Tag Archive | artist: clare_dragonfly

Blog Hop Stop: Fiction in the Alder’s Grove

I have been tagged! That never happens…

The writer in my attic tagged me to do a Blog Hop. I’ve know Rion for a couple years (we met, more or less, because of Addergoole, like most of my current friends), and for the last year-plus, she’s been staying in our attic and occasionally rescuing our cats from themselves.

What am I working on?
Everything?

Let’s see!

I’m posting Edally Academy, a Steampunk Boarding School serial (Meta: I’m working on getting a webpage up and running). Tairiekie & her new teammates not only have to deal with classes & teachers at a new, prestigious, & challenging school, they also have to figure out what’s going on with the mysterious Instructor Talmizhaab’s device.

I’m both posting & writing Inner Circle, a potentially-kinky fantasy serial with gladiators and strange magic (& a webpage). Taslin and Valran have both bent knee in order to raise in rank. But getting to the inner circle can take a lifetime – or cost you your life.

I’m working on the re-write of Addergoole, my first web-serial. Right now, I’m getting everything ready to launch the kickstarter!

I’ve got a prompt call open, where I take your suggestions and write fic to them. I’m working on short story submissions to two different anthologies & a contest (let’s see: Steampunk Horror, Genre Fiction Gender-Funky, and “Property”), and working on edits for another anthology.

AND I’m beginning to plan my Nanowrimo novel and working – still – on my fantasy travel-across-the-land possible-love-story, Into Lannamer.

Focus? What’s that?

How does my work differ from others in its genre?

Oh, dear, what genre do I write in?…

If anything, I’d say that I enjoy dystopic fiction more than most. In almost everything I write, eventually, the setting is going to be the bad guy…

…or is it? Because I’m also inordinately fond of shades (but not 50 of ’em) grey.

Why do I write what I do?

I write the stories that people like, and I write the stories I like.

I grew up reading fantasy & scifi, and find a world without magic (or the stars) a little too boring to write in. So most of my stories are speculative in nature, and even those that appear to be in this world are a little bit off, just like me.

How does my writing process work?

Generally: I start from a spark – either a phrase or a prompt, something that pops into my head in the shower or something someone else suggests (I once wrote a short story based off of cooking directions). I write until the spark runs out, then I sit down with an outline and figure out what I need to do to turn that spark into a full story.

(Of course, with flash, I just stop when the spark runs out.)

Who’s Next?
I’m going to tag [personal profile] clare_dragonfly! Clare writes Chatoyant College, a fantasy web-serial set at the only institution in the United States that teaches magic, and has recently been working on fiction set in The Ursulan Cycle, a gender-bent version of the Arthurian Cycle.

And, speaking of the Ursulan Cycle, I’m also going to tag [personal profile] ysabetwordsmith. If you don’t know Ysabet from her monthly poetry fishbowls (in which she takes prompts on a theme and produces very moving poetry) or her soft-fic Love is for Children Avengers fanfic (or any of the other awesome work she’s done), go do some reading. Go ahead. I’ll be here when you’re back.

This entry was originally posted at http://aldersprig.dreamwidth.org/785377.html. You can comment here or there.

Boost: One-card draw, #Promptcall

Via [personal profile] ysabetwordsmith:

[personal profile] clare_dragonfly is doing a one-card draw. Donations get you extra cards.

[personal profile] kajones_writing has posted the February call for prompts on the theme of “weather.” There are individual and collective perks for donating and other types of participation.

This entry was originally posted at http://aldersprig.dreamwidth.org/467116.html. You can comment here or there.

All the Love! Linnnnks!

Read my story “The Wish Machine” (from the Aunt Family ‘verse) in this month’s EMG-Zine!

All the Addergoole Fanfic!!!!

[personal profile] clare_dragonfly wrote this story of Kayros and Vic.

[personal profile] kajones_writing created
these characters and then wrote
this story and
this story.

And
cluudle wrote this story set in the same general timeline as my current Boom ‘fics, staring Yoshi’s paternal half-brother Etienne.

This entry was originally posted at http://aldersprig.dreamwidth.org/253667.html. You can comment here or there.

Monday after Giddy Sunday

I’m into work stupid-early this morning because there’s, in theory, a VIP coming in at some point. On the other hand, I get to leave early too!

This weekend was awesome! Saturday was a lot of housework – finishing painting the trim, moving the old sink out of the utility room, that sort of thing – not as much painting as I’d wanted but still productive.

Sunday, we took a long drive (go to the bottom of the lake, turn right. Go to the top of the lake, turn left. Go over the top of another lake….) to a place called The Wizard of Clay that does awesome pottery and has for over 30 years (My parents have housewarming gifts from there).

On the way back, we hit a few wineries, including Four Chimneys, which is a teeny tiny winery with some really awesome wines. I <3 living in wine country!!

In other news…

[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith has posted some more poems from the fishbowl, including “The Leaning of Life”, from my prompt.

[personal profile] clare_dragonfly has posted some more fiction from her Garden of Prosy, including The Other Side of the Gate, from my prompt.

[personal profile] meeks has posted a sketch dump, including a sketch from my story “Creeped Right Out.”

and

[personal profile] anke is calling for prompts, with a theme of “horror or dark fantasy”

This entry was originally posted at http://aldersprig.dreamwidth.org/196007.html. You can comment here or there.

Sunday with apples

Yesterday, we had apple pie for dessert (Small Batch Baking) and apple-cinnamon-raisin oatmeal for breakfast.

Thursday we made Spiced Apple Cookies (delicious).

Wednesday we made Baked Apple Rice Pudding, which is absolutely delicious.

Tuesday, we made apple crisp.

Are you sensing a theme?

The property came with an apple tree, which hasn’t been maintained in a while. It’s putting out about a zillion apples (I’ll be canning applesauce & apple butter), smallish tart apples. So far, we’re really just putting a dent in the windfall fruit.

~~~

[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith has posted her Fishbowl Summary. I really love “Full Stop”; I also enjoy “Haunts of History”, which she wrote to my prompt.

[personal profile] lilfluff has posted a sequel to Sweet Iced Tea, set in the Tir na Cali ‘verse.

And [personal profile] clare_dragonfly has added more to “Harvest Day”, which she wrote from my prompt.

~~

Links!

Bamboo curtain door, via Wyst.
Ikea Hack+Wendy House… two things I’ve been googling a lot lately, together.

This entry was originally posted at http://aldersprig.dreamwidth.org/140807.html. You can comment here or there.

Friday, Pensive.

I’ve been thinking, after some conversation with cluudle about the nature of friendships, most specifically the idea that it’s okay to stop being friends with someone. Not sure where I’m going with that one yet; it still feels foreign.

I do know I have some really awesome friends, and some people who I call friends who are really not awesome, some people who have hurt me by their soi-dissant friendship. (Hint: If I am following you on this blog, I’m not talking about you in the “bad friend” category).

***

Cheerful stuff!

It’s apparently Bisexuality Visibility Day. So, um, hi, I’m bi.

[personal profile] lilfluff wrote a piece maybe-in-Cali.

[personal profile] clare_dragonfly wrote a piece to my prompt.

Rix_Scadeau commented on the [personal profile] meeks drawing, so have a little more Autumn.

***

Castle Playsets – http://www.yutzysfarmmarket.com/swingsets/castle-playsets/cozy_retreat_playset.php

Spy Jacket – http://www.scottevest.com/v3_store/Carry-on-Coat.shtml

***

This entry was originally posted at http://aldersprig.dreamwidth.org/133510.html. You can comment here or there.

Wednesday Good thing/Bad Thing

Good: The electrician came yesterday and fixed several things that needed fixing – disconnecting the old, scary boiler, putting in GFI’s, fixing the exterior plug that was open to the elements.

Bad: He turned off the new, non-scary boiler and we didn’t notice until we woke cold this morning.

Good: I’m back on the wagon losing weight.

Bad: Despite the 50 lbs I took off, alderfather has not yet quit smoking. Everyone now! Boo, hiss, Bad Father!!

Good: For only the second time since going on his sugar-cat diet, Drake let me sleep through the night without demanding food.

Bad: Nightmares anyway.

**

[personal profile] clare_dragonfly‘s Garden of Prose writing is awesome, check it out.

And I began an Autumn story (LJ) in hopes of getting more comments on Meeks’ sketch of Autumn (DW) ; for every comment, I’ll post 100 more words.

**

Links today are castle-based…

http://zenseeker.net/Castle/MiniCastles.htm
http://www.custommade.com/custom-arched-castle-doors/by/nopsmetalworks
http://www.yutzysfarmmarket.com/swingsets/castle-playsets/cozy_retreat_playset.php

This entry was originally posted at http://aldersprig.dreamwidth.org/132812.html. You can comment here or there.

Morning, with a small signal boost

It’s raining! Or at least grey-ing very actively.

I put together a set of wire shelves (we <3 wire shelving) last night to serve as a closet until we can finish the bedroom. Yay having closet space!

***

[personal profile] clare_dragonfly is hosting a call for prompts; her theme is herbs, and there are tip incentives.

(herbs! I had fun with that prompt!)

My own Call is on writing-the-donor-extensions, and then I will put up a poll to determine which other story gets extended. (Also – any ideas for themes?)

***

Two links for the morning:
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/you-have-to-see-the-441-sq-ft-garage-this-man-calls-home/ (this is pretty cool)

and one more goat house: http://catfishgallery.blogspot.com/2009/09/goat-house.html (not a house, actually, more of a playground).

This entry was originally posted at http://aldersprig.dreamwidth.org/131829.html. You can comment here or there.