Ginevra

Excellent idea.

I am no longer allowed to spend Sunday mornings alone...Such is motherhood.

I am glad #2 son is reasonably good at entertaining himself. I am glad that I have been been able to finish an old fic this weekend. I am glad that I have completed the rough draft of Chapter 1 of a new fic this moring.

Channel

Sweethearts

^ Is going to regret bringing the Karaoke machine. Because... < Is gonna tie one on, and sing, sing, sing! V Will be the recipient of a sappy, sloppy drunk serenade.

Edit Jan 2, 2008: I have recently found a Beta and we are currently working well together. Thank you for your interest. I would like to solicit for a Beta for the following story: "To Catch a Fox" This story has already been posted here: http://xmen.adult-fanfiction.org/story.php?no=600090304 Fandom: XMen Comics Primary Characters: Gambit(primary), Wolverine(secondary), Kit (OC) Warnings: Reasonably graphic M/F sex, some violence, shapeshifting -- but not during sex! I have not used a Beta since my mother read some of my first fics years ago. Of course, I'm not going to ask my mother to Beta the kind of stuff I write now. Could you imagine? This is one of my more mainstream stories with strictly hetero relationships and a relatively simple romance/adventure plot. Something is missing or hasn't quite hit the mark and I can't put my finger on it. I'm hoping a Beta could help. I would like someone with solid grammar and spelling skills to catch any mistakes I missed in my proofing. I would like a Beta who can advise me on things like characterization, plot, adherence to canon and if possible, someone who is familiar with the type of climate I describe in the story. I am deliberately vague about whether it is the Northern US or Canada. I did my best to research the setting, but I have lived in the deep South since I was three, so I have little first hand experience. You should find my work relatively clean, as I have a talent for spelling and have solid grammar and English skills. In addition, if anyone is feeling particularly ambitious, none of my AFF fics have been Beta'ed with the exception of "My Name is Brooklyn." And I think even that one could use a good going over. I do a great deal of experimenting with my writing, so I suspect I'm not likely to find a single person willing to Beta all the odd things I do. Not to mention I have been cranking them out at an alarming rate in the past few months. Thank you for taking the time to consider my request.

My ideas tend to come find me...Usually, it's a character that pops into my head and won't leave me alone until I at least write out some story notes. Sometimes they come from reading something or watching T.V. or a movie. Sometimes it's a phrase somebody happens to say. Or a line that pops into my head. That's where "What Starfire said over breakfast one morning" came from. Sometimes my readers offer me ideas...And those usually turn out better than what I had intended to do in the first place. Mostly, I wind up daydreaming...In the shower, in bed, at work, in the car...where ever I happen to be. Lately, I've even gotten ideas from songs, though I don't usually go for song fics. Right now, I'm besieged with plot bunnies. The problem is finding one that can hold my attention long enough to make some significant progress while the others clamor for my attention. Who knew bunnies could be so aggressive?

9347

I am starting a petition to remove all pornography from the Internet. Please sign here X________________.

8/10 I like the quotes.

9435

I am waiting for my hubby to leave like he said he was going to do an hour ago so that I can work on stories in peace. I am trying to ignore the Elmo tape he put in to entertain #2 son. I am tired of working OT.

What? Everybody stuck with the Muppets? B is for Blueberry cobbler.

Nooooo! "The wheels on the bus go round and round..." Help! #2 son has discovered Elmo! God I hate that one!

Rocket

I am no longer allowed to go home after doing my eight hours...We're on "Mandatory Overtime." I am no longer allowed to take time off for appointments...Mandatory OT = Vacation closed.

Nodding slowly at unseen supplicant to display acknowledgment and sympathetic interest. Raising and lowering of shoulders accompanied by a query intended to encourage clarification of assistance needed.

Tent

“You’ll have to ring the bell if you want any service.” I offered to the rather damp looking fellow waiting in the reception room. I reached past his shoulder to tap the little service bell a few times. “Do you work here?” The stranger asked me. “Not if I can help it. I’m supposed to be on vacation.” I scanned the rather sparse offering of magazines and pamphlets on the little table. None of it looked promising, but I had discovered a bit too late that this Hotel had neither cable nor Internet service and my cell phone was useless. Less than a day and I was already in electronic withdrawal. I gave up on my search with a sigh. “Anyways…My name’s Ginevra and I’ve got a room up on the second floor.” I offered my hand and my friendliest smile. “Might as well get acquainted as I expect you’ll be waiting a while. Took the lady almost 45 minutes to come down when I checked in.”

Hmm....Now that would explain a few things... Hubby's new kitten is completely spastic. She eats cardboard boxes. And nighttime is now quite...interesting.

Title: Burning Brightly Author: Ginevra Rating: Adult + Summary:Pyro joins the Brotherhood and must deal with the choices he's made. Is he Pyro, mutant terrorist and murderer or just John, the awkward adolescent caught up in something he can't control? Feedback: Is welcome. Constructive criticism is much desired. Fandom: X-Men Movieverse, X-3 URL: http://xmen.adult-fanfiction.org/story.php?no=600090315 Chapter 12: Second Chances is now up! This completes the story. Happy Halloween!

I'd say the Mary Sue/Gary Stu is usually unintentional self-insertion. That's where someone has created a character that represents his/her idealized self and proceeds to live out his/her fantasies. Those are usually boring or even annoying to read by anyone but the author. There are deliberate self-insertions and deliberate Mary Sue's...The ones that are entertaining are usually humorous and poke fun at the author in some way. Sometimes they are flat out fantasies, but the author that labels his/her work as "SI" or "Mary Sue" is doing it deliberately. Some of those are very good...some aren't. But, at least the author is being honest with him/herself and the readers. The closest I think I've ever come to a Mary Sue is probably my first published fan fic "Out of the Clear Blue Skye." But, even then, she doesn't quite fit the mold. While she has more in common with who I was at the time I wrote it than any other OC I've come up with, the life she lived wasn't really my fantasy. It was my first published fan fic, and looking back at it, it shows. Some people label all OC's that show up as major characters as self-insertion. My OC's are not me. I'd rather be safe and warm in front of my computer writing about these heroes than being one and risking life and limb. In order to write them, or even write from a cannon character's POV I have to be able to find some commonality-- some way to relate to them. In that sense, every character I write reflects some part of me. I did write that one silly piece as a self insertion fantasy...just for kicks. I never expected that many people to read it. And it is literally intended to be myself and my husband (it's based on a shared fantasy and I did ask him.) The number of hits I got with absolutely no feedback of any kind was what sparked this topic.

OMG! I finally got a review for "Two XMen and a Jacuzzi"! After 893 hits... Of course I'm not sure the reviewer saw the "Self Insertion" tag, as he/she referred to myself and my hubby as original characters. I'm original? Wow!

Whatnot Monster