2011-04-30

Many things come in threes...let's hope they are good!

This is my third one-shot and it won the "O is for Originality, C is for Creativity" contest!

Please, read and review and spread the news, thanks!

Summary: "The most important person of her life is not going to come back. She's going to jump off a cliff. A young woman in her darkest moment."

"From the cliff, the view seems to stretch on forever. Forever."



2011-04-28

You are an author posting on FanFiction.net and your stories address controversial issues with passion and compassion. Then the Hate Brigades, which are very active on that site, start harassing you with such venom as to make your life impossible, as to take out all the pleasure you find in writing and in the fanfiction community. So you pull out all your stories and think to stop, but then you discover that The Writers Coffee Shop might offer you sanctuary.

So you start re-posting your work there, because there, at least, there is a way to trace back hate mail senders.

Yes, this is what happened to Maniac Motherland and she is an author not to be missed. She is a teacher, a wife and a mother and loves her native American Southwest to distraction, albeit sometime she gets enraged by the bigotry one can encounter there.

What to read first?
  • Just Like a woman

Summary: "1968, Vietnam. E&B are both captains and doctors at the U.S. Army. They have a one-night stand before Bella's first day on assignment, and then have to figure out how to work together. Bella fights sexism. Jacob fights racism. Edward is a widower, with a rich and overbearing family. Bella gets pregnant and Edward is captured by the Vietcong…. AH, NC17."

Why to read it? 

Because it is a rich tapestry making the Vietnam war and that period of American history to come alive for you, with its songs, its moods and all the issues society was struggling with. Feminism, racism and black power, the immorality of wars but also the love you have for your country, all this and more is addressed in a compelling way. And the love stories, Edward and Bella’s , but also Alice and Jasper’s, are enchanting.

Then, if you come to love this author as I do, you might try the other story she is posting right now: Same Time, Same Place.

It is a Harry Potter fiction and there is slash, because Harry and…Cedric will have a story. I am not attracted by slash, normally, nor do I read Harry Potter fics, but this one is special. H and C are, first of all, boys. (One is 15 and the other 17), as ready to punch each other as to kiss, to fight, to swear (very funny expletives) and to compete for pretty Cho (At that age sexuality is still confused and confusing).

I do hope than Maniac Motherland’s other stories will also be reposted soon, including a Western/Romance and a SciFi/Suspense story. To read her work you will have to subscribe to TWCS Library, though, but it is quite easy.

Camilla

2011-04-26

As anticipated in a previous writing post, Savage is so brilliant and inspiring that, with her works, she elicits many questions about her writing process. She's also extra kind and thorough in her answers! This time we can discuss the chapter structure and, in particular, we are going to focus on chapter title, ending and start:
  • chapter title: Savage uses a similar structure for her titles; e.g. in her story Unexpected Circumstances, the first three chapters are:
1. Covertly Strike
2. Guardedly Celebrate
3. Timidly Endeavor

what can you notice?
  • chapter ending: let's read the first three chapters of another story by Savage, Hide and Drink; these are the endings:
1. So much for being a gentleman.
2. So much for trust.
3. So much for indifference.

Again, what can you notice?
  • "miniteaser"; before every chapter, Savage inserts a sentence, taken from the chapter, itself, that will be explained only by the complete chapter. I called them "miniteasers", although they remind also the subheads that are used in journalism. Let's read again the first three chapters of Unespected Circumstances; their "miniteasers" are:
  1. "I offer as your prize," King Aro said, "the hand of any available maid in my Kingdom."
  2. I had just married this man, and I hadn't even known the color of his hair.
  3. "Why would I choose a useless wife?" 
Who is talking?
What's happening?

Savage is ready to answer all these questions and much more:
As a writer, how do you choose your titles?
As a reader, does the chapter structure influence your reading experience?
As usual, your comments are welcome!

2011-04-19

She's the lovely author of a fic that is over 10,000 reviews! We meet, with her new chapters, every week, in the same day. Today's guest is Troublefollows1017 and we'll talk about
Summary: "Edward Masen's life intersects with Bella's at the restaurant he dines at for lunch every Friday. He's handsome, arrogant, and is used to avoiding love. She isn't impressed by the things that usually have women falling at his feet. AH/AU."

Don't miss it! Why? Let's see it together...

Raum: You're currently writing one of the most followed and appreciated stories for Twilight, "Fridays at noon." It's got a particular structure, because in every chapter you focus on the events that happen to Edward and Bella on Friday. How did you decide this structure? What was your inspiration for this story? 

Troublefollows1017:
I read a book called One Day by David Nicholls.  It's a peek into the lives of two people the same day every year for like 20 years.  I thought that was kind of inspired.  For the purposes of my story, I went with the once a week and picked a time of day as well.  
I tried to think of a place two people might see one another every day at the same time and Eclipse, the restaurant, was born.  I also have written other stories where Edward is the super nice guy or really perfect in every way.  I wanted to do a more damaged Edward.  One that people don't like right away but have to peel back the layers to see there is someone worth rooting for in the end.  
That has been a big challenge.  Many people do it and some of the big name authors in the fandom have done it so well.  Icy and SR, for example.  They have written Edwards who are horrible and wonderful all at the same time.  My Edward gets compared to MotU's Fifty all the time.  He probably gets compared to him more than canon Edward!  I do have to say, my Edward is based on canon.  I like Fifty, but my Edward has different damage and different ways of dealing with his problems.  The stories are not the same, although I think some people started reading it thinking it is going to be like that.  Hopefully, they aren't disappointed when it turns out different!

R: You usually write in BPOV, as in the canon Twilight saga.  Who is your favorite character in the saga and why?

TF: Well, of course, Edward is my favorite character in the saga!  Yes, partly because of all the typical reasons, but I love the way he thinks and how he is probably the character who changes the most from beginning to end.  I like that he has basic characteristics that are consistent but he still evolves because of his relationship with a simple human girl.  
I kind of used that same premise in Fridays at Noon.  That Edward is very set in his ways.  He's used to consistent patterns in his life, his expectation for change is low.  Then, he meets this woman who turns his world upside down and because of her, he wants to live a different kind of life.  He wants to be a better person.  He learns things can't always be the way he wants.  He also, like canon Edward, has to step out of his comfort zone and do things he has never had to do before. 

R:
Your Bella has an extraordinary capability to love and forgive Edward. In the first chapters, she showed that she can be also ironic, funny, smart. Through her eyes, you're dealing with many difficult topics (e.g. regarding Alice's and Edward's past). Would you like to tell us more about the main themes of your story, such as a scaring past, the difficulty to believe in love, the sacrifices that love can require to lovers...? 

TF: I guess I would say it is a story about love in all its forms.  
How our relationships with everyone who comes and goes in our life impact us and our other relationships.  Though it is BPOV, this story follows Edward's journey to understand what it means to love and be loved.  He has a traumatic past.  He had parents who expressed their love very differently.  His mother's love was selfless and she gave it freely.  His father was only capable of selfish love.  Edward grew up believing both kinds led to disaster because of what happened to his parents.  So, he gave up on the whole idea of it.  
Enter Bella Swan.  He doesn't want to love her, but she creates feelings he can't even label.  She falls in love with him, and it terrifies him.  Love in all its forms always ends badly, at least that's what he believes.  He thinks Bella is like his mother and he is like his father.  Fridays at Noon is about Bella's fight to show him that theirs is a different kind of love and his quest to love her the way she deserves.  I added lots of other characters in there to show Edward has always surrounded himself with loving people and that Bella attracts the love of everyone she befriends. 
Their relationships with all the other characters is important, too.  Love isn't always about two people.  We love our family and friends, too.  Those relationships strengthen us and support us through life as well!  People sometimes focus on romantic love like it is the answer to everything.  I think everyone needs more than just that one person.  In real life, people can't rely on one person or it can become a burden too great for that person to carry.

R:
You are one of the most reliable authors of the fandom! you always update every Friday, you post a teaser every Tuesday, on your blog you always add your comments to the story and you post beautiful and inspiring pictures for every chapter. You've also spoiled your readers with amazing outtakes! Could you tell us more about the relationship you established with your readers?

TF: I do try very hard to be consistent.  I thought it would make things easier for people who wanted to read it.  I know as a reader, I appreciate the authors that stick to a regular schedule.  As a writer, it keeps me motivated.  I think this whole thing is fun and the fact that people indulge me is great.  
I LOVE talking to people that read the story.  I have met some of the greatest people ever because of Fridays at Noon.  I even met three readers in person while I was on vacation.  They all drove over an hour to sit down and have a meal with me!  It was very cool.  I have found that we're not all that different.  Lots of my readers are moms like me with a crazy obsession for all things Twilight.  On the other hand, there are others from all over the world, which amazes me.  I talk to people in places like Italy, Australia, Ecuador, Germany, Brazil, New Zealand.  My kids think that makes me much cooler than they thought I was before!  
I enjoy replying to reviews.  I get some PM that allow me to get to know some people better.  I joined Twitter and Facebook, which opened up a whole new world to me. I talk to some people every day!  I have readers that are now really and truly friends of mine.  I never imagined that would happen because of this silly thing called fanfiction.  I feel like everyone spoils me by paying attention to any of this.  I'm glad people like the story, but I feel like the one that is reaping the benefits!     

R: Would you like to describe your writing process? How did it change during the time you have spent in this fandom?

TF: I write all the time.  
Just ask my family.  They have threatened to take away my laptop on numerous occasions.  I usually have an outline, but it is a fluid process.  Things change once I really begin to write.  
I sometimes have an idea of how I want a chapter to begin and end but don't know what's going to happen in between until I start writing.  I have a wonderful pre-reader who checks things over and offers her perspective as a reader.  She tells me if something doesn't make sense or if someone acts out of character.  She also makes me defend why I did things a certain way, allowing me to see where I need to add things so it will make sense to everyone else.  Surprisingly, my own mom likes to read what I write (although sometimes I send her edited versions when there are some lemons because, well, she's my mom!)  She is a second spelling and grammar checker.  
When I first started, I just wrote and posted.  I spend way more time editing than I did in my earlier stories, which is probably easy to see!  I also post Fridays at Noon on Twilighted and the validation beta over there pointed out some of the grammar errors no one else did.  So now, I double and triple check things to make sure they're right before anyone else even looks at it.  I think I have grown as a writer since I started.  I have a better understanding of flow and character development.  Hopefully that comes through!         

R: Could I ask you how many chapters of "Fridays at noon" are left?

TF: I just posted Chapter 24, we have four more to go.  That includes an epilogue.  I may also write one more outtake within the story.  But I have a bunch of outtakes planned.  
One for the Fandom for Tsunami Relief.  
And a couple for readers who "won" outtakes for answering silly questions or for doing nice things for me.  
I have a reader in Italy who offered to send me the Vanity Fair with Rob on it over there.  She earned an outtake!  
I have another reader who is a photographer and is visiting Seattle.  She is going to take pictures of some of the real places that have been used in the story (she may or may not be taking a cardboard Edward LOL!)    She definitely earned an outtake!  
I love doing things like that.  I like knowing what people want to see in EPOV.  I do like writing things from his perspective.  I do not intend to rewrite the whole thing from his POV but certain chapters.  
People have been asking for a sequel and all I can say is I wouldn't do it unless I could think of a good plot line.  I wouldn't want to just keep it going without a clear purpose.  A good story needs a beginning, middle, and end.  
All good things come to an end - even Fridays at Noon!    

Thank you, troublefollows1017!

I made a blinkie for troublefollows1017's Fridays at noon. Here it is!






If you read this fanfic, please don't forget to tell the author that "Raum sent you" and say "Ciao!" from me! Thanks!

2011-04-13

I had the pleasure to review Cesca Marie's most known work (in the Twilight fandom), Dead on my feet, on this blog; then I read also other short stories by her and I found all of them absolutely amazing.
I love the way she can make her readers laugh and cry on the same page, the way she develops her characters, her witty and insightful dialogues...I believe that she could give inspiring answers to so many different writing questions!
This time, let's discuss with her the opening hook of a story.

I guess that the following post will be surprising not only because of the rich and various contents that Cesca Marie put in it, but also because it's so well written and argumented that it could be a writing lesson itself. Enjoy!



We’re talking about beginnings in this Writing Lab. The subject interests me in terms of fanfiction, because it is a totally unique process of writing with its own styles, conventions, etc. When it comes to original fiction, writers revise their manuscripts to death. With fanfiction, most stories only get a beta and a preread, if that. Beginnings aren’t considered as important as the quality of the prose overall, or the originality of the plot. Let me try to convince you that beginnings are important to fanfiction too, even if the result is positive feedback instead of a royalties cheque.

For some writers fanfiction is a hobby. Others want to take what they learn from writing fanfiction and apply it to original fiction. Not every technique or style that works in fanfiction will cross over into original writing, but one thing that does matter to both types of writing is the story’s opening hook.


Reading fanfiction is a highly democratic activity. If you don’t like a story’s first chapter, you can quite easily move on to another of the thousands of fics available on fanfiction.net alone, to say nothing of other archives. The sheer volume of stories available is why it’s important for writers to compose a compelling beginning that engages readers from the very first sentence—to differentiate oneself from the pack. A bored reader is a lost reader, and most will mosey on without leaving any feedback. Writing an engaging beginning is a skill that will transfer over to original writing, too. When you submit queries and samples to literary agents and publishers, the future of your writing career rests on the first five to ten pages alone. Time constraints aside, the logic of the print industry is that if a story’s beginning is not compelling, the rest of the novel won’t be, either.
There are thousands of blog posts and websites dedicated to helping writers strengthen the first five pages of a manuscript. There are also guides such as Noah Lukeman’s The First Five Pages: A Writer’s Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile. These can help if you’re already writing original fiction, or plan to in the near future, but for now I’ll focus on how this topic applies to fanfiction.

Go back to your Favorites list and take a look at your top five fics. Examine the features of the stories’ beginnings. Are they strong or weak? Unique, or clichéd? Think about whether these beginnings sucked you in, or whether you had to give the story the benefit of the doubt for a few paragraphs or chapters, waiting for it to get good.

I’ll use two examples from my personal Favorites list. I’ve used non-Twilight stories so it doesn’t seem like I’m singling out any particular writer/ship/genre in this fandom.


Before the Dawn by snarkyroxy (Harry Potter ‘verse)
The corridors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were silent and cold as Hermione Granger stopped to examine a portrait she had never seen before. After nearly seven years at the school, and many more explorations of its infinite corridors than most of her classmates, she never ceased to be surprised how little she knew of the place.
After three months as Head Girl, her nightly patrols were still leading her to parts of the school she had never seen before. Only a few nights ago, she has discovered a small room with a floor-to-ceiling window of stained glass which would humble the most beautiful Muggle cathedrals. She had stared at the window for a good hour, making out the shapes and lines in the semi-darkness. The window depicted the creation of the school, and the subsequent breaking of the friendship between Salazar Slytherin and the three other founders.
The action of the story picks up three short paragraphs after the last line quoted. Too long by standards of original fiction (1). The introduction presents the reader with a character, explains the recent past, and gives superfluous details about the setting that only serve to establish an atmosphere of peace—right before snarkyroxy shatters it with action. As fanfiction beginnings go, this one is pretty standard. It’s not very strong in the sense that it lingers over details that won’t matter (and will be forgotten) as soon as the action starts three paragraphs later.
What is good about it is the diction. Snarkyroxy uses lively language and doesn't spam adjectives or repeat phrases.


Not My King by aroar11 (Fairy Tales ‘verse)
And then he saw it too: Arthur standing tall, holding in his hand the great sword of ages.
He forgot Saladin and his horsemen, still as statues on the meadow. He forgot the blood that was pouring from his own neck, and the useless objects that had once been his hands, and the pain that burned through his body like a living thing. He forgot that he was about to die.
"My king,'' he whispered.
For a moment the field was utterly silent. Not a whisper of the breeze, not the chirping of a single insect. It was the silence of time turning backward. And then, ringing across the rolling hills came Arthur's command, rough with tears and pain and loss:
"To arms! Your king calls you to arms!''

This is the kind of opening hook that sells original fiction and grabs fanfiction readers from the first line. It begins in medias res(2) and with a focalized perspective. The action is immediate. There are no details to set the scene; aroar11 does not burden the reader with details that you absolutely need to know in order to understand the story; the reader is an observer, not a confidante of a sentimental narrator. Figuring out what is going on is half the fun of reading. It’s a great example of a strong introduction because the very first sentence grabs the reader by the lapels and makes him/her want to keep reading.

It sounds so easy, right? Just write a brilliant opening hook. I wanted to take on this topic for the Writing Lab because it is my personal Everest. I hate writing opening hooks. They suck. They require something that you cannot possibly fake—genuine inspiration. I’ve found my own ways to cope with the challenge, but a compelling beginning is always going to be damn hard to come by.

One approach: don’t get too attached to your introductions. For almost everything I’ve written (fanfiction, poetry, short stories, novels, articles, academia), I have ended up scrapping and rewriting the introduction (3). Sometimes I even rewrite the whole first chapter. I have a better idea of what the piece is about when I’ve finished writing than I did when I started, so writing the beginning after everything else tends to improve the project.

Dead On My Feet was the first project for which I did not do this. I fully intended to, but after ten chapters when I looked back on the beginning, I still liked it. I only changed one verb. Sometimes your first scribblings will be workable prose, but don’t bank on it.

Another strategy is to give the first page of your story to an acquaintance. Ask him/her to read it and to tell you what he/she understands about the situation/characters/conflict from the introduction alone. Ask what parts your reader skimmed (and promptly trim the fat). Basically, discover if your opening conveyed what you intended for it to convey. It not, rewrite. And finally, the most important thing to ask your reader: would you continue on to page two? Why [not]?

It can be nerve wracking to give your story to someone who hasn’t read your full draft, or participated in your discussions of the writing process, but it’s still important. You can’t trust your own perceptions of the work; you’re just too close to it, even when you try to put yourself in the readers’ shoes. The folks you’ve brainstormed with or given partial drafts to are similarly biased. Find someone who has no investment in your emotions or at work—someone with whom you have no professional relationship. The feedback you get will be invaluable.

Furthermore, if you spotted the Coleridge reference, I will love you forever.


(1) Some literary agents dislike a beginning where a character is alone, thinking. Consider this if you write original fiction, but also consider if you really enjoy reading this type of beginning in fanfiction or books. If you really like what your ideal agent loathes, make yourself happy and find a new agent to query.
(2) Trans.: into the middle of things.
(3) I mean it. I wrote the introduction to this Writing Lab only after composing the first draft.


As an author, what do you think about the opening hooks of your stories?
As a reader, is there an opening hook that you'd like to discuss because you found it particularly well/badly written?

As usual, your comments are welcome!

2011-04-09

Today we grab a coffee (an Italian espresso, of course) with Camilla (aka Camilla10). She's written over 15 stories for Twilight and she's a precious milestone of this blog! Her stories have been recently nominated for the Sunflower Awards and for the Faithful Shipper Awards. Her most known work is
Summary: "This is an AU historical novel with vampires, set in Italy during WW II. Edward Masen, an American paratrooper, meets Bella and loves her passionately, until two Volturi warriors..."

Don't miss this author's works! Why? Let's see it together...

Raum: You're currently posting a new multichapter story, "Our New World", sequel of "The Parachutist". Would you tell us more about it?

Camilla: When The Parachutist ended Edward and Bella (he a vampire, she still human) were leaving post war Italy to go to the States and live with the Cullens. The story deals first with their interactions with the family and Bella’s impressions of the new country, her New World. I had to research a lot about America in the late ‘40s. Edward, true to himself, is very reluctant to turn her, despite the fear that the Volturi would discover them. Then something happens and … you’ll need to fasten your seat belts for the last chapters!
For the moment it is being posted on Twilighted.net (I am just Camilla, there),  I always start with Twinet because I like the validation process (Masochist, much?). I will post it on FF.net too later on, of course. You can wait or go on Twilighted net, where I also post images - as you well know, since you help me with some manips. 
 
R:  How did your writing process change during the years you have spent in this fandom?

C: In all this time since February 2009, I have learned a lot. My English is surely improved and I discovered colloquial expressions and made a sense of mysterious acronyms (from TMI to LOL). When I graduated to NC17 ratings, I found that to write about sex was easier in English than in Italian.

R: In fact you did write lemons, and very good ones, in your stories. Do you want to tell us more about this experience?

C: My language seems to have only clinical words, very vulgar words or regional words, because each Italian dialect has its own way to name the lady and gentleman’s bits, but in English there are a lot of words that are not exceedingly vulgar and not clinical either. 
On the contrary, Italian is incredibly rich in expletives, while in English there is mainly F*** this and F*** that. I had my troubles to find variegated expletives for the dirty mouthed Italian parliamentarian who stars in Eros and Psyche.

R: Do your friends in RL know that you're a twific writer, and in a foreign language? Have they read your stories?

C: In fact I have translated most of my stories into Italian for the enjoyment of friends and relatives who do not know English (After that, a few translations found their way on the Italian section of FF.net).  You know, for the ones with adult ratings, I could not translate well the lemons I had written in English. As said before – once discarded the clinical and the too vulgar, only the regional words remain – and it would not have been appropriate to put them in the mouth (ooops) of characters that were American. So I had to cut a little and the stories are therefore more chaste than in English (albeit my husband, who is my Beta for Italian, thinks they are still too explicit).

R: Did your writing experience in English change even your writing style in your own language?

C: Well, the best thing of all is that my Italian has been praised for its conciseness. My language tends to the baroque. A lot of curls and convolutions. English sentences are short, while ours are quite long and elaborated. When I translate, those short sentences are maintained, somehow, and that is considered original. Still, I believe that my stories are better in English than in their Italian translation.

R: Your stories have been nominated for various Awards. Congrats! Would you like to tell us more about it?

C: I am so excited: The Parachutist is up for two Awards (and so are other stories I wrote, or myself as an author). I so hope you will vote for it, if you loved my story. Here is a recap:
1) The Faithful Shipper Awards
Best Alternate Universe/Canon: The Parachutist
Best Classic- Alternate Universe/ Canon Fiction: Eros and Psyche
Plus I am there as Best Author- Alternate Universe/Canon
Voting starts today April 9, Vote now!
------
2) The Sunflower Awards
The Parachutist for Best Vampire Story
Heartbroken for Best Edward Story
Eros and Psyche for Best Bella Story
The Archer for Best Romance Story
(As an author I am up for The Sunflower Storyteller Award and that really floored me. You cannot vote for this, there is a special Jury. Cross fingers).
Voting will be from May 4th to May 25th. Make a note of it!

In any case perusing over the nominated stories is the best way to find something new to read. In fact while I would be honored if I won something, the main point is to gain more readers and  more reviews.

I have also submitted an O/s to: The Never Ever Happily Ever After One-Shot Anonymous Contest. Yeah, no happy ending, something new for me. I’ll post it when the contest is finished. I can’t tell you the title, of course. But go visit there. Public voting will take place from 4/18/11 to 4/21/11.

Thank you, Camilla!

I made a blinkie for Camilla's new story Our New World. Here it is!


If you read these fanfics, please don't forget to tell the author that "Raum sent you" and say "Ciao!" from me! Thanks!

2011-04-07

I discovered BrattyVamp with Abbracciare il cantante, that is still one of my faves, due to its surprising plot and the way the author portrayed Edward. Then I've read Toye and I couldn't believe that both these stories had been written by the same author. The ending of Toye was as surprising as a punch to the gut (it's a very dark and extremely OOC story, you're warned).
Lately I enjoyed The Best Man; it's an AH and the author caught my attention with the way she manages to insert excerpts from the characters' past along the main plot.

So I asked her (thanks to Twitter) to tell us more about her writing experience regarding digressions.

The answer that Bratty-Vamp so kindly sent me is a fascinating insight on the relationship between author and characters. Here it is:



"Here's what happens for me.  Usually by the time I'm getting near finished with a story, some plot bunny decides to come poop in my yard with another idea.  Then I sit on it a couple of days and wait for the story to make itself known to me. At that point, I begin chapter 1 and just start writing the story as I know it in my head.  It's almost like I've seen it as a movie, and I'm just re-telling it in words or something.  I don't listen to music or read things for inspiration. I just sit back and listen. Sometimes when I'm driving, I'll clearly hear conversations in my head between my characters.  I just follow that "instinct" I guess?  I dunno.  Sounds weird, right?

You mentioned wanting to know about the "memories" that were included in the Best Man.  I didn't plan those out. As I got to know my character Bella, those memories were just part of what made her who she was.  So I wrote them in. I always know my characters in my mind... right down to their back stories that never even get included in what I'm writing.  I always know my characters, and I know exactly how the story is going to end.  Then it's just up to me to write each chapter that comes to me until I get them there.

The only other thing I can think of to actually advise writers is this.  KNOW your characters.  Know who they are, and what motivates them.  Then stay true to the story as you see it in your mind.  Do NOT be swayed by reviews, or other people's ideas of how the characters should behave/change or what they think should happen in the story.  I know that the paths I've taken in my stories are not always the way that everyone might hope they might go... but I work hard (and am proud) to produce my story my way.  In the end, it keeps your characters true."



What do you readers think about it?
As an author, how would you describe your relationship with your characters?

Your comments are welcome and if you're looking for more stories by this talented author, join me reading her latest fic, In Vain, currently in progress! 
There is a raging debate about it on some sites, like A Different Forest. Some readers think that this Edward – working for the Volturi - is a jerk and almost advocate a non HEA for the story, while others think that he is not as bad as he looks and there might be justifications for his behavior. But all of them are mesmerized by the plot.

If you read these fanfics, please don't forget to tell the author that "Raum sent you" and say "Ciao!" from me! Thanks! 

2011-04-03

It's new, it's short, it's complete and...it's my second!

Please, read and review and spread the news, thanks!


Summary: "A night in Volterra. Carlisle's musings under the moonlight. Memories, dreams, regrets and a new perspective, discussed with an unique companion."

"Everyone is asleep in Volterra; or, at least, everyone who can do it.
A man walks..."

2011-04-01

Some authors are going to be interviewed on MyReadingLounge...stay tuned!
Follow me on Twitter!