Snippets and WiPpets

So I've been kind of badly behaved this week*.  Though I've not written anything I've still rewarded myself for it.  Well... not rewarded, exactly, and not exactly for that, but the upshot is, to distract myself from the fact words mostly seem like a forlorn hope I've treated myself.

I've wanted a Playstation Vita for a while, despite not being the biggest fan of Sony as a company and having never owned any kind of Playstation in the past.  It wasn't the price of the console or the games that put me off either, but the extortionate cost of the proprietary memory cards.  But since the price of them doesn't look to be changing much, now seemed as good a time as any.

As a result, I find myself with a surprisingly nice handheld console, more games for it than I had a week after buying my 3DS, and something to retreat into when my brain wants to escape.  In short, I'm enjoying it a lot.

It's also been a good week stationery-wise.  I saw this calligraphy / stamp set when I ordered the games and couldn't resist.  The box is very attractive and I'm not going to say no to another nib, dip pen and bottle of ink.  The paper base comes out and it has a velvet inner so I'm probably going to keep my other pen and nibs in there as well.

Today also heralds the arrival of my new Lamy Al-Star in Copperorange (their name for it, not mine) along with two extra nibs (one F black, one calligraphy) and a bottle of Ocean Blue J. Herbin 1670 ink with actual gold flakes.  I'd intended to use it with dip nibs but I might just look at the pretty bottle instead...

And when I say I've not written anything, that's not entirely true.  The Vita, its memory card and a wired Xbox 360 controller (not for my Xbox, ironically enough, but my PC) were all dispatched from Amazon on the same day, but in three separate packages (bear with me).  Last month K. S. Norton wrote something about "the what-if scenes of life".  I don't really get them in relation to family life, but I do get random story snippets that relate to absolutely nothing, and as such I usually ignore them.  This time, however, faced with the sudden, abrupt idea that it'd be incredibly embarrassing to mess up and deliver each item separately, I did my best to pin it down.  At around 1am.  ...It may not entirely make sense but hey, for once I actually managed to write something.  And you're getting it right here, or I'll end up forgetting all about it.

He stared down at the package in his hands.  One package.  One last package and his round would be done.  But why did it have to be here?  Of all the places...

Nothing for it.  Heart in his mouth, he knocked on the door.

Wide eyes greeted him.  Wide brown eyes and a tentative smile.  "Yes?  Can I help you... again?"

He proffered the package, squinting against the expected tirade.  "Your delivery, sir.  Your last delivery." 

The expected tirade didn't materialise.  When he looked up, the tentative smile had become a full-blown grin.  "My third one today.  I am lucky.  Or... did you just not arrange your deliveries properly?" 

He again cursed his stupidity for telling his coworker about the handsome young man on his round who always opened the door with such cheerfulness.  "I..." 

The man leaned in to take the package and simply didn't move from there.  His breath tickled his lips.  "Or would it just be easier to give you my phone number?" 

His heart skipped a beat; he didn't let go of the box.  "I could... warn you about deliveries beforehand..." 

The grin widened.  "How about you warn me of the delivery I really want.  Say yourself, at six o'clock?" 

Phrased like that, how could he refuse?  After all, he'd always been told the customer was always right...

And that's not even today's WiP.

Oh, and there was a very short exchange between Fayth and RQ too, but you'd have to ask nicely for that one.

* I've started to notice that my weeks no longer run from Monday to Sunday, but from Wednesday to Wednesday...  Don't know whether to be amused or worried.

WiPpet Wednesday

First off, WiPpet Wednesday is K. L. Schwengel's fantastic idea, a blog hop where participants post sections of their works in progress and relate it to the date.  You can read the other posts (which are always brilliant) and take part yourself over here.

What with The Rose Queen not being originally intended to be my main canon, so to speak, I've run into a bit of a problem.  There's the snippet I want to post, which makes no sense without context you didn't get, and there's the context, which is from the first chapter and thus isn't in chronological order.

In the end, since it explains both what was going on with RQ when Fayth arrived as well as just why he's so lost the second he leaves the habitat again, we're flicking back to Chapter One.  Sorry about that.  Normal(ish) service will be resumed next week.

Since it's the 18th February 2015, this is 1+8 for a total of 9 paragraphs and has a profanity and content warning.  Fayth has just arrived on the ship and is trying to blend in with the crew while he finds his way toward the habitat, though not all the crew seem worth blending in with.

It was a fucking rabbit warren.  He’d expected neat, straight corridors that mirrored the rigid, austere lines of the ship, but no.  Someone had decided that twists and turns were the way to go, and just when he thought he was heading towards the habitat he realised he was off in completely the wrong direction for the fifth or sixth time.  For all of its massive size, the giant dome seemed to be the last place they wanted anyone to go, and it had taken him an embarrassing twenty minutes to reach this conclusion while spectacularly failing to reach the dome itself.  In desperation he swung around a corner into the crew quarters, and straight into a group of men huddled around a single small screen.

“Sorry,” Fayth said, as nonchalantly as possible despite his pounding heart.  Shit, worst possible timing; all it’d take was one person to notice he’d never been there before...

The expected anger never materialised.  It was all the injured party could do to lift his eyes from the screen.  “No problem, mate.”

Fayth shrugged and resumed padding down the corridor while the men resumed their conversation.  “I always figured ‘Ice Queen’ was a better name,” one said, snorting back a laugh, “but shit, looks like I was way off the mark there.”

Pausing ostensibly to look at a overstuffed noticeboard, Fayth suddenly found their inane conversation the most interesting thing in the universe.

“No kidding.”  The second whistled appreciatively, never taking his eyes from the flickering display.  “Certainly opened up for him.”

“They’re not speaking now, but it’s not stopping everyone else having a go,” the first said.  “Maybe even you’ve got a chance.”

“Chance?”  The third said, licking his lips.  “From what I hear, all you gotta do is ask and you’ll receive.”

“Ask?”  This time the first speaker’s laugh was ugly; Fayth crushed the urge to stride over and punch him.  “I don’t remember saying anything about asking.”

Adventures With The IRS - Receiving An EIN

As I'm in the preliminary stages of preparing for my first "proper" ebook release I realised that I needed to stop faffing around and (finally) apply for an EIN from the US Internal Revenue Service.

The thing is, I'm terrible with phones.  Anything that involves calling people I will try to put off time and again.  It's hard to believe that I was actually a legal secretary once upon a time (well, four or five years ago) and therefore had to field calls all the time.

As a result, it's been pointed out to me that with the amount of time I've now spent avoiding calling the IRS, I could have just faxed them the relevant form and had the EIN...  so, with that in mind, I loaded up Skype with £10 credit, sat in my office, steeled myself and gave them a call.

Whereon, having selected option "1" from the automated system... I promptly ended up on hold.  Their opening hours are 6am to 11pm EST so I was actually ringing around 10am, pretty much when other people finally screw up the courage to ring about tax issues, but I was only on hold for about 6 minutes, which was impressive.  If I'd been ringing the UK version I'm pretty sure it would have been significantly longer than that.

When my call was answered, I'm not entirely sure I made myself clear straight out the gate (I'm really out of practice with phones...) but once we got past my stupidity and he identified the fact that I'm clearly an idiot he spelled everything out for me and made it all significantly less scary.  We went through the form SS4, which I'd already filled out in Acrobat (you can download both it and its help file here), and I discovered that I am apparently unable to phrase the letter "D" (it's the Midlands English accent), which made life difficult as my address contains a few of the little blighters... but about ten minutes later he gave me my EIN and also answered my question on whether I have to file a 0 amount to the IRS for tax purposes (the answer is no, you just file taxes in your own country as normal).

So I'd like to extend a huge thank you to the lovely Mr. Witt, should he ever see this (and hopefully I've got his name right; I'm terrible when I panic), because he spelled my name properly, he made the whole process easy, quick and painless, and he also made me laugh (intentionally).

If you're putting off getting your EIN because it seems daunting, or because calling the US is a frightening and potentially expensive experience, don't.  It's a super-easy process, especially if you've already completed your SS4, you get your number straight away over the phone with a confirmation posted to you, and the best part?

As I called using Skype, a 15-minute phone call cost me 35p.

Efficient and affordable.

The Obligatory New Year's Post

Happy new year!  I hope 2014 will prove prosperous and full of joy for everyone.

I have a habit of making resolutions, some of which I stick to and some of which I miss by miles--and then there are the ones I completely forgot about until after the event.  I can't tell you what last year's were, because I can't actually find them.

This, too, is pretty normal.

So in an effort to keep my resolutions somewhere I can find them (seriously, I'm sure I wrote them on Tumblr last year but I'll be damned if they're there now), I decided to write them here.  There aren't many.  There never are.

   1. Read at least 20 books this year.

I managed over 20 last year (it feels weird writing that on the 1st January, when last year was only yesterday), although it was partially with the help of the Goodreads 2013 reading challenge.  I signed up to read 10 books in a year, which I hoped was manageable.  In the end 22.  So hopefully, if I resolve to read 20 I'll manage 30.

   2. Write one story a week.

I already try, but I have this terrible habit of writing stories in my head that never end up on paper--I already imagined them from start to finish, why would I write it?  But that doesn't get anyone anywhere, does it?

   3. Finish some of the story arcs I've left hanging.

Related to 2., but slightly tangential.  In particular it's both parts of the Unravel AU, the spectrum Three Graces arc, the second Unravel NaNo Present Day arc and the last chapter of the Steampunk novella.  I should make a plan of attack for those.

   4.  Finish five computer/console games.

I say this every year and I'm pretty sure I didn't succeed last year.  I've got this awful habit of never actually finishing games, either because I lose interest (I have a week's window to get things done or it'll be put off, possibly indefinitely) or because the game in question is enormous and I have to stop playing it or I will get absolutely nothing else done (Borderlands 2).  Let's see if I can finish some this year.

   5.  Try not to be such a whiny and self-pitying shite.

Pretty self-explanatory.  Although to be honest I think I failed that one with the simple resolution.

Let's see if I can check off any of these by the end of the year.

Committing To A Schedule

Or at least trying to...

I'm aware of the fact I've failed to blog consistently for months.  In part this has been due to failing to write anything regularly, part due to NaNoWriMo (I acknowledge that only accounts for a month), a small part due to redecorating--I'd intended to start this earlier this week but apparently painting takes forever and wallpapering half a wall takes a whole day--and part due to sheer laziness, because after everything else I'm knackered.

So I'm going to try to commit to a more regular schedule where Tuesdays, which used to be Meet My Desk days until I ran out of desk for you to meet, will be reviews of stationery (and maybe technology and books) and Fridays will be general blogging days, much like this.

It seems an easy enough schedule to stick to, which probably means you can expect resounding failure!

I won NaNoWrimo for my eleventh year with the Unravel AU, this time set nine years on from my Ridiculous Challenge.  I might even finish this one outside of November as I realised both how to end it--not usually my strong point--and the existence of some unintended plot points along the way.  I also need to finish up the steampunk novella, which is still in desperate need of a name; I'm not sure why I'm having trouble with it as I'm actually on the last section of the whole thing, but there we go.  Maybe I should challenge myself to finish it before the end of the year?

In a desperate attempt to write more regularly I'm intending to resume posting at Runaway Tales (one piece already posted, as well as crossposted to my usual place: "One Step Closer")as well as signing up to niee87's annual "I'll Jingle Your Bells" porn ficathon which I wholly recommend joining, especially if you're shy about writing porn.  I was nervous last year when I signed up and now look at me.

Take that as you will.

So with fingers crossed I'll actually be able to take up posting more regularly, as well as posting more stories.  And on the subject of posting and stories, if you have any opinions (and I know everyone does, even if secretly) on how and where you prefer reading online, please please have a quick look over the wordily-titled "How Do You Prefer To Read Fiction Online?" post, vote and add any comments if you wish.

I think that's about it, so hopefully I'll be seeing you again next Tuesday with a review of the Copic atyouSpica pens!

I Had An Epiphany (but don't worry, I cleaned up afterwards)

I did say that I expected to get over my disappointment in myself and my story.  It just took a little longer than I expected.

Well, no, that's not entirely the case.  It's still there, chewing away at my heart.  But I remembered something important.

I'm not intending to show anyone this story so that feeling can sod right off.  Following on from one of the posts I linked to before, it's my story and I'll write what I damn well like, even if it is atrocious.  I can always edit later, I can pretty it up and fix the awkward phrasing.

But I can't do any of that if I don't finish it.

And on that note, since no one else is going to see it, I realised something else--I don't have to censor myself as much as I have.  I'm not sure why I was, honestly.  Some peculiar in-built sense of... decorum?  Gods only know.  But it's quite liberating to know I can now go back to some earlier scenes and make them smuttier.

Or, as I referred to it on Twitter earlier, "racier" (a sure sign I'm getting old).

What brought about this little revelation, other than moping around and whinging for a couple of days?  Nothing complicated, just that after changing my icon I wanted a new background for my Twitter page, so I decided to make a more relevant one using my main character, Kirill.  After I'd finished working on it and loaded it, I thought he looked lonely, so I reworked it to include Niko, Kir's love interest.  Working on that and thinking about their relationship gave me the kick up the arse I needed to miss writing them.

Bit of an odd thing to drag me to my senses, I guess.  Well, it was that and the sex scenes I won't be able to write if I don't get cracking, because it turns out that Niko has taken quite a liking to Kir...

Anyway, isn't the point to have fun, above anything else?  I'm not going to let someone else spoil or take away my fun--especially not when in the future it gets to involve some light bondage and ridiculously cute conversations smack in the middle of sex...

*fans self*

If you'll excuse me, I've got a project to finish.

I'm Due That Kick, Consider It A Present

Last week I talked about how we're all allowed to write crap, and in fact writing crap is preferable to writing nothing.

I also--foolishly in hindsight--said that if I hadn't written 5,000 words or more in a week, said people were free to hunt me down and give me a kick.  (Please don't kick me too hard.)

I wrote around 1,200 words, and then started replaying Dragon Age 2.  I have edited several lines several times however (yes I know...), and at least did make a couple of things a bit clearer.  My main character is not in the best situation ever at this point in the story and my brain, my fingers or my heart (I'm not sure which, it might be all three) is/are rebelling at what is going to happen.

Kirill's life is about to become difficult and although things will get better afterwards, I'm stuck at my last line: "Everything was as it should be."  Something in my head illogically insists that if I leave it there, the bad stuff won't happen.  Of course, if I leave it there the good stuff won't happen either and my main character will be trapped in an awful limbo, believing something terrible has happened to the man he's fallen in love with without anything ever being proved or disproved.

Which, I think we can all agree, is a Bad Thing.

And, although I have no direct evidence to show for it, I'm starting to feel more confident in the relationship between Kirill and Niko.  An important part to my characters for me--although it may sound a bit odd--is how they interact in my head when I'm not thinking much about them; for instance, Alex and Milos have a near-constant stream of bickering that occasionally leads to sex that crops up at the strangest times.  For quite a while I'd had absolutely nothing from Kirill and Niko, which was concerning.  And then I accidentally wrote fluffy almost-smut based on nothing more than a scene prompt and realised that actually they do get along.  And then an actual sex-scene occurred in my head--I've not gotten around to writing it down yet--and suddenly I'm feeling a lot happier about the whole thing.

But at least my Dragon Age replay has been going quite well...  In some ways I can consider it research, because at some point last year I started hearing my character Alex's voice as Gideon Emery's (the voice of Fenris).  Make it slightly softer and more Midlands-English and it's a perfect fit for him, so I'm topping up my memories.

See?  It's not all bad.

(As an aside, I'm 30 today.  So at least for today I hope I have an excuse for not writing!)

"You're Allowed To Write Crap"

I have to keep reminding myself of this, because I forget and then I just keep editing a sentence or two until I'm satisfied with it... and then I'll go away, then come back and edit them again.  Which is ironic really, because I vary wildly between editing until it's as dry as dust, and hammering it out in one big blast, checking for errors and the worst examples of repetition and then booting it out into the wild.

I am allowed to write crap.

Because writing pages and pages of crap is better than having one nicely polished sentence.  There's a lot more you can do with those pages than with that one perfect, isolated line.

I've managed to find things to do instead of writing.  I have a very nice village in Animal Crossing, for instance.  I've listened to all 28 podcast episodes of Welcome to Night Vale (12 hours and 2 minutes), during which no writing could occur because you have to actually listen to them, not do something that'll distract you and mean you need to rewind.  I sketched and inked a fairly rough picture of Kirill (it's not procrastinating if it's drawing the character you're supposed to be writing about, surely).  I've moved pallets around (the big ones, not the painting ones), taken the dogs for a walk, spent time on the treadmill in my desperate bid to lose some weight...

I've just done everything but writing.  And when I do sit in front of my Works document--don't laugh, I've been using it for 16 years now and the only other thing I'm comfortable with is Abiword; I'm well aware that's abnormal--I just edit the last sentence I wrote.

So... this time next week, if I've not written 5,000 words (or, ideally, more), you have permission to hunt me down and give me a quick kick.

No, I won't tell you where I live...  hey, stop planning the trip already!

So if you're struggling too, remember this.  You are allowed to write crap.  Even if it takes ages to do it, even if you've spend 12 hours being distracted by a voice, at some point sit down, stop worrying and start writing.  We can save the editing for later...  and then really go to town on it.

What's In A Name?

This is something I’ve been discussing with a couple of friends recently.  I, like some of my friends, don’t use my real name online.  It’s not just to avoid the possibility of friends, family and scary stalkers finding what I write, it’s also that as I write fiction it’s not a particularly good idea to have a name easily confusable with someone else’s.

I, unfortunately, am not blessed in that department.  In the early days of the internet, searching for my name brought up just me and a memorial garden in the US (was it an omen?).  These days?  It’s swimming in people with the same name, hyphenated or not, including a couple of authors.  For everyone’s sanity--including the authors who undoubtedly don’t want their work confused with mine!--pseudonyms seem to be the way to go.

But when it comes to choosing a pseudonym, how do you approach it?  Do you go for something sensible and plausible as one friend has?  Or do you go for something pretty but completely out of left-field, as some romance/erotica writers do?  Is memorable the best way to go, even if it might be a nightmare to spell?

I’m weighing up two options myself.  Do I stick with the plain and frankly impossible-to-Google (try it) “Regret Nothing” that I’ve been using for the last few years?  Or do I go for the pretty-but-unlikely name I was using in a different field, “Pax Asteriae” (again, try it).  If you trusted me not to lead you into porn-site hell, then you’ll have noticed two very different results: one brings up pages and pages of random sites, whether you wrote the name in quotes or not; the other will bring up only two very specific pages, both mine. The consensus has, so far, been to be the one that stands out.

This isn’t as big a deal as I’m making out.  I’m not a published author.  I don’t think I’ll ever even attempt it (I write, semi-prolifically, for enjoyment and nothing else) but at the same time, a name is a big part of you, even if it’s not the name you’re called by in everyday life.  If anything, this makes it more important--it’s not the name you were given, it’s the name you chose.

Maybe it’s time to make the change, and finally choose to no longer hide.