Author Archives: Sam

I hope everything goes well today! I’ve got everything crossed for you. ~ Santa

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Thank you Santa! *hugs you*

A few people know my mother is getting married on Saturday. However, I wouldn’t blame them if they were wondering why that was keeping me so busy. After all it’s mum’s wedding not mine, even if I am the best woman. Well that isn’t all I’ve been doing…

I haven’t wanted to say anything publicly in case it jinxed it, and truthfully I’m still a little worried. I got a pretty clear indication today but nothing is in black and white, nobody has signed on the dotted line so to speak, so technically it could all still come to nothing. That being said I’m 99% sure it’s going to happen and while there’s still some uncertainty, I think it’s about time I come clean.

Unless something unexpected happens I’m going to university in September!

I’ve applied to do English Literature with Creative Writing at the local uni. What was said today strongly suggested that I have a place at the university. However, they aren’t sure whether I can start the course directly or if I’ll need to do a humanities foundation year first. I haven’t been in education for a while and I don’t have a background in classic literature. They think I’m more than competent at the writing part, and I know my contemporary/genre fiction, but I’m not so familiar with the classics as I’ve not studied English beyond high school which was over a decade ago.

So the application is kinda in limbo until that’s resolved. I need to write another essay to check if I’ll be able to keep up. It should be sorted early August which is before A level results come out so hopefully I’ll sneak through and get my place confirmed before all the places are gone. That was said today which is why I’m pretty sure I’ll have a place on something (either the foundation year, or the start of my dream course), but it isn’t a done deal and I don’t think I’ll breathe easy until it is all confirmed. I’m terrified it’s all going to go wrong.

Anyway, that’s why I haven’t been on tumblr much. I’ve been putting together my application, and panicking because I really want this, and well like I just said I’m terrified it’s not going to work out. Truthfully, even when I’ve had the time lately, I haven’t felt like being on tumblr because my mind has just been consumed with thinking about the application. Plus you know there is the matter of the wedding. It has been a busy few weeks.

I might take Sunday off. Once everyone leaves in the morning and I have the house to myself, I might declare a duvet day and nap and watch movies. Then Monday morning get up bright and early and start the ‘to do list’ again 🙂

I hope you are having a good week Santa! Thanks for your thoughtful message!

Firefly!

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1) My opinion of the movie in less than 5 words
Inconsistent, Serenity was mostly better

2) If I approve of the ending
No they stopped it just when it might have been getting interesting. The TV movie ‘wrap-up’ made the show a lot better aside from the character death which I totally deny ever happened.

3) If I ever rewatch it
I don’t own it so I can only rewatch it when it’s on Netflix or Amazon Prime. I have rewatched some of it a couple of times. I greatly prefer some episodes to others. I think it depends on how much focus there is on River and Simon. I’m not very fond of them.

4) Who my favorite character is

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Zoe without a doubt!

5) Who my least favorite character is
As previously mentioned it’s River.

6) My favorite scene
I really liked how badass Zoe was when she rescued Mal and Wash. I also liked it when River screamed because Shepherd Brook didn’t have his hair tied back and Zoe said something like if she wasn’t so busy she’d have screamed too. Any scene with Zoe really. It’s hard to pick. I love how badass she is, I love her sass, I love her loyalty and her common sense, and I love how much she loves her husband and how comfortable they are together.

7) My favorite romantic pairing

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As you can probably guess Zoe and Wash 110%!

8) My favorite non romantic pairing
Mal and Zoe. They are friends, they are commander and second, they work seamlessly together and compliment each other. Mal can be an ass but then I guess Zoe just has to remind him to listen to her more 🙂

Ask Me? Movie/TV Show Ask Game

Hi from Santa! Don’t worry about not replying sooner, I know how busy you are at the moment. I’ve made real headway on your gift this week and everything is on time and on target for the 23rd. Now, to think of a title! Always the hardest part. I’ll send a little teaser snippet in a separate message. Hope that things quieten down soon! ~ Santa

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A teaser snippet!: /Still fuming with barely contained ire, Gold thought of the man at table twenty with his medium rare steak. He had so wanted to take off his apron, shove it at the guy and haul him into the kitchen, telling him that if he knew best, he should try running the kitchen for the night and see how he liked it. “Erm, chef?”One of the waitresses was hovering nervously. “What?” he snapped. “The brulée’s on fire,” she squeaked./

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I think that about expresses my feelings!!!

You are incredible Santa! Eeeeek I’m so excited 🙂 Massive congrats on making headway on the fic, I bet that feels like such a relief what with the deadline looming. Plus I know how stressed you were last week so *huge hugs* yay you! Titles are definitely problematic, I hear you about them being the hardest part! I’m sure whatever you choose will be brilliant!

I feel like I should quote Teal’c from Stargate SG-1 right now. He said something like “Things will not calm down Doctor Jackson, they will in fact calm up.” and that’s kinda what this upcoming week is looking like. If it’s not one thing then it’s something else. Wednesday is a key day. If it goes well I’ll still be busy because of Saturday but I’ll be happy. If it goes badly… well let’s not think about that. Positive thoughts!

I hope you are having a good weekend Santa and that the upcoming week is good to you! *hugs*

ask game for writers – 4,5,6,7

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Thank you anon 🙂

4) Do you have writing habits or rituals?
Answered here 🙂

5) Books or authors that influenced your style the most?
Answered here 🙂

6) Favorite character you ever created?
Hmm I just scanned my masterlist and this is a tricky one. I don’t believe I’ve created any OC’s in anything I’ve posted. I’ve made some minor characters my own perhaps like Mitchell Herman (Cinderella’s father-in-law) but I’ve tried to base every character on an existing one. OC’s are something that are very hard to get right. Robin4 has created a number of incredible OC’s, I wish with all my heart that Morgan was real, I’m a big fan of Morgan heh.

Anyway, I wrote a lot of OC’s when I first started writing fanfic *gulp* maybe … 16 years ago? Man I feel old now and that was because I was inexperienced. I threw an OC into the mix to make things happen – I was 11 and I learned that was a bad idea. Seriously, I’m so glad I don’t think any of that is still floating around the internet *cringes* but my point is I shy away these days from posting OC work. I’m wary of getting it wrong, I’m terrified of conflict and I can picture the disdainful insults already. Especially in a fandom that is so invested in the ships.

That’s not to say I haven’t got some OC fanfic on my hard drive. Back in between season 4 and 5 when I discovered the show, I created a son for Rumbelle. I gave him several different backgrounds as I played around with different scenarios. I was privately quite amused when Gideon hit the screen, because one of my favorite backgrounds involved my Rumbelle son being taken as a baby, and raised to be the right hand of a villain which well is a little familiar. The show made my OC real kinda.

7) Favorite author?
I’m fairly certain I’ve answered this before. The most enjoyable book series I’ve ever read was the Diagnosis Murder series by Lee Goldberg. TV-tie-in books, pure trash really but I loved them. It picked up and continued from the high point of the series, written by one of the executive producers who really “got” the characters and it was like having the show in book form. I admit there was a nostalgia element, it was like a slice of childhood as I haven’t really seen the show in years.

However, would I say he was my favorite author? I don’t know. I’ve not read anything else by him so how much was the subject matter and how much was his style? What even was his style? I mean he evoked the feel of the show with the irreverent tone and humorous descriptions. Would another book of his read the same? I don’t know. Plus if I say he’s my favorite author then that’s not very “well read” of me is it? Oh well I’m afraid that’s the only answer I have right now. I guess I’ll have to think on it some more.

49. What do you find the hardest to write in a story, the beginning, the middle or the end?

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Oh the muddy middle definitely.

Unless my mental headscape is bad in which case everything is equally difficult but presuming things are running how they should…

In the beginning everything is bright and shiny. I’m enthusiastic and I’m feeling positive. This is it! This is a great idea, ooh-rah.

Uh-oh. I hate everything. I hate the story. Why did I think I could write again? This is a terrible idea. Well alright maybe the idea is ok but the execution is definitely lacking. Nothing makes sense, every word is just awful. This is definitely the worst thing I’ve ever written. I want to burn it in fire. It’s dragging, it’s boring, I’m just repeating myself. How many words have I got? Ugh recount must be lying. Oh this is interminable. This is terrible.

Woah I can breathe again. There is light at the end of this dismal and dark tunnel. I never want to see this story again but whoop downhill, massive race to the end because I want this to be over with! Mad rush, big finish. Oh phew it’s done, I’ve typed the end.

So yeah the beginning has enthusiasm, and the end has proximity to well the end – it’s the middle that causes all the problems.

47. Do you start with characters or plot when working on a new story?

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Characters, I’m certain it’s characters because they drive the story. The character makes the plot because it’s not about “what happens to them” it’s about “the journey the character makes and what changes about them”. I don’t know if that makes sense.

Like, ok I might start with something that seems like “plot” first e.g. the ConArtist!Belle and Mark!Gold AU fic that basically popped into my head due to my love of Leverage and Hustle. I just sort of wondered about a crew like that hearing Gold’s “bad reputation” and going to take him down but Belle realizes he’s not the man she thought, and she was glad and very much in love, but Gold thinks she’s someone she’s not.

So immediately it turns back to the characters. Without them there is no story. I mean even a “case of the week” show like Leverage still springs from the characters. The cons are secondary to the subplot of something a character is going through, or the character works it out through the con. For example I mean Parker in Leverage had an amazing character journey. She went from being completely closed off and stabbing people with forks because she didn’t know how to talk with them. To showing her compassionate heart, to falling in love and building a family with the team, making friends and well she got better at being a con artist and able to perform a role. I love Parker.

Anyway, characters create the plot. I might have a “situation” but if there’s no character journey, if nothing happens to change life for the characters, then there’s no plot. I’ve written series fics before and after the first couple, I don’t need to “think of a plot” because the characters have it covered. Based on what happened to them in the first couple of ‘episodes’ they now are telling me what needs to happen next.

TLDR: Characters definitely.

For TMI: 1. Describe yourself how you would describe a character you’re introducing.

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*cringes* Character description is a weakness of mine anyway and describing myself? Urk. Ok well I’ll give it my best shot…

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Sam closed her eyes, and rubbed at her forehead before returning her hands to the keyboard. Tiredly she ran her left hand through her short dark hair, lingering on her bad shoulder, waiting for the joint to crack. It had been a long day. She pulled her dark brown eyes away from the monitor, to gaze at the fading daylight outside the window. The trees were still and the sky was clouded.

She thought about her heavy duvet on her bed. British weather was so changeable, it had gone from 30 to 15 practically overnight, and the last week had been pleasant but now it seemed set to get warmer again. Sam felt the cold easily but even she thought a winter duvet might be a bit much tonight. Her lighter duvet was tangled up with another blanket on her couch, legacy of a snatched TV hour earlier in the week. However, just the thought of moving took too much energy so she resolved to deal with it later.

Although Sam screwed her face up, feeling her glasses against her nose, she probably should stand up and turn the light on. She glanced down at herself critically. Her khaki chinos were scraping the small of her back again, the fabric bunched uncomfortably and held in place by her new belt. She’d been made to buy another, as the old belt had so many extra holes punched into it the end tucked into the next belt loop around on her side. It was amazing what a difference a loss of thirty five pounds made. Her dark red t-shirt hung loose, too large even for a ‘baggy-style’. She was back to her college weight now, back to wearing size tens and twelves. She’d actually bought a t-shirt earlier that week that was sized for an 11 year old boy.

Reluctantly Sam stood, berating herself for being lazy, and padded the four steps to the other side of the room to flick the light switch. She took a detour to the window and pulled the blue curtains closed before returning to her desk. Sam’s lips twitched as she wondered how many steps it would be for a taller person. Everyone always went on about how small Emilie De Ravin was but google reckoned the amazing actress was about her height.

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Ok I think that covers it? Hair color, eye color, height, general body. I’m sorry I know it’s bad. I’d usually try and weave it in over a much longer scene/multiple scenes with dialogue and things happening. Just all clumped together it’s exceptionally boring. Sorry.

Hey Giftee! I hope you’re doing ok. My week did eventually look up so I was able to work on your gift today; I reckon it’s about 1/3 done. Would you like a snippet to fill your stocking? ;-) ~ Santa

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Hey there Giftee! Not sure if my last message got through, but either way, things are definitely looking up in Santaland and I’m in a much better place than I was a week ago. I hope you get to be less busy and can work on your own gift soon! ~ Santa

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I am so sorry. I got your message and intended to reply and then flat out forgot. I didn’t mean to be rude! I suppose I could have pretended tumblr ate it but that would have been dishonest.

I am utterly thrilled that your week improved! I was worried about you *hugs* so I’m really so pleased that you are feeling better! A snippet would be fantastic yay! honestly it really does feel like christmas heh 🙂 Actually this is better than christmas! All the craziness ends on the morning of the 16th, so if nothing else I’ll have the last week to finish my RCIJ *guiltily contemplates WIP’s* I have two weeks with nothing to do but write. Hopefully I can make the most of that!

You are the best Santa! Again I’m so sorry about forgetting to reply *hides* and I’m really happy for you that things are better *hugs* Hope you have a great week!

TMI Tuesday

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Ask me about the show. Ask me anything about my fics, ask my characters anything. You can send me a word and if it’s in my WIP doc then I’ll post a teaser snippet. I accept prompts for any of my existing verses.

This week I posted:
Nothing. I wish that’s because I’d been working on my RCIJ but alas no such luck. Life is a bit crazy right now but I really enjoy TMI Tuesday so I can’t miss it heh 🙂 Feel free to hit me up if you like. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to answer.

Ask Box

Masterlist

You could also ask me a question off any of these lists.