Collecting Shinies

Today, the awesome Danni blogged about the things she collects, and it got me thinking.  I know I collect stationery, that much is obvious (and usually either her's or Clairabel's fault, I firmly maintain), and what started out as a fondness for gel pens is starting to grow into something a little worrying now.

I collect books too—but that's kind of obvious too.  I've got a to-read stack that's reaching alarming proportions, and it's not counting all the Kindle books.  I can't help that either, because books just look and smell right.  They're a comforting weight in your hand, and a less comforting weight on your shoulder when you're trekking back to the bus station.

I'd love to collect models, but they're usually eye-bleedingly expensive.  I stick to the Togainu no Chi Shiki and Akira figures I got a few years back, even if Akira is a pain to dust; they're both gorgeous and so far most people overlook the fact Akira's flashing his underwear.

So I thought about it some more, and then I realised with a faintly sinking sensation that what I actually collect is computers.

Not in the "new one every year, cutting-edge technology" sense—not that I wouldn't love to—or the "obsessive Apple fan" way (I don't own anything Apple), but in a more haphazard "I need something and then I get grossly attached to it" or (more often) in the "I don't need it but I don't care" way.

So... uh...

I should introduce a new member of my family now, shouldn't I?

This is the latest part of my collection and part of the first category of 'needs': a new desktop PC bought for the intention of actually being able to render images in less than five hours without crashing at the thought of it being 2500px tall.  Here I'll qualify that this isn't actually something Sixteen's can help: he's a laptop and they're not really designed for things that make them overheat quickly, such as colossal images that only Amazon want at that size.  (The image on the screen is at 2500px tall, for reference; that's a 17" monitor and the image reaches to Kirill's hips.)

The dusty desktop in the background isn't mine, by the way.  It's my mother's, and she never got round to naming it.

So far it's working well.  We've had some issues with my 3D content that are nothing to do with the PC and everything to do with the issue of absolute pathways in save files and changes in OS—I'm only familiar with Windows 8 in terms of 8RT on the Surface so it's taking some getting used to—and maybe a few computer games have sneaked onto there (but they work so nicely I couldn't possibly ask them to leave again...).

There has, in fact, been only one real issue.

The "Name your PC" screen cropped up and I had a complete brain freeze.  It's like naming characters in games: it's something that requires great thought, lest you give it a strange or inappropriate name that completely skews either its personality or your perception of it (depending on which camp you're in in that regard).  And what with my newest project being on my mind a lot lately, I may have called it "Echo".

Still, it could be worse, right?  I could have named it after a man who went mad and coded himself into a computer system.

Hell, one day I'll end up naming a computer Durandal and then I'll be really screwed.

So... please say hi to the newest member of my technological family and most recent part of my favourite (and most expensive) collection!

The Rose Queen

I used to take part in NaNoMangO, a twice-yearly comics event in the vein of NaNoWriMo, only instead of 50,000 words in a month the object was to draw 30 pages.  I very rarely finished NNMO, mind.  My best was to complete 30 pages of two projects in the month; one of my worst is probably The Rose Queen in 2010, where I managed—drumroll please—

—two pages!

The problem was, aside from the fact that I decided to not only sketch it, but line and colour it (bad idea), that beyond the faintest outline of the story I had no idea what was happening.  I knew it involved a man boarding a ship to steal the Rose Queen, and he didn't exactly know what the Rose Queen was.  It would turn out to be a woman.

That's it.  That's all I had.  The whole premise, and both characters names, was based around a newsreader's vocal stumble and something I misread.   It's no wonder I only got to two pages.

In a fit of procrastination driven by a bout of something that could be a cold, or could be 'flu (shush), I sat in the conservatory that was, for once, fairly warm, and felt sorry for myself rather than write.

The next thing I knew, the Rose Queen was a man instead of a woman.

And a whole new world of questions suddenly opened up, ones that hadn't existed four years ago, and I could (can) barely keep up with them.

There are a lot more now

This is odd for me.  Normally a story starts to grow in my head, and I ignore it until I'm ready to do something with it.  This one has crashed headlong through the ceiling and is giving me funny looks.

The oddest thing has to be the characters.  I had a vague idea about and a 3D version of Admiral Fayth, and a 3D version of the female Rose Queen that I've since lost (I think it's on another computer), but no grasp of their personalities.  Now, with RQ's sex change he's developed a personality—and a strong sense of sarcasm—and, even odder, he and Fayth are getting along so well that I've got unsolicited sex scenes floating around in my imagination.

I'm starting to think I need to imagine a bucket of cold water.

So now my question is: wait until I know what's going on, or start writing and pray it comes to me?  And more to the point, will these boys actually let me wait?

As a bonus, here is RQ dressed up... or down? for Easter.  He wasn't particularly amused about it.

Who says procrastination is always a bad thing?

Collecting Pen-Based Addictions

(Oh look, I'm remembering to post on the right day!)

Like a lot of writers, I'm a bit of a stationery nut.  My favourite places in Nottingham involve either books or stationery (and the best kinds of places contain both), but until recently I mostly contained it to notebooks.

I think, between here and Twitter, I've documented fairly well my love of all things gel pen, particularly of the novelty kind, and my undying adoration for the Copic atyouSpica glitter pens (also known as my preciousssss).  But recently, my pen-based addiction has taken a darker, more sinister turn...

Lamy fountain pens.

(Did you think I meant sniffing permanent markers?)

My friends Claire and Danni are big, big stationery fans (I am but an apprentice in the art) and one of the things that they both mention, now and again, are Lamy pens.  They come in different varieties: not only fountain, but ballpoint and pencil too, and in various different styles and themes and, in the end, my curiosity won out.

I've not used a fountain pen in... well, over a decade, not since I was 14 or so, and I've never bought any of my own, so when I became curious I turned to them for advice and in the end bought a Lamy Nexx (the grey one) and a Safari (the blue).  I have suitable ink cartridges to go with them, and a couple of converters that allow me to use bottled inks—one of which I wrote The Fair Automaton with, and covered myself with it in the process—and, to my surprise, I've been getting on really well with them.

Recently Lamy brought out a new special edition AL-star pen in a particularly violent shade of coral.  Pink isn't really my colour, but while I was looking at it my eye was caught by the beautiful colour of the bluegreen AL-star and... well, let's just say that as you can see, my tiny pen family has grown, and my non-too-fondness of pink didn't stop me from buying two sets of limited-edition coral cartridges either.  And, of course, where there's a pen order there's other stuff too, and I seem to have found myself the owner of three Rhodia notebooks I didn't quite intend to buy (they leapt into the cart themselves, honest!) and a pretty nifty mechanical pencil that rotates itself every time you use it.

So it looks like I've picked up another addiction, to go with my sparkle-pen one and my gel pen habit...  because where there's fountain pens, there has to be a healthy range of inks to go with it!  And on the up side, at least it means I'm physically writing a lot more now, even if none of it seems to be related to what I'm supposed to be finishing this month (sorry, all two readers of Three Graces, it's not the sequel yet).

I'd say I think the guilty parties responsible for this particular addiction know what they've done, but I also think they're both quite gleeful about it really...

National Stationery Week, Day 7

Dear readers,

No, you've not accidentally missed out a day.  I was in Nottingham with my friends / local National Novel Writing Month writers yesterday, so there's no #NSW14 Day 6 post for yesterday.  But don't worry, you're not missing anything: it was Get Organised Day, so you'd only have seen another photo of my (still tidy) desk, with the words "this is as organised as I'll ever get".

Well, not quite.  I have a To-Do list and Daily Chores on HabitRPG, and that is probably as organised as I'll ever get.

Today (Day 7) is Write A Letter Day, and it's not something I do very often.

Actually, I can't remember the last time I wrote one (I don't think birthday cards count).

So you, lovely readers, are getting a letter.  They're not much different to blog posts, are they?  (Or, at least, not in my case.  Sorry about that.)

Although, if anyone would like an actual letter from me, handwritten (probably in a weird colour, possibly with sparkles) on actual paper, sent through the post with a stamp and everything, please drop me a DM on Twitter and I'd be more than happy to send one, complete with terrible handwriting and... hell, if you want, I'd even write flash fiction for you.  All addresses would be confidential and would only be used to write to you all of once etc. etc., blah blah, seriously I spend my day job swatting spam, I've got no interest in adding to it.  Especially not through the post.  Junk mail is a pain in the arse.  I'm also not a burglar, won't sell your details, really won't stalk you (too much effort and it'd mean leaving the house) and so on.

There's not really much else to say, is there?  I was very restrained yesterday, I didn't buy any more notebooks.  I did buy two Andrzej Sapkowski novels though, and a worrying amount of comics, and the gift of the entire Game of Thrones novel series from a friend.

And DVDs.  Lots of DVDs.  Turns out Hansel And Gretel, Witch Hunters is a pretty terrible film that's funny for all the wrong reasons, but The Lone Ranger is actually a pretty funny and very enjoyable movie.  Even if Armie Hammer is three years younger than me.

I feel old.

Now I'd say it's probably a good time to sign off, so have fun and take care of yourselves.  This returns you to the usual (sensible) blogging schedule for the foreseeable future.

Best regards and all that,

Pax

Meet My Desk: Celty

You thought I'd run out of these, hadn't you?

You'd be right.  I had.

However!  My little technological family expanded recently, so I'd like to introduce you all to my new Windows Surface tablet, Celty.

Celty was originally called Shizuo, mostly due to the fact that I'm unsure if it comes under the heading of laptop or tablet--most larger technical items are male, small ones like Lydia and Lucy are (surprise surprise) female.  But after using her for a while, I've concluded that she's female, thus necessitating a name change.  (I'll admit here that I couldn't actually tell you why she's female, she just... feels it, so female she now is.  Hey, I never claimed to be entirely sane, did I?  ...did I?)

I recommend DRRR!!, even if you're not normally a fan of anime.

As to why 'Celty', well... that's quite a hard one to explain, but let's just say she makes an admirable headless horsewoman, she's silent to run (but no occasional neighing or hoofsteps unless I start modifying the sounds) and she's very fast for typing on.  She can certainly stand up for herself, as can the tablet as it has one built in (hey, I never claimed to be a pun master).  Whether she emanates a shadowy substance... well, perhaps that depends on your opinion of Microsoft.

It's been an interesting experience trying to get the hang of Windows 8.1 RT, especially since it's already quite different to the version of Windows RT that comes preinstalled but I'm starting to get used to it now... I think.

The biggest surprise has been, of all things, how easy it is to type with the on-screen keyboard, I wasn't expecting to be able to reach the kind of speeds I do although I'm not sure how it'd be to use with longer nails.  Probably a little problematic, like Lydia the Nexus.  However, the touch keyboard is nice too, albeit a little odd--and yet I'm not sure how it is, because it's only like typing on the screen, but I suspect I keep expecting it to feel like an actual, physical keyboard like Sixteen's, rather than for it to be flat.

I'm looking forward to getting to know her better, but I think it's already been a pretty good meeting so far.

Even if I have already discovered my new procrastination fuel in the form of Taptiles.

Still, can't be all work, can it?

The Plot Bunny Avalanche; I Can't Turn My Back For Five Minutes...

I complained at the start of Alternate Universe Month that I don't normally write high fantasy and that it was, pardon the pun, a bit of a closed world to me.  I'm usually far happier with contemporary fantasy or pretending I know what I'm doing with my sci-fi world.

Honestly, quite recently I'd been struggling for plot.  I've got a few stories in Alex and Milos's contemporary world that need writing (one smut, one small arc that I started and then left hanging for AU Month), and the continuation of AU Month itself--I should've known better than to think I could complete a whole story in a month.  It's not worked for the last ten years of NaNoWriMo, why would it work now?

With these on my mind, I was taken by surprise when my friend and co-ML reblogged a writing prompt on Tumblr and the damn thing started writing itself in my head.  I tried to ignore it, I really did, but the more I ignored it, the more lines spiralled through my mind so in the end I caved in and wrote it.  The prompt was about a dragon rescuing a princess from a knight, but this being me the princess turned into a prince long sick of being called "fair maiden" and the dragon turned into a rather handsome man.  It turned into something quite cute and fluffy and I really enjoyed writing it.  (You can read Rescuing The Princess if you're interested, it's only around 1,500 words.)

And I thought there it'd end.  Cute one-shot fluff.

Except today I find that my prince is leaning on the sill of his window tapping his fingers on the brickwork and giving me this expectant look, while the dragon is apparently engaged in working out whether he can become a dragontaur and they both seem to think that I can provide them with another story.  Which, to my horror, seems to be something my brain is actively working on as we speak.

I went from being distinctly uninspired to having to try to fight off ideas with a pathetic wooden sword--with little success.

All I want to know is: when did my own mind become so rebellious?

Meet My Desk: Lydia

Apologies for missing last week's Meet My Desk. Work and my stupid writing project were both chewing on me, but never fear, I'm back now!

Okay, maybe it's time to fear.

It's taken less than a month for it to look like a bomb hit my desk:-

It's a little tidier now since I took the picture, but... not really by much. But everything important is still in arm's reach so I'm still happy--if feeling a little penned-in. I suspect it's time to tidy again.

Today, I'm introducing a very special lady: Lydia, my Nexus 7.

Her existence is owed in large part to, of all people, Lucy, my Kindle. I take Lucy everywhere with me because you never know when you need an eBook and when I discovered her experimental browser I was hooked. But browsing on a Kindle is a slow and fiddly process.

I'd been wanting a touchscreen system for a while but spent ages agonising over which kind to get. In the end I settled on the Nexus 7. Ordering it was surprisingly stressful (big purchases make me nervous) and while I waited for her to arrive, I turned my mind to the knotty issue of naming. Well, for maybe half an hour until I concluded that since she'd be sworn to carry my burdens, then clearly the only name suitable for her was Lydia.

I may have spent a lot of time playing Skyrim.

She's lived up to her name ever since, not least by being so awkward to get out the packaging when she arrived that I had to loosen it with a metal ruler. Ever since then we've been inseparable--she comes to bed with me and carries my burdens in the form of random notes and snippets of stories, eBooks that don't work on Lucy and is always on hand for those moments when someone says "that person in this film looks familiar, what else were they in?" She's very much the workhorse of my technological items. (She's also quite handy for Temple Run 2. What do you mean "that's procrastination"?)

She's also very useful for my friends when I'm in Nottingham--usually so some of them can update my Tumblr with questionable content and so I can inflict creepy comics on them (that was my achievement last Saturday).

She also is happy to help as a light when I'm wandering around in the dark. That's not a metaphor, by the way: I'm one of those people who never turns on the damn lights. I'd be useless in a slasher movie

Not least 'cause there's no way I'd damage Lydia by bludgeoning the killer with her.

Next week: still no idea. I'm running out of things with personalities. If you're not careful it might end up being my car.

Meet My Desk: Lucy

Tuesdays are still “Meet My Desk” days, even if I very almost forgot until around 2pm and had to wait for the sun to come out so I could take a photo.  The sunlight is very important for photos, mostly because my camera loves to make everything very faintly blurred unless the sun is out.  It’ll want a blood sacrifice next, mark my words.

This time round we’re meeting my Kindle, Lucy.

I can’t remember off the top of my head how old she is, but she’s definitely younger than Sixteen.  This amuses me for many reasons, along with her name--both her name and Sixteen’s are a massive in-joke for me that takes an explanation that always makes me sound like an idiot.

In short, they’re both named after characters from the Assassin’s Creed series, and Lucy is so named because she connects to Sixteen and he can share memories (or at least eBooks) with her.  I also happen to like the pairing of Sixteen and Lucy (which puts me in the minority in the fandom I suspect)...  And I did say it made me sound like an idiot, didn’t I?

Lucy is a quiet, steady presence in my life, and she’s responsible for two things: my introduction to indie/self-publishing and ebooks, and the existence of Lydia (who you’ll meet at some point).  Right now I can’t quite work out which one is more expensive.  She’s my trusted carrier of entertainment (and the occasional spot of heartbreak) in her exquisite coat of Tesco Kindle cover with comfortingly fuzzy lining.  I talk about buying her a shiny, more book-ish cover sometimes, but honestly I think purple suits her.

She travels to Nottingham with me too, usually so I can make ridiculous and enthusiastic noises about whatever I’m reading to my friends (who by now probably want to beat me to death with her) and on our most recent trip we made a horrific discovery together:-

New Kindles, at least in Waterstones, are black, not grey.

This has a strange, slimming effect on the overall design that wasn’t lost on me (or Lucy).  I held her up to the display model, end to end and side to side, and although I know they’re both the same size the black one remained resolutely smaller-looking.

I spent five minutes clutching her to my chest and muttering “it’s okay, you’re not fat” while my friends made sympathetic noises and did their best to reassure her.  (Remember what I said about my fellow writers being odd?)  I think she feels better now--and I really do think that the grey is a much nicer colour, personally--but I won’t be letting her anywhere near this post in case she remembers and becomes depressed.

I agonised for months before I bought her and spent ages wondering if her existence would impact my buying of traditional books (unfortunately for my bookcases, no) or if I’d simply never use her (she’s always by my side), but in the end I wouldn’t be without her.

Next time: I still have no idea who I’ll be writing about. Sorry.

Meet My Desk: Sixteen

In an effort to try to blog to a regular(ish) schedule, I decided the other day that Tuesdays are going to be “Meet My Desk” days.  Mostly because a bunch of things on my desk have had names and/or personalities assigned to them (you can’t not name technology) and partially because no one objected when I mentioned it on Twitter.

Really, Twitter people, you only have yourself to blame.

I tidied my desk the other day, I even have evidence of this! (Yes, this is tidy.)  There’s no ‘before’ shot because it was just buried under a vast stack of magazines, sketchbooks and assorted crap, but it’s all better now.  (Note: the paperwork in the background isn’t mine.  Mine’s all over a desk upstairs.)

Today, we’re meeting my trusty two-year-old laptop, Sixteen.

Well, I say trusty.  Sulky might be more accurate (sorry Sixteen).  It has been suggested that naming him after a paranoid, possibly insane character from a video game was a bad idea but aside from him having a strange personality and responding well to being stroked (this has been externally verified, sadly by my writing group who are easily as odd as me) he’s been pretty well behaved.

He has his own taste in music that doesn’t always match mine and he’s been known to insist on playing certain songs far more than is reasonable.  He went through a big Florence + The Machine obsession a few months ago and he’s quite keen on BT too.  Since my playlist is always set to random, he’s very talented at picking the right song for whatever I’m writing and has been known to guilt-trip me by bunching together songs that remind me of one certain character or another so I end up writing.

People have complained in the past that the cycling of his fan makes it sound like he’s breathing.  It is apparently, and I quote, “creepy”.

I have been known to talk to him, and there are people out there who are fairly sure that you can get a sensible answer from him by asking questions and seeing what song comes on next.  I’m not so sure, myself.  Also, it should be said I talk to everything, not just him.  I’m one of those irritating people who just mutters to themselves...

Mood swings aside, he’s been surprisingly reliable since I got him, he’s put up with being dragged everywhere (although he weighs enough that he’s stopped coming to Nottingham with me) and so far--touch wood--he’s behaved far more reasonably than my old laptop ever did.  I’ve become very fond of him!

It may have something to do with the fact that between work and hobbies I spend most of my day in front of him, of course...

Next time: another random personified thing! No, I haven't decided which yet. Consider it a surprise.