I was very honoured to be selected for an "In the Writer's Studio" style Q&A at sick_wilson. The mods compiled a series of excellent questions, which I tried to answer as best I could (hopefully without sounding like too much of a tool).

Please feel free to drop by to join in the conversation. I'll be checking in all day in case anybody has any additional questions.

More importantly, keep an eye out the next few weeks for Q&As with three of my favourite writers:

nightdog_barks - April 18
deelaundry - May 2
hwshipper - May 9

Title: A Warm Body
Author: Mer
Characters: Wilson, House, Cuddy
Rating: PG
Word Count: ~3000
Summary: "Beware of people who dislike cats." – Irish proverb. FDR and Churchill liked cats; Hitler hated them. Wilson knows which side he’s on.
Disclaimer: All rights belong to David Shore, Heel and Toe Films, and Bad Hat Harry Productions, in association with NBC Universal Television Studio.

( I simply can't resist a cat, particularly a purring one. They are the cleanest, cunningest, and most intelligent things I know, outside of the girl you love, of course - Mark TwainCollapse )

Title: The Fourth
Author: Mer
Characters: Wilson, House, the Wilson family
Rating: G
Word Count: 5900
Summary: The only thing Wilson ever wanted to be was a doctor.
Author’s Notes: I started writing this more than four years ago, but I wanted to post it on the Fourth of July and kept missing the deadline… I’ve always believed that Wilson is the same age as RSL, and will continue to do so until TPTB can get their dates straight.
Disclaimer: All rights belong to David Shore, Heel and Toe Films, and Bad Hat Harry Productions, in association with NBC Universal Television Studio.

( What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep, As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses.Collapse )

The semi-annual Dewey's Read-a-Thon takes place tomorrow, so I'm looking forward to an uninterrupted day of reading. This time, I'm raising money for the Greater Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance, so I've set up a "reading" blog that I may continue to use for non-fandom things (ie: times when I need to keep my words apart). If you want to visit me there and see how much I have or haven't read, I'm here.

I've been pretty AWOL on the fandom front, mostly because it's been the quarter from hell at work, but in part because I haven't been inspired by House recently. Though unlike House, I love a mopey, cat-loving Wilson (infinitely preferable to comic relief Wilson in my book), so I do have a story in the works that I may finally have time to finish after Saturday's marathon :)

Title: Skill Sets
Author: Mer
Characters: Wilson, House, Cuddy
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1650
Summary: Wilson was uniquely qualified for the job. He also made a good Head of Oncology.
Author's Notes: Final prompt for my 100_situations table. Who’d have thought it would take this long to write the prompt “Hospital” for a medical show...
Disclaimer: All rights belong to David Shore, Heel and Toe Films, and Bad Hat Harry Productions, in association with NBC Universal Television Studio.

( It was where he belongedCollapse )

Where are you reading from today?
I'm at home and probably won't stray too far from the couch, other than to update the blog or take care of necessities.

3 facts about me …
1) One of my first childhood ambitions was to be a reader when I grew up.
2) I occasionally read plays for a living (or rather, that makes up part of my job)
3) I play field hockey and am looking forward to a tournament in Edinburgh next year - and am particularly thrilled that we'll be stay just around the corner from the Oxford Bar.

How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
I have a tentative stack of five books in the living room and three in my bedroom, but I expect I'll dip into the bookshelves to grab something that strikes my fancy.

Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?
I'd like to read at least 50 minutes of 22 out of 24 of the hours (I anticipate the need for a nap at some point). I'd like to finish at leasta four books or 2000 pages

If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, any advice for people doing this for the first time?
I'm a first-timer, though no stranger to reading long stretches at a time.

It's 4:55am and I'm about to start the 24-hour read-a-thon. I left the poker game last night $50+ up so I could get home in time to get five hours sleep, but I was too keyed up to doze off. Sleep deprivation may be my ultimate downfall.

I'm off now to make some hot chocolate, select my first book and settle down on the sofa.

First seen at thefreshchuff's page - thanks for bringing it to my attention!

One of my first ambitions as a child was to be a reader when I grew up, so Dewey's Read-a-Thon looks like just about an ideal Saturday for me. It means bailing on a film at the Film Festival, but I haven't been organized enough to buy a ticket anyway. I'm also not organized enough to try and raise money for literacy, but if I manage to successfully read my way through the majority of Saturday, I'll try to organize something for the April Read-a-Thon.

The hardest part will be waking up at 5am, but I have a stack of books next to my bed, available for easy access and minimal expending of effort!

Title: Fall Line
Author: Mer
Characters: Wilson, House, some Chase
Rating: PG
Word Count: 2430
Summary: It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.
Author's Notes: Set pre-series (June 2004). Written for one of the Camp Sick!Wilson fic challenges at sick_wilson - I combined ACL on the prompt table with a summer activity. All mistakes are mine.
Disclaimer: All rights belong to David Shore, Heel and Toe Films, and Bad Hat Harry Productions, in association with NBC Universal Television Studio.

( Friendship with House had more hazards than a golf courseCollapse )

Title: Calling the Moon
Author: Mer
Characters: James Wilson, Greg House, Lisa Cuddy
Rating: PG
Word Count: ~4100
Summary: Wilson has always kept secrets from House.
Author's Notes: Set in August 2001. Written for hannahrorlove, who generously supported the help_chile campaign. She wanted a particular universe, which she has already given her own brilliant stamp to in Blood Letting. Much thanks to elynittria and hannahrorlove for invaluable input. Any remaining problems are of my own making. Title and cutline from a song by Dar Williams.
Disclaimer: All rights belong to David Shore, Heel and Toe Films, and Bad Hat Harry Productions, in association with NBC Universal Television Studio

( I covered the path where my life turned to lies/And the moon kept on rising.Collapse )

Everybody else is doing it, and it seems like a nice record of where I've been (especially since I had to go and track down an old journal/calendar to confirm a couple of the states I'd gone through).

( Maps of Canada and the United StatesCollapse )

Title: Piece of My Heart
Author: Mer
Characters: Wilson, House, Sandy
Rating: PG
Prompt: #65 - Scream 100_situations
Word Count: ~2000
Summary: House deals with Wilson's reaction to Tucker's decision to go back to Ashley.
Disclaimer: All rights belong to David Shore, Heel and Toe Films, and Bad Hat Harry Productions, in association with NBC Universal Television Studio
Author's Notes: Spoilers for "Wilson" and other parts of season six.

( If it makes you feel good.Collapse )

Title: Survival Strategies
Author: Mer
Characters: Wilson, House, Cuddy, Chase, various OCs
Rating: PG
Prompt: #25 - Cancer 100_situations
Word Count: ~22,300
Summary: A hard week leaves Wilson struggling to cope, while House does his best to support his best friend.
Disclaimer: All rights belong to David Shore, Heel and Toe Films, and Bad Hat Harry Productions, in association with NBC Universal Television Studio.
Author's Notes: Prompted by anj1290, who wanted to know the story of the Great Meltdown of 2003. This may or may not be it. Beta'd by the amazing elynittria. Thanks to queenzulu, thedeadparrot, and usomitai for running another wonderful challenge!

Read the story here

But first, check out the brilliant artwork - you don't need to read the story to see how talented these artists are!


by aolian


by ice_ziggee

One of the books I've loved since I was a teenager for its cheekiness is Shrink Lits by Maurice Sagoff. "70 epic tales & heroic myths, dense theories & windy texts, oral traditions & really long novels - all reduced to 34 minutes reading."

In response to the thread that I couldn't help replying to over at hw_reqs (mostly because the longer=better correlation never ceases to annoy me), here is the prelude, based on The Elements of Style by Strunk and White.
( Principle number seventeenCollapse )

Just a reminder that the auction at help_chile will close on March 10, 11:59 pm GMT (6:59 pm EST) - now extended until end of day.

My thread is here, but there are tons of items on offer for fiction, vids, art and more. There's a master list in progress that can help you look for fandom-specific offerings.

Since I wasn't able to participate in the first auction for help_haiti, and since the next one looks like it won't happen until later this month, I'd like to do what I can to help_chile.

My thread is here. Bidding closes on March 10.

Title: The Great Chieftain
Author: Mer
Characters: Wilson, House
Rating: PG
Prompt: #31 - Knife 100_situations
Word Count: ~1200
Summary: It promised to be the worst dinner party ever.
Disclaimer: All rights belong to David Shore, Heel and Toe Films, and Bad Hat Harry Productions, in association with NBC Universal Television Studio.
Author's Notes: Unbeta'd, because I like to cut things close. I'm going to Gung Haggis Fat Choy next weekend, so perhaps I'll have some new material for next year...

( Fair fa' your honest, soncie faceCollapse )

Stealing from queenzulu, where I dithered too long, and deelaundry!

The first TEN people to comment in this post get to request that I write a drabble* of any pairing/character of their choosing. In return, they have to post this in their journal, regardless of their ability level.

1. queenzulu - Foreman, failing
2. hannahrorlove - House/Stacy, home cooking
3. seschat - The Doctor/House or brilliant!Wilson
4. deelaundry - House and Wilson, a warm embrace
5. kirili - House, music or LLB

*(defined in this case as anything that fits in single comment) I'm best with characters from House, but if I've seen it, I'll attempt it (it just might take longer).

On another note - I've been traipsing about Faunasphere, and one of the developers is definitely a House fan. One of the tasks is called "The Volakis Foundation" and requires you to find 10 pieces of Amber and take it to the Differential stump in aid of a cure for something that played off amantadine poisoning :) Needless to say, I'm desperate to finish that one!

I ended the work day by entertaining the three-year-old son of two of my colleagues - well, not so much entertaining as preventing him from making any changes to open documents while he sat in my chair and played with my computer (he was kind enough to drag over another chair for me). We're good pals - he likes to drop by to tell me I work too much (out of the mouths of babes...) - but there's some confusion in his mind as to who I am. He knows Colin, and Dan, and Izzie, and Melanie (though not necessarily which person is Melanie), but when asked what my name was, he said "Parent." Heh - I knew I was old, but when did I become an authority figure?