Planning Ahead

I'm a planner. I mean, seriously, if I knew exactly what it took, I would be a Wedding Planner, I love to plan so much. But, oddly, one of the things that often requires a lot of planning for, I rarely plan ahead for, leaving it to be done as I'm supposed to be working. What am I speaking of? Yup, nearly a month early, but I speak of NaNoWriMo! I had the great pleasure of winning last year with this little (fanfic) baby (click here for link):

Usually, I don't plan for NaNo until a couple of weeks before Nov. 1st--the kickoff. And last year, I only had three chapters of Building Blocks outlined until a few days into November. In fact, I had not even planned on participating last year--long story, folks--so I didn't even have a story until Oct. twenty-something. But I participated and won.

But this year... this year, it's different. AD Spencer had made a banner and sent it my way, cementing what her choice for NaNo was this year. Because, let's say, we both had a lot of choices. I literally had a list that had both original fiction works that were both novellas and novels to three fanfic sequels. But after talking to AD it hit me. I want a novel done. One I can sell. So I went with this:

I've had the House of Roanoke series planned for forever! It started out as a series of Short Stories in my head. However, my number one fan for this series (yeah, it's AD) led me to believe that it could be a novel. After some thinking, I realized that, yeah, I love this story enough to make it a novel. And then I thought some more and came to the conclusion that it could be four novels. And then I talked to AD again and realized that an old story idea of my could be linked to this world. So, although it's not apart of the quartet, it's a companion to this world. And then I talked to her about a problem I had concerning one of the characters in the House of Roanoke... how I didn't know what to do with them at the end. I told her what I didn't want to do. And then she made a wonderful suggestion. And, once again, although it isn't to be apart of the quartet, it is definitely a sequel/companion novel to follow. Keeping count? No? Well let me tell you. That's six. Six novels in the planning for this world that so far has only been one unpublished short story--which is a very bad version of chapter one of Family Affairs, btw.

So what's the story to this thing? Well, I'm not willing to say at this moment, other than the fact that I draw upon the story of Roanoke, America's first attempt at a colony. It's a supernatural genre, and it's geared toward adults, though maybe not for the reasons that one might automatically think of when someone thinks "adult fiction," if you get my drift.

So outlining here I come. NaNo '11, your ass is grass, and I'm the lawnmower! (Yikes, I haven't heard that since I was five.) Now... to actually do some work.

Where I Stand

Okay, that image is just a little pretty I did in anticipation of the upcoming premiere of Supernatural Season 7. They've already given us the first minute or so of it online as a promo... all I can say is exactly what AD Spencer said... Mean Cas is Mean :(

(Oh, and the crackle texture I used can be found in the gallery of AshenSorrow.)

So, what am I up to, you ask? As you can see over to the right, I've finally added that other novella. Yeah, I know that 10k isn't technically a novella in some cases, but it can go up to 15k. I just put the minimum to be safe. I've put up that chapter of Trials at fanfiction.net, so now I'm due for Chapter 16 of The Funny Thing About Keys. I've set a good pace for those two, so even if I don't finish them on the exact date I have shared with AD Spencer, I'll at least finish really close to it. My other fanfics, you ask? Yeah, they're still around. The next fanfic past these two that I want to finish is... and this is the first place I've announced this, mind you... Youth and Innocence. It's fully outlined--I'm ashamed to say considering the last time I updated on it--so it shouldn't be that difficult. Also on the fanfiction front, AD and I have entered into a livejournal community's challenge called the 50 States of SPN--livejournal community shares the same name. The challenge? Have a LJ account and sign up for an open state. Then, between now and sometime in Dec, write a fanfic at a minimum of 1k about a myth or legend that takes place your state. They've recently opened back up in efforts to fill all 50 states with only a handful being considered closed. AD and I both have Alabama, but there's still spots open in that. There's also spots open in the other states we asked for--her: Mississippi; me: Alaska.

I also recently posted on my craft blog, Craft Wars. If it so strikes your fancy to do so, be sure to check that out! Also, see my previous blog post for a link to that writing competition I entered. I'd be very thankful for any and all votes on my story, entitled "Piece of."

And that's my writing update. Now, it's back to the ol' grindstone (re:keyboard).

55,799

See that number? Yeah, the one up there in the title? Know what that is? No? Well, I'll tell you. 55, 799 is the number of words--words--that I wrote total last month. And that's both in fanfiction and in original fiction. The banner up there? That's my nifty prize for doing 31 fanfics in 31 days.

Now, did I finish those two huge deadlines due at the beginning of this month? Um... no. However, if I can direct you attention over there ----> Those names and wordcounts are the novellas I'm still working on and where I stand on them. I'm still working on them with the full intention to finish them and sent them off. I have one other that I've signed on to finish, so when I come up w/ a title it'll be added over there.

In other news? Yeah, I'm still applying for 9 to 5s, working on finishing Trials and The Funny Thing about Keys (which is the one that's due to have a chapter uploaded... as soon as I write it, lol). I also need to be thinking about--not too heavily until October--about what I'm doing for NaNoWriMo. I have several novel projects--not to mention two other novellas I wish to work on. And I have a fanfiction sequel I've been promising for oh, about forever. At least a year, lol. So, yeah.

Now, before I go, there's just one other thing. I've entered a fiction contest that is totally reliant on public votes to win. I'd really appreciate it if anyone who reads this who might not have already voted for my story would vote. Or pass the word to others to vote. Click my story title for the link: "Piece of"

Thanks. Oh, and also, I finally did that blog about the pros and cons of having a writing buddy. You can find it both on my personal writing blog here or at the Guild of the Fantastic Quill's blog. I'd love to hear any thoughts on the subject. So, until next time!

Spin Me Right Round, Baby, Right Round Like a Record

Okay, so just a little update on me. Currently, I'm sitting in Birmingham because Preston had to finish up his college stuff--and I get to hang out with my BFFs Savvy and Slink!(Squee!) But, that doesn't mean the writing has stopped.

Fanfiction? Yeah, it's still going on. I've got to do my ficlet for today's entry into the Fic-A-Day challenge over at Twisting the Hellmouth's Live Journal, TwistedShorts. Oh, and that link on the words "Live Journal" leads to my personal LJ. I'm using it as a backup for my fanfics and it's still very much under construction. And, of course, I have to do that ever looming chapter of Trials, which isn't so bad except that I have to clear the time to do it.

Original fiction? Yeah, that's still going too. I've switched gears, leaving TWoC to sit for a bit while I work on AS and ChristianSciFi. Plus, I have all those pesky little deadlines still swirling around. I have about 1.3k written for one of the deadlines... oh, and I've gotten an acceptance for one of my stories, "Go See the Fall-Apart Man." That poor thing had been bounced around and around, so I'm glad that Pink Narcissus took it for their WTF!? Antho. And I've recently noticed that one of the other anthos I'm in is at the printer, so I'll be posting a cover over in my slideshow as soon as the publisher puts one back up. But I put about 1.3k on AS last night. I'm hoping to add even more today. It's got to be between 25k-35k... so, yeah. Miles to go...

Blogs? Well, I plan to do a blog about the pros of having a writing buddy over at my website. Look for that one soon. I'll post it up on the Guild of the Fantastic Quill's Blog sometime after. I also plan to review the earrings I won from Enchanted Conversaton's Island Music Contest over at my Craft Wars blog. So lots to do, lots to do. Not to mention that I need to read and review the last round of stories from something I'm participating in. Those are due in Sunday night, so I need to get started on those today.

So there's my progress in a nutshell. And, your reward for reading this far is this, another lovely fanart!



Yeah, I know it's nowhere near Halloween, but one of the upcoming chapters of Trials has a scene at a Halloween dance. Now, Isaac doesn't go as Batman, but Ria does go as Ivy. You can find that pattern on Icey Tina's profile at deviantart. Totally don't own the pictures, and yes, Aly is my model for Ria--not in personality and not entirely in looks... but she comes closest.

Zuul, Motherf**ker, Zuul

The above line is a quote from The Nostalgia Critic, coming from several of his very hilarious reviews. Definitely give them a watch. I specifically recommend watching The Top 11 Dumbest Spiderman Moments, but most everything I've seen so far has me cracking up over something.

So, what else have I been up to? Well, a lot and a little, to be honest. I'm still going strong in the Twisting the Hellmouth August Fic-A-Day. I put up that chapter of The Funny Thing About Keys mentioned in a previous post, so now I'm due for a chapter of Trials. I just had one, possibly two, chapter fanfic ideas handed to me not thirty seconds ago. And I've still got three other chapter fanfics to start.

And that's not my Original Fiction...

I made a switch on one of my novella projects,which puts me 5k ahead on it--roughly--which lets me breathe a little easier. I've got a good, solid skeleton on which to add the muscle. And it's only got to go to 15k min. (20k, max). It's code named ChristianSciFi (Bam! I know, right? LOL). As for the other two novellas with solid deadlines--TWoC and AS--I'm about 3.5k into TWoC and 300-500 into AS. That first scene on TWoC is killing me. It just won't frickin' end. I'm convinced that if I could just get to that first little scene change mark, it would all just come flying out onto the page. Bam! 25k, there it is! *sigh* I just need to type a crap end to that scene and come back later. I have a bitch of a time turning off my inner editor. Where is that NaNoWriMo magic the rest of the year that isn't November? And those other projects? There all still there, looming over me.

But I'm wriing every day. Which is good, no matter what I'm producing. It keeps my brain working, coming up with fresh ideas. So, I'm going to leave off here with this: I'm writing, but it's not always one type or the other. And, also, here's some more of my fanart! The link to my deviantart profile is over there ------> in my links, so check it out.



Made for one of my August Fic-A-Day fics. I was really proud of what I did to get it this way.

Just a Little Update

Well, like the title suggests, just a quick update on the Trishverse. I've gotten a couple more publication credits under my belt, and I have several big projects coming. Their codenames are as follows: TWoC, AS, LE, UntitledWBR, TOoLS, HoR:E, and DMatLoL. Four of these (and yes, I've double checked the spelling, despite how funny a couple of those look, lol) have solid deadlines in this year. While three of them are strictly an "all me" type of thing. Plus the list (literally) of smaller deadlines to meet this year. These, by the way, are my original, publishable goals. I still have my fanfiction ones.

And those fanfiction goals are to finish two of my currently running fics by mid-October to mid-November, Trials and The Funny Thing About Keys. And, along with that, start three--four when Trials is done-new fanfics. Yes, they do just keep coming. Oh, and then there's the current fanfiction thing I'm doing. See, Twisting the Hellmouth, a Buffy the Vampire Slayer xover site has a thing going called the August Fic-A-Day Challenge. One fanfiction between 300-3k each day. And chapters to a single fic don't count. So far, I'm 3/4--as it is now past midnight. Don't worry, though, that fourth one is still there. Oh, and I still need 10 fics to fill up the end of this month. So if anyone has got any Buffy xovers with shows/movies/books they'd like to see, let me hear them.

Outside of writing, Preston has nearly gotten everything set up for his school. All that's left is to get the people at the college to give him a date to come down and finish up. I think he even knows what he's getting back. As for me? Well, I'm still trying to find a small job to work until the move.

Well, now that you're all caught up, I'll leave you with this:

Songs that Make Me Think of Severus Snape:
"It's Not Me" by 3 Doors Down
"My Sweet Prince" by Placebo
"Poison Prince" by Amy MacDonald
"Dance with the Devil" by Breaking Benjamin (To be fair, this one reminds me of a lot of my favorite characters... and now that I think of it, this applies to the first one on this list too.)
"All Around Me" by Flyleaf

Give these a listen for youself! Oh, and Savvy, although the banner at the top of this post was made for one of my very, very embarassingly older fanfics, I thought of you when I made it.

Book Giveaway!

Just read a great synopsis for a book, and it's being given away! Check it out here:

http://courtney-allison.blogspot.com/2011/07/anna-dressed-in-blood-giveaway-and.html