In the tradition of New Years having a certain feeling to them, 2008 seems to have snuck up on me while my back was turned, in a rather friendly "HI THERE SURPRISE!" kind of way.

Party last night was party. I have blackmail footage of everyone singing along to 'Bohemian Rhapsody' quite vehemently. There was a higher ratio of champagne to people than there was last year. We played Rock Band. WHEEE.

Yuletide authors have been revealed! Here be my contributions:

Emancipation. 'Escaflowne', post-series. When even Allen himself realizes he's gone a step too far, it may be time to finally start letting go. PG.

Prodigy. 'Earthbound'. Little Paula was quite the artist. PG.

And there's more fic! This one was written especially for rosesfade, who requested "a Stebbins Christmas snippet" and is getting something slightly different: a Stebbins New Year's snippet. Still, it wouldn't have been written without the prompt.

TITLE: 31 12 97
RATING: G
FANDOM: Harry Potter
CHARACTERS: Stephen Stebbins and friends ;)
WORD COUNT: 531
SUMMARY: Even in the bleakest of times, good friends manage to come together for the New Year.

( 31 December, 1997 )


http://www.GlitterMaker.com/ - Glitter Graphics - MySpace Layouts - Speak Teen Community

Yuletide fic is edited and uploaded- and GAH, here come the nerves of 'is-it-something-my-recipient-will-really-like??? :('

And now I'm in a writin' mood. Anybody got requests? I feel like I write the best consistently for: the Bros Grimm (movie), Earthbound, Escaflowne, Notre Dame de Paris (although I haven't tried anything that wasn't Frollo/Gringoire), and the realm of Faery (<---not a fandom. well, not in the way the others are, at least). Ellaran folks, I'm always up for trying something Aranothyium-ish, though I've already got one in progress and I feel like that's more of a collaborative effort.

Or you could challenge me to write something entirely out of my writing Comfort Zone. Or just give me some words/a quote/a thought. Inspiration, people, that's what we're really after here!

OH HAI I AM SIGNED UP 4 YULETIDE. I AM EXCITE!

Seriously, though. My yuletides, let me show you them.

Note to self for next year (already): check ahead of time which fandoms you might possibly write for and make sure the character lists are complete. I was all set to offer to write for Mushu from 'Mulan' and the only characters you're allowed to offer are Mulan and Shang! WHUT.

I have four writing-things that require work at this time:

1) MY NOVEL
2) Esca-fic for kinkfest
3) BSG-fic for kinkfest
4) Spring Awakening/Kushiel crossover (made of crack, or a good concept? I think both)

Instead of getting overwhelmed at how much there is to be done, I'm gonna write each on a piece of paper, dump 'em in a hat, pick one, and get typin.

IT IS BRILLIANCE I SAY.

50 BOOKS 2007
13)) Kushiel's Justice, Jacqueline Carey

(I am so not making it to 50. Oh well.)

That book made me tear up a remarkable number of times. ;_; All of Carey's characters are so remarkably human, even the ones who aren't (eheh).

As for my own writing--I finally filled in the missing bits of the first chapter of my novel, finishing it. 4071 words (out of a total 5830) that I feel truly proud of. If it takes that long to complete a draft that I can feel equal pride in, so be it. (though I kind of hope it doesn't... ^__^;;)

The re-write of the NaNo novel goes. I realized tonight that I've got enough words to fill 7 book-pages. Now, I'll have to write a lot faster if I want to have a first draft by, say, the end of the year :P but at least I'm writing, and liking what I write.

Other Stuff! Someone at the Psych department at Northwestern has put together a survey they call "Mate Preferences". They're attempting to find out what people from all sexualities find attractive, whether there are any common threads, etc. The way they've set it up is particularly interesting, because they basically ask you to "build" your ideal mate. It makes me think of an AI-ish sort of future where those who can afford it order custom love-bots based on parameters of physicality and emotion that they most desire ("Coin operated boy / Sitting on the shelf / He is just a toy / But I turn him on..."). In such a time, would romantic love become a novelty, even obsolete (I actually imagine it would fluctuate between being taboo and being an "unobtainable" ideal)? Would actual sex be purely for the sake of breeding?

Anyway, I digress. If you want to participate, go the linkie:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=433073187381

I did have one quibble with how they set up the "money" system, and that's that you HAVE to spend all the dollars you have for that question. I found myself adding on things I didn't feel I needed on the 40-dollar ones. Not everyone wants someone perfect. Though on the flip-side, the 20-dollar questions didn't seem to allow for enough. ^___^;; As usual, I seek the happy medium.

I dreamed last night that I was planning to run away to Japan. Not for long, just for a week or so.

In the non-dream world, the cheapest offer for air fare to Tokyo seems to be around $500.

But still, if I ever spontaneously disappear, don't rule it out.

-------------------------

Ficcy over at my writing journal. Battlestar Galatica. Hopeful beginning to a big honkin' Baltar-fic. In any case, I already have dialogue for when he finally meets up with Six XD Forget just having Six in yer head, it's damn hard to concentrate in class with both of them chattering away at each other.

Anywhoo.

Title: Son of Amalthea - Chapter One: Rejoice
Rating: G (although the story will eventually rate an R)
Fandom: Battlestar Galactica
Summary: When Gaius Baltar was born, everyone knew his life would be a blessed one.

( Fake Cut to the Writing Journal )

I am burdened by too many ideas.

I wish I could write something and finish it.

I have an outline for how the novel I started during NaNo should finish, but I've lost interest in the story. I feel like this has happened so many times, and I'm starting to get discouraged.

I feel like I don't read enough to be a good writer.

I feel like I'm surrounded by people with way better ideas and way more talent than I have.

I feel like this is not a good way to start a year. I've felt odd and scattered for the past week.

Dammit.

( ETA )

Fans of the Kushiel series, feel free to check out my new Orchis ficlet.

Title: Orchis Life: Jesters
Fandom: Kushiel's Legacy, OCs
Rating: PG
Word Count: 736
Summary: As much as the adepts of Eglantine loved to puff themselves up with notions of their performing prowess, those of Orchis had their own particular brand of theatre.

( Fake Cut to my Writing Journal )

Of course the story isn't near finished, but the 50k? Totally pwned. And with a whole 4 days out of the month spent writing nothing.
If I continue through December, I'll have meself a complete first draft.

A WINNER IS ME!

For NaNoWriMo:

41,577 / 50,000 (83.2%)

Ultimately:

41,577 / 90,000 (46.2%)

At this point I would have to be rediculously lazy not to get to 50k by the end of the month. It's not what I set out to do, but I now plan on continuing through December.

I suspect this story may expand beyond 90k, actually... It's a world-travelling-type story, and that's starting to really show.

My favorite locale so far is one I hadn't expected them to go to, and am currently making up on the spot. :D Whee!

50 BOOKS
36)) Peter and the Starcatchers, Ridley Pearson and Dave Barry

Two and a half days of classes remain between me and Turkey Day vacation. Let's do this!

30,514 / 90,000 (33.9%)

Reaching 30k felt like pulling teeth, especially since I've come to the end of my detailed outline. But my characters are starting to relate to each other more, which is good, since up till now they've been a rather dysfunctional trio of adventurers. See, an unexpected plot twist came recently and shoved them into cooperating. Mwahaha.

But yeah. Aside from the not quite knowing where my story's going next, I have this Exalted character who just leapt into my head a couple days ago, and has barely ceased to hop around going "Pay attention to MEEEE!" Except not quite, cause he really wouldn't do that. And yeah it's a he, and yeah I would rather like to play him at some point. or just write a crapton about him. But CANNOT DO DURING NANO. ARRRRG.

15,031 / 90,000 (16.7%)

I'm not at where I thought I'd be, but at the same time... Day 5, 15k... It seems I've been consistantly writing, on average, 3k a day. Which is what I need for 90k anyway. :\ Sooooo, we'll see.

4,900 / 90,000 (5.4%)

Hoo-ha, people. Hoo. Ha.

(Do I actually think I'll make it to 90k? I am beginning to doubt. However! If I go for 90k, I'll almost certainly make it above 50k. Hooray for psychin' myself out.)

Maybe no one who will read this will care, but personally, I am really rather proud of Chapter Seven of "Mutation".

Because that last bit is the creepiest thing I've ever written. I freaked myself out writing it.

And now I get to go to sleep! YAY!

(WHY do I write these things late at night....?)

I keep writing things to keep me distracted from thinking too much about NaNo (5 days away HOORAY!). Fanfic, but still. Writing is good.

One of the stories is "Mutation", sequel to the EarthBound-fic "Cycle". I really am kicking myself in the ass to get it finished, since if there's ever been a fandom I've been able to claim some fame in, it's EarthBound. It may be a small fandom, but nevertheless, they kinda love me over there, and I'm sick of letting myself and them down by keeping the story in limbo. So yes.

Also I just spent an hour and a half writing the first 840 words of what could very well become a frackin' enormous Battlestar Galactica fic. Enormous on the scale of alyxbradford's Bellatrix Black-Lestrange bio-fic. And pretty much along the same lines. Any guess as to whose life I'm crafting? *shifty eyes* I plan to pseudo-Nano this fic alongside "Mutation" once November is over and I'm waiting for lassarina to beta my original work. Because I am nuts.

I also have been getting ideas for a NEW EB-fic on top of all that. IT'S TOTAL ATTACK OF THE PLOT BUNNIES.

But, y'know, writing is good.

Also, along the line of fandom-y things, I sent Jonathan Coulton a link to the Code Monkey Dance because someone messaged me on YouTube saying he'd get a kick out of it. And I thought, why not? So we'll see.

And now, quizzes. Just cause they've been stacking up for a while.

You scored as CPO Galen Tyrol. You never wanted to be a glamorous Viper pilot. You are happy knowing that without you to fix their birds, they cannot fly. You fell in love with the wrong girl, but is that so wrong? Maybe, but you don't really care. </td> CPO Galen Tyrol 94% Capt. Lee Adama (Apollo) 69% President Laura Roslin 50% Dr Gaius Baltar 50% Lt. Sharon Valerii (Boomer) 44% Number 6 44% Col. Saul Tigh 44% Tom Zarek 44% Commander William Adama 31% Lt. Kara Thrace (Starbuck) 25% What New Battlestar Galactica character are you? created with QuizFarm.com

I find it amusing that I scored equally for Roslin and Baltar. Also for Boomer, Six, Tigh and Zarek. Teehe!

( More Quizzy Fun! )

From featherspy.

The first five people to respond to this post will get some form of art, by me. It will be about or tailored to those five lucky "victims." This offer does have some restrictions and limitations.

# I make no guarantees that you will agree with what I perceive as art and/or quality.
# What I create will be just for you.
# It'll be done before 7 days have passed. ("You have seven days...")
# You have no clue what it's gonna be. It may be fic. It may be poetry. I may draw or paint or chainmaille-weave something. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure! It's definately going to be something recievable via-internet. If you want original drawings, sent via mail, I can rustle that up too...
# I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The catch? Oh, the catch is that you have to put this in your journal as well, if you expect me to do something for you!

I didn't post this in lepricons cause it's really nothing special Photoshop-wise. Just some Screen-action on the shadowed face.

But, Nanowrimo! Hooray!

lassarina and of_carabas/rocknlobster: Your drabbles are up at my writing journal.

Between this and theatrical_muse and an original idea that just jumped into my head the other day, I'm getting a lot of writing done. We likes this. We likes this very much, precious.

( Quiz Dump )

Thought of the mo: Even though I have a clear image of what I want to be, it's much harder to discern what I am, now, in this moment in time.

Of course, ever since that time somewhere around 14 years old when I decided what it was I wanted, I've spent every day feeling like I'm coming closer. It's just much harder to describe me in the now.

Who is Emily right now? Is it any different than what she wants to be? Or maybe she's too close to the situation to tell... :/

EDIT: Just got ThinkExist's Quote of the Day in my Inbox.

"All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become." -Buddha. Hindu Prince Gautama Siddhartha, the founder of Buddhism.

:)

Mike: You, missy, are not drunk enough!
Me: I'm not! It's sad!

I quickly remdied that, however,

SAKE BOMBS ARE PARTY.

And tats all I dotta say about that.

Hooray for not correcting typos,

leighaden, your drabble is up. Here.
G'night.