Well that was interesting

[crankyoldman]

Weird dreams persist, but they're not disturbing, just vivid. I like that, actually, it fuels a lot of what I write, so. XD Not good when I have to work, though, as I am tempted to just sit and write about crazy stuff instead of work stuff.

indianconundrum is highly tempting. Might give me an excuse to revise Caricature and um, finish it. As I like the style of that story (an immediate story combined with character backstories that lead to the whole) and like, two people have read it, so I don't feel bad going back, revising a little, and then continuing (I mostly want to fix the first line on the first chapter and a few little things here and there... continuity errors. Considering that I started writing it back during the Lost Year and forgot about it for two years and came back and all that, there is a bit of all over the place feeling. That and I got an idea for the next chapter (my Paladin! FINALLY. Karen is so cool. and I get to use Eliezer, for creepy kid effect. and I get to use the line "The Hero is dead." EXCITEMENT). Then again, I'm basically excited because I got into my first imaginarybeasts issue (August 2!), so I could just be freaking over that.

Much as I love fanfiction, it's nice to be able to make characters fail (or not fail!) in ways I want them to. And I think I've matured enough that I can handle worldbuilding (or not, as I have a tendency to fuck around in normal settings with crazy shit going on in the background... I kind of prefer that). Or I know to complain at drakonlily until it makes sense. One of these days, darling, we'll write something super awesome together and get you published.

In other good news, I was FINALLY able to get Beauty by Robin McKinley from the library. It's always out! But from the pages I've read so far... I totally get why. I think I may have to stalk this author. There's nothing I love more than someone that does setting without boring me. And well, re-writes fairytales. First story I ever wrote was actually about ladybugs and science fiction and basically proved I was crazy from an early age ("Earth Ladybugs Go To Planet Ladybug"... I wasn't so good at titles) but I did do a few (awful) fairytale rewrites. Which we all know are basically Critically Recognized Fanfiction (what, THEY ARE). But goddamn am I glad to find something fantasy that's not just barfing exposition at me. Yay!

Also, this TV Trope cracks me up more than it should. I'll admit, I have a weakness for intelligent villains (who usually aren't pretty), but I still laugh a lot. I also am vaguely disturbed that there exists Josef Mengele fanfiction. Seriously. Not cool. Read your damn history books, children. No one expects the Inquisition!

Omg, it's almost August. I need to do some HARDKORE costuming tonight.

~Cendri

Comments

[first-seventhe.livejournal.com]

jesusfuck Cendri, have I never thrown Sunshine your way?!! Robin McKinley is like... my favorite author of all time, ever, FOR THREE LIFETIMES.

[venefica-aura.livejournal.com]

YES I KNOW. BUT THE LIBRARY NEVER SEEMS TO HAVE THOSE BOOKS. I WANTED TO START WITH THE FIRST BOOK SHE WROTE I AM OCD LIKE THAT.

Also, it goes with my book challenge this summer. I finish Beauty, review it and I'm FREE OF OBLIGATION.

~Cendri

[first-seventhe.livejournal.com]

Okay, well. If you like fairy tale retellings, there are three OTHERS to choose from: Rose Daughter, which is her second retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story - much more adult, but a little odder; Spindle's End, which is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, and Deerskin, which is a VERY adult retelling of Donkeyskin, a story I'd never even really heard of until I read Deerskin.

All are very good, all have their strengths nad weaknesses, and ALL ARE RECOMMENDED.

Also, if you haven't read Sunshine, this is a must. It manages to be a kick-ass vampire book while breaking almost all of the vampire rules. And talk about world-building, it's basically sheer awesome.

[venefica-aura.livejournal.com]

Donkeyskin is a fairytale I was familiar with though I know it better as Allerleirauh so the adult nature was kind of a given. You have no idea how hardkore of a folklore nerd I am. Ask me about the Russian tradition sometime and I'm likely to never shut up.

I think I'm going to try and find Sunshine next. Because it has been recced several times. And I love hearing stuff like that being turned on its head.

~Cendri

[first-seventhe.livejournal.com]

The vampire is ugly. That's all I'm going to say.

[venefica-aura.livejournal.com]

FUCK YES

[first-seventhe.livejournal.com]

EXACTLY. EXACTLY.