drusillas_rain

So, I've started posting on lj again and it's occurred to me that there may be people who moved here. Anyone around that isn't on lj anymore?

Dear lj,

I miss you.

Dru

(Things are fine - 1 work project has tripled my hours, so I've had no time for anything (not even proper sleep). But I did take a mental health break last night and watched the 1st ep of the new My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and it's just too adorable. xoxoxo)

Have you ever shipped baked goods in the mail? How exactly does this work?

I'm thinking of offering up homemade brownies for the charity auction, but I've never sent or received food in the mail, so a part of me is thinking "won't they go stale?". Or is there a specified shipping time I should pick that would prevent this. How do you ensure your baked goods don't go bad???

For those in Canada - can you only ship in Canada? Or could I ship to the US too?

My flist is awesome and wise <333

There have been a few posts about WIP's on my flist lately, some of which I commented on, others of which I just didn't know what to say.

See, I have a WIP that effectively became the reason I withdrew from HP fandom.

( The background )

Your thoughts here
I want to finish Drow. I want to take the folder with all my notes in it which has lived on my desk since 2006 (even through a major renovation of my study) and do something with it.

But, how? Do I go back and re-edit what was posted and then re-post it chapter by chapter?
Do I just leave the chapters where they are and start posting it again section by section?
Or do I finish it and then just post it all in one big chunk on AO3?

Thoughts? Opinions? Rants? Hugs? All would be appreciated.

--

Ok, this is surprising. I actually feel lighter having written this all out. That kind of soul-bearing relief doesn't usually happen to me. But I want to make things right with the world and with fandom. Thanks for listening <3

I seem to be in a weird headspace today of productive (Finished project! Invoicing! Cleaning! Email!) and kind of hating the world every time I look at a news site.

So, have some links instead of a rant or whining.

1. Nathan Bransford has some thoughts and links on self-publishing and e-fiction millionaires here.
I read a lot, both published "real" books and fanfiction, and I've frequently been frustrated when a book I've bought or borrowed from the library is in need of an editor and is of poorer quality than free fanfic. Yes, there's a lot of bad fanfiction out there, but there's also some really good stuff, and if some of these people are self-publishing original work, I'm interested in reading it. The example listed of Amanda Hocking who has sold a million copies of her 9 books is fascinating, and I'm definitely going to check out her work.

2. A really good post on why words can affect us and why it's not just about being politically correct when you don't use words such as "retarded" or "gay" in a derogatory manner. As writers, we are encouraged to be careful with our words and choose them deliberately. A person who is affected with mental retardation is not broken or disposable or any number of adjectives you can find in urban dictionary. They're a person and someone's loved one.

3. a) This book has a completely cracky premise and is a must-have in pretty much every fandom I've ever been in. The basic premise is that the main character's husband dies and then he becomes a dog. It's been added to my eventually read list.

b) This got me thinking - how many other fandom tropes can be turned into serious, original fiction? I kind of want to create an anthology of short stories with this theme (if only I was in the publishing industry). Maybe if there's interest, we could use AO3 for this? *Goes off to ponder*

4. This is a really long, but incredibly worthwhile article to read. It describes and teaches in great detail how to improve your writing by avoiding an exposition dump through dialogue. If you only click on one of my links (and you're a writer/aspiring writer), this is the one!
From the post: if a statement doesn’t serve any purpose other than revealing a fact to the reader, as opposed to the character to whom it is said, then it’s Hollywood narration. And it should go — to free up page space for more intriguing material and good writing.

5. And now for some candy:

a) Dirt·y -adjective (dirtier, dirtiest) (Sherlock/John) by aslipperysloth
One of those rare fics where the dirty talk was actually hot and dirty (YMMV).

b) For reading this far, here's Alex O'Loughlin (Steve McGarrett in Hawaii Five-0) in a really hot hot hot photoshoot for GQ.

I really wish RL books came with warnings. I'm really getting tired of unexpected rape scenes within the first 10 pages of a book :(

Woah, I slept for 14 hours last nigh - I think I may have been a wee bit tired >.<

Have some H5O recs:

Don't turn me home again by gyzym (Steve/Danny)
Summary: After a rough day of island living, Danny wakes up in New Jersey and learns the hard way to be careful what he wishes for.
I love stories that take the time to not only project "what if" but also take the time to develop it. Without spoiling too much, Danny wakes up and finds out that he and Rachel never divorced, and we follow both how he changed in the canon time line as well as the alternate one. (And yes, of course Steve shows up because they are meant to be ^_^) Great read!

Ho'oponopono by ember_firedrake (Steve/Danny)
Groundhog Day AU. Danny finds himself trapped in the same day over and over again.
I love these kinds of stories and this one is a satisfying contribution to the trope and the fandom. Overall fun read!

Also, the wonderful wook77 is hosting a Hawaii 5-O friending meme here ^_^

Advice on living a creative/non-traditional life
I feel like I'm going through a never-ending life crisis, and am in the midst of changing direction yet again, in an attempt to find my vocation. These two pieces of advice came at a good time for me and have encouraged me to keep going.

Was I a free spirit for nothing?

The world is a beggar rooting in your backpack

New Music
If you like ambient/experimental music, check out Kalte. Here's their facebook page which has links to their stuff.

Disclaimer - one of the members is a friend of mine - both members are very talented and I try to see them live whenever I can.

Elder Scrolls 5
I can't wait for the new Elder Scrolls game. It's coming out November 11, 2011. I lovedlovedloved the last two games and a part of me feels like the next 9 months are just something to do till the game comes out.

This video was totally my reaction (except for the very end - I didn't do that, although if I could, I'm not sure I wouldn't have ^_^)



Lifehacks

I think this already got recced by a few ppl on my flist, but it's worth relinking.
Say the thing you need to say, and do the thing you need to do
I try to live my life as authentically as possible and with the least amount of regret, but guilt is still a strong presence in my life. I wish I could let go much more easily than I do.

Writing

Great blog post by a children's book editor on why revising your manuscript is a great thing:
The Heroism of Revision

Great blog post by Nathan Brasford, former literary agent, now author, on why writer's should keep on slogging through it all:
Writing, Striving, and THE GREAT GATSBY

Baking

I'm planning on making a Dobos Torte next weekend. Anyone have a fantastic recipe they love?
It's a 7-layer chocolate and caramel cake - here's one version:
Dobos Torte

Fic recs
Am completely obsessed with Hawaii 5-0 fic. I'm actually a bit baffled by this.

If you enjoy a good AU - the kind that takes the basic essence of the characters but switches things up a bit, then I really recommend this one:
This Thing of Ours (It Needs a Better Name) by leupagus (Steve/Danno)
Cosa Nostra: (kō'sə nō'strə) etym: Italian n. The branch of the Mafia operating in the United States. Literally, "our thing" or "this thing of ours."

I'm also still reading Sherlock (BBC) fic as well.

This fic was pretty epic and so much fun to read:
Come and See by definewisdom (Sherlock/John)
John Watson is Death. He wasn't supposed to kill the cabbie at the end of A Study in Pink, Sherlock Holmes was supposed to die that night. But Sherlock's still alive and now the world is starting to fall apart. The events of the whole series seen in a slightly more supernatural light. Also featuring "Anthea", Harry and Sebastian as the other horsemen of the apocalypse, and exploring what it takes to become a myth.

And my final rec. This is very dark, and yet one of the most realistic dark fics that I've ever come across. Seriously, heed the warnings. But, if you like your dark fic with all the repercussions, as well as an honest exploration of what it's like to want to be violated you need to read this:
A Thorough Examination / In Depth (sequel) by emungere (Sherlock/John)
(No summary provided)