Lost: A Sense of Proportion

Soooo, I've been a tad scarce around here this seek. Been checking in some, but I haven't been replying to stuff because I've been out of town and trying to focus. Y'see, nefhiriel and I are both getting to the very end of the novels we've been working on, and our Mom - who's also a writer - is just starting out a new book, and basically... we decided to have a girls-only writing retreat to see how much we could get done without cooking and cleaning and other RL concerns intruding. I thought about saying something before I left, but... I guess I didn't want to wind up slinking back in shame if I froze up and couldn't get as much done as I'd hoped? I am seriously a stupidly slow writer.

Anyhow! We drove up to the hotel we were staying at Monday, and just got back tonight. It was really, really nice - we managed to get an excellent price on a suite that actually had two separate bedrooms, plus a sitting area and kitchenette, so it was super convenient. We basically ended up writing at the hotel for a while in the mornings, then going to a coffee shop and writing more, then going out for a late lunch, then going to another coffee shop, then picking up dinner and heading back to the hotel to work a little longer and/or crash and watch TV.

In the end, I wrote something over 12,000 words, and am basically finished with the draft of my book now except for the very last scene - which is planned, and partially written. SO HAPPY. Especially since a big chunk of that was on two stupid-hard battle scenes, which have been giving me grief for the longest time. I knew what needed to happen in terms of the characters' emotional arc, and I had a good idea of previously-set-up elements that needed to be involved somehow, but... sorting out the details of how it could all make sense within the limitations of the world and the villains' previously-established weaknesses without getting ridiculously overcomplicated was such a pain. I'd have finished the thing months ago if I could've just written, "They fought a mighty battle. The good guys were clever and won. The bad guys were also clever, but moderately less so, and also villainous, and so they lost. Yay! The end." XD

Probably not so very impressive to those of you who regularly turn out writing at that rate, but as I said - incredibly slow writer, here. So I am very, very happy. Better still, it's coming out exactly at the midpoint of ideal-wordcount-range for the genre, so I've got plenty of room for either trimming or adding in revision without worries about length.

Mom and Neffie also got a lot done (though Nef didn't quite get her book finished as she'd hoped, since technical issues cropped up with the second-to-last scene), so all in all I'd count it a great success.

My poor dog was so sad, though. My brother sent me a picture - apparently instead of going to him for company, Captain decided to stay right by my chair, waiting for me to come back. He's lying on top of my foot now, all cuddled up. ^^

Heh, I realized that, though I've been keeping up with others' new posts, it's been quite some time since I've actually posted something here myself. Oops.

Been buuuusy. Among other things, lots of editing work, working on writing two original novels (yeeeah, it was just one last time I posted here... then stuff happened and I'm about 12,000 words into another coauthored one as well) at least one of which should be finished by the end of the summer, need to finish formatting my finished nonfiction ebook, trying to keep up with some artwork, getting all the details worked out for being a bridesmaid in scarvenartist's wedding (pretty sure I have mentioned that?)... Lots of fun stuff, but lots of busyness.

Also, scarvenartist was just up here to visit us! Which was an absolute blast, particularly since it's been a couple of years since she was able to make it up here. We mostly sat around and talked... a lot... *g* But we also did some really fun baking! Of which there are pics under the cut...
( Cake and Karate pictures. Though not both at the same time. )

Well... it has been a while since I've posted any writing here - and a really long while since I've written LOTR fic. But I ended up signing up for the great_tales December Drabble Exchange this year, and as my recipient was the lovely lindahoyland I had a fun time trying to come up with something she would enjoy. Thought I'd post the result here, since the author reveals have been made over there now. ^^

( Fic under the cut )

One of the things I've always enjoyed has been my brain's tendency to take whatever I've been reading or watching recently and mash it up into some really fun dreams. There was the Lord of the Rings/War of the Worlds crossover. The NCIS/Temeraire fusion. The LOTR/Star Wars mashup. (If you can imagine a city with architecture that blends Coruscant with Minas Tirith... it's gorgeous.) And the dream I had after seeing Inception was certainly fun. *g*

And then there was last night's dream: a combination of Berkeley Square (older BBC series, about some nannies in 1902), London Blackout Murders (movie made in the early 40s, about a guy who kills people during the London bombings), and... The Avengers. Yep. A truly bizarre and entertaining bit of randomness. 

Now why can't my brain be that creative and cooperative when I'm actually trying to write? There are so many things that I want to finish right now, but I just can not do plot. (For myself, that is. I've had plenty of ideas to help out with Nef's story woes.) Probably because my brain's going and flagrantly wasting all my creativity while I'm asleep. *sulks* And everyone wonders why I stay up so late... It's because I'm trying to ambush my brain and grab some of those ideas when it thinks I'm asleep, but I'm actually still awake enough to do something coherent with them. 

These things also make me wish that I was a better artist. Because I can still see all these awesome settings so clearly, but I just... can't... *flails* 

I am starting to figure out some techniques to improve my detail work and backgrounds, though. I was playing around with some new brushes in Photoshop the other day, and managed this little doodle:

And a lovely trip it was, too. Well, two trips, really. Wow, going to Nebraska feels like a really long time ago, now. But yeah, we had a good time with our grandma, and our... er, step-cousin, I guess she is? And various other step-relatives-in-law-whatever-you'd-call-them. Wasn't really a long visit, but fun.  

Neffie and I had quite the little "aww" moment when we got to the hotel - I started going through our suitcase to get stuff out and discovered... a toy mouse tucked down among the clothing. Our Ro-kitty has a tendency to sit forlornly inside suitcases and laptop cases whenever packing starts, as if he's hoping that one of these times he won't get forgotten at home. Apparently this time he felt we needed a little memento to bring along. <3

And the cabin was wonderful and relaxing, as always. Hard to believe that we've been going there for 21 years now.... A lot's changed over the years, but one thing hasn't: seems like every year, at least one thing has to break or otherwise Go Very Wrong. This year, we arrived to find that, among other things, the freezer was absolutely covered in nasty mold, the boat wasn't working, the stove wasn't working... and then the grill quit too. So things looked like being a bit of a potential disaster, possibly even one to rival the year when we were trying to clean the place without running water. But we got things sorted out in the end - except for the boat, but that was mostly okay anyway because there was much better fishing right off the dock than usual. So it was good. 

Among the things that did change were the friends and family that we visited, which was tough. One of the family friends we usually visit (who we've known since I was about three) did come to see us, but it may be the last time we see him for a long time because he and his new wife are moving to Florida. We didn't get to see my uncle at all, mostly because he just had cataract surgery and wasn't up for it. But the hardest was not seeing my great-aunt Helen, because she's almost certainly going to die any day now. And I just... will probably post something about that later, because right now I'm still in full-on avoidance mode and just trying not to think about it too much.

But. Happier note: it was a really good trip, and we had mostly great weather, and everyone had plenty of time to do whatever they wanted. So Nef and I swam almost every day, and she wrote a ton, and I read a ton, Mom scrapbooked and wrote, the guys golfed and fished, and we ate junk food and stayed up late and slept in, and all was good. *g*

We also went to see Avengers again while we were there! It was insanely hot on Saturday, the cabin doesn't have any kind of air conditioning (we're lucky to manage a few functioning fans), and we didn't feel like fighting with the Weekend Hordes for the lake (okay, it wasn't as busy as all that, but considering things are pretty much deserted during the week we'd rather do stuff when we had the place to ourselves). So we went to Avengers. And it was just as awesome the second time. \o/

Although I did notice one thing that's now driving me just slightly crazy. It was only on the second viewing that I realized that Hawkeye was shooting left-handed, which surprised me. At first I thought it might be an interesting and subtle way of showing another difference when he's being mind-controlled by Loki. But no, he shoots lefty afterward, during the final battle, as well. But... he shoots with his right hand in Thor. And I don't understaaaand, because if the actor is just left-eye dominant and/or more comfortable using his left hand, then why wouldn't he do it that way for both movies? But if it was a matter of conforming to the comics (no idea if comic-verse!Hawkeye is left- or right-handed)... then again, why not both movies? *flails* Okay, yes, Nef finds it hilarious that I'm bugged by this. But I think that I just need to watch the movie again, to see if the bow's design allows for ambidexterity. 

Ahem.

Anyhow! Now for my traditional commentary on the books I read while I was there!

( Books! Also, new puppy picture. :D )

Oh, and on a final note... Um, I have committed Avengers fanfic. I didn't intend to. I really, really didn't. But then I just happened to stumble across a prompt that went and took my brain hostage. So I had to write it. XD Anyhow, if you care to read it, it's posted here on AO3.

I enjoy writing non-fiction. I really do. But you know what tends to really get me? My inability to narrow my focus. 

I'll start out with a great idea, and lots of enthusiasm. I know my subject, I love talking about it, I'm confident that I have something helpful to share. Just lay out the basic organization of the topics I'm gonna cover, choose a starting point, and get going! 

Only... the moment I actually start delving in, I wonder if I really need to start at an earlier point. Cover more of the subject. Explain things more broadly to give people background. How much can I actually leave out without confusing people? What is essential, and what is interesting but ultimately unnecessary? Am I starting out with too many assumptions?

And before long what was once a clearly defined idea gets lost in a swamp of uncertainty, as I attempt to write The Ultimate Guide To Everything Ever Remotely Related To This Subject. 

And this is why I tend to have trouble actually finishing these projects. *sigh* Largely... I think I have trouble figuring out what knowledge base most people are likely to be starting out with. Sometimes I think it may be partly because I was homeschooled: Obviously, no one's education is "complete" so to speak - however well-rounded it is, there will always be gaps in knowledge or experience. But because my education was organized very differently from that of the vast majority of the country, I feel like sometimes the placement of those gaps is out of step with other people's experience. That some things other people consider so obvious they can't even remember learning it are... not so obvious to me, and vice-versa. If that makes sense?

Eh. Or maybe I'm just over-thinking and over-complicating things. Again. Because I tend to do that. >.<

I don't really know what my point in this is, other than - *flails* I may never finish a book, ever. XP

Continued from part one.

( Part two! )

Continued from Part 1.( Conclusion. )

Just a bit of silliness while I try to poke more complex plots into some coherent shape. Because apparently Neal being out of it is a thing with me, right now. *g* 

Written for kriadydragon's request here at collarcorner, with inspiration from collarcorner's comment. Also, special thanks to tj_teejay, whose comments on my last story prodded me to look a little deeper into some of my assumptions and surface-level research. I now know a whooooole lot more about parole, parole officers, and conditions of supervised release. *g* Which just happens to have given me some more story ideas, as well... 


( Story! )

Not for a prompt this time around – though you might say that this was inspired by a collarcorner prompt, or at least the response to one. Reading Sara Highum’s story here, I got to thinking, what if Neal really was “drunk dialing” Peter? Or at least, Peter thought he was… though there might be something more going on. And at that my brain took off in a direction totally unrelated to her story, and the idea just wouldn’t let go until I did something with it. ^.^

Summary: Neal drunk-dials Peter. Initially, Peter is Not Amused. Then he figures out what’s really going on… and he’s even less amused. Set somewhere mid-season one. 



( To the story! )