Latest Posts by thequeerish - Page 4

A belated series of answers to @the-wip-project’s questions…

Day 16:

Q. Do you have prophecies and superstitions as part of the worldbuilding in your WIP? Could you add some?

A. Not in any of my current wips. I could see how that adding the above would be feasible in one of them.

Day 17 & 20 involve homework. I will answer those ASAP.

Day 18:

Q. What ideas came to you recently from daydreaming?

A. Something that is nsfw

Day 19:

Q. How do you decide which WIP to work on?

A. Right now, I’m forcing myself to work on one wip. Ideas for other wips are written in an “ideas” notebook I have. I have difficulty focusing at one thing at a time in general.

Day 21:

Q. What’s a trope you haven’t used yet but want to use one day?

A. Good question! Enemies to lovers.

Day 22:

Q. Tell us about a scene you’re most looking forward to writing in your current project?

A. The science explanation scene that happens in the middle of a dramatic twist.

I like every clexa post I see. Fanart, fanfic, video, mood board… I love them all! Thank you content creators xoxo

Day 15 of @the-wip-project ‘s 100 day challenge

Does your WIP have fairytales? Do your characters tell mythical stories to each other?

No, not in my current wip but I love this idea! If I can think of a way to do the above that adds to the story of my wip, I will.

Day 14: @the-wip-project

Do you have figures / creatures of folklore in your WIP? If not, can you think of something that would fit?

Hmmmmm … in my clexa wip, I have creatures that have mutated into mythic proportions due to nuclear radiation.

Day 13 @the-wip-project asked:

If befuddled is a type of character, then yes.

On day 12 of this challenge @the-wip-project gave us the prompt:

Unfortunately, things never go as planned around here.

Great prompt! I’m trying to finish the first draft of a particular wip which is an original work. It was interesting as the result of that prompt could fit in so many places in my wip!

Day 11 of @the-wip-project ‘s challenge!

I know the character fairly well before I begin writing. What helps me define them is writing their backstory including circumstances and events they know shaped them plus a few they are unaware were pivotal.

Another good question from @the-wip-project on day 10 of this challenge.

1) how does a character react when a friend claims that their pet passion project actually belongs to the company they work for because it was created during company time?

2) what if the tower on an island in the river by my house became the only above water structure in this area by the end of the century?

Day 9’s question is above. I’ve never actually thought of writing in terms of competing elements. If anything, and to continue with the sports analogy, I think that all elements of the story should work together as a team to make a story captivating. My favourite books and movies have stories with strong characters that are pushed into difficult situations.

Thanks for these questions @the-wip-project ! They are very thought provoking

Day 8: favourite trope to read or write and is there a difference in reading or writing that trope.

Hmmm … a very good question! I recently read the Phedre trilogy by Jacqueline Carey. After reading the first book, Kushiel’s Dart, my life and writing has been rendered transformed. The books are written in first person and the detail of the world building and the twists in the plot are exquisite. Reading this trilogy has pushed me to reconsider the roller coaster plot structure and approach my current wip into something more interesting. Hopefully I can be at least a quarter as successful as Carey. If you have not read her stories, I highly recommend them.

In the trilogy, the tropes of “enemies to lovers” and “lovers to enemies” is explored. It is so beautifully done! In my current wip, I’m working on lovers to enemies for my main character. A character who is also a flawed hero with a heart of gold.

Wish me luck!

Day 7: Do I have a writing day? When do I get most of my writing done?

The majority of my writing occurs after I’ve dropped my kids off at school and before I start work. During my drive back from dropping them off, I think about my wip. By the time I’m back home and brewed myself some tea, I’m ready to write down my ideas. I usually get half an hour in before I check work emails.

Day 6: a world building idea I had to give up.

I had wanted to connect my current wip to the northeast blackout of 2003 but that was not feasible with the timeline and setting.

Day 5: what is the world building detail that I really like in my current wip? Asks @the-wip-project

The science

The main character in my current wip has two motivations, the one they know about and the other they really need to do: rescue their friends from bad things and not settle for a job they hate so much they numb themselves with booze and other vices.

Day 2 of @the-wip-project ‘s 100 day challenge

My current wip is a love letter to my home town. It’s also a call for people to “love the body they have the day they have it”.

Inspired by comments I received from my writing group, I decided to tweak my plot. But ... looking at my plot spreadsheet and at my many notes I felt overwhelmed. Solution (for today,at least) I created a mind map for my story. In the map, major the two nodes are: reality, in universe (e.g. what is allowed to happen in the story’s world). These have sub nodes of locations, technology, big events and characters. I’m hopeful this will help me make decisions about my wip’s plot.

Thank you @the-wip-project for this challenge!

100 Days of Writing

Recently, I noticed my writing friends dropping away. They don’t talk about their stories anymore, they aren’t posting snippets anymore, they don’t talk about this great idea they just had under the shower. And somehow they don’t seem to write as much anymore.

And I get it, you know? We’re all busy. Life doesn’t wait for the muse to come around and we all got some sort of pandemic trauma. But there’s a thing I noticed recently in that I write more if I talk about writing and when I don’t talk about it, I kind of lose the drive. Does that make sense?

So here’s what I’m proposing for one hundred days, starting on June the 1st.

We write. Duh, of course. But I don’t want us to get stuck on wordcounts. Writing is not just about the amount of words we throw on the page, writing is also about developing the story further, the characters, worldbuilding, themes, and all these intangible things.

For 100 days, every day, you write about something that pertains to your stories. It can be about what you wrote of course, maybe a snippet you really liked. But it can also be about a song that fits so well, a faceclaim, a worldbuilding idea you had. It doesn’t have to be long, but it has to be every day.

Yes, I’m dialing up the pressure! I want you to think “oh, I can write about this today on my 100daysofwriting post!” or maybe “oh shit, I need to find something to show for my 100daysofwriting post!”.

Every day. For one hundred days. Write about your writing.

I’m basing this event around this tumblr. Mention this blog (the-wip-project) and use the tag #100daysofwriting so that I and everyone else can see it.

You can make your posts anywhere, of course, I just find it easier to interact with posts here. If you post on a blog or on twitter or anywhere else, maybe you can make tumblr post to link to it? This event is mostly for yourself and if you want to write in your personal journal you are not obligated to share that with anyone. Maybe you see me in a chat somewhere and rather want to write there, that’s fine too.

I hope that talking/chatting/posting about writing will be its own fountain of inspiration.

100daysofwriting, starting on 01. June 2021.

If you register here in this [form], I might chat with you or nag you sometimes about your posts. Let's write!

Thinkin about how as kids parents told us to clean our rooms without having ever shown us how to themselves, taught us any organizational skills, spatial management, or any other knowledge necessary to know how to efficiently tackle a mess without getting overwhelmed and then got exasperated when we as ten year olds didn’t just……figure it out

Hot take: Actual literary analysis requires at least as much skill as writing itself, with less obvious measures of whether or not you’re shit at it, and nobody is allowed to do any more god damn litcrit until they learn what the terms “show, don’t tell” and “pacing” mean.

The Clexa Fic List That No One Asked For

I’ve been re-reading a lot of my favorite Clexa fics and figured to put them all in a list in case anyone hasn’t read any of these BRILLIANT CLASSICS. Enjoy, y’all!

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Quality Ingredients by HurricaneJane/@thatonewherelexasachef - Boy, oh BOY. This is the first Clexa fic my thankful eyes had ever laid upon. HJ’s writing is absolutely spectacular here. It’s a brilliant AU where Lexa is a chef and Clarke is a doctor and they meet because OF A BLOODY HAND DUE TO ROAN (Hellooooo 3x04!!). The fic isn’t finished, but I do have hopes that maybe one day it will be. I’ve re-read it 3 times. 

Coeurastronaute/@coeurdastronaute Fics:

Kiwi - Lexa is a hottie rockstar/musician and meets Clarke on Tinder. It’s a cute piece of fluff that I’m dying to have updated. I haven’t read it in quite some time, but it’s on my list of things to re-read. Coeur is an AMAZING writer, their stories never fail to please.

Essays In Existentialism - A VAST collection of one-shots or shorter 2 - 3 parters from Coeur. Lots of amazing content here. If you’re looking for some AU, you got it. Canon, you got it. Fluff, you got it. Angst, you got it. If you’re down for any kind of Clexa read, I suggest just doing down the list.

Footy - Clexa AU where Lexa is the world’s best soccer star. She meets Clarke by chance, and a little bit if fate keeps bringing the girls together. This is a cute, fluffy piece, and coming off the World Cup, I dove right in for a re-read. The status of this one is still WIP, but like the rest, I’m truly hoping for an update.

Except You Love by @theproseofnight - Words can’t even begin to describe the quality of writing in this story. If you’re looking for a super angsty, slow burn that could possibly shatter your heart a million times over, this is the read for you. If you haven’t read it, I promise it is really well worth it. The story was just completed (god bless) last month and it seems that @theproseofnight is working on a piece similar (holy shit, can’t fucking wait). This is a must.

This is Heaven in Hiding by @orangeyouglad8 - Holy moly, angst, fluff, and smut all rolled into one juicy story. Lexa and Clarke work in similar fields and H.A.T.E. each other. I don’t want to give much away, but if you haven’t read this one, I really suggest it. The flow of the story is quite fantastic. I’ve re-read it once and it definitely won’t be the last time.

In Love in War and Politics by @centuriesofexistence - This one is fantastic and probably next on my re-read list. Clarke is running for senate and Lexa is her campaign manager. It’s a BRUTAL race with her opponent and the pair working so closely together leads to some Clexa sexa. Highly recommend it.

A Pleasant Undoing by @mopeytropey - This one is a personal favorite because of their occupations. Feels a bit close to home! Clarke is a bar manager and Lexa works for a brewery. The two meet because of work and the crushing and pining is super cute. I finished this one so quickly because the pace was amazingly set. This is definitely on my re-read list!

The White Queen Running by KL_Morgan - I think this is actually the only canon-ish fic I have on this list. To be honest, I’m not big on canons, I’m a HUGE AU kinda gal. Anyway, a good friend had bugged, and bugged, and bugged me to give this one a shot. I’m so fucking happy I did. The writing is exquisite, absolutely exquisite. I’m honestly not sure how to describe this one, I was pretty confused in the beginning, but then realized I was supposed to be confused. Just take my word for it and read it, mmkay?

Catch Me, I’m Falling by @clexa-hsau (two very talented writers) - The HSAU of all HSAU’s. Lexa and Clarke couldn’t dislike each other more, but little Aden does some matchmaking and helps the two realize that maybe they’re meant to be? Bit of angst, lots of fluff, and lots of sequels/one-shots to follow. I haven’t gotten through all of the one-offs, but they’re all definitely on my life. READ THIS.

Living on a Fault Line by anddirtyrain - Holy hell. Holy angst, holy slow burn, holy hell. This was recently recommended to me on here because I was asking for a fic that would hurt my heart the way “Except You Love” did, and this recommendation did not disappoint. Clexa are divorced with a daughter and this story shows the struggles of co-parenting when love still lingers. I recently just got my best friend to start reading this one and love every “WTF” text I get when she’s reading it. It’s amazing.

Lullaby Without You. by LJT - This is a heart-wrenching one. It really pulls at your heart. Clexa are married, but Clarke wakes up from an accident with no recollection of who she is. Lexa comes to the hospital every day to try and help her wife remember, while still having to take care of their son who very much misses his other mom. This one isn’t complete, but I’m reaaaaally hoping for an update.

Polis 433 by @ecfandom - AH, hot fire fighter Lexa and nurse Clarke. This one is a slow burn FO SHO. Clarke’s house has a super faulty fire alarm which sends Lexa to hear house on a weekly basis. Clarke’s kid takes a liking to Lexa, leading to Clarke taking a liking to Lexa. It’s all just so, so great. It’s being actively updated (the most recent update being this past week, WOOOP). Start it and subscribe to it and love it.

Grand Slam Thank You, Ma’am by @femininenachos - Nothing gets to me like a sporty Lexa. Let me present you with hottie tennis player Lexa and her hottie physio Clarke Griffin. It’s smutty and it’s fluffy and now that we’re in tennis season, I’m going to be reading this whole thing from cover to cover again.

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A little shameless self promotion goes a long way, right? Below are three pieces I have on Ao3 as LostAndDelirious.

Maple Bourbon Candles - Clarke and her friends are on a 10-day trip up north during the winter and meet the small town’s general store owner, Lexa. They bump into each other after their initial meeting and start hanging out and Clarke finds herself to be a babbling mess around the girl. Not gonna lie, it’s pretty fluffy and kinda cute. It’s a WIP but I’m regularly updating it.

13 Clans - I’m a bit in love with writing this story at the moment. Lexa “The Commander” Woods works for a spirits company, heading up the marketing division. The company merges with a few others, and enters an influx of new people in the office, including Clarke Griffin who is now heading up events and sponsorships for all their brands. There are a lot of happy hours, a lot of drinks, and a lot of traveling. It’s a bit of a slow burn, especially because Lexa is kind of a bitch, but the two find that they don’t always get on each others nerves. WIP and regularly updated, I actually just posted the most recent chapter earlier this afternoon.

Why Do You Think It Feels This Way? - This one’s a one-shot. There are a few fluffy moments, but the overall theme is far from fluff. Clarke and Lexa are both fresh out of heartbreaking relationships and meet because of mutual friends on a weekend trip to a lake house. They find a bit of solace in each other over the course of the weekend and well, just read it to find out the rest.

The war on drugs is rooted in racist policies . The failure of the war and drugs is obvious. We need to find a better solution, because people of color should never be the victims of racist policies. White Americans are more likely than black Americans to have used most kinds of illegal drugs, including cocaine and LSD. Yet blacks are far more likely to go to prison for marijuana, which is not a hard drug. Moreover , even when white people get caught , they get less time in prison. 

this utopian canada that is portrayed by the government and the media is a lie. it's propaganda.

canadian society is not anti-racist. our government is the product of centuries of colonialism and oppression.

I know it's nice to think/pretend that everything is great here, but when you pretend that you are telling every person who has suffered under oppression and discrimination that our stories aren't real, that we are lying or exaggerating.

stop trying to convince yourself that there is equity and respect (especially for Indigenous people) on this land, and start working to make that a reality.

some things to get you started:

read up on the national centre for truth and reconciliation, and what the truth and reconciliation commission report says

learn about and donate to the unist'ot'en camp

support, donate to, and get involved with black lives matter canada

get involved with the canadian council for refugees

check out the rainbow railroad- an organization that helps LGBT+ people escape violence, oppression, and persecution

there are so many more great organizations and groups out there doing amazing work, so please if you can take the time to do some research and get involved, that would be wonderful.

tagging: @allthecanadianpolitics

Please don’t pirate books at least while the author is alive. I’ll make an exception for actual billionaires and wildly expensive textbooks you cannot afford yet need to complete your studies. I can’t make an exception for assholes, because we’re all considered assholes by someone.  I don’t know how many people realise how many writers who created successful, beloved stories and characters still die poor while other people get rich off the same work. I don’t think people realise that in the UK the current average yearly earnings for an author has nosedived over the last fifteen years to £10,500. That obviously is forcing people to quit writing. It increasingly means writing is a job for people who’ve inherited money or have wealthy spouses who can support them. I don’t know if people realise that in general, writers are poor and getting poorer. I’m sorry, but if you think widespread sense of entitlement to free books has nothing to do with that … you’re just wrong. 

I say I don’t think people realise - the truth is I hope they don’t, because the alternative is that they don’t care. That’s certainly the impression I’ve got from Twitter, where a truly horrifying number of people are arguing that copyright on  all books should expire after thirty years, and you should be able to acquire books for  free after that. This … would not just mean that everyone gets free books. It would mean if you write a book at 30, not only do you lose any royalties from it at 60, but Disney can take it, make a franchise out of it, Scrooge McDuck it up in a pool of money while you starve because writers don’t get workplace pensions.

Some threads on the unintended (?) consequences of this. I can’t go over it all again. John Brownlow NK Jemisin Michael Marshall Smith Me Marina Lostetter Kari Dru and others William Gibson and others

There are plenty of others. It’s not that this actual idea will actually happen, but I do think it reinforces the idea that it’s not only okay, but sometimes actually virtuous to search for ways to enjoy writers’ work without paying for it. Like it’s somehow a step towards a better world. Not just at the reader end, to be fair, at the employer end too. And I do see a lot of people here too who are all about supporting workers unless the workers are writers in which case fuck’em. 

Like. If you want to radically change society in such a way that mass-media conglomerates don’t exist and so can’t exploit us and we’re supported to make art in some other way than fine. But can you start the revolution with actual rich people please, not ask us to live right now, in the society we’ve got, without the money we need to survive it. Finally, a plea: I really, really, do not want to debate this. This whole thing genuinely makes me feel tense and shaky and sick. If you’ve got to disagree - unfollow me, block me, vagueblog somewhere I can’t see it. The Twitter version of this already has me feeling like I’ve been kicked in the gut. I didn’t want to write this post. I just felt I wasn’t going to have any peace until I did.

I’m going to try this!

how to make a story file

As I am preparing for Camp NaNo*, I have been working on my story file. It occurred to me this might not be common or popular practice. “Story File” is a name I gave it and maybe some of y’all have a different name with the same contents. 

*There’s still time to apply to join my Camp NaNo cabin!

My Story File contains everything about my story that doesn’t go in the outline.

It’s broken up into major categories and specific templates. So without further ado, here is how I structure my Story File. 

Intro

Title

Logline

Synopsis

Genre

Estimated Total Length (word count)

Draft Length Goal (word count)

Character Bank

Main characters and brief, one-sentence descriptions with ages

Themes and Character Development

Central Question

The Yes/No question that is being asked through the whole story

Should have objective qualities, rather than subjective

i.e. “Will they fall in love?” (subjective) vs. “Will they leave their partners and become a couple?” (objective)

Thematic Questions

These are the internal conflict questions that reside in your character(s) and your story

ex. “Can there really be a successful government?”

ex. “Does grief excuse bad actions?”

Themes at a Glance

Words or phrases that relate to the themes of the story

ex. person vs. nature

ex. isolation

ex. grief

ex. first love

Motivation / Stasis State / Final State

for each main character, you should write a sentence or two pertaining to these three things

Motivation: What is the drive behind this character and their past, present, and future actions? What part of their background makes them the way that they are? What are they looking for? What do they want out of this/a situation?

Stasis State: What are they like before the inciting incident? What problems and questions do they have?

Final State: What has changed about them and their outlook? What questions have they resolved? What has happened to their internal conflict?

Relationships

I usually make a little web of the MCs and their relationship to one another. One for the stasis and one for final.

Stasis: How do these characters see each other? How do they act toward the other? (All before the inciting incident)

Final: How do these characters see each other now? How has their idea of one another shifted? 

Even if a character dies before the end, include the most recent relationship status in the Final web.

ex. this is how I organize it, using the Draw feature of Google Docs

Character Bank

This is just a very preliminary character bank. If you prefer a more in-depth one, check out my 6 Box Method.

Per (relevant/important) character:

Name

Nickname/preferred name

Age

Field/Occupation

Physical Description

Personality

Personal History

Education/Occupation History

Extra Notes:

Worldbuilding Bank

(Check out my worldbuilding posts on Categories Pt. 1 and 2 for better context)

Seasons and Climate

Languages

Other Cultural Pockets

Folklore and Legends

Fine Arts

Dress and Modesty

Classes

Jobs

Currency and Economics

Shopping

Agriculture and Livestock

Imports and Exports

Literature, Pop Culture, and Entertainment

Food and Water

Holidays and Festivals

Family and Parenting

Relationships

Housing

Religion and Beliefs

Government

Health and Medicine

Technology and Communication

Death

Transportation

Plants, Animals, and Human-environment Interaction

Education

Beauty Standards

Gender and Sexuality

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I hope this helps y’all and supplements what you’re probably already doing. I know it’s helped me tons to have everything in a central place.

Best of luck!

Let’s talk about our Vice President

With Kamala Harris making history as the first Black, Indian, and female Vice President of the United States, thus becoming the most powerful and highest ranking woman America has ever seen, there’s been more disinformation about her swirling on the Internet than ever before. Some of it is misguided – people who believe the sourceless accusations they read and think they’re doing good by spreading it – but a lot of it is intentional, malicious. 

I think it’s worth examining our Vice President’s record based on context and facts. We owe it not just to ourselves but to those around us to have a nuanced and accurate conversation about those in power that relies on data and expert information, not simply blog posts of unqualified armchair pundits who say what we want them to. 

And when we look at the context and facts surrounding Kamala Harris, it’s clear that she’s on the right side of history. She’s someone who, despite the occasional misstep, has indeed made it her life’s work to reform the criminal justice system, to advance progressive causes, and to protect and defend the American people. 

First, let’s dispel the disinformation. The myth of the “SuperCop” that has been affixed to her represents a willful misinterpretation of the criminal justice system that is specifically designed to smear an accomplished and progressive Black woman. There are three common refrains here: first, that she locked up thousands of Black people for marijuana possession; second, that she jailed truant parents; and third, that she singlehandedly kept thousands of prisoners in jail to feed California’s prison slave labor complex. All of these are patently false:

As San Francisco DA, Harris and her office had a policy of refusing to seek jail time for marijuana possession, instead reducing the charge to a misdemeanor and directing individuals to drug education programs (this is in the context of a nationwide push for heavier drug sentences and tough on crime policies, mind you). The leader of the public defender’s misdemeanor division during this time says that Harris “was probably the most progressive prosecutor in the state at the time when it came to marijuana.”

Harris never – I repeat, NEVER – locked up a single truant parent. There’s no basis to this accusation. 

Under California law, state lawyers are not required to go to the attorney general’s office in cases involving prisoner release. The prisoners who were kept in jail were by and large involved in cases she was not aware of. In one instance, however, a member of her team argued against releasing prisoners because of its impact on the prison labor force. Harris, however, immediately rejected that argument and completely disavowed it. Not in 2019, not in 2020, but as soon as it happened.

So, the myth of the SuperCop that has dogged Harris is not based in reality. What, then, did she do with her positions of power?

Harris co-founded the Coalition to End the Exploitation of Kids, with the LA Times commenting that “whereas police focused on the crime of selling sex, Harris saw young girls as victims driven by economic necessity, drug addiction and domineering men.”

She led a state task force to address the crisis of human trafficking.

Harris launched the Back on Track program, which provided young, first-time offenders with an opportunity to pursue an education and employment instead of jail time.

As Attorney General of California, she refused to defend Prop 8, which declared marriage as between a man and a woman, in court, and when it was overturned she immediately ordered state officials to begin issuing marriage certificates to same sex couples.

As California Attorney General, Harris launched a first of its kind implicit bias training program for all law enforcement.

As Senator, Harris introduced a bill to provide the American people with $2,000 a month payments during the pandemic.

In the Senate, Harris introduced a bill to reform the broken cash bail system.

Harris introduced a bill to finally make lynching a federal crime.

Harris introduced legislation in the Senate to legalize marijuana.

Harris introduced a bill in the Senate to provide a refundable federal tax credit for renters who pay more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities.

In 2019, Kamala Harris was ranked the most politically left of all US Senators.

Let’s be clear. Let’s speak truth. Not only is the mythology surrounding Kamala’s record based in facts specifically designed to smear her, but she has proven herself to be a progressive champion with a record of accomplishments. Is she perfect? Of course not. There are real conversations to be had about the efficacy of some of her positions, policies, and platforms. But we can’t have these conversations clearly or in good faith if they’re mired in lies. Kamala Harris is progressive. Kamala Harris has done good for the American people and will continue to do good. She is an ally to the progressive movement, and any attempt to alienate her, to other her, to dismiss her, does real harm to any agenda that purports to want to fix the broken systems in this country.

Harris is eminently qualified to be VP and President. She has broken barriers, worked to make substantial and substantive changes to the systems in our country, and dedicated herself to the continued pursuit of progress. This country, and the world, is lucky to have her in a position of leadership. And if your brand of political activism involves tweeting or posting lies about an accomplished Black and Indian woman, I’d humbly ask you to evaluate what it is you’re really interested in fighting for.

not a meme but i think it would be pretty fuckin cool if we all did this. and not just for a month, but until we start getting what we deserve. they only profit off of us. they don’t deserve our attention. eat the rich.

Surnames are just as important as given names. So, I compiled a list of the websites I use to find my surnames.

English Surnames

Dutch Surnames

Spanish Surnames

Scottish Surnames

German Surnames

Italian Surnames

Irish Surnames

French Surnames

Scandinavian Surnames

Welsh Surnames

Jewish Surnames

Surnames By Ethnicity

Most Common Surnames in the USA

Most Common Surnames in Great Britan

Most Common Surnames in Asia