Calling! I’ve been looking forward to this for a while now. Put together, your choices of answer to these quizzes will create an individual picture that will help you discover what your true calling is. This is today’s question, which will give you a window into the more profound matters of your true inclinations:

Which of the following objects sparks your interest most?

  1. An old painting
  2. A vintage pen
  3. A city wallpaper
  4. A carving knife
  5. A pair of shoes

Interpretations:

  1. An old painting – a window into the past; the past helps you understand a person’s present; you’re an observer; details are important, but you never forget the importance of the big picture; you dig and you watch, listen and assess; you have good insight, patience and you’re often calculating; you may have inclinations as a therapist.
  2. A vintage pen – you’re happy in your own company, you’re creative and you have a love of freedom; you understand the price of the latter though; you have an eye for valuable things and you may even be a collector; you may even be a person of structure; you’d do good in antiques trade or creative writing – but you’d have to choose, people with these inclination often have trouble making them work together.
  3. A city wallpaper – you go with the flow of modernity; you’re influenced by society’s expectations, and you’re good at fulfilling them as well! You’re ambitious and hard working, even creative in your means and ways when you must; you gauge success by the appreciation of the world around you; you might do good in corporate life or entrepreneurship.
  4. A carving knife – you’re inclined to the crafts; you enjoy disconnecting from the world by using your hands; you have great appreciation for handy work and practical matters; you admire objects that serve a purpose and see the refinement in usefulness; you may do good not only in the crafts, but also in managing crafts schools and programs of re-education.
  5. A pair of shoes – you place great value on appearance not because you’re shallow, but because you understand well how important appearance is in the world of money; people who look good are more successful, this is a lesson you’ve had to learn; this choice also says about you that you’re willing to make sacrifices for your career or the cause you stand for; no matter what, “the show must go on;” some of the fields you’d do good in is event management, PR and marketing.

 

You’d like more help to discover your true calling? Let me know and order a personal profile for a 19,99 EUR at ana.calin@across-language.com.

If you enjoyed this quiz, stay tuned for more of the What’s your Calling? Series Quizzes next Monday, but until then don’t miss the next quiz of the What kind of Lover are you? Series Quizzes on Thursday.

If you’re interested in a whole load of quizzes, check out many more of my quizzes here.

I’d love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts and feelings in a comment and, if you like, especially your chosen answer to this quiz. You know I’m always super curious : )

 

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Quiz 3 – What kind of Lover are you?

On By Ana C. BlacklaceIn Psychology, Quizzes16 Comments

Welcome to Quiz 3 of the Series Quizzes – What kind of Lover are you? In Quiz 1 we looked at what your preferences say about you as a lover, while in Quiz 2 we dealt with what you offer with most ease, and what that reveals about you as a lover.

Today I’m going to ask you to answer the following question:

Of the following gifts, which one would you rather receive from your partner on your birthday? (A purely honest answer is vital for a correct assessment)

  1. A romantic dinner
  2. Something symbolic, like a talisman
  3. A sex toy
  4. Something expensive, like jewels or a car
  5. Nothing, I just want them there with me

Interpretations:

  1. A romantic dinner – you’re an idealist and a dreamer; to you, love feels like in fairy tales; you want to have a smile on anytime you think of your lover; you’re willing to work on the relationship and maintaining the butterflies or bringing back the “spring feeling;” you can be quite the lover of one’s dreams if you set your mind to it; you’re an optimistic lover that receives love for the positive feelings you wake in your partner.
  2. Something symbolic, like a talisman – to you, a relationship is not only about the romance, but also about the friendship, the camaraderie; you want a particular kind of depth that may have darker hues in the psychological sense; to you, “special” means deep and reliable; you value the heart more than anything, and you’re willing to go through hardship with the one you love; you’re a reliable, serious lover, probably “marriage material” to experts; you inspire not only love, but also respect.
  3. A sex toy – with you it can go in two very different directions – you either connect to the deepest level through sex, since it’s the most intimate thing in the world, and you want to know your lover at the most basic levels, being passionate and intense; AND: you avoid true intimacy and keep it to a level you feel ready to manage for now. You’re just as capable of both, depending on the time you’re at in your life.
  4. Something useful, like clothes or a car – to you, security is of utmost importance; you feel you understand what most people don’t – in your view, the world hasn’t changed that much since ancient times; life still is a struggle to have your needs met; the person who makes you feel secure also makes you fall in love; you appreciate kindness and care to the core of your being, but you’ll sacrifice them to a stricter lover if they make a better provider or satisfy your need for affirmation in society; in return, you can be a docile and very considerate lover that many would die for.
  5. Nothing, I just want them there with me – to you, symbiosis is a strong concept; you desire to love and be loved so much that you become one with your lover; connection on the deepest and at the same time highest level needs either time or truly something divine, like being soul-mates, and you know it; you want to lose yourself in your lover and you make a kind, sweet, soft, accommodating haven yourself that – especially later in life as you become wiser – makes you addictive to your lover; you may be like a drug to them and the other way around, even though in your youth you may have been or come across as clingy.

Each one of these Types of Lovers comes with negative sides. If you’d like to explore them as well as the positive, discovering yourself in depth, feel free to suggest a post in a comment or write to me at anaatcalin@gmail.com to ask for a personal profile and get 10 EUR off! You can ask for a sample personal profile so you know to expect, or you can wait until Saturday, when I’ll post a sample personal profile that I took particular pleasure in drawing up, because it belongs to someone special to me.

 

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The 5 Languages of Love – Which One is Yours?

On By Ana C. BlacklaceIn Love Issues, Psych Secrets, Psychology10 Comments

Dr. Gary Chapman is a famous counselor who “coined” the five languages of love that people “speak” and “understand” best. We often need and desire the very thing we offer, which is the very reason we offer it so much – to receive it in return (not counting the cases of narcissism, ego-centrism and some other I daresay “conditions” that hinder genuinely caring about fellow creatures).

These are the 5 languages of love that Dr. Chapman identified and explored:

  1. Speaking – you love compliments and you enjoy hearing “I love you;” you love being told the reasons for which you are loved, details about your lover’s feelings; you offer meaningful words in return, and you speak them from the heart; harsh words and insults hurt you deeply.
  2. Spending Time – you offer and desire full attention; you’re reliable and supportive of your partner when they need you; you make your partner feel significant and special by being there fully, focused exclusively on them; if they miss important moments or don’t spend enough time with you, you’ll feel hurt;
  3. Gifts – it’s not about the gift itself, but about the effort behind the gift – financial or different; you show not only your affection but also your respect by this means; you prefer being shown affection and respect the same way; the more valuable the gift, the more valued you feel – NOTE: this language of love has nothing to do with materialism;
  4. Service – Easing the burdens that weigh on your partner is your best way of expressing your affection; by making their life easier, you manifest your feelings; you’d like to be shown affection the same way; your partner’s laziness may be hurtful for you, because you take it as lack of affection;
  5. Physical Touch – you show not only your love, but a whole palette of feelings by touching; the way you stroke your partner’s cheek conveys a whole range of emotions tied to affection such as care and concern; you value physical presence, and feel most loved when being offered the same; physical distance or coldness can be hurtful to you, as you may interpret it as lack of love.

These languages of love apply not only to lovers, but to all people we feel affection for. What do you think is your language of love? I’d love to read from you.

 

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Quiz 2 – What is your Calling?

On By Ana C. BlacklaceIn Psychology, Quizzes16 Comments

Welcome to Quiz 2 of the What is your Calling? Quiz Series, which will help you to discover yourself bit by bit, quiz by quiz. Put together, your choices of answer will create an individual picture that I will help you interpret. This is the question of Quiz 2:

Which of the following words attracts you most of the five?

  1. Running shoes
  2. Book
  3. Talk-show
  4. Facebook
  5. Silk

Interpretations:

  1. Running shoes – you’re made for a career that involves movement; you’re a worker and an achiever; you have your eyes fixed on your goals, and you’re willing to put in the effort to attain them; you’re not exempt from fear, but you usually don’t let it beat you.
  2. Book – your inclinations are for an intellectual career; you think a lot about the world and its systems, you’re good at spotting details but you also understand the big picture; you’d make a good teacher, professor or mentor.
  3. Talk-show – you’re a good listener; if you chose this answer, then this talent of yours is a hidden one, you may not have guessed yourself; you’re a good observer, and you see beyond appearances; you’re good at unmasking strategies, therefore you’d be good at making them.
  4. Facebook – you’re a visual person, and today’s economy is well-ingrained in your mind; therefore you may have a ‘monetary’ way of thinking, which may block your true potential; force yourself to think outside the box, focusing on the activity that satisfies you most; analyze it, and you’ll find your potential.
  5. Silk – you’re a ‘tactile’ person. You probably enjoy doing things with your hands, and you’d make a good craftsperson; you can further explore and go individual on your talent by analyzing the kind of activities that you enjoy most or are best at, or that help you unwind.

You’d like more help to discover your true calling? Let me know and order a personal profile for a 19,99 EUR at ana.calin@across-language.com.

If you enjoyed this quiz, stay tuned for more of the What’s your Calling? Series Quizzes next Monday, but until then don’t miss the next quiz of the What kind of Lover are you? Series Quizzes on Thursday.

If you’re interested in a whole load of quizzes, check out many more of my quizzes here.

I’d love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts and feelings in a comment and, if you like, especially your chosen answer to this quiz. You know I’m always super curious : )

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The Messenger – Ep. 24 of “The Marquis”

On By Ana C. BlacklaceIn Fiction Entertainment, Free Reads29 Comments

I sit frozen in my black dress with palms joined on my lap. The funeral unfolds before my blank eyes, and so do the days after. I count them by the number of times Jeanie Simmons – Jeremy’s curly-haired, rosy-cheeked, fluffy younger sister and my dearest friend – enters with food. I nibble just enough of it to keep me alive, but my appetite is as dead as the monster who fathered me, and who now lays two meters beneath ground level.

“Are you still seeing Joyous?”

Her hazel eyes dart around, as if the walls have ears. “You know I can’t answer that, Saph.”

Of course, he’s the Marquis’ ‘cousin’ – in truth one of his fellow seprpent-killers. I lower my voice and grab her elbow. “If you are, you need to help me, Jeanie. I need to get back with the Marquis.”

Jeanie’s hand covers mine that I now realize is so clenched around her fluffy elbow that my knuckles show.

“Something must be terribly wrong with you, Saph,” she whispers.  She looks me in the eye with a curious expression. “You haven’t spoken at all since you saw Mr Lothar dead in the study, and now that you do open your mouth it’s to talk about the Marquis. Is that a way of dealing with your grief? I mean, Gunnar Lothar is dead, your own –”

“Don’t even say it,” I cut her off. “That man was a monster, a . . . Whenever I think about him I want to rip the flesh off my bones for being his child.” On a second thought I shrug. “I suppose I must be grieving, and anger makes it all more bearable.”

Stomping up the stairs makes Jeanie’s mouth close before she can say another word. The door opens and Jeremy enters the attic in a confident prance, his muscular physique barely making it through the doorframe. The police officers who came with him remain outside the open door. He walks straight to the window with a triumphant attitude.

“I’ll make this short, Saphira,” he says, staring proud out the window. “The coroner called. They established Mr Lothar’s death was not suicide.” He turns to assess my expression as he gives me the news, cocking an eyebrow. “He was murdered.”

He lets moments pass to allow the information to settle in.

“Do you happen to know anybody who had a reason to kill him?” He continues mockingly. “Someone who wanted revenge, maybe?”

The Marquis’ words from the day we went to the asylum come back to me. “Would you consider that I hurt you, if I took revenge on your father?” And yet he wasn’t the only one with a motive.

“I also know of someone who goes to terrible lengths to keep his real identity secret,” I retort. “Someone who set Vivien Grant’s house on fire to kill her. Someone who’s put her mother in the lunatic asylum and has the poor woman so terrified that she won’t talk. I’m sure the same person hung Gunnar by the chandelier too – Ivan Basarab. Gunnar knew his true identiy. Ivan Basarab is terribly dangerous Jeremy, and despite what you might think, you can’t control him.”

Jeremy’s cocky attitude turns to anger. His face goes red.

“The whole town will believe it was the Marquis, Saphira,” he barks. “They’ll burn down his manor like peasants did haunted castles back in the Dark Ages eventually.”

Jeremy’s hatred of the Marquis fills the room like floating poison. I remember how the Marquis twisted his arm behind his back at the asylum, keeping him in check despite Jeremy’s big muscles and violent struggles, forcing down his ears the information that his own father had been a rapist, a monster.

“You hate him for having told you the truth.” I hold Jeremy’s gaze, defiant.

“Maybe, a little. But, most of all, I hate him for having taken you away from me.”

***

Next episode.

Previous episode.

All previous episodes.

Enjoyed this? Please let me know your thoughts in a comment, I’m always ecstatic to read from you. Stay tuned for a new episode on Tuesday and check out the story from the start available here (Part I – Saphira), and here (Part II – The Marquis.) Enjoy!

 

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Quiz 2 – What kind of Lover are You?

On By Ana C. BlacklaceIn Psychology, Quizzes18 Comments

Welcome to Quiz No. 2 of the What Kind of Lover are you? Series Quizzes, which will reveal more about yourself as a lover. Remember to be honest in your response, since it is absolutely necessary for a correct assessment.

Please answer the following question by choosing the variant that best suits you.

What do you offer your lover with most ease?

  1. I listen to them
  2. I hold them and caress them
  3. I do things for them
  4. I give them gifts
  5. I talk to them

Interpretations:

  1. I listen to them – you’re genuinely interested in every aspect of your partner’s psyche; you’re understanding and accommodating, but you’re not without advantage yourself in being a good listener – through listening, you gain power over your partner.
  2. I hold them and caress them – your love language is touch, and it’s the kind of soothing you need yourself; physical contact is what you feel brings you closer to your partner’s soul; you would be praised as a skilled lover.
  3. I do things for them – your love language is usefulness, and it’s the language you understand best yourself; you offer your partner what you would like to receive in return; you would be praised as a reliable and grounded partner.
  4. I give them gifts – you’re a cunning person, and a cunning lover; you appreciate expensive gifts yourself, not for their value as objects, but because an expensive gift shows you how valued you are yourself; you’re good at business and entrepreneurship, and apply similar means to conquer your love interest.
  5. I talk to them – your forte is emotional support; you believe you understand your lover well, and try to find solutions to their problems; you may be greatly admired for your intellect, and pairing this language of love with the “I listen to them” variant will make you electrifying.

Enjoyed this quiz? Plenty more where it came from. Check out the other quizzes in the Quizzes section on this site, and please share your feelings in a comment. I’m always happy to read from you. Check out there first quiz of this series here, and the first quiz of the What is your Calling? Series Quizzes here.

Feel free to roam this site for many more goodies, especially the Short Stories of Suspense. Stay tuned for a new episode of The Marquis tomorrow for a suspenseful and thrilling ride. Enjoy!

 

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What kind of Women do Men Really Like? – Psychology of Attraction

On By Ana C. BlacklaceIn Psych Secrets, Psychology12 Comments

I’ve been conducting a survey, consulting specialty psych articles and talking to therapists. In doing so, I posed various questions regarding the Psychology of Attraction, and one of the biggest ones was – What kind of Women do Men Really like? I’ve listened and taken notes, then I’ve read and listened some more, just because it felt fair – we’ve been dealing with the kind of guys we gals mostly fall for and why, but what kind of women do men like?

We gals may have a stereotype in our minds that guys are only attracted to the 90-60-90 type of women, fat lips and slim waists, inflated boobs and scrunched brains, high cheekbones and short attention span, fully butts and empty stomachs. Well, here comes the verdict of the survey. The stereotype is – wait for it – tr… fall…..tru…..fallllll…… only partly TRUE.

Yes, physical aspect is very important for the guys. The Pamela Anderson stereotype is successful, but guess what? Not more than others. Men’s tastes in what they like in women vary, and they vary a whole lot, so discussing what you should look like to attract a partner is rather useless. The survey concluded in three tips about how to be attractive to men. Three tips that will never fail to matter:

  1. Grooming and Hygiene – Keep it to your own style, if decent or ostentatious, but be groomed. Grooming in truth matters because it latches on receptors in the male brain that tell the man you’re clean.
  2. Silence and Feedback – Not because men like stupid women – by no means, they do care about the kind of woman that appreciates them; no point if that woman is someone whose opinion no one holds in any special regard – but because silence often equals mystery, and because silence enables listening, which not only men, but people generally deeply appreciate. Listening shows the person that you truly do care about them and what they have to say. This is how men often lose their heads for women who don’t really have anything to talk about – they mistake that for mystery and being “a good listener.” The man gets the feeling that he “inhabits” the woman. Most men are “penetrators,” so feeling they “inhabit” a woman gives them the same kind of satisfaction in the psyche that sex does physically. This way the man can project his own Anima – the feminine part of his psyche – into the woman. In short, silence leaves room for fantasy. Giving feedback to what she is told by asking questions or offering an opinion – without making it about herself – only enhances the effect the silent woman has on the man.
  3. Modesty – People – not only men – are attracted to modesty (in combination with the two traits above; no point in smelling of sweat and being modest, even though the combo may have its moments in intimacy). The femme fatale type from the movies does have her fair share of the market, but the men who go for that kind of woman are NOT the rule. If the femme fatale does enjoy a measure of success, it’s mostly short-lived and restricted to the passionate part of a relationship. When the going gets tough, the femme fatale will get cheated on, dumped, or – if she’s lucky and the partner does stay with her – the guy turns out to be a psycho, stalker and often abuser with serious mommy issues. Or a poet.

We’ll go in on these subjects in following articles in the following weeks – Wednesdays will be for the exploration of Romance Tips, How to be Attractive, and Love Issues, so stay tuned. I’m deep in studies and research and interviews. Just a short disclaimer: There are always exceptions to the rule, and my studies aim to drill and go in-depth on the rule, not the exceptions. We are all unique, and I love conducting studies on one person alone (Personal Profiles), but I’m not at the liberty to disclose the findings publicly on the blog, but only to mingle them with the discoveries from other individuals, as well as with research and interview results, and thereby calculate the “rule.”

I’d love to hear your take on this first article of the series, your personal experiences and views. The real dissection of the matter only begins at the end of the post, with your comments 🙂 I’m looking forward to reading from you!

 

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The Punishment of an Evil Man – Ep. 23 of “The Marquis”

On By Ana C. BlacklaceIn Fiction Entertainment, Free Reads7 Comments

Jeremy wraps the place up, giving his men curt orders and telling Lord Barkley to shut up each time the man opens his mouth.

“Anything you say can and will be used against you, sir, I must remind you,” he says coldly.

His men scurry around taking “prints” of the Marquis. They’re still in shock, but Jeremy managed to get them working despite that.

He moves his bulky frame around, doing what he must as head of the team, but he’s obviously distressed from what he’s found out. There’s something wild in his eyes, and the expression of his steroid- and testosterone-transformed features, square and shadowed by his three-day beard, make him look as deranged as the lunatics that inhabit this asylum. I’d like to remind him about the sewers, but I don’t dare to, he looks so angry.

Not even outside do I dare address him. We’re riding in a police van. I’m in the back holding my crying mother’s hand, her sobbing and nose-blowing accompanying the humming of the engine. Jeremy sits across from me in silence. He doesn’t even look at me. When we stop in front of my parental home I realize what’s happening, and I shake my head violently.

“No, I’m not going in there.”

“Yes you are. Your father has been worried sick about you,” Jeremy says. He sounds as cold as he had with Lord Barkley, and also a shade spiteful. As if it were in any way my fault that his father had been part of the group that had raped Catherine Lancaster. As if it were my fault that his father had been as much of a monster as mine.

“He pushed me in the Marquis’ arms himself, you know this,” I retort in a biting tone. “He was happy to see us depart together on the night he announced our engagement. But maybe it’s you who should have a word with Gunnar. In the end, the Marquis is right – Gunnar and his group perpetrated a terrible crime, and they should have to answer for it.”

“We have no proof for that crime, Saphira,” Jeremy says, keeping his glare out the side window. “I can’t corner people based on allegations alone, I’m sure you understand.”

My mouth curls in a sour expression. “You only pretended to believe me when I told you the story? Is that it?” Now that I come to think about it – indeed, why hadn’t he investigated as soon as he’d heard about Gunnar’s crime?

“No, it’s not. But I still need proof in order to take action.”

“If you only investigated Catherine Lancaster’s case, maybe you’d get your evidence,” I say through my teeth.

“If you only let me do my job without acting all smart-ass, things would be different.”

“Different how, Jeremy? Based on how you’re doing your job, these people’s crimes will remain unheard of.”

I’m aware of the poison in my tone, but I can’t help it. Jeremy springs forward and grabs my jaw in his huge rough hand.

“The Marquis of Vandenesse is London’s priority, and with good reason. London sent me back here for him. He’s the most dangerous of all killers I’ve ever investigated, Saphira, and you know his vile nature better than anyone. What changed? Why do you try to redirect me to your father Gunnar and his group of bastards? Why aren’t you vehement against the Marquis anymore?”

“Jeremy, please listen to me.” My jaw hurts from his grip and I speak with difficulty. He notices and lets go. I rub my cheek to sooth the pain as I talk. “The Marquis isn’t the evil creature you and I believed him to be. He talked to me, he told me things . . . Listen, Jeremy,” I take a deep breath and say the next sentence with a heavy heart. “I have reason to believe that my father is Ivan Basarab, the faceless Slayer. This is your chance to find out so much, Jeremy.”

“No, Gunnar is not the Slayer,” Mum reacts as if from a dream. She’s still pale from shock,  but apparently she’s coming back to herself. “But I’ve heard that name many times from him. Even a few days ago he talked on the phone with this Ivan Basarab.”

I’m completely surprised, and Jeremy too. His small dark eyes narrow. “Okay, all right. I’ll have a word with your father, even though I don’t believe this is the right time.”

“Wonderful. And then please let me return to the Marquis’ manor.”

He grins. “No, can’t do, Saphira. You’ll be interested to hear we found witnesses of the Marquis’ murder on Vladimir Pukov. His manor is surrounded, and we’ll arrest him on sight. You and the Marquis will never come together again.”

Another flash of despair goes through my heart. “But . . . There were no witnesses to what happened with Pukov. You must have ‘produced’ them.”

Jeremy’s eyes narrow into bitter slits. “Just a short while ago you were ready to testify against the Marquis yourself. Come on tell me, Saphira, what swayed you? Was it his declarations of love? Was it his hypnotic powers? Or did you actually fall for him?”

My lips freeze, but the truth must be clear in my eyes, which Jeremy stares into closely.

“If you switched sides, things will end up badly for you, Saphira,” are his last words before he looks me up and down in disgust. He opens the door, inviting both Mum and me out of the van. I’d like to resent him for his abusive attitude, but I can’t. It’s not every day you discover your father was a rapist and maybe even a killer, so he has mitigating circumstances.

My heart drums in anxiety as we head toward the house, and I’m sure so does Mum’s. The hand that squeezes mine is sweaty, and a look at her reveals wide scared eyes and stiff features. She’s still in shock, which is probably why she didn’t react to Jeremy’s treatment of me in the van. I feel lonely, naked and lost, and I long for the Marquis’ protective arms around me, for the reassuring sound of his rich voice in my ear. It’s incredible how my tormentor of yore has become my only haven.

The house looms bigger before us as we approach it. With its grey walls damp from bad weather it resembles a huge beast rising from the ocean, spreading out its jaws to swallow me. My throat clogs with panic. I don’t want to go in there, and I don’t want to face the monster who fathered me.

The door screeches open like the entrance to an abandoned, haunted house, but inside the dim corridor everything is in place, just like the last time I saw it. The stairs leading to the upper floor and the attic, the entrance to the drawing room on the right and the one to Gunnar’s study on the left, all appear imbued with an air of morbidity.

I look around, unable to move as I hear the door closing behind me. I’m trapped inside with Mum and Jeremy, and a knot moves up my throat. I’m growing sick.

“Please announce your husband you’re back, along with Saphira, and tell him I’d like a word,” Jeremy commands Mum.

She swallows and proceeds towards the study hunchbacked, her hands trembling on the knobs as she pushes the doors open. She stiffens in place, and her mouth falls open.

“Mrs Lothar,” Jeremy nudges her, at first only verbally, and then physically as he approaches. But as he raises his gaze from Mum to whatever greets them from that study, he bursts inside. Alarmed, I follow. A second after my eyes fall on Gunnar I scream until the veins in my neck swell.

He hangs from a rope tied to the chandelier, his feet dangling over a fallen stool. His shirt is open to reveal his hairless white stomach, and his mouth sticks thick and black out of his mouth. His fleshy cheeks are bluish-yellow, and he’s already started to smell. I breathe in the stench of death and scream long and hard until I fall exhausted on the floor.

 

***

Next episode.

Previous episode.

All previous episodes.

Enjoyed this? Please let me know your thoughts in a comment, I’m always ecstatic to read from you. Stay tuned for a new episode on Friday and check out the prequel, Saphira, in available here: ) Enjoy!

 

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Quiz 1 – What is your Calling?

						

				On  By Ana C. BlacklaceIn Psych Secrets, Psychology, Quizzes25 Comments			

					


		

			
We often wonder – what were we born for? What’s our purpose, our meaning? Why are we here?


On Thursday I promised you two new Series Quizzes. One of them reveals quiz after quiz What kind of Lover you are, while the series that starts tonight will guide you to discovering What your Calling is, and this is the first step. Please answer the following question, and be fully sincere in doing so. This is the first step to discovering your inclinations, talents, calling, your purpose.


Which of the following activities would you prefer on a rainy Fall evening?


    

  1. Watching a reality show.
    2. 

  2. Reading a book.
    3. 

  3. Playing cards with friends.
    4. 

  4. Making love to your partner.
    5. 

  5. Making plans for the future.
    6. 



Interpretations:


    

  1. Watching a reality show – you’re tired; your body, soul and mind first need a break from the speeding everyday life in order to get in touch with your true passions.
    2. 

  2. Reading a book – you’re a scholar; you like accumulating knowledge and are good at conveying it further; you have inclinations to become a professor.
    3. 

  3. Playing cards with friends – you’re very sociable; you like being and working with people, while also focusing on a task; you have inclinations to organize social gatherings and/or host them.
    4. 

  4. Making love to your partner – you’re a born loving soul; your calling is nurturing and helping your loved one grow; you may have inclinations as a therapist, sex therapist/counselor or even nurse.
    5. 

  5. Making plans for the future – you have inclinations as a strategist and manager; you are success-oriented and driven, you’re the “guy with the results;” with some experience, you could make a good business consultant among other things.
    6. 



Enjoyed this quiz? Stay tuned for more of the What’s your Calling? Series Quizzes next Monday, but until then don’t miss the next quiz of the What kind of Lover are you? Series Quizzes on Thursday. And, until then, don’t miss the next episode of The Marquis tomorrow, when more loose ends will connect.


If you’re interested in a whole load of quizzes, check out many more of my quizzes here.


I’d love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts and feelings in a comment and, if you like, especially your chosen answer to this quiz. You know I’m always super curious : )


 


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Bad Blood – Ep. 22 of “The Marquis”

						

				On  By Ana C. BlacklaceIn Fiction Entertainment, Free Reads6 Comments			

					


		

			
“That’s enough, Saphira,” Jeremy cuts in. He walks to me and extends a hand, but the Marquis grabs and twists it behind his back. As big and muscular as Inspector Jeremy Simmons is, he groans and bares his teeth as he leans backwards into the Marquis’ clasp.


“If you ever try to touch her again, I’ll break every bone in your body,” the Marquis threatens. He’s taller and leaner than Jeremy, therefore more agile even without his engineered powers, but he’s also so much stronger. His ivory features are locked, and his black eyes angry coals.


“Please, Kieran, don’t hurt him,” I plead. “He’s innocent.”


The Marquis keeps his glare on Jeremy, his sweet lips drawing in a hiss. “I’m not so sure.”


“Better tell him the truth. That he should be on our side.”


“What the hell is this?” Jeremy groans and tries to struggle from the Marquis’ grip, but without success.


“Please, just listen to him, Jeremy.”


“Saphira, what is happening?” Mum is puzzled, her hand gently touching mine.


I look straight into her eyes and tell her the story in a few short sentences – that Catherine Lancaster, Lord Lancaster’s daughter, had been raped by a group of men from this town, and that my father, Gunnar Lothar, killed her in the end. Mum gasps and takes a few steps back, gripping the rest of the chair where she sat as we walked in.


“Your father was one of them too, Inspector Boy,” the Marquis hisses in Jeremy’s ear. “The lucky bastard died before I got my hands on him, so don’t give me reason to take it out on you, his son.”


Jeremy struggles like a wounded animal, kicking the air in front of him, but unable to release himself from the Marquis’ hold. “You fucking bastard!”


The Marquis is inhumanly strong, and Jeremy’s struggles don’t move him an inch. He turns his vicious black glare to Lord Barkley.


“What about you, filth bag? Could it be, that you were one of them as well?”


Lord Barkley is still sitting in his chair, the cigarette burning his fingers but he doesn’t seem aware of that. He looks stunned at Kieran, unable to utter one word.


Mum presses her fingers on her temples, shaking her head. “This can’t be. This can’t be happening.”


I approach her carefully, searching her gaze but she looks down, then sideways, then upwards, avoiding my gaze.


“It is, Mum,” I say gently. “If you’re honest to yourself, you’ve always known. But you’ve tried to silence your sixth sense.” As I did through compulsive painting, but this is not about me, so I keep the remark to myself. The Marquis’ voice cuts in, making me look at him and Jeremy again.


“And you, stupid shit,” he addresses Jeremy, “you find out all sorts of stuff but not the essential. You spoiled, superficial and incompetent brat. Didn’t you ever at least suspect of all the bastards in this cursed place? Or, what, are you covering their arses?”


“Wait a second,” Mum says, her voice faint, her eyes wide on the Marquis. “What happened with Catherine Lancaster was decades ago. What have you got to do with it?”


I clear my voice and hold her shoulders as I speak, so I can support her if she falls. “Kieran was Lord Lancaster’s stable boy, Mum. He and Catherine were secretly in love, and the night she was raped he was beaten almost to death by Vladimir Pukov’s people – Pukov was part of the group as well, and Dad wanted me to marry him even though he knew this.”


Mum looks stunned from me to the Marquis, then to Lord Barkley, who sits silent in his chair.


“But,” she whispers, “I knew Catherine. We were friends. We grew up together, just like you and Vivien, Lauren and Jeanie. Lord Lancaster said she had run away with the stable boy. It came as a shock to the rest of us, we knew nothing, I . . .”


“Lord Lancaster couldn’t take the pain, Mum,” I say. “He spread a story he could at least try to live with.”


Mum slumps into the chair behind her, and I support her by the shoulders as she does. Her eyes are fixed in awe on the Marquis. “But that means . . . How old are you?”


The Marquis looks at her, but doesn’t answer.


“My God,” she whispers. “And Saphira? What role did she play in your plot?”


Pain cuts through my chest, and I sink my head.


“At first I wanted to use her in my revenge on Catherine’s tormentors,” the Marquis explains. “I wanted to have her lure them to places where I could kill them right before her eyes, torment her mind and soul in the process, and in the end have her father find her mad from everything she’s witnessed in the same place Catherine was found. I considered it an act of kindness – to her, not Gunnar – not having her sleep with all those men too. I took the decision to go easier on her than initially planned after I got to know her. She made a painting of me, and she . . . I fell in love with your daughter, Mrs Lothar. It sounds impossible, coming from a monster like me, whose soul has been frozen for decades, but it’s the pure truth. I don’t expect you to give us your blessing, but I’d like you to know that for her sake I decided to drop all thoughts of revenge. But unfortunately, this town’s troubles won’t end with that.”


Jeremy has another fit of struggling, and this time he makes it out of the Marquis’ arms – or the Marquis let him go, since he doesn’t look surprised. He and Jeremy now face each other. The Marquis arranges the collar of his suit jacket, while Jeremy flexes and glares.


“This town’s biggest problem is you, devil,” Jeremy growls. The Marquis smiles at him like a prince at a powerless angry peasant.


“I’m not the one who set the Grants’ house on fire and tried to kill Vivien. That was Ivan Basarab – the Slayer – whose true name you should be busy finding out. He’s one of this town’s honourable citizens, killers, filth bags that you now have no more excuse to ignore.”


“You need proof for all these allegations, de Vandenesse and, right now, all I truly got is proof that you’re a killer. Guards!” Jeremy calls.


Quick steps stomp closer and louder from the corridor, and policemen burst in. They take out their guns and focus on Kieran as if they’ve been waiting for this command all along. I scream and want to run to Kieran, but one of the policemen stops me and keeps me away from the scene as more men pour in. This is indeed a trap they set up for Kieran.


Kieran looks left, right and relaxes. A smile pulls one corner of his sweet mouth, and that is the last sight I get of his human self before his skin starts losing it’s opaque consistence, turning into something jelly-like and transparent, then into increasingly metallic scales. His eyes spring into slits, and his serpent tongue shoots out of his mouth as he gives out a piping hiss that sends an unbearable buzz through all our ears.


I squeeze my eyes shut and press my hands to my ears, but the buzz still pierces through. Only when it stops I dare look up again to see all policemen scrambling up from the floor, the terrified looks in their eyes and the confusion as they grope around testimony that the Marquis had been right – nothing of the security here has anything on him.


The door is open, with no trace of the Marquis, while Jeremy is the only person standing, however stunned with a gun in his hand in the middle of his sprawled men.


Someone breathes hoarsely behind me. I turn to see Ronald Lord Barkley, and realize his knotty hands are clamped around my shoulders. He shakes and can’t take his eyes off the door.


“I didn’t have anything to do with it,” he whispers.


“Excuse me?” I try to get away from him, but his fingers sink into my shoulders, keeping me in place as a human shield.


“I didn’t have anything to do with their dark practices. I was part of their group of friends all those years ago, but I never participated in the terrible things they did.”


I shake myself from his grip and hurry to help my Mum up from the floor.


“What in all Saints’ names was that?” She exclaims, looking desperate and brushing invisible cockroaches off her body. She’s horrified, hysterical, making it hard to help her up. “He’s a monster! A monster!”


I struggle with her to help her calm down, and it’s a real fight until she manages to get a grip.


***


Next episode.


Previous episode.


All previous episodes.


Enjoyed this? Please let me know your thoughts in a comment, I’m always ecstatic to read from you. Stay tuned for a new episode on Tuesday and check out the prequel, Saphira, in available here: ) Enjoy!


 


Pic source.