If you want to be added so you can view my life and some occassional fannish impulses, ask. As long as you are NOT my mother, you'll be added.

Warning: the aishuu account features a lot of real life rants and some of my rather conservative politics (libertarian leanings). I was an editor/journalist for a newspaper, but after seeing how fast the industry is sinking, I jumped ship to become a paralegal.

If you just want my fic, join quillofferings to gain access to everything.


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super-secret link for ekaterinn... no, try this one EKAT! (Private)

And Hector... (private)

Yo, Sophia! (private)

Xovers for Aishuu's Reference

AUs for Aishuu's Reference

30 Kisses for Aishuu's Reference

Fic Master List for Aishuu's Reference (Private)

2006 Goals (Private)

Okay, I've compiled the 40 Days themeset thanks to some generous contributions from friends and readers. I chopped some of the suggestions down, but I think the phrases are going to work.

It's interesting having so much input, since the list is all over the place.

( Forty DaysCollapse )

I'm not sure anyone still reads this, but I thought it couldn't hurt to ask.

One of my brother's new housemates is a disabled 19 year old teen who is in love with Sailor Moon. He recently moved into the system and is not transitioning well - he's a behavior problem, and his family has pretty much abandoned him. After stopping by, I commented on a drawing of Sailor Moon in the house, and he got very excited and showed me everything he has - a cup, a blanket, and a couple of CDs. He invited me to watch an ep with him, and I couldn't say no so I'll be going over when my brother isn't around so it's clear I'm visiting with him, and not just my brother.

Something about this kid just tugs at my heart strings (even though the first time we met he fell into a tantrum and kicked me - he's mentally about 10, but emotionally about 6). I'm going through my old merch, but I never had much in the way for Sailor Moon. I'm broke (only working part time since I'm back in college yet again), so I thought I'd see if anyone had anything they could spare and wouldn't mind mailing (I am very, very broke).

The kid would be grateful for anything, and I think positive attention is something he doesn't get enough of. I'm looking for any kind of merch in good condition - he's a dubbie, but I think Japanese printing would be fine. I'm also looking for DVDs of the dubs (he has Sailor Moon R Movie, the first season of the 1990s series and the first season of Crystal). I'd also be open to other anime DVDs (I'd really love to get the kid into Cardcaptors or maybe Fushigi Yuugi) or English manga translations. Most of the animanga I have skews older (really don't want to explain things like Yami no Matsuei or CLAMP's most mature works to the house staff). He also has a couple of random shounen DVDs (Yu-Gi-Oh, Dragonball Z, Samurai Deeper Kyo), so I think he'd appreciate different genres.

If you have anything you can contribute, leave your email and I'll give you my mailing address. I appreciate anything you can donate. His birthday is this Saturday and I'm giving him the couple of collectibles I still have. He's trying to plan his birthday party, but it doesn't sound like it's going to live up to expectations from what the staff said. I'm thinking maybe Christmas....

Here's the annual “Way More Than You Ever Wanted To Know About My Yuletide Requests” letter, 2016 version. Any of these fandoms will make me happy. I don't have a preference for which we matched on, since I want more for all of them.

Generally speaking, I'm asking for a fic that fits the canon-esque tone (since these are all small fandoms, I'm pretty greedy for “more canon!” and “what happened next?!”). I've got fairly mainstream tastes when it comes to what squicks me (vore, bloodplay, bestiality, incest, necrophilia, etc.). I'm not into infidelity or injury to animals. For Yuletide I usually like a fic that doesn't end horribly for the characters since it's how I start my Christmas morning, but I'm up for humor or drama. I'm fine with smut, but I prefer smut to be part of the plot rather than PWP.

( Elemental Blessing, The Goblin Emperor, In Death, The Martian, Mercy Thompson Series, ValdemarCollapse )

Thank you for signing up, Yule Goat! Here's the annual “Way More Than You Ever Wanted To Know About My Yuletide Requests” letter.

I'm asking for two old favorites (DiR and Talents), and four things I've never asked for before! Any of these fandoms will make me happy. I don't have a preference for which we matched on, since I want more for all of them.

Generally speaking, I'm asking for a fic that fits the canon-esque tone (since these are all small fandoms, I'm pretty greedy for “more canon!” and “what happened next?!”). I've got fairly mainstream tastes when it comes to what squicks me (vore, bloodplay, incest, necrophilia, etc.). For Yuletide I usually like a fic that doesn't end horribly for the characters since it's how I start my Christmas morning, but I'm up for humor or drama. I'm also not into graphic smut, but I don't mind some sex if it's part of a bigger story.


( Belgariad, The Chronicles of Chrestomanci, The Dark is Rising, In Death, Talents Series, ValdemarCollapse )

Thanks for signing up for yuletide! This year I'm asking for fics for books I loved and obsessed about, and I can honestly say I will be thrilled with whatever series you matched with me on since there's less than 20 fics for each of these. Any additional fic for any of these series would make my day.

For these book series, I would like fics that play within the canon settings/within the world rather than alternate universes. I haven't been reading much in the way of smut lately, so either gen or light romance (please nothing overly descriptive, no pwp, etc.). I love world-exploration (all of these books have really distinct settings), character expansion, and twists in perspective/unreliable narrators. I prefer first and third person POV, but if you have an idea that needs second person POV to work, I'm open to it. I'd like something that doesn't get too depressing and avoids character deaths (with certain series-specific exceptions described in optional details below).

If you have a good idea and want to tell me a story that isn't tailored to my requests, go for it because I'm desperate for more in all these worlds. That said, I know some people like a lot of detail from their prompts, so... optional details below.

( Optional details are optional: Blossom Culp Series, Dark Angel Trilogy, Talents Series, Troubled Waters, Twelve HousesCollapse )

I only wrote one story this year, but I think it's “solid.” I enjoyed writing it and the recipient liked it. For me, a Yuletide “win” is crafting a gift for an audience of one.

The fic I wrote: the most beautiful great city, Divergent, for scribble_myname

I got really lucky with my yuletide assignment this year, in that my recipient wanted “world building” and really liked canon-based fic. This fits right into where my current interests are at, and I was looking forward to playing in a new world (and yes, with Four because Four is all kinds of awesome).

Since I didn't want to give my recipient Jossed fic (it's like giving a sweater a size off... potentially usable, but it doesn't fit right), I waited until the third book came out so I could read it and give something that fit the entire trilogy.

I can't decide if that was a good decision or not.

( In Which we discuss writer responsibility, the creation of worlds and Allegiant in generalCollapse )

The more I see of Obamacare, the more I hate it. There's going to be some winners and some losers, and I am most decidedly a loser. I just tried NY's health exchange and it is EVIL and I am praying my employers decide that maintaining my current coverage is to their benefit - I think they will, but I am not sure.

I'm holding onto being middle class by the skin of my teeth. If I get forced into the exchanges, it's going to be several hundred dollars a month for decent coverage and I'm going to be officially "working poor." It will kill my ability to save anything. I already pay about 1/3 of my income in taxes, and I cannot afford to pay more. The thing that it doesn't make clear is the status are based on gross income (actually, MAGI) which is a new term which is going to screw over the upper-middle class pretty well - if you're making about 200K, you're subject to a 3 percent income tax which was supposed to be a "medicare" tax but is actually going into the general coffers). My net income is much, much lower and I would be paying 1/5 of my net income on health insurance if I have to go the health care exchange route. But that's AFFORDABLE, according to our lovely government.

You know those so-called subsidies? I qualify for a $9 a month subsidy - but hey, it's a subsidy! When I would have to pay $300 per month for a bronze-care level of plan, and over $500 if I want decent coverage without insane copays! BUT IT'S A SUBSIDY SO I AM NOT ON MY OWN!

In theory, I support the concept of health insurance reform, but Obamacare is just a bad bill. They made too many compromises, and the resulting mess is only going to increase the class divide. It's going to help out the people who are entirely uninsured and hit the poverty lines and boost participation in Medicaid. Conversely, the people who are working their way up to the American Dream of home ownership and financial security are getting kicked in the teeth. I think this is yet another step on shifting the responsibility for the American worker from the private sector to the public sector (hello, Wal-Mart and other megaemployers that offer shit pay and no benefits). One of the major problems is that "good" jobs are not coming back from the recession, but hey, that's okay, because Uncle Sam will take care of its people!

I would be better off not working from some perspectives. If I get really sick, the best thing for me to do is quit my job, apply for Medicaid, and move back in with my parents. Is THIS the kind of policy the government wants to encourage?

I can't decide if the Republicans or Democrats hate the middle class more. I was livid about the Republicans shutting down Washington, but Obamacare is worse. Oh my god, it is worse.

I hate them all.

Thanks for getting stuck with me.

I see Yuletide as an opportunity for creative storytelling, and that's what I'm interested in. I like fics that have strong narratives and that something happens in - i.e. I'm not that into internal monologues/scenic descriptions. I like stories that explore something new about the world, and I tend to prefer longer pieces.

Anything overtly shippy may or may not work for me - it depends on if there's a plot in there, too. Same with porn... I don't really look for porn when reading yuletide fanfic. I have few squicks left - RPF, extreme bondage, maiming of animals. I like in jokes and references, but I don't think I want any full crossovers this go round.

I want a fic that leaves me happy or feeling content - while angst is fine in the story itself, I want resolution that doesn't leave the characters in a horrible place. The writers who have gifted me in the last couple years are a good point to start if you want reference, since I was very happy with the results!

( SHIELD, The Changeover, 16th and 17th Century RPF and The Dark is RisingCollapse )

I love Doctor Seuss, but I just had one of those my childhood is threatened! moments. I picked up Dr Seuss goes to War, and it was really interesting. It shows the editorial cartoons he did during WWII and the lead up to it. There is something really strange viewing Hitler from a contemporary perspective (especially in Seuss's oh-so-distinctive style). Strange, but after a bit, it somehow made a lot of sense. Of course, my favorite Seuss story is The Butterbattle Book, so maybe that's not surprising I liked Seuss' political comedy.

It gave me a lot to think on - it is very, very weird to read about WWII without the advantage of historical hindsight. Since I'm reading a ton of Avengers fic, I've been caught up in the nostalgia train, but America really wasn't as united as history paints it. In a strange way, nothing has changed. We talk about how polarized the nation has become, but it's always been that way. There's always been an "us" versus "them," but now we have more ways to communicate so the noise is just louder.

I've always found editorial cartoons an interesting look at presumed "joint" logic - read a book about George IV of England and the editorials are a heck of a lot more amusing way to learn about history than just reading or listening to a teacher drone on. Editorials make things "human" in a way that reading from books can't. I remember having a really good history teacher that would use editorials to help with lessons - I'll never forget I've decided I want my seat back as our intro to the Jim Crow era.

1 - First off, yuletide fic! My fic was Truth in the Telling, which is President's Daughter fic. Which is one of those "OMG, my CHILDHOOD" stories that I loved that no one else seemed to know. The author caught exactly what I wanted, so I'm happy.

2 - Second off, I posted two stories for yuletide. Find them, let me know, and I'll see if I can manage a fic prize. It's very strange to be writing again - I apparently need deadlines to get anything done. I think both of the stories are solid (thanks to some awesome beta jobs).

3 - Christmas was fine until the ex-wife/husband of my sister showed up. What I did not say to my sister and her ex: I don't CARE if your kids want to play happy families, you're getting a divorce so thanks for the welcome to awkwardville. Your ex wasn't invited for a reason. PS - your kids are out of control and are going to end up in juvie. Medicating them into a stupor is not going to fix the problems that lack of parenting causes.

I admit that I'm not writing much lately for a variety of reasons. I have so many works in progress I feel guilty - I'm wondering if it would make sense to write the synopsis versions of several fics so people get "what was supposed to happen." I saw joisbishmyoga do this recently, and at least it gave a sense of closure for the reader....

I'm going to the polls tomorrow before work. I don't want to go because I HATE THEM ALL, but I'm going as a sign of respect for the process. Horrible as it is, Americans have it pretty good when you look at the rest of the world.

My younger brother just announced on Facebook that "I have made the conscious decision not to vote. Not because I'm lazy or don't care but more because I refuse to take part when I know that my vote doesn't make a difference."

He then rambles about the unfairness of the electoral college, and how he's making a statement by not showing up, etc., etc. I would believe it if I didn't know him. Despite him being an avid Libertarian and a poli-sci major, I am ninety percent sure he's not registered to vote because he moved within the last year and he always forgets to do things like that. This is the kid who never got his $300 "stimulus" funds because he kept putting off filing his taxes for it, and the kid who didn't get his passport (after being told his job required it) for six months and ended up missing out on a trip to Brazil because of it. I'm pissed off at him for announcing it like that, because it is really upsetting my mother. Voting is one of my family's core values, and he's throwing it in her face.

If you're an American, don't be like my asshole little brother. Vote, even if it's for Santa Claus.

Yes, I'm considering voting for Santa Claus since I am in a blue state and my vote doesn't matter on the national level and I like this guy's style. Besides, I know there's several close local elections where my vote does matter, and I don't think I could face my grandfather's ghost having neglected to vote.

I will be so glad when this is over. I am praying there is no repeat of 2000, because I don't think I can take another month of this.

That you like the same books I do means you're literate and awesome. Thank you.

( Dear Yuletide authorCollapse )

Hotel Transylvania: The movie that sucked so hard my friend T and I walked out. Thankfully the theater comped us with "return passes" so we're not out the $12.25 (for a matinee).

In other words, the movie was godawful. Spread the word, save yourself the time and money. I haven't walked out of a film in about 10 years, but it really was that bad. It looked cute from the previews, but the previews lied. About five minutes in I hated all the characters, and things just went downhill from there. I guess it goes to show that fun character design needs story and characters in order for me to want to sit through.

In other news, I was randomly picked to give "feedback" on a trailer for an upcoming movie. I've never done one of the pretests before, and it took a heck of a lot longer than the girl said it would. It's yet another film I will not be paying for based on the previews... and they made me watch the preview twice.

Here's my wishlist for Hunger Games fic. You know how you go into a fandom hoping to find certain fics already written? Well....

( 10 Hunger Games Fic That Need to ExistCollapse )

If you've seen any, let me know...

I caved and went to see The Hunger Games and loved it (I blame fandom for making me associate it with Twilight for so long). And then spent the weekend reading the entire trilogy. I actually liked the movie better - the "behind the scenes" of the Hunger Games really added to it since the books are all limited by the 1POV narration.

Now... I'm sure there's some lovely people on my flist who are fans, and who can point me in the direction of fic. I haven't read anything or started looking at the comms because I'm still phobic of fandom as a whole. So... some people want to point me in the right direction for the awesome fic I'm sure must exist? Individuals recs, reclists, comms... tell me where to go, please! Need. The. Distraction.

Tax deadline - T minus 15!!).

OMG. MEGAUPLOAD FINALLY GOT BOOTED!

I am just amazed it took this long... and also amused at the amount of stupid in the timing. GREAT idea to ban one of the most popular bootlegging websites the day after the Great SOPA Blackout. I understand the case has been ongoing for almost a year and these things take time, but the irony kills...

The world will not end in fire or ice. Instead, it will end when people finally decide that taking away their illegal downloads is a step too far and some hacktivist will get access to the nuclear button and push it because they can't live without their p0rn.

So I left holiday cards for all my coworkers since today was my last day. I slid them under their doors, since I'm the only one off tomorrow, and I simply want to wish them all happy holidays.

One of them is Jewish and I gave her a Hanukkah card instead since I know she's practicing. Now I'm having second thoughts - this isn't some kind of inadvertent misstep, is it? She gave me candy yesterday - pretty much shoved it at me and said "Happy Hanukkah"? She's a really abrupt person and I'm never going to know if this offends her or not...

I utterly fail at multiculturalism.

1 - Not only survived the annual performance review, but got a raise. I may be able to afford to eat things other than ramen this year!

2 - Yuletide fic = draft completed.

....And then learned I have three root canals. I'll survive (dental insurance = yay!), but it's kind of the gray cloud in the silver linings. But it's hard to be miserable with a purring cat on your lap.

Glee? Actually did not suck tonight. OMG.

And I remember why I loved Quinn first season. Someone must have staged an intervention with RIB about her.

Thanks for signing up for this! Let's cut to the chase:


( Dear Yuletide authorCollapse )

New meme! Nowadays the cult of fic warnings requires lots and lots of detail to the point where it has the potential to spoil the stories... so let's take the concept just a bit further. Give me


Fandom

Character/pairing

Prompt


and I'll write you the way too detailed (and perhaps ridiculous) warning for it.

Go!

I'm keeping this unlocked because I want people to link to this.

Irene was a bitch. I cannot describe the damage it's done to Upstate NY, particularly the Adirondack region (and Vermont, but it's my hometown is most immediate to me). The storm wasn't the bad part. It is the after party that really hurts.

The story seems to be "Thank God NYC was spared!!!" And while this is true (the cost in lives could have been horrible), it's not the only truth. All I can say is that while I survived (less my internet connection - it's fried and I won't have regular access until next week which is very mild compared to everything else), a lot of people I know are in so much trouble. My parents and relatives were cut off for a while (they're fine). The places of my childhood have flooded, and I don't know if they will come back.

You have to understand the region to get what this storm did. This is a sparsely populated area that is very poor. There's lots of second homes, but the residents are some of the poorest in NY state. Travel is difficult - most depends on main thoroughfares, and when they're cut off, things go to hell. Roads, bridges, house, businesses - flooded. The downtown of my hometown was gutted, and that's half the businesses. The Keene Fire Department was literally washed away (this is the town next to us). There's few permanent news sources in the region, so I'm not sure how much publicity this is getting.

Thing is? This is the second major flood this year for Clinton and Essex Counties. In May, there was some serious flooding in the same region, and a lot of the businesses didn't reopen until July. Now this - the economy is devastated. The region didn't qualify for flood relief the first time around since it was only for the three counties... not a "big enough" disaster to manage or give federal emergency status to.

If you're thinking about donating, donate through the The American Red Cross. My local charity of choice is the The North Country SPCA (because the a LOT of people are going to be having to surrender their pets). There's very few other charitable donations in the region that are equipped to have "hands on, boots on the ground" relief efforts. The other organization which has potential (in my experience) is the local United Way - it probably won't help with immediate issues much, but there are a lot of long term issues.

I don't even know how to speak about this. I'm just too tired to cry and too overwhelmed to feel anything but depressed. I'm not looking for sympathy - I'm looking to raise awareness of the people not just in Vermont, but in my hometown region. I'm not sure what else has been done - my internet is very limited. I'm worried that this will get pushed aside as the nation finishes "cleaning up."

Edit: Someone just linked me to an issue about one of the local libraries being severely damaged. This library, the Upper Jay Library, is the heart of this community (there is literally no other public gathering spot in this town).

If you have questions about a local charity in Essex (and potentially Clinton County) about their rep or what their value is, ask it. I'll get back to you shortly - please have patience for my lack of internet service.

A coworker asked me for book recs for her young son. She wants to get him engaged in reading (and she's not much of a reader herself). He's a huge fan of House of Anubis, so she's thinking mysteries.

Here's my general thoughts. Any of you have a better bead on what to read with a six year old? I think my selections are more appropriate for someone a bit older... but then again, kids today are exposed to a lot of things I wasn't. Anyone have anything better or OMG don't tell her that's okay?

General selections:

Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective - Good for reading with a younger child. It stars a boy detective and some innocent mysteries. A rather long series, but definitely a classic.

Artemis Fowl - These are personal favorites of mine.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Lots of fun with Greek mythology, the characters are very now. There is a movie which would make a fun way to compare after reading the book.

Harry Potter - First book is appropriate for young children, but by about book four, I wouldn't let a kid under 10 read it.

Found out I'm supposed to move on Tuesday... and I haven't started packing yet. Eep. Guess what I'm doing for the next 48 hours (aside from going to work?).

Consider me on hiatus until around Christmas time.

Couple messages before I go:

nthcoincident: Totally owe you some flailing for On Centrifugal Living, which is awesome. I crashed and burned (pun intended) on "Alikes Set Sparks," so I'm going to be working on it from scratch. Hope we can chat when I get back online sometime.

sophiap, I'll email you when I have internet access in my new place. <3

darcenciel, I want to catch up with you soon. I haven't forgotten, RL is just kicking my ass hard.

ickaimp, very belated happy birthday.

Early happy birthday wishes to the December babies: kitesareevil, xandrabelle, chrysa, ronsard, satora_chan, therhoda and to anyone I may have missed.

If you need to contact me, my email is aishuuyamada @ gmail . com, which I will be checking on via my cellphone.

Ciao, babes!

I should totally stop vanity googling myself, but I can't HELP it. Sometimes you find the most interesting things:

Like someone who doesn't seem to know what fanfic is discussing that Romeo and Juliet Fic I wrote.

I'm actually giggling. It sounds kind of pretentious... calling fanfic sanctimonious is kind of funny in and of itself. I don't know why this strikes me as so... CUTE!

So, I finally got around to writing the Becky piece I've been wanting to do. For those of you who are not in the Glee fandom, Becky is a character who has Down Syndrome.

Welcome to one of my hobby horses.

( The existence of Downs characters in GleeCollapse )

Pingbot tells me a lot of things I don't want to know. Since quillofferings is a community, I receive notice when I post there, and I'm finding it a bit useful because it lets me remember what communities I've posted it to (I hate the necessity, but for example there are both gleefic and gleefics communities and I don't wanna spam people).

Anyway, I can never resist finding out when I get a notice (which is why I banned pingbot from my personal journals, since I am not THAT masochistic...) I just found out someone hated the Quinn/Kurt due to the issue of consent, because they linked the fic in a community.

It gets into why I hate the current culture of fandom - a while ago, that person would have let me know it was pissing them off... and I could tell them WAIT WAIT I'm GETTING THERE. Because I've drafted the scene, and it's coming up in the next couple chapters. I hate not being able to address things directly, because a lot of the things people complain about can be sorted with simple "wait!" or their input could help direct the course of the fic. I used to draw a lot on people's thoughts while writing since often times they'd bring up points I didn't think of. Now nobody tells me directly when I'm pissing them off, so I don't find out.

I knew going in this fic was gonna piss people off, but I decided the exploration of the idea outweighed that. I'm having a heck of a lot of fun going through the ideas, which are going to get more and more out there.

I swiped this from a comment nthcoincident made but I'd love to talk this idea out.

Golden question of fandom: if you write what people want to read, will they eventually read what you want to write?

Thoughts?


insomniac aishuu is insomniac... keep me entertained?

I'm in a Glee mood again - be afraid since I'm wallowing in Glee fandom instead of like, producing anything I should be. I'm overindulging in fic, and it's kind of an interesting study in how my brain does not follow earth logic.

1 - Fanon keeps calling Kurt gorgeous. Hello? I am a huge Kurt fan, but honestly? Chris Colfer might be considered cute, but there's no way he's gorgeous. He's actually kind of funny looking.

2 - I'm having a WTF with my brain, too. I want Kurt pairings, but right now (with the exception of Mike/Kurt) I want him paired het (Santana/Kurt, Quinn/Kurt, Rachel/Kurt....) Totally WTF since it's not that I'm scared of him being gay - it's just I don't like any of the guys. Really hope Kurt does get a boyfriend in canon who I can like and ship him with.

3 - I ship it. My favorite Rachel pairing is Jesse/Rachel. WTF, self?

4 - I want a REALLY good High School Musical/Glee crossover featuring Kurt/Ryan (because OMG so made for each other). I've seen a couple try it, but no one's really sold me on it.

5 - Quinn is still my favorite Glee girl. Again, WTF, self?

6 - I really have no love for Will.</i> Matthew Morrison might be all kinds of awesome, but I think the show is stronger when it focuses on the kids and not the adults.

So, the Mikoto fic is finally up for the Itachikage-verse. Read the fic before reading this, since this won't make sense otherwise.

( In Which Kishimoto's suckatude when it comes to female characters bugs meCollapse )

HIATUS.

I'm not ignoring anyone intentionally. If you desperately need my attention, email me at aishuuyamada @ gmail since I check that on my cellphone every now and then.

I've lost internet access. The public library where I've been going has lost its wireless through aging of equipment, so I haven't been able to get online. GRRR.... mooching at my brother's right now, but it's time to examine my finances so I can afford service at home. Good news is my father managed to get my $800 dollar car repair down to $100 (which included the inspection), so finances are better than I thought... and I am totally in his debt, which he will not let me forget.

I'll be around sporadically, but don't count on it until Memorial Day weekend.

Maybe I'll have a chance to work on some fics, yes?

So that recent author freak-out about fanfic has got me thinking, and I'm going to confess something I think most people have already gathered: I tend to like fanfiction better than original works.

Yes, this bibliophile would rather read derivative works than actual original works. This, I think, is why authors should be scared of fanfic. Not because they're being ripped off, but because I have a finite amount of time, and the time I spend reading/producing fanfic is time I will not spend looking for new authors to follow.

Part of this is the book industry's fault. The book industry doesn't produce the works I want to see – they tend to go overboard one way or another enough with the Twilight ripoffs already which is why I prefer fanfic. There's a lot more chance I will find something I like in fandom, since for me to be looking for fic for a series, I'm already inclined to like it.

So, why should the industry worry about the existence of fanfic?

It's costing them about $2,000 a year from me alone.

To explain that, you need to know about my previous book-reading habits. In high school, I didn't like TV (for much the same reason I don't like the book industry in general), so I read in the evenings (yay for living in the backass end of nowhere where my only other entertainment option was going to keg parties). I read about 100 pages an hour, and I usually finished a book a day. I also tended to favor "midshelf" authors, which were difficult to get from the library, so I bought them. I think I was spending about $1,500 a year on books through about 2002. Adjust for inflation, and you get about $2,000.

Fanfiction changed my habits. Fanfiction is free and it caters more to my taste. It's dynamic and it is produced at a much quicker rate – the industry carefully controls the output from certain authors (I think prolific ones like Mercedes Lackey and Nora Roberts come to mind) to keep from flooding the market, but that means for people like me who read fast, I have time to lose interest in the works or find something different to obsess about.

Fanfiction is good for certain writers (the ones I already follow, since the existence of fanworks keeps me interested in their works), but it means it's going to be harder to get me to pick up new writers since A – I am still wallowing in works which I previously would have lost interest in due to the existence of fandom and B – My time is limited, as I said before.

It's really pretty simple. Until the book industry is able to change its production model, I doubt they will manage to engage my attention again. Like other entertainment industries, the plethora of choices available to the consumer winnows away their fanbase. My choice just happens to be fanfic, since it's responsive to me... hell, if I ask a friend to write me something, sometimes it happens. I can't see an author catering to me, as an individual like that.

I think the recent backlash from authors manages to make the problem worse, because I find the "holier than thou" attitudes about creativity off-putting. It reminds me of the traditional battle between the elite and the proletariat. I hate being dictated to and told my tastes are wrong and not worthwhile. The more I see of established industry authors (in general), the more I subconsciously reject what they're selling. And the less I buy... I'm down to spending maybe $250 on books a year, and I sure as hell am not buying anything from writers like Diana Galbadon (who I've never read and now never will) or Orson Scott Card (who I used to like as a writer, but find so off-putting as a person that I refuse to invest. See also Cassandra Clare).

Edit: I'm still accepting requests, but I'm floating this on top so I can FIND it...

Edit the Second: If I freeze a thread, it's to mark that I completed the request. ^_^ I'll be making notes on people's journals for them (since I'm sure not everyone has their review alerts on).


I'm accepting requests for drabbles, basically to motivate me for 100fandomhell

Stipulations: It must be off the list below. They are the fandoms I'm trying to write for right now.

This is available for people who got closed out of the last drabble meme I did - so if I gave you a drabble recently, be polite and let someone else ask.

It'll be at least 100 words, and I reserve the right not to create a drabble if I'm stumped. Please try to request from different fandoms!

So: request a fandom, suggest a pairing and/or a situation. I'll try my best.

( My Scary Fandom List - ie things I will be willing to try to write for!Collapse )

More meme I need to do....

Okay, so I'm sure most of my friends list has seen the California Case where an elderly gay couple was separated in spite of their Advanced Directives. Here's Doumeki's Post on the matter.

Now, as a somewhat reformed Conservative, I haven't always been on the bandwagon with the gay marriage issue I still say civil unions for all, straight and gay, and let the churches dictate what "marriage" is. But this is something that goes beyond the gay marriage issue.

Let me go into my INTJ mode, and remove the emotional component from this issue.

Advanced Directives (aka Living Will, Durable Power of Attorney, and Health Care Proxy) are important and need to be honored. It's not just about being separated from a partner - it's about having the decisions you make while competent followed. Even if you're anti-gay marriage (or for Marriage Protection, whatever you want to call it), you should be concerned. If the government can ignore your Advanced Directives, what else can they ignore? People have the RIGHTS to make these kind of decisions, and it shouldn't be dictated to.

Not only is this a result of marriage protectionism, it's a result of the pushback against Advanced Directives, which became very popular after the Terry Schiavo debacle. A part of me wonders if this will discourage people from creating Advanced Directives, which would be very bad.

To me, while it's tragic that the partners were separated, the bigger issue is respect for the rule of law. If you enact a legal document, it needs to be respected. Even if someone outside disagrees, they are legally bound to follow the instructions of the individual whose choice it should be.

Pick one of my stories and I will tell you the first line of its sequel. Even if I was never actually planning to write a sequel. Even if it already has a sequel -- I'll give you the first line of another version of its sequel!


This one seems to be making the rounds. Have at - everything is fair game.

So Plushenko displays how classy he is by awarding himself a platinum medal. sophiap and I had a discussion about how to resolve these problems which is too good not to share.

( Martial Arts Figure Skating FTW!Collapse )

So there was a slight issue with my 31_days_exchnge assignment, so it's back to start! Instead of the 31 Suis Generis ficset, I'm now doing 31 Paths to Happily Ever After.

aetherae (Kaye) provided this list. My responses are going to range across the spectrum of fandom, although I'd expect a lot of Skip Beat, Naruto, and CLAMP.

1. do you honestly think you know who you are: Skip Beat, Roots
2. when your eyes close, your sky keeps falling: XXXholic, Butterfly Dreamer
3. i loved you most: High School Musical, Binary
4. puppetmaster: Doctor Who, Puppetmaster
5. who would ever want to be king: The Dark is Rising, And Future
6. breathe me: Highlander, Breathe Me
7. poison in my veins, prettier than scars: D. Gray-Man, Blood CrystalM
8. till death do i part: Soul Eater, Twenty Truths About Death the Kid
9. rage, rage against the dying of the light: Erase and Rewind, Death Note
10. i used to be a child of the sun: Superman, Chasing the Sun
11. reminds me that i still live: Fullmetal Alchemist, Phoenix
12. he might ____ in your _____ while you're sleeping!: Tokyo Babylon/X: 1999, The Story In Which Sumeragi Subaru Grows a Spine
13. the happy-ever-after, did you find it?: Ouran High School Host Club, We Don't Need Another Hero
14. even if i die, i'll still come back to haunt you: Card Captor Sakura, Brothers
15. you could be my love, you could be my blue: Skip Beat!, Shadow of Memory
16. i truly feel my heartbeat, The Darkangel Trilogy, The Sound of Two Hearts Beating
17. pretty hearts and pretty words, but how much of it is real?: Good Omens/Kuroshitsuji, A Hell of a Butler
18. being pulled under, under the shoreline: Naruto, Upstream
19. these daffodils, i hate them: Soul Eater, These Daffodils, I Hate Them
20. saying farewell to yourself: Gundam Seed Destiny, Moving On
21. liars will have their tongues cut off: Spirited Away, Broken Contract
22. i'd rather sleep my whole life away than have you keep me from dreaming: The Hero and the Crown, In Her Absence
23. for i have made her prison be her every step away from me, Gilded Cage, Princess Tutu
24. it's called the waiting game: Hikaru no Go, A Portrait of Touya Akira as a Young Man
25. the difference between us: Bleach, The Bottom of the Box
26. memories painted against my heart: Naruto, Twenty Dreams Deferred: The Story of Shizune
27. looking forward to death: Lord of the Rings, Exactly What He Deserves
28. she walks among the stars: Sailor Moon, Starbright
29. why, you're more handsome than a, uh...: Torchwood, How the Hell Do You Hit THAT?
30. tomorrow no longer exists: Kuroshitsuji, One by One
31. voices in the silence, please go away: Harry Potter, Voice in the Silence

Alternate 1 - the key to true love: cheating: D. Gray-Man, The Key to True Love
Alternate 2 - you call me a firestarter: Utena, Of Witches

2. song; 0:00 AM by Acid
5. song; Viva la Vida by Coldplay
9. poem; Do not go gentle into that good night by Dylan Thomas
11. song; Burn my Dread by Yumi Kawamura
15. song; Next Love by Clazziquai Project
16. song; Euphoric Field by Tenmon feat. Elisa
22. song; Fairytale by Sara Bareilles
23. song; My Medea by Vienna Teng
Alternate 1 - reference to one of the skits in Dane Cook's "Vicious Circle"

THANKS! I've got enough.

I'm seeking evocative phrases to use as a fic challenge... I want to create a unique challenge list for myself similar to a 31 Days Exchange but would prefer they come from other people instead of dreaming it up myself.

I'm hoping people on my flist will each by willing to provide one phrase so I can compile them. Snatches of from song lyrics, poetry and quotations work best, but some one-word prompts might also work. I need a lot of prompts, so I'm asking even lurkers to get involved.

No prompts on fandoms - I'll get there next. This will be the year I finish 100fandomhell!

So, yuletide is over, and I can reveal that I worked on:

The Voice of Reason, an Ayatsuri Sakon fic for therck

This was my original assignment, and it had me groaning because I really hadn't anticipated ending up with it - I was half-asleep when I was filling out the entry, and I was clicking fandoms I recognized instead of ones I wanted to write for. The morale: next year, be pickier, or else I'll wind up with a headache again.

Not that it wasn't fun once I got over the original wince reaction. Two things about it amused me: one is that I know therck through our shared love of reccing (and obscure fandoms), and two, that I ended up with an Obata series. I think this was karma.

Anyway, I've never written Sakon before and it was a challenge to walk in his head, although he is the type I often gravitate toward writing. I wasn't going to do a mystery (I suck at them, to be honest), and I couldn't think of a cool divergence to do with it, so we went to backstory. Sakon skips high school to be a traveling puppeteer, and this was my exploration of why that was the right decision for him. It was lots of detail-work for a short piece, which reminded me of writing Hikago.

Trying to get the right tone for Ukon was the hardest part, since I wanted to leave it as a is-he-or-isn't-he-sentient question, which is one of the main things that makes the entire series work. Ukon's confidence is a deliberate contrast to Sakon's lack-of-ego.

I was Really Lucky in that sakon76, the biggest Ayatsuri Sakon fan in English fandom (not that that's saying much, since the series is obscure) was willing to serve as a sounding board/editor. I also had support from sophiap (who I think was too amused at the shoe being on the other foot, since usually she's freaking about yuletide and I'm the sounding board), and februaryfour (who is still the bitchiest editor I know, surpassing even stillskies's exacting standard.

Overall, I'm satisfied with the piece and also think I'm never writing in that fandom again.


Ebb and Flow, a Juuni Kokki fic for haraamis

The last-minute pinch hit - literally. I had two hours to do this, and I think it came out alright, although I'm not satisfied with it. ickaimp graciously gave this a rough beta and picked the worst mistakes out, but I still see this as a piece in need of an editing scrub, and possibly some expansion... although I doubt I'll get there.

I've been toying with the idea of sexuality in the 12K, since we know children are produced by growing fruit. We also know there is sex, since we see brothels in several of the storylines. This is really hard to reconcile. I decided I'd use this as my lead, since I've never written Youko/Keiki.

As I was working on this, it struck me that Youko/Keiki is one of those pairings that has a lot of problems that needs to be sorted out before I'll "buy into it." The first is the power dynamics (Youko has absolute power over Keiki, although I don't think she's realized this), and the second is Keiki's past with Yo-Ou. I don't see him jumping into anything remotely romantic for a long, long time because I do believe he was deeply scarred. So that's why I left it at the point where Youko has made the decision that she wants Keiki, and is willing to work for him.

It's a good thing they're unaging immortals, because I predict a couple of decades of work will be needed.


Yuletide in General

1 - No one took any guesses on my fic, but I do owe tarigwaemir a prize for reccing both of them! I was amused and flattered, since Tari is one of my most respected friends. Whaddya want, chere? I'll take a fic request from you.

2 - I kept saying that the person who wrote my gift had to know me to hit so many of my writing kinks, and I was correct! peroxidepest17 wrote The Loved Girl.

3 - Overall, it was a good experience, although I do feel a bit put out about the whole A03 indoctrination process. But that's just me... apparently, I am going to be assimilated, whether I like it or not.

4 - I'm not surprised at the lack of reaction I received on my fics, since both fandoms are fairly obscure.

5 - I'll probably do this again, depending on where I am next year.

This is Aishuu's seventh annual "year in review." So welcome to the 2009 look-back on what I've done.

See 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003


I have written in 37 series.
I have worked on 67 projects.
They came out in 69 parts.
In all, 63 fics were completed.

( The fics for 2009Collapse )

The best fics of the year:
Bleach: Theme and Variations. One of the most in-depth things I've done (and most tiring). Cowritten with the lovely sophiap.
Naruto: Documenting Acceptable Levels of Insanity For The Shinobi Lifestyle. Had fun with this one, and it's got a good sense of humor running through it along with some deeper points about how screwed up shinobi have to be.
Skip Beat!: A History of Color. Was fun inventing the scenarios, and I think the fic paid off well for the reader.
Tokyo Babylon/X: The Story In Which Sumeragi Subaru Grows a Spine. The story I always wanted to write for X, because Subaru/Seishirou is fucked up.

The best drabbles/shorts
Death Note: Erase and Rewind. Because there's nothing like the Death Eraser.
Spirited Away: Broken Contract. A glimpse of life, pre-Chihiro, which I think fits in well with the cruelty of Yubaba.

Overall
If you look at the numbers, it looks like a good year, but most of those were drabbles. I did very well the first part of the year, but not so well the second. Part of this is because I've had a ban on releasing unfinished "new" projects, but it's also because I've been laaaaazy. I'm not really satisfied with the year's work in fandom... especially since I only did one of my resolutions...

Sadly, my resolutions are pretty much the same as last year. Maybe this'll be the year?

Fanfic resolutions for 2009
Finish: The Ghost Belonged to Me, Moon at Apogee, Pawns, Nyctalopia
Make a Damn Good Go at: Brightly Burning, Something Wicked This Way Comes
Finish 100fandomhell

Merry Christmas, all.

I got the cell phone I needed (not surprising, since my mother and I picked them out together) and all the gifts I gave went over well. We did a really light Christmas this year (about five gifts each), but it's enough. Along with the cell, I received some nice jewelry, White Citrus B&B gel and body spray, some gorgeous scarves, and a gift certificate to Dress Barn.

My older brother is acting Really Weird. I can't describe it to someone who doesn't live with someone with serious mental illness, but... I'm kind of afraid of him (again) and for him. There is something not right but I have no clue what. And I can tell he's really suffering, but his peculiar behavior is upsetting everyone.

For me, the holidays aren't the holidays unless someone comes mentally unhinged. *sighs*

As for yuletide, I am amazed at how well my gift giver did. The Loved Girl is exactly the kind of Skip Beat fic I like to read... and I can't say enough good things about the style of the piece. I really appreciate that the writer understands how structure can make a piece.

So, I wrote a fanfic for Shakespeare as part of my 100fandomhell efforts. I'm making this post here since it's nearly a rant on how much I hate Romeo and Juliet.

For some odd reason, Romeo and Juliet is considered one of Shakespeare's finest. I won't argue that there's some beautiful use of language (hello, there is a reason for the Bard to be so highly revered over 400 years later), but I simply cannot stand the story.

I think the reason Romeo and Juliet really gets to me is that it's the quintessential teenage angst/fates are cruel, and none of the characters are likable (with the exception of Mercutio, but unfortunately he's the first to go).

I don't see anything romantic about the "doomed lovers." In a way, I'd like to give them a Darwin Award, for thankfully removing themselves from the gene pool before they bred.

But after watching a performance (which my younger brother performed Tybalt in, otherwise you could not have DRAGGED me there), I decided that it's easy to find places where the play could have been turned around. So I ficced. And yes, I know I didn't write their language very well (I'm not an English scholar), but at least I feel better about getting this off my chest.

I started this to consider, thoroughly, my feelings on what I have been involved in during the who bookshop/lundi mess. I'm not dictating here, I'm not encouraging anyway to "go on the attack," and I'm sure as hell not pretending to be holier-than-thou. I don't think anything I say is actually going to matter, but it's explaining where I'm coming from. Communication is key when dealing with such a wanktastic storm.

( Very long, essay meta on the latest Hikago kerfluffleCollapse )

Several of us are hosting a Hikago chat, officially starting at 8 p.m. EST on AIM tonight (July 29). All are welcome, so ping me at "ladyaishuu" or invite yourselves to "gogoigo"!

Okay...

Which govt is more dysfunctional?

California, whose budget shortfall is so great they're issuing IOUss

OR

New York, whose Senate is in a juvenile power struggle that has including turning off lights, "sneak" meetings and a "coup?"

Discuss, please.

A friend of mine just posted about problems with her health insurance, which prompts me to create a poll because I'm curious. I joined the ranks of the uninsured two months ago since I couldn't afford my COBRA (this is the program that lets you keep your insurance after leaving a job for, like, 18 months or so) payments... they were as much as my rent for my apartment. It means I can't go to the doctor for a mild illness I have.

Anyway, Obama says health reform needs to take place this year, or it may not come at all. Not sure if I buy that, but it's something I want to think about.

Anyway - please reply to the poll if you get a chance, and feel free to sound off in comments. Last question is because I'm curious about how "American" is issue is, since I know many countries have national systems. The issue, of course, is how good the treatment in those systems is.

So, I was talking with a friend about how I'd gone through a fanbrat stage, and she said she was lucky that she didn't have the net until she was much older. She said, "if I had had the 'net, the GI Joe/Pern crossover that lived only in my brain would have been inflicted on the world."

So I'm directing a question to some of the "late adapters" of the internet - what would you have done if you'd had net access as a tweenie or teen? Write bad Star Wars fic? Get obsessed with a hairband and become a netstalker of Bon Jovi? Written dissertations about snap bracelets? (Okay, I am SUCH a baby of the eighties).

For those of you who've been online for as long as you can remember, do you regret something you did as a youngster? Should you have waited to get online?

For the record, I didn't get online till I was 15 (and that was still relatively early in the netrevolution), and I wasn't regular online until 17.