Sunday, 25 April 2010

The Red Curtains Trilogy

The Red Curtains Trilogy is a series of stories in three arcs ("In The Beginning", "The Long Game" and "End Game", though the names are not final at the moment), that tell the life story of Albus Dumbledore, through his eyes, the eyes of a character named Selenes and through the eyes of Tom Riddle.

However, it is also a cross-over with the world of Twin Peaks. (Though obviously only the spiritual part of that world, since for most of Dumbledore's life, almost all the characters in Twin Peaks hadn't been born).

The stories don't cover all of Albus' life, but instead moves to the important parts (his early home life, until he finishes Hogwarts, then Tom Riddle's time at school and the first of the dark wars until the first fall of Voldemort, then the second dark war from Harry's return to the world until the end of the war.

Unusually, these stories won't focus on Harry or the other main characters - instead it will be Dumbledore, Selenes (who is Selenes? Well - you'll figure it out eventually) and Tom.

Currently the second arc is being plotted out, and I have more or less reached the point where Dumbledore and Grindlewald are fighting.

So - this is a huge, long term story that will not be done any time soon, but should be fun.

Tuesday, 20 April 2010

Catch Up Time!

What's been going on? I'm glad you asked.

The Princess Husband is complete, pending proof reading. It ran out to 108 pages, and was finished in 14 days. I am pretty proud of the way it has turned out, but it will be a while before it is posted because I have to figure out a formatting standard, then convert it. (Celtx doesn't save to HTML, only to PDF).

The Wish is a new short story, all about Harry making a wish not to be a wizard, and the results that come from that wish. It was finished tonight, and posted to HP Fandom. It will come to ForeverFandom in the next day or so, and ArchiveOfOurOwn when it speeds up a little.

Silver Linings is on hiatus, because of ScriptFrenzy and The Wish, but has been fully plotted out.

The Western Sky, Series 3 is also on hiatus, because of all the other things I am writing. It will no doubt get started again soon enough. Possibly after ScriptFrenzy ends and Princess' Husband is posted.

Twilight Over Ingleside - Episode 2 is done, but the formatting is all over the place (Celtx again), and until I can sort it out, it can't be posted.

So - that's it. Y'all are up to date.

Thursday, 1 April 2010

100 Posts!

Wow. Already reached 100 posts. Who knew? (Well - me obviously).

Normally I would write a huge summary entry, but it is way past my bed time.

Instead I will say I am up to page 8 of my 100 for Script Frenzy (which, for an hour, isn't bad) and I have only just reached the part where Lesley and Harry say goodbye. so I might end up going a tad over 100 pages.

Meanwhile this might be the last post until Tuesday, because my sweetie arrives in less than 12 hours, and I am going to take a break from everything except her. Cause that's the way it is :)

(Silver Linings is now through the Outline Stage and next is the Narrative plot, and after that comes the writing, but probably not until May as I mentioned previously).

Tuesday, 30 March 2010

Plots and 48 Hours

So - I am coming to the conclusion that I actually need to plan out a plot for "Silver Linings". What is "Silver Linings" you ask? Well - I will tell you.

It's a story I started a few days back, with just an idea in my head of the first chapter or so. It's set at the start of Harry's fifth year, except Harry and Hermione are dead (escaping Ministry custody after being pulled up on charges of under-age magic use) and Luna Lovegood (who was starting a relationship with Hermione at the time) has left Hogwarts, and she and her father have moved out of The UK.

After the hearing, Dumbledore and Fudge start spreading stories about them turning dark, trying to turn the population against them. But a few of Harry's friends remain loyal, even when Umbridge arrives and starts hurting people who speak out.

Meanwhile, three new students (Twin brother and sister, and a third girl) transfer from Salem Institute to Beauxbatons School, and make new friends in the French school.

The thing is, I have an idea of what could happen, but right now, I am entirely lost about what the actual plot is, which makes writing a little harder than you might think. So I think the next two days will be working out the story line ("narrative plotting" stage) before I try to write any more of the actual story.

However this is going to be interrupted by two things. First - my beloved coming to stay (during which I never write, because - lets face it - who would?) and second, ScriptFrenzy 2010 starts in 47 hours and 18 minutes, and I will be putting all my energy in to The Princess' Husband (which is now going to be all magical, instead of non-magical as I originally planned).

So Silver Linings might not get properly written until May. Which seems forever away, but isn't really.

Sunday, 14 March 2010

Archive Of Our Own

Started posting a lot of stories to the new site (http://archiveofourown.org/users/angelholme), including some that can't be posted anywhere else.

Which makes me happy.

Plus I have another idea (I am just full of ideas!) that might be something I can write quickly. With ScriptFrenzy starting on the 1st, I don't want to start a new long term story before then, but this might be a quick write one. Or at least, one I can spend time plotting, if not actually writing.

Friday, 12 March 2010

Twilight Over Ingleside (again)

So - it turns out I am too used to writing TV shows now (The Western Sky, The 9th Floor, Gemini Software Inc) because even as I am writing it, Twilight Over Ingleside is forming up in to a series of short stories, rather than one long one.

It could be that I can't think of one plot that would sustain the story, but I can think of a few shorter ones that could, but since it is done in script format (quite why I am not sure - I might be able to convert it, and make it clear the chapters are distinct stories in the whole story.... but how is that different?) it seems to suit.

I might give it more thought - 19 days to go until Princess' Husband starts - or just finish off the story with the final meeting scene at Ingleside, and say this is the starting for a few more stories, and we'll see where it goes from there........


Wargh!

My New Site

I found the new site I was looking for. It seems to have very good rules about posting (no ludicrous story limits, like not writing about magic) and doesn't appear to require beta readers or validation (which makes me happy) and has an apparently open policy about fandoms (you can define your own, but Green Gables and Charmed already exist, which is nice).

I am going to stay at HP Fandom (http://www.hpfandom.net/eff/viewuser.php?uid=4145) and Forever Fandom (http://www.foreverfandom.net/viewuser.php?uid=32408) because it seems a bit pointless deleting all my stories, but I am also reposting some of the stories, and adding the new ones to the new site -

http://archiveofourown.org/users/angelholme

So - enjoy.

Twilight Over Ingleside

Twlight Over Ingleside is now well under way. I am up to Page 24, and have done a fair part of the back story.

Of course, it does mean I now have to work out the rest of the plot, which I have no idea about at the moment.

Sunday, 7 March 2010

Current State of Affairs

So - pretty much everything is on hold until at most April 30th.

All the posted stories are marked Complete (yay!), except for the three that are on-going stories (Max Boyce, Smartest Witch and Music Appreciation).

The Western Sky Series 3 is being written, but is now on hold until after Script Frenzy. The same for A New Dawn : Enemies and Nineteen Years Later (version 2.0).

I have also started doodling "Twlight over Ingleside", but so far all I have is the opening scene (see later for something that just occurred to me) and a vague idea of what could happen. But there is no plot - not even the idea of a plot - so that is really not going to be ready any time soon. (And even if it is, I am not certain there are any sites I can currently post it to. HP Fandom is out, because it is not an HP story (unusual for me, I know), and ForeverFandom doesn't have a Green Gables section (and while it is a Twilight Crossover, there is only one, maybe two Twilight characters, so I suspect that it won't qualify).

There is FF.Net, but since I swore blind I would not go back there, I guess I will have to find somewhere else.....

Anyway - "The Princess Husband" is going to be my main focus for the next 54 days (except for five days when my beloved comes to visit) and it will be posted after that, then normal service can resume!

Monday, 22 February 2010

Damn it!

Edward isn't turned until 1918.

But what if Edward was not the first person Carlisle turned? What if there was someone else he never spoke about? Someone who would've died on the fields of Flanders if Carlisle hadn't intervened....

"Twilight over Ingleside" - coming soon?

(Probably not - I am not certain I can come up with a suitable plot, but hey - you never know).

Friday, 19 February 2010

Windows 7

Due to a move to Windows 7 I'm going to delay the next chapter of Western Sky II - until Saturday Sorry for any problems but these things happen sometimes.

On a related note - Windows 7 is a work of wonder :)

Wednesday, 10 February 2010

I guess the votes are in :(

So according to the two sets of statistics, not a lot of people have read past the first chapter of "The 9th Floor". Which means my experiment in HP stories without Big Bads in them has come to an end.

I kind of liked it, but I'm not sure I can be bothered doing a lot more if no one wants to read it. Which, I know, isn't like me - normally I write for me and then stick it on the web cause I might as well. But plotting out a story....

We'll see, but for now I'm going to go with something else. Maybe "The Princess' Husband"

Saturday, 30 January 2010

9th Floor and The Western Sky

So - Series 2 of The Western Sky is complete, and I am in the process of proofing it and posting it. "Respect For Your Elders" (Episode 2x09) is up, and tomorrow I am going to move on to Episode 2x10 ("Hallie Potter, At Your Service").

In addition, I have posted a complete story (more or less) called "The 9th Floor". This is another tv show type story, but rather than having big dramatic fights and evil beings, it is a simple political drama, in the vein of The West Wing and Commander In Chief.

It deals with life at The Ministry, and with the families of those involved. Also, a group of children starting Hogwarts - the kids of the families and so forth.

Whether I continue it is kind of dependent on the number of reads/reviews it gets - since it is not a typical story, I don't know if people will be interested in it or not, and while I do mostly write for my own enjoyment, I have other series (A New Dawn, The Western Sky Series 3, Christmas in Sunnydale, Return To Willamette and Nineteen Years Later to name but a few) I can be working on as well.....

So - that's where it is.

Tuesday, 19 January 2010

Western Sky Updates!

I finally fixed the problem with Episode 2x05 of The Western Sky ("Shadows Of The Past") and have posted it, along with 2x06 ("The Games We Play, Part 1") on the HP Fandom Site (see the right of this page to find the link, since I can't remember it off the top of my head).

It has yet to be updated on ForeverFandom because that site is currently down, and I don't know when it will be back up.

In addition, I have written four more episodes (2x07 - 2x10), and they are currently being proof read, before they are posted, and work continues on the last four episodes of the series (including a three part finale!)

My plan is to stay four chapters ahead, so I will be posting 2x07 within the next week, and then posting a new chapter each time I finish one of the final four (which hopefully should be in the next month or so, work and other things pending).

I apologise for the long delay in finishing this story, but Episode 5 really was doing my nut in, so I moved on to other stories to try to get some inspiration. And apparently, the plan worked.

Anyway - Western Sky updated. Yay!

Thursday, 31 December 2009

New Site News.

Hi.

I am posting this way in the future to keep it at the top of the page. To find recent posts, please scroll down.

The main purpose for this is to tell you all my HP stories can now be found at
http://www.hpfandom.net/eff/viewuser.php?uid=4145
and all my other stories (along with most of the HP ones) can be found at
http://www.foreverfandom.net/viewuser.php?uid=32408 (however this does not include The Silent Trio nor The Western Sky, though I do plan to change that)

I have also started posting on a new site - http://www.ficwad.com/author/69837 - for both my fanfiction stories and the original stuff I have written.

I have abandoned Fanfiction.Net after the March 22nd Debacle, and the refusal of the site-admins to even acknowledge they screwed up, even though a fair number of users think they did.

Maybe if they fix the problem they caused, and promise not to do it again, I would feel happy about returning. But until I can be sure that the site will let me publish my stories as I want them to be seen, I am not going to risk putting any more stories on there.

Monday, 14 December 2009

Restarting Nineteen Years Later

Lucius Malfoy looked down the length of Diagon Alley, and smiled.

While the weekly Devotion Meetings were always very fulfilling, this one marked the fourteenth anniversary of the end of the war, and The Unity Squads had been out far more often to ensure they got maximum attendance.

From what he could see, they'd done their job very well - The Alley was packed, with hundreds of people carrying unity banners and waving flags with images of his Royal Majesty.

"Minister Malfoy - it's time" He smiled down at his assistant - Saffron always enjoyed the meetings, and he was fairly certain that - after they were finished - she would be more than willing to join him in a post meeting celebration.

"Thank you, Saffron" He smiled as she giggled. In the decade since his wife had been executed for treason, he had had quite a few companions, but - he had to admit - Saffron was proving the most entertaining and delightful.

"You're welcome, Minister" She nodded, then took a step back as he walked up to the platform and turned to face the crowd.

"People of Britain" He paused to let the cheers calm down "I stand before you today, pleased to announce the longest era of growth and prosperity the county has seen" There was more applause, and he smiled genially "It's now fourteen years since the rebellion against his Royal Majesty was crushed - fourteen years in which we have hunted down the traitors, the terrorists and those who would disrupt the peaceful running of our glorious country" He paused, then beamed "And this morning, I am proud to announce that...." He trailed off, frowning as he realised there was music playing in the background.

"Early one morning"

"Minister?" Saffron walked up behind him.

"Just as the sun was rising"

"Where is that coming from?" He asked quietly, still looking around.

"I heard a maiden singing"

"I don't know, Minister, but I will find out" She turned, and clicked her fingers at a few of the security agents flanking the podium.

"In the valley below"

Lucius turned back to see the crowd looking around in confusion.

"Ladies and gentlemen - do not panic. This is merely a minor disturbance, and we will have it sorted out momentarily" He looked around The Alley again, then turned back to see Saffron looking confused.

"Shut that noise off now, or don't bother coming in to work tomorrow" He yelled at her. She looked around wildly, but still could not find the source of the music.

"Oh do not leave me"

"People! Do not...." He started again, then trailed off as the crowd started pointing up.

"Minister!" Saffron pointed above him, to where a giant wolf's head had appeared, jaws dripping blood as it snapped at the people below.

Lucius turned back to the now panicking audience, then glanced up to the roof of Flourish and Blots.

"Do not deceive me"

Three figures, all dressed in deep purple robes, were stood on top of the bookshop, all with wands drawn, and pointing towards him.

"Saffron...." He tried to get her attention, but his voice came out as a whisper.

A moment later, he saw three beams of green light lance out of the wands, and fly through the air towards him.

As the crowd screamed in terror, he realised that he, at least, was getting off easy. At least Voldemort would not be able to to torture him for this failure.

"How could you use a poor maiden so?"

Hermione Granger-Weasley turned away from the scene below them, and looked to her two fellow assassins.

"Lets go" She said, then all three turned on the spot, and vanished, leaving the screaming, panicked crowd below, and the giant, snarling wolf's head above.

Tuesday, 24 November 2009

Alarums!

Apparently HPFandom has been temporarily shut down due to.... I think it is overuse of the CPU on a shared server, but it's not entirely clear at the moment.

I am going to wait to see what happens, but possibly look for other sites as well. (I have felt in a bit of a minority on HPFandom since it is so obviously a slash-site, even if there are a few non-slash stories there).

Watch this space, I suppose.

Tuesday, 20 October 2009

Plagiarism is a truly appalling thing

I am not a professional writer, and probably never will be.

But I am quite proud of what I've written, and if I thought anyone else was claiming credit for it, I would be more than a bit ticked off.

(Note - yes, I quote a lot in what I do. But as far as I know I have never written something I took from someone else and claimed it as my own. I always provide sources for what I quote, unless it is really obvious who wrote it, and generally copyright info as well.

In addition, posting stories on different sites with different names sometimes causes confusion amongst readers, but generally I clear that up easily enough).

So when I found this http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=140402 and compared it to this http://www.outpost-daria.com/fanfic/daria_vs_the_lawndale_zombies.html I was utterly appalled someone would have the balls to do it.

I am pretty sure the Daria one is the original, and that the Happy Days one is a rip off, because at one point the character of Chachi is referred to Upchuck - the only time it happens in the story. Which smacks of a sloppy cut and paste job. (Plus one of the characters sings the Lumberjack Song, which I'm sure wasn't around in Happy Days time. But that could just be crappy writing).

Now - it's possible Erin Mills and Race's Girl are the same person, in which case it isn't plagiarism, and I take it back.

But when you look at other stories Race's Girl has written, and search for phrases in them, they come up in different stories. (Captain Muscles vs The Amazons seems to be a copy of History Created and Crushed, by Nigel Preece, for example).

I admit, there isn't a lot I can do, but honestly - it does make me want to smack this Race's Girl for doing such a shitty thing.

Wednesday, 14 October 2009

Hmmmmm.

So - The 9th Floor seems to be turning in to HP:TNG.

Which could be good, I suppose.....

Yup!

Emily and Lucy Brown work a lot better.