Heartbroken

This vampire story by Camilla is short and complete; it will give you many reasons to think and discuss...

•  Heartbroken, by Camilla10

Summary: On Isle Esme Edward feels compelled to share with Bella something about his past and his sexuality. Slightly OOC. "I knew that, had he wanted me in his bed, I would have gone along..." Complete.

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One Nightstand

I've been asked to make a blinkie for this one-shot. Would you like to read the story and share your thoughts about it?

• One Nightstand, by Sparklingwand and Writing4Roses

Summary: One-shot: When celebrity life gets to Rob, he takes a weekend to recharge his batteries & meet his all time favorite author. What happens when the author turns out to be nothing like he suspected? RPF/M/Lang/Lemons. Complete.

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I want her body. I want her blood. A dark fic by @savage7289

If after the holidays you can't stomach too much sweetness, you'll enjoy this dark story by Savage. It's complete.

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• Tempt My Tongue, by Savage7289

Summary: Bloodthirsty vampire Edward Cullen has but a single goal in his pointless existence – lose his virginity with a human. He will stop at nothing to entice the unusual girl he saves in the street, but can he claim her body without killing her? AU, EPOV, M.

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Whiskey and Rain - Carnelian and Ice 3

A man alone, on a bridge, in one of the darkest nights of his life. Why is he so special for the vampire who notices him? The third chapter of

• Carnelian and Ice

is ready for you.

Summary: "A man struggling to escape from the darkness, and a woman who thinks she doesn't deserve the light. How will an ice sculpture affect their lives?" AU with vampires.

Each chapter has its own image.

The story is due to be updated every Monday.

Peger Road Bridge, Fairbanks (Alaska)

Chena River in Winter, Fairbanks (Alaska)

Carnelian and Ice has now its blinkie:

Thanks for reading! Reviewers get a poem.

- Raum

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Stand Up for Katalina @SU4Katalina

Thanks to Lissa Bryan, I've found a very noble initiative: Stand Up for Katalina - an outpouring of fandom love for a beautiful soul. Here's the story behind this fundraising:

Each of us has been touched and devastated by the ravages of cancer, and in order to recognize this, we’re offering the opportunity to dedicate the monetary donations in memory of, or in honor of, a loved one’s battle. “Stand Up 2 Cancer’s mission is to fund collaborative, translational cancer research to bring treatments from the bench to the bedside faster, and save lives now.” So while SU4K is intensely personal, it also offers the vehicle for universal, broad-based support.

There are more than fifty contributing authors so far, as well as many talented betas and banner artists who are giving a hand.

I've subscribed as banner maker, so if you want me to make a banner or a blinkie for your story for the compilation, you're very welcome!

Please go visit the initiative's website, give your support, donate. 

Thanks! 

- Raum

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Endangered

What would you do if you knew that the people you trust most don't trust you with the truth? The 7th chapter of A Good Liar is waiting for you.

• A Good Liar, by Raum

Summary: "The first time the Grim Reaper visited Edward, it was in the form of the Spanish influenza. The second time, Death had the lovely face of Bella Swan."

The story is due to be updated every two weeks.

Reviewers get a little gift. 

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This Death that Accompanies Us

This death that accompanies us

From morning till night, sleepless,

Deaf, like an old regret.

(Cesare Pavese, Death Will Come With Your Eyes)

 The 6th chapter of A Good Liar is waiting for you.

• A Good Liar, by Raum

Summary: "The first time the Grim Reaper visited Edward, it was in the form of the Spanish influenza. The second time, Death had the lovely face of Bella Swan."

The story is due to be updated every two weeks.

Reviewers get a little gift. 

A Good Liar has now its blinkie!

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"An Italian Winter" - chapter 13

What do Edward and Prince Calaf (from Puccini's Turandot) have in common? How long is Edward's deception going to last? The 13th chapter is up!

• An Italian Winter, by Raum 

Summary: "There was a reason behind Edward's rebellious period – a reason that still holds true and brought him to Italy. His existence has been predicated on revenge for decades, to the point that forgiveness seems impossible. When Edward meets Bella, only a winter separates him from his last human prey and his own destruction." AU-Vampires.

Reviewers get a little gift (different for each chapter)
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This chapter's suggestion is 

Canti, (Poems) by Giacomo Leopardi

‘What are these sparks,
this infinite air, this deep
infinite clarity? What does this
vast solitude mean? And what am I?’
(Giacomo Leopardi)

Here (http://poetryintranslation.com/klineasleopardi.htm) you can read the whole book, in its English translation.

Announcement time!

• "De Immortalitate" is up for a Torch Award as "Best Complete Story" http://thetorchawards.blogspot.com
• The banner I made for "The Pilgrimage" by Camilla is also up for a Torch Award (Best Story Banner). Go read the story!
• Voting: March 12 - March 31
 

 

 

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"An Italian Winter" - chapter 11 and blinkie!

Would you like a trip to Venice? And what about a new blinkie, with some hints about the upcoming chapters? The 11th chapter is up!

• An Italian Winter, by Raum 

Summary: "There was a reason behind Edward's rebellious period – a reason that still holds true and brought him to Italy. His existence has been predicated on revenge for decades, to the point that forgiveness seems impossible. When Edward meets Bella, only a winter separates him from his last human prey and his own destruction." AU-Vampires.

Reviewers get a little gift (different for each chapter)
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An Italian Winter - The blinkie!

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This chapter's suggestion is 

Death in Venice, by Thomas Mann

Thomas Mann, Der Tod in Venedig (first edition)

Here (http://www.polyglotproject.com/books/German/death_in_venice) you can read the book for free, in its German original version or in its English translation. The English translation is available here, too: http://www.scribd.com/mdoege/d/985179-Death-in-Venice

Announcement time!

• I've entered the Canon tour (New Moon round). My entries are now posted.

• My entry for the Age of Edward contest is available! Go read "Little Dart" (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7795650/1/Little_Dart). Your feedback would be precious! Summary: "Crete, second millennium BCE. The Minoan Nobleman Eruthros has plans for his future and secrets he must keep. When he finds an intruder in his room, how will his destiny change?"

• "De Immortalitate" (my first multichapter story, now complete) and my one-shot "Spruce and Cactus" are up for a Shimmer Award!http://shimmerawards.blogspot.com/p/nominees.html

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"Clockwork" by Derdriu oFaolain (and other stories)

I've recently discovered Derdriu oFaolain's stories.

In a few days I devoured read "A Matter of Life and Death" (collaboration with WhatsMyNomDePlume), "And With Thee Fade Away," and "Clockwork."

Please keep in mind that if you begin to read any of these stories  

1. You won't sleep anymore. I've been up until 4 a. m., glued to And With Thee Fade Away's last chapters.

2. You'll risk dehydration, as I did reading A Matter of Life and Death's 7th chapter:

3. You'll need to watch your heart. I believe that making readers laugh is much more difficult than making them cry. Derdriu will make you laugh (not just smile, laugh), cry, gape, and feel a new set of feelings you would have never imagined that could even exist. Is she a magician? Is her talent legal?

4. You'll never look at canon Edward with the same eyes. After reading And With Thee Fade Away, I'm afraid that canon Edward and the other canon vampires are ruined for me. Derdriu's Edward's shades and conflicts are so, so complex and involving... 

5. You'll meet an excellent writer. I pay a lot of attention to writing style. Derdriu's style is so good, elegant, brilliant, original that she could leave you speechless just rewriting the telephone guide. 

Here's a blinkie for Clockwork

Summary: "Bella is a scientist in 1942. In 2010, Edward suffers from a traumatic past. A chance event allows their paths to cross, but decisions they have not yet made threaten to tear them apart. AH."

Here's a blinkie for A Matter of Life and Death

Summary: "Forget being scared to death, Bella Swan isn't even scared of death, something that both greatly annoys and--even if he won't admit it--entices Edward Cullen. If only she weren't trying to destroy him."

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Interview/7: Jmolly (and a new blinkie!)

Today's guest is Jmolly. For those who have enjoyed "I Hunger for Your Touch," or the other 23 stories by this amazing author, there's a big announcement: Jmolly's posting a new story, "Make Haste My Beloved". Let's discuss it with her. 

Raum: You're posting a sequel for "I Hunger for Your Touch." Your new story's title is "Make Haste My Beloved." Would you like to tell us more about it?

Jmolly: In the story, you will see Edward become a leader and a father, and you will see Bella become his equal, as she gets through her pregnancy, gives birth, and turns from a hybrid into a fully-fledged vampire.  Their lives will be exceedingly full.  They both now function as young adults, not adolescents.  However, they are planning to prank Emmett and Rosalie in retaliation for years of teasing Edward and giving him TMI, by pretending to be (in Ed’s words) ‘extroverted sexual deviants’. 

There are college obligations and hijinks, Edward’s fledgling coven of rescued hybrid mothers and babies in the Amazon to look after, trouble from the villain, Caius, old emotional baggage to drop, impending parenthood and the birth of the baby.  One of those elements alone would be enough for a human to deal with, and this young couple must learn to cope with an overwhelming amount of ‘busy’.

My stories are very detailed.  For example, this one will likely have characters speaking Italian, Ticuna, Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, Russian and French, and take place in four countries.  My native language is English, but I also speak and write French, and I learned to write Ticuna.  Camilla10 helps me with any Italian past its pleasantries, and Sarahalliwell gives me the Portuguese.  This story costs me an average of 100 hours per month in research, drafting and revising.  It owns me.  Luckily for me, there’s likely to be more humour in this one than in “I Hunger”.  I’m looking forward to that immensely.

R: Who is your favorite character in the saga and why?

J:  Edward.  I suppose that’s because I can relate to his values.  Apart from his pessimism, my personality works much the same way.  I’m 43.  I spent a lot of time at my grandparents’ house as a child, while my mother went to work.  My Poppa was born in 1892, and my Grammie in 1902.  They were Victorian.  Manners and gentility were very important to them, as was modesty.  I can see them when I look at Edward.   I can hear them in his slang.  Edward is such a paradox.  He is partly a classy, elderly gentleman, and partly an emo, hot-blooded (cold-venomed) teen.  I find that a fun thing with which to work.  But in addition, there is something incredibly pure and selfless about him that is very beautiful, and he’s so self-deprecating that he can’t even see it.

Truthfully, when I first read “Twilight”, I wasn’t that taken with it.  My daughter (ahem) coaxed me to see the movie, and when Pattinson came onscreen, with his stunning ability to convey emotion using only his eyes, I almost instantly fell in love with Edward.  After watching the movie, the book came alive for me, and I’ve been addicted ever since.

R: In your story, you often use biblical references. For example, in "Make Haste My Beloved," you use a passage from the “Song of Solomon”. Would you like to tell us more about this choice?

J: Faith is a constant, underlying element of my stories.  Living in faith, not preaching it.  As a Christian, it struck me immediately that a vampire who tried to keep ‘That Last Commandment’ and feared for the soul of his human mate, denying his base instincts in order to preserve his morals, was a person who must have formerly been a devout Judeo-Christian, who endlessly mourned his (perceived) separation from God.  It broke my heart. 

The first story I wrote was ‘Redemption’, in which Edward (holding his newborn daughter) finally accepts that he is not beyond God’s reach, that God still loves him, and that he can live in a state of grace.  An HEA for Edward was my main objective in starting to write, and to me, the character would never be happy while not belonging to God.

My choice of the “Song of Solomon” -which every person on the planet ought to read for its beauty alone, incidentally- is complicated.  What else is new!  The verses pertaining to the story are very key.  I don’t want to give the plot away, but I’ll say that the title refers to both Bella and Renesmee, and that the important elements include venom, burning, survival and endurance, jealousy, anger, devotion, love, commitment, enthusiasm and joy.

R: Would you describe the relationship you established with your readers?

J: I love them.  Up until some real life setbacks this year, I answered every review, and I am now trying to get back to that.  A thoughtful review costs someone time, and I pay them for that.  I’m grateful when a reviewer pays me for my time.  In two years I’ve had perhaps five reviews that upset me, and only one could be called a flame.  My readers seem to be a kind, intelligent, wonderful bunch.

I have some extremely young readers, and I have a reader who is 88.  I have mothers (and fathers) who read with their daughters.  A lot of men read me (and admit to it -lol).  I have readers of all faiths, nationalities and persuasions, and I adore communicating with them through pm’s.  I let them know some stuff about me, and often they let me into their lives.  Yes, I really care.  Many readers have become friends who know my real identity.  Some of my best real-life friends began as readers who reviewed me on here.  I met one in Toronto last year, and plan to go to Boston next year to meet another.  And you bet I’m coming to Italy one day to meet two special friends.  After that?  England, to see my pals there. Will I make it to New Zealand and Australia?  Oh, man, I need to win the lottery! Lol. Or actually finish my independent novel and get it published.  Soon (that’s what my husband says).

My relationship with my readers is based on affection, respect, acceptance, kindness and trust.  Yeah, I love my readers.

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

J: Hah, a very good question… The biggest change is probably that (beginning with “I Hunger”) I keep chapter notes and backstory. Continuity is a bear but it’s essential to good writing. The other change is that I have learned how to write longer pieces, and how to pace them. This entire universe, which presently has a timeline from 1640 to 2070, lives only inside my head.  I’m indebted to Room340C, who has many times looked up a reference for me in one of the older fics.  I never outline, and rarely do I write chapters and let them sit unposted.  My writing process, let’s see…  These little people are crowded inside my skull and my brain has not exploded. Yet. I know all their stories from conception ‘til death.  One of their experiences speaks to me, and I say, ‘suppose this happened’, and suddenly there’s an idea for a book. 

I know how it ends before I start writing it. That’s vital.  I know the key points in the story, too.  Next, I go on Youtube and listen to a whole lot of music.  I spend hours picking out playlists.  I have playlists for stories that might not be written five years from now. I brainstorm for a title, check by ‘Searching’ that nobody else has used it, and often decide how I’m going to name chapters.  Then I pick a sentence out of the air: a pertinent sentence with movement and sometimes emotion, and that becomes the first sentence of the book.  If I need research I try to find all my sources before I begin each chapter.  I write quickly (typing 90 wpm) while listening to my playlist, and on a good evening I can get 5-6 pages in four hours.  Smaller stories have one or two scenes per chapter, and big stories have three to five. Rarely, if ever, has a chapter covered more than 24 hours in a timeline.   I write every day.  I’m miserable if I don’t. My kids (aged 16, 13, 11 and 8) support my writing, and so does my husband. 

Thank you, Jmolly!

In this interview, Jmolly mentioned her story "Redemption." I enjoyed it very, very much. Here's a blinkie for it.

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

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"De Immortalitate" extras and news

Romanward has a new banner!

and a blinkie too:

Feel free to share :)

The 13th chapter is now available.

• De Immortalitate, by Raum  

Summary: "The life of the Roman patrician Antonius is put at stake by his father, Felix. When Felix btrings to his only son a new slave, Bella, more reasons arise for Antonius' concerns. Felix's secret can change Antonius' and Bella's destiny." ExB AU/vampires.

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 (Chapter 13, Snake) 

 There is a Twilighted thread for the story! 

http://www.twilighted.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=17195

Reviewers get a little gift (different for each chapter).

And now, Romanward has something to say!
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I'd like to recommend an amazing story by Duskwatcher2153. If you are interested in all things Roman and in very well written stories, don't miss:

• An Irrevocable Winter: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7384205/1/An_Irrevocable_Winter

Summary: "Sacrifice is required in any great venture. Sometimes it's not what you would die for, it's what you will kill for. Aro, in his first centuries, sees a path to a great beginning."

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Spruce and Cactus

What do Edward, Bella, and Freddie Mercury have in common?

Read "Spruce and Cactus" -- my entry for the Canon Tour -- and you'll discover it! The edited version is now available!

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7384426/1/Spruce_and_Cactus

Here's the banner:

Summary: Forest and desert, dead and living, cold and warm, immortal and human. They have nothing in common and yet, are searching for each other, along the notes of the same song. O/S.

Enjoy!

- Raum

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"De Immortalitate" extras - chapter 10

Romanward in the rain. Chapter images and update - the 10th chapter is up!

• De Immortalitate, by Raum  

Summary: "The life of the Roman patrician Antonius is put at stake by his father, Felix. When Felix brings to his only son a new slave, Bella, more reasons arise for Antonius' concerns. Felix's secret can change Antonius' and Bella's destiny." ExB AU/vampires.

 (Chapter 10, Storm) 

 There is a Twilighted thread for the story! 

http://www.twilighted.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=17195

Reviewers get a little gift (different for each chapter).

I'm up for the Emerging Swan Awards! Check the nominees, perhaps there are stories that you haven't read yet: http://emergingswanawards.blogspot.com. Voting dates - One-Shot, Short Story & Newbie Author: August 22-29. Full length Complete, WIP & Oldie But a Goodie Author: August 30-September 5. The following banner has been made by @Christag_banner

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Writing Lab: research and feedback and Interview/6

Today we are going to discuss two subjects, strongly related: research and feedback in writing. When you create a story, you are not only giving your readers a plot and some (hopefully believable) characters, but you are letting them visit your world. It can even be a totally new world because your story is set in an unusual context or in another era.

The feedback you'll get will tell you if the "time/place machine" you are building with your story actually works. Feedback is one of the most precious things in the fandom: both readers and authors should remember that reviews aren't meant only as a praise -- although positive reviews are surely flattering. If readers provide good constructive criticism, reviews can become a great way to improve your writing and to give readers better stories to enjoy.

Readers, prereaders and betas are your best friends, even when their suggestions can be difficult to swallow.

For stories that require a lot of research, you might consider getting in touch with a "technical" prereader -- e. g. an expert of history, if your story is set in a different era, or an FBI expert, like in Stolen.

My Reading Lounge welcomes State of delusion, who is ready to answer some questions about her writing process and her story,

Stolen - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6765236/1/Stolen

Summary: When Bella Swan was 9 years old, her mother was murdered and her life was irrevocably altered forever. Now that Bella is all grown up, she has joined the FBI, and is determined to bring those who stole her life from her to justice. 

Let's discuss this fic with the author!

Raum: "Stolen" is your first fanfic in the Twilight fandom. Would you like to tell us more about it?

State of delusion: Funny, that like Meyer’s Twilight, the story came to me in a dream. I have changed and evolved it quite a bit since then. It came to me shortly after I started reading fanfiction, but it took me a year to get up the guts to stick it on paper.
The story begins with Bella as a young child. Her father is an FBI agent working to bring down a powerful international syndicate, the Volturi. When he gets too close, the Volturi go after him, killing Bella’s mother practically before her eyes. It changes her whole life. She vows to join the FBI and bring them down.
Now, she finds herself grown, in the FBI, and doing what she always wanted to do. She is also falling in love. But will she really be able to bring down the Volturi? What price will she have to pay along the way?
This is an Alternate Universe fic. It does have vampires.
 
R: Who is your favorite character in the saga and why?

SoD: Of course, like many of us, I am enamored with Edward. I have always thought this was Meyer’s best character. He is in many ways the perfect man—what every young girl dreams about—his perfect looks, his intellect, he’s rich, strong and fast. But, like every great character he has his fatal flaws. He’s a vampire, which in and of itself is a huge flaw, but it’s his self-loathing, that to me, is his greatest flaw. It makes him human—makes him real.
Out of the minor characters, I always loved Charlie. I thought Meyer did a great job creating him. He reminded me a lot of my own father. At times, he was what you expected of a father—watchful, protective and worried for his daughter. But then, there were the times when he just didn’t know what to do with a teenage girl, and he fumbled and floundered. I found him to be very believable.

R: In "Stolen" Bella joins the FBI. How did you come up with this idea? Did you have to do a lot of research to develop this character?

SoD: You always hear that you should write what you know. Well, I obviously ignored that sage advice, because I know absolutely nothing about the FBI. I have had to do a lot of research for this story, and it is very time consuming.  It is important to me for the story to be as technically correct as possible so that it is believable. Fortunately, there is a lot of information about the FBI on the web, and I have been able find most of the information I need. The rest has been directly from my imagination.
I did have a reader who works for the FBI contact me recently to tell me what a good job I was doing on this story. She said that, so far, I had really nailed the technical parts about the FBI—that the story was really believable. I was so happy to hear that I had gotten most of it correct.
We have talked a bit back and forth since then, and she has recently agreed to become a technical pre-reader for me. I am really looking forward to have her help on my story.

R: Can you describe the relationship you established with your readers so far?

SoD: I’m new author and this is a new story; so far, my readership is small. But my reviews have been very positive thus far and that has been such an inspiration to me. I don’t think readers realize how much this input means to authors. I know I didn’t until I started writing. But I have had some readers that have provided me with some great feedback that I have really been able to take to heart. And, of course, there is the connection I was able to make with my newest pre-reader that I mentioned above. I’m quite excited about that.

R: Would you like to describe your writing process? Has it changed during the time you've spent in the fandom?

SoD: I am very new to the writing process. I never really consider myself a writer or someone who would take this on. As I became immersed in the fanfiction world, I kept wondering if this was something that I could do. I was really terrified to put myself out there, but I had a few stories swirling around in my head and I decided to give it a try.
It has been a real challenge for me, because I don’t think writing comes easily for me. I write best when inspiration strikes, and unfortunately that tends to come in fits and bursts. I just went through a terrible period of writers block. I wrote and deleted my last chapter a number of times before I felt comfortable with it.
On the bright side, I found that I love writing. It is extremely cathartic for me. I find myself wanting to learn more about the process and working to really improve my writing. It can be a bit intimidating, but I know that it is something I will continue work on.
Another great surprise, and one that I am really enjoying, is how collaborative the process can be. I have one pre-reader and two betas that provide a tremendous amount of input and constructive criticism on this story. And now, I just added another pre-reader to help with the technical information pertaining to the FBI. It’s been a lot of fun working with each of them. Of course, then there is the input from the readers, too. They have all helped me become a better writer.
 
R: You are a geologist. Did you job experience influence your story?

SoD: No, not really. Maybe in the respect that Bella is a woman working in a typically male dominated field.
I keep trying to think of how I could write a story that would pull from my knowledge and experiences as a geologist. I just can’t think of way to make it exciting enough for wrap a story around. I will have to keep working on it.


Thank you, State of delusion!
I made a blinkie for "Stolen" - here it is!

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Interview/5: Rose Arcadia (and a quote!)

She's the incredible artist who makes extraordinary banners and blinkies for hundreds of TwiFics. Thousands of readers found new stories thanks to her works. Today's guest is Rose Arcadia!

Raum: Would you like to tell us more about the way you began to develop your blinkies and banners? What was your inspiration? Did you get a specific training on computer graphics?

Rose Arcadia: No, no, I had no training at all.  I just wanted to make a blinkie for a friend of mine, got on Google and figured out how to do just that.Inspiration?  That's the tricky part.  I know so many talented artist who can just whip these puppies up at the drop of the hat.  Me?  I'm que loca in the brain apparently.  I can love a fic, but no matter how hard I try, I can't get a visual.  Then suddenly, a chapter appears, then BAM, I've got the whole thing playing in my head.  Then I sit down and figure out how to make it on the computer.  Sometimes I don't know how to make these visuals, but hell, that does not ever stop me...

If I can't do it, I'll figure it out.  I don't care if it takes me days, I gotta get this sh*t outta my head and onto the screen!

Raum: Would you like to describe your blinkie-banner making process? How did it change during the time you have spent in this fandom? 

Rose Arcadia: Back in the day, I used to make blinkies that were 10, maybe 15 frames.  Now, I'm using about 200-250 frames.  Why?  Because somewhere along the way, we all figured out how to add videos to animated gifs.  It was a blessing and a curse.  Editing 200 frames to make them match in size, contrast, lighting and color, is not as easy as 15.

But don't get me wrong, I love adding videos to my blinkie...LOVE IT!  It gives me so many more possibilities.  I look at my Caged Bird Sings, or my Fold Your Wings blinkie....ohhh, or my Unexpected Circumstances blinkie, that one nearly killed me!  But anyways, it was just f*cking cool to see that come to life, ya know?  I did these days and days worth of work, and then I had this beautiful visual as a result.  I get a kick outta that, man!  It's an awesome feeling to see it done, I'm tellin' ya!

And the best part?  The exposure it helps the authors get.  I get so proud and giddy when they earn success from these little animations.  They deserve it.  God knows, I'm a SAHM, I can't be buying books left and right.  But these authors give me all this for free?  Hell, least I could do, if you ask me...

Raum: What tools do you use? Can you give us some specifics and technical advice on banner/blinkies making?

Rose Arcadia: I use Jasc Animation Shop 3, Picasa & GIMP to make what I need.  Especially now days, I'm a major animated banner kick, because I love combining the two.  But, I'm very anal about making the frames match in color and what not, so it probably takes me 10 times longer to do.  I'm such a geek...

Advice?  Hmmmm....play with and combine the effects, you'll learn a lot from doing that.  Oh, but just because you have the effect, doesn't mean you should use it.  The checkered effect, that would work great with a fun fic or an 80's theme fic...otherwise, not so much.  Fading is usually the way to go.

If you don't know how to transition between frames, and you want a dramatic effect, plan white or black .9 second frames can really make a powerful effect.

Font...if you have a serious fic, use a classic font.  It it's a fun fic, use a fun font.  Angst?  Find something distressed.  Period fic?  Find a font that would have been used in that century.  It makes a huge difference in selling the story.

Watch your blinkie when it's done.  Did you have time to read every line?  Too much time?  Adjust your timing to match how long it takes to read.

Also, if you fade between video frames, fade with 1 frame for .10-.12 seconds, then erase the 2 frames you faded originally.  This will make it flow continuously without stopping.

And lastly, don't forget to transition your last frame with your first frame, that way, it flows when it starts over.

I know, I know, WTF am I talking about...I'll shut up now!  Told you I was a geek...

Raum: Who is your favorite character in the saga and why?

Rose Arcadia: Edward.  Cause he's so pretty.  Like, really pretty.  Oh, and did I mention he's pretty?

Really?  I need to explain?  Ok, I just think he's beautifully flawed.  I adore that.  I adore also how, in the fandom, Edward could do no wrong.  He could kill a person and we cheer for him to redeem himself.  But go and change the name to Jacob and we demand that he rot in prison.

But yeah, mostly because he's pretty...I wish I was deep and meaningful with my answer, but apparently, I'm blinded by beauty...sue me!

Raum: Who is your favorite artist? (painter, sculptor...as you please)

Rose Arcadia: Dali, he is the creator of my love for art.  As a preteen, I once saw a replica of Three Ages above the fireplace of my Uncle's home.  I stared at it for a long, long time before my sweet Uncle came up and told me all about it.  I sat for 4 hours straight looking at it, only taking small breaks to play the french horn.

Years later, it was one of the reasons why I decided to go see a certain vampire teen movie at the theater...I was curious about the actor who was playing Dali in Little Ashes.

Raum: If Edward were an artistic masterpiece, he would be...

Rose Arcadia: Guernica?  Hmmmm, ok, maybe not, possibly in his head...oh wait, I know...Starry Night!  Hehehe!  See, this is why you shouldn't chat with your sister while doing interviews, she puts silly thoughts into you head!

Raum: Would you like to describe the relationship you established both with the authors and with the readers who, thanks to your works, find many new stories to read?

Rose Arcadia: Authors have always been so appreciative.  I love seeing or hearing their reactions.  It's better than corn on the cob at a summer picnic.  Oh, that sounds so good!

I think I'm hungry, brb...

Ok, I ate...sorry, corn craving turned into a bacon craving...yeah, long story!  So what was I saying?  Oh yes....I love how close I've gotten to authors and readers from making these.  I can't write, I would make a terrible author.  This was a great way for me to get my toe in the door and make some awesome friends.  Hell, some of my best friends now are authors who I just bonded with.  I love the sh*t outta this fandom, I'm tellin' ya...

Raum: You made many of us dream with your inspiring images. What are your dreams?

Rose Arcadia: Well, I once had a dream that Kristen Stewart climbed up my body and clawed up my face with his teeny-tiny hands.  It was all because at the time I was writing a Robp33n weekly post for The Cold Shower.  Yeah, she didn't like that.

I really, really try to keep that dream out of my artwork.  But that's ok.  I have an insane imagination and a truckload of OCD tendencies.

So yeah, I'm good to go...

Thank you, Rose Arcadia!

I couldn't make a blinkie for the queen of the blinkie-makers so...

A quote for Rose Arcadia!

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Writing Lab: showing and telling in "Offside" by Savage7289

The first advice you get when you try to write a story is "show, don't tell."

You have a plot, you think that your characters have a very interesting path to go, and you're ready to follow them on it, step by step.

You already have your good reasons to write and read your story and probably your best friend will read it too - if (s)he's a very kind friend, but if you want to involve other readers, you must provide them their good reasons to spend their time reading your stuff.

Keep in mind that readers don't like to be schooled: e.g., if you say that a character is a jerk, you are telling your readers how they are supposed to feel; you are giving them your opinions. Instead, if you show your character acting in a jerkish way, your readers will decide on their own how they judge your character's behavior.

Let's see it through an example:

• Offside, by Savage7289

Here's the summary:

"Edward's the star keeper for the Forks High School soccer team, and is already being scouted by leagues overseas. Bella's just moved from Phoenix and interferes with his…focus."

It's updated at least once a day and some thousands (yep, thousands, check her reviews if you don't trust me and add your own comment) readers jump on their seats every time she posts a new chapter.

Why?

There are many reasons, of course, but I think that Offside is also a very good example of showing vs. telling.

Let's read this passage (chapter 7, EPOV)

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"My house was quiet and empty when I got there, so I cooked and devoured a pizza from the freezer, quickly finishing up my homework, and then pulled out my sketchbook. I had a couple hours before Dad would be home, and I was almost done with the goalie picture. Just a few changes here and there – deepening the shades, softening the angles. When I was done I pulled it out of the book and neatly trimmed the edges.

It actually looked pretty good, I thought. I narrowed my eyes at the paper, looking at it from different sides for a minute. I wondered if Ms. Denali would like it…I mean, it was

still a fucking soccer picture. Is that art? I shook my head a little before sticking it into my homework folder and placing everything into my book bag. I hauled the bag back downstairs and deposited it on the floor in the kitchen.

[...Dad arrives at home...]

"Edward! Get down here!"

Shit, what now?

I unlocked the door and headed back down the stairs.

"Yeah, Dad?" I asked as I walked into the kitchen where he was chowing down on Chinese food. My book bag was open, and my homework folder was sitting in the middle of the table.

"What the fuck is this?" he asked, shoving the sketch I had just finished over towards me.

Shit shit shit.

"Um…"

"That's not a fucking answer," he growled.

Might as well get it over with.

"I went for the art class instead of study hall," I told him. I tried to brush it off. "Another easy A for my senior year…ya know?"

"Goddamnit, Edward!" He slammed his hand down on the table, and I cringed.

"You should be out on the fucking field during that time! What the hell is wrong with you?"

"My last period is open," I told him.

"And I go to the field at lunch, I figured-"

"Bullshit," he snapped. I started to reach for the sketch, realizing too late how big a mistake that was. He grabbed it, tore it up, and crumpled the pieces in his hand. "You don't focus on this shit. Soccer, asshole. You focus on soccer, and that's it, you hear me? You think Real Volturi is going to want to look at your fucking coloring?"

"No, Dad," I admitted. He shoved the torn paper into the bag of empty soy sauce packets and fortune cookies before tossing it in the garbage can.

"Drop that fucking art class tomorrow."

My stomach tightened up into a nice little ball of pizza dough or whatever, but I swallowed hard and replied.

"Okay."

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

OK, wipe your tears.

What do we see?

1) Edward likes drawing.

Did Savage tell us that?

Nope.

But if you don't like drawing, you don't spend two hours doing it and wondering about what your art teacher will think about your work.

2) Edward's dad is a jerk.

Did Savage tell us that?

Nope.
But she showed him yelling and growling at his son, without a reason (unless you are on his side, but this would be another story...) and destroying his work.

3) Savage makes us feel Edward's passion while drawing: she doesn't say "he finished his soccer picture," but makes us see him doing it ("deepening the shades, softening the angles"). We can empathize, thinking about ourselves putting time and effort in something we love.

4) Savage makes us feel Edward's pain: "My stomach tightened up into a nice little ball of pizza dough or whatever, but I swallowed hard and replied." If we have ever experienced the same feeling, we can empathize with Edward and feel sorry for him. It seems that Edward's dad is destroying our own picture.

Let's try to tell the same scene:

"Edward spent two hours finishing a picture and enjoyed it very much. His father didn't appreciated it because he thought that Edward's focus must be on his soccer practice and destroyed the picture."

The facts are the same, but don't elicit the same reaction, right?

Even more telling and less showing: "Edward's dad is a jerk and he doesn't threat his son well."

No tears at all this time, are there?

This week's writing tip is: read Offside and underline every passage that makes you cry, laugh, hold your breath (it's a story that will make you underline many passages...)

Then write down what do the underlined passage tell (eg "Edward misses..." "Edward loves..." -- you have to read the story to find out who is Edward missing or loving LOL ) and notice the differences between telling and showing.

At this point, you may try to write your own scenes, e.g., try to write the scene above showing a caring dad who encourages Edward to pursuit his artistic career. You can share it in the comments to this post, too.

I've made a blinkie for Offside, you can see and grab it here: http://myreadinglounge.blogspot.com/2011/06/blinkie-offside-meet-soccerward.html

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

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Blinkie: "Offside" - meet Soccerward

Would you like to read a compelling story, updated at least once a day? If so, go read:

•  Offside, by Savage7289

I'm working on a review for Savage's last (great) work; in the meantime, here's a blinkie I made for it. Feel free to share it!

Blinkie url: http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j457/RaumTweet/Blinkie-OFFSIDE.gif

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

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Indie Fic Pimp: One Shot of the Week: 5/16 - 5/22

Indie Fic Pimp: One Shot of the Week: 5/16 - 5/22: "The Cliff by Raum http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6921947/1/TheCliff Rating: M Genre: Drama/Tragedy Summary: 'O is for originality, C is for..."

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Interview/4: Cesca Marie (and a new blinkie!)

She's the awesome author of greatly admired stories, such as Dead on my feet; she's a great beta-reader and she's contributed to MyReadingLounge's Writing Lab with a very inspiring article about The opening hook of a story. Today's guest is Cesca Marie.

Raum: The theme of illness is very relevant in your main story, "Dead on my feet", and the hospital setting, with particular attention to the childhood, is present also in your oneshot "And so this is Christmas." You presented both the patient's and the paramedics' POV. Would you like to tell us more about this choices?

Cesca Marie: For the last couple of years I've mainly been writing about disability and chronic illness, trying to represent it in an honest way that didn't sugarcoat or elicit pity. I also have a thing for medical fiction and memoirs (Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lam, The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon, Gimp by Mark Zupan, A Nurse's Story by Tilda Shalof, etc.), which contributed a lot to "Dead On My Feet" and "And So This is Christmas." I pulled a lot of Edward's attitude both from my own feelings about going through adolescence in a spinal brace, and from a girl I met while travelling who has since died of cancer. That said, it was the first time I've written about cancer. My older stories (most of them aren't online anymore; the quality of the writing was too poor) included characters who were blind, d/Deaf, severely autistic, and mentally ill, but this was the first time I was going to write about a condition that was life-threatening. I chose to write about remission rather than the disease itself, because it's such a fascinating time: you're not ill but you look it; you don't feel that great, and people are happy for you but don't know how to deal with the fact that you're not magically back to your old self. Cancer isn't just a prolonged case of the flu -- it changes everything. A whole new identity has to be forged, and I find that fascinating, especially because we don't talk a lot about how to deal with situations like these in Western cultures. I still receive emails from the friends and relatives of people with cancer asking for information and recipes. The result is that I plug Elise Mecklinger's Goes Down Easy a lot, among other cookbooks. Some readers ask advice for how to give emotional support to a sick person, and it saddens me that something as common as chronic and/or acute illness is still such a taboo subject -- I really hope that one day people will have a more personal resource to turn to than the click-and-point PM button on my profile. Odds are, we're all going to need a resource like that at some point in our lives. 

R: Who is your favorite character in the saga and why?

CM: I like Charlie. He has some less-than-admirable moments, but for the most part he reminds me of my dad. Not very talkative, but a deep thinker.

R: In "The Hideaway" and in "Dead on my feet" your Bella is ironic, sarcastic and sometimes also naughty. Would you like to tell us more about the way you developed this character? 

CM: In "The Hideaway" Bella is little more than a teenager with an attitude problem. She resents the stagnant nature of her home life, thinks she knows something about the world, and like most teens, is bitter about problems she doesn't have. She matures a little bit in that story, but in the beginning her belligerence was fun to write. 

With "Dead On My Feet" Bella, things were a little more complex simply because the story was longer and she had more of an evolutionary arc. She begins in a place where she's trying to better herself, keeping everyone at arm's length, and in no way inclined to befriend another cancer patient. Her issues come out slowly--even slower than do Edward's. Initially readers struggled with that because they were eager to see Bella and Edward in a relationship, but it just wasn't realistic to have them pour out their deepest secrets, regrets, and insecurities within a week of meeting.

R: Both your Edward and your Bella have OOC elements. In "Dead on my feet" Edward is neither a fascinating vampire, nor an extraordinary handsome young man, as he's usually described in AH stories. You also chose a difficult subject for the story. How do your readers react? Can you describe the relationship you established with your readers? 

CM: The fun of OOC in "Dead On My Feet" is that it's superficial. You're right, Edward isn't a vampire and he isn't good looking enough to stop traffic, but he and canon-Edward have a few things in common. They're outsiders, over-reactors, sometimes bitter, hopeless romantics, at odds with the masses, part of a loving family, and committed to their relationships. That said, the superficial element did turn a few people off initially, I think. It's not easy to picture Edward without his trademark wild hair. They understood why the change was necessary, of course, but the "cancer story" isn't going to have universal appeal. 

My relationship with my readers changed a lot over the course of the story. I wasn't expecting it to become so popular. Before "Dead On My Feet," I was happy if a story got 50 reviews over a period of 6 months, so in a lot of ways I wasn't prepared for the attention it would get or the amount of time I should have to spend interacting with readers instead of writing. Most of the initial response was positive, but as weeks went by and the story darkened I received a lot of hate mail, and even some commentary from people who hadn't read the story but had to throw their two cents in based on hearsay. It's not always easy to shake off the negativity, but I managed to stay focused and finish the story the way I wanted to. One reviewer for the story's last chapter remarked on the way that I didn't ask the audience to become co-writers. I hadn't thought about it until she said something, but she had a point. Some writers like to play to the desires of their audience, and some just want to be storytellers. To each their own. I just happen to prefer the non-democratic model; the choice of the readers begins and ends with which stories we choose to consume or pass over. It's better that way--just look at the platypus; see what happens when things are designed by committee?

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

CM: My writing process usually starts with a single line, and then everything else falls into place. For "The Hideaway" it was "You survived Prohibition. I'm sure you can think of something." Once I have a good grip on the tone, I can write the rest. I like to have the whole story conceptualized early on, but will settle for not knowing the ending until I've written a little more. Other than that, all I need is a wall to put my back to (people reading over my shoulder is by far my biggest pet peeve) and my laptop. 

The only difference in how I normally write and how I wrote "Dead On My Feet" is that I didn't take many breaks. The story was composed in blocks of ~8k words per week, so I had to be on the ball.

R: You are also a Beta reader. Did your experience as a Beta influence your writing process and your stories? 

CM: It doesn't, really. I'm very picky about what I take on in terms of beta projects. If a story's synopsis or outline doesn't capture my interest, I know I won't do a good job beta-ing it. I'll lose interest. I'll be tempted to skim. Providing low-quality beta services doesn't appeal to me, so I end up turning down a lot of requests. And to a certain extent, there are things that a true writer will learn independently. If a person really, truly wants to be a writer, (s)he'll own a style guide and grammar book. (S)he'll examine the market/fandom for what's hot, what's not, and what's been done to death and resurrected in sequel form. A beta reader can't teach these things, but a writer who wants to know them and is actively seeking answers will often produce a compelling story. Attitude counts.

R: In "The Hideaway" Edward says: "Dreams are some of the best things about being human. You get to change and develop…to become instead of just be." Could it be a trait d'union among your stories, at least among "The Hideaway" and "Dead on my feet"? 

CM: You're probably right. Both stories deal with characterization and personality in very close proximity, so personal development is a ready-at-hand theme. I guess that sort of makes the stories bildungsroman in a technical sense, but it is only fan fiction.  

Thank you, Cesca Marie! I made a blinkie for Cesca Marie's story "The Hideaway." 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!

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