#11 11 11

Fran stopped in this morning and began dismantling the displays she had set up for Halloween. She went into the basement, looking for some sort of box to store decorations. Suddenly I heard her shout "Eleven!! Oh my god! Eleven, eleven, eleven!" She came running up the stairs, holding a peculiar black box. "Where did you get this??"

I explained that the shop had once been used as a music rehearsal space, and that it had been abandoned in a back room. I had no idea what it was.

"Today of all days. On 11/11. It's Spinal Tap day! You have to post a photo of this!"

Again, sorry it took me so long to get to this, but thank you @boredwriter-16 for tagging me!

1. What’s you most recent obsession?

This is very vague, so non-writing would be Escape Room games but then writing-wise it's been fantasy/Fae type things

2. What’s your go to book recommendation?

The Mortal Instruments

3. How much romance do you usually write into your WIP(s)?

I usually have one or two couples that are somewhere on the path of love, and several other maybe-they-are-maybe-they-aren't type couples.

4. What colour do you associate with each of your main characters?

George - Orange/Yellow

Hailey - Dark Navy Blue

Allison - Pink

Serena - Dark Green

Marcus - Bright Yellow

Thalia - Purple

Marcus - Brown/Tan

5. Do you have any writing habits (your own or other people’s) that annoy you? (i.e. repeated word use, overused tropes?)

Other peoples: not using contractions

Mine: repetitive sentence structure

6. Are there any characters you’re afraid people will ship when your WIP(s) is/are published?

Ryan and James from 60 Seconds (Really Ryan and anyone but Juliet)

Gideon and Serena (He's married ok?)

7. What’s a name you want to use for a character but haven’t yet?

Taryn. Technically I've used it in short stories but I really, really want it in one of my main WIPs

8. If you could pick one character out all of your WIPs to make real, who would you chose?

If it would be a perfect-world type thing, then Marcus bc he is literally my dream guy but since the world is never perfect, then Serena cause she and I would get along I think (as long as she doesn't know I'm the one who created her lol)

9. Do you have a usual time you write?

Basically anytime that I should be accomplishing something else or sleeping.

10. What are your OCs’ favorite holidays and why?

George and Hailey: July 4th (Independence Day)

Allison: July 10th (Her birthday)

I don't have any holidays set up in my Croatoan World yet

11. Would you like to share your favourite bit you’ve written recently?

Oof, I would but I'm on mobile so I'll have to put something up on a different post later.

Rules: Answer the 11 questions of the person who tagged you, make up 11 questions, then tag 11 people to answer them.

Tagged by @battlestargalaska, thank you!

My Questions

1. Do you keep a physical journal? Nope. I used to have one as a teenager but I kept leaving it places that my mother would find, which as a super private person I wasn’t thrilled about, so most of what I write now is on my computer.

2. Do you want to write as a career, or is it simply a hobby? Hobby. I think my creativity is incompatible with having it as a career. All those deadlines and all that pressure would probably make me too stressed to enjoy writing, and I never want to lose my love of it.

3. What was your favorite childhood book or series? Probably Warrior cats. Oh yes, I was one of those kids.

4. What is one of your favorite line from your WIP? I’ve only written two chapters in this draft, but uhhh That’s where the logical explanations stop, because the humanoid thing in front of her isn’t human, and the dog-like creature earlier hadn’t been a dog, and that means that the rumours around Downriver Falls had never just been rumours.

5. How long have you had your writeblr? What is your favorite thing about having one? A little bit over a year, but I’ve only been active for a week or so. My favourite thing is probably getting to interact with other writers and see what everyone’s creating.

6. What are some common sources of inspiration for the things you write? e v e r y t h i n g . Finding inspiration is the easy part; deciding which pieces to follow through with is where it gets difficult.

7. What are you currently reading? The Book of Names by Jill Gregory and Karen Tintori & 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan Peterson.

8. Who is your favorite character ever written? What do you like about them? Paris, from a WIP I haven’t talked about on here yet. She’s Good™, super sweet, very moral, and I love her a lot.

9. Do you have writing mentors in your life? None that I can think of.

10. How often do you write? I have two modes: doesn’t write a single word for months at a time or writes feverishly every single day.

11. Why do you write? It’s a loaded question, but my gut reaction is just: I write because it’s fun. I enjoy it. I feel an itch to do it, doing it makes me feel creatively fulfilled. I can’t imagine not doing it.

My Questions:

1. How many WIPs do you currently have? 2. Do you prefer to work on one project at a time or multiple? 3. Would you prefer your WIP to be turned into a movie or a video game? 4. If you had to write your WIP in a different genre, what would it be? 5. Do you remember the first story you ever wrote? 6. How open are you about your writing with your friends/family? 7. Do you have any other creative hobbies (drawing, designing, painting, etc)? 8. How would you describe your WIP in <25 words? 9. Do you find it easier to write characters who are similar to you or vastly different? 10. Are you a NaNoWriMo participant? If not, would you consider it? 11. What’s a spoiler you can give for your WIP?

tagged by @dotr-rose-love 

rules: answer 11 questions, write your own 11, tag 11 people

1. Did you have alternate ideas for a wip that eventually didn’t make it in the story or were exchanged with a better scene or sth? If yes, tell us one or a few that you left out (could be just a character too, or a name)

Not really no. I think most of the basic ideas have stayed the same and I’m a decent pantser so I come up with things on the fly and they tend to work out.

2. do you have a specific audience in mind for your wip?

Adults for sure, but I’m not gonna stop a teen from reading it. It just gets a little violent and sexual. Okay, okay. It gets a lot violent and sexual. I did say adults, didn’t I.

3. is it important to you that your wip has a moral or a message?

Well, yes. I do think it is a fun, surely entertaining story, but I think it would be impossible for me to write something that didn’t say something about what it means to be human and how to maybe be better at it. I understand that fiction is used for escapism but also think that the story can have gravity. It can mean something. Like all good fantasy/sci-fi, it’s there to show people what it means to be human, to show what a regular human would do in extreme situations. They’re “demons” yes, but really they’re just people trying to make it through.

4. what kinds of relationships do you like writing the most (romantic, platonic, familial, etc)?

I’m a huge sap. A sucker for a good romance, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t healthy. I like to portray relationships for what they are- messy, unpredictable, amazing, complicated, hard work, and a serious commitment. I believe in true love with all my heart, but I know that it isn’t “easy.” I’ve been with my partner for 16 years. That’s not easy, but it is worth it.

5. what kind of research have you done for your wip? what have you learned?

Oh so much. I’ve learned about guns, rifles and handguns, blowing up a house, medieval torture devices, banned books, herbal stimulants, triage, sutures, stab wounds, basic EMT stuff, police codes, crime scene code of conduct, how to be a good assassin, fighting styles, various metals melting points... It’s been interesting to say the least.

6. if your wip became very successful, would you want to make a movie adaptation? why or why not?

I would want to be involved, but yeah. I think It would make a better TV show since there are several books in the series. I would definitely want to be showrunner though because there are very specific things that should NOT change.

7. did you have any alternate title ideas for your wip? if so, what are they?

I didn’t which is surprising because I’m terrible at titles but for the NBC series I was golden.

8. what has been the hardest part about writing your wip so far?

Cutting! I’m a serious overwriter and having to cut stuff sucks.

9. do you prefer writing action or description?

Both. I just love writing.

10. what do you want your readers to come away with after reading your story?

The feeling that they just went on one helluva roller coaster and would now die to make sure that Hope and Ciaran stay together, and also a driving curiosity of what might come next.

11. what’s your favorite part about your wip? what makes you excited to write it?

I love writing the NBC series. I love exploring the world through the different characters. I love playing with mythology from across the globe and creating some of my own. I love seeing my babies who’ve been through much finally find their person and be happy. Also, sex scenes.

11:11:11.

Lol so I was tagged in this by the superlative @cawolters​ waaaay back in March and I’m now finally doing my tag games. She answered 11 questions in her trademark thoughtful and funny style and then came up with 11 questions to pass on :) Here they are.

What’s the scariest book you’ve read? I think IT was the one that scared me most. Possibly because I was quite young when I read it, and possibly because I’ve always haaaaated clowns.

What’s the scariest scene you’ve written? Hmmmm, that’s a hard one. I don’t tend to write horror/scary that much... Possibly a really dark fic I wrote for the Kingdom Hearts fandom called Special Boys. I made my favourite character a serial killer and it was pretty creepy writing him stalking his prey.

Who of your OCs are your wip’s ‘bad influence’? Lol most of my OCs are bad influences in their own ways. Ciaran is impulsive and can get his friends to do things that aren’t always smart. Torin is a prankster. Edana is just evil when she wants to be and is the reason for Ciaran’s inclination towards sarcasm and rashness even though she did a damn good job of raising him.

Which one of your OCs would be the most likely to turn villainous? Oooh that’s an evil question lol. Edana would very easily break the law if she had to protect the people she loves. It’s not that she doesn’t obey the law and respect it, but if it came down to following the rules and seeing her family hurt... She would do whatever she had to do.

Have your OCs ever killed someone? If so, who? Most of my OCs are in the Still Guards, basically the military of Stillcity, so they are kind of paid killers. Ciaran has had a few moments though that I won’t go into in detail... He seems to attract people who wish him harm and killing in self-defense is something he struggles with. As to who... I think I’ll stay vague and just say he kills one of his contemporaries when he’s still in the School of Soldiers (around age 19).

How to you pump yourself up to writing a fight scene? I LOVE writing fight scenes. I mean I really really love writing fist fights, battles, sword fights, knife fights... Mmmm so good lol. One of my favourite fight scenes I wrote was Ciaran’s initiation into the Still Guards and I actually used a sword I happen to have to test out some of the moves to see if they’re physically possible. So fun.

What chapter is your favorite in your main wip? And why? You know, I don’t know right now lol. I do love my first chapter, I’m really proud of how I’ve worked it (over and over) to get it to the point it’s at now. That being said, I actually really like a lot of my chapters lol. THAT being said also, I think my current favourite is Chapter 9, Blood in a Time of Blessings. It’s got happiness, it’s got angst, I love it.

If you could fight an OC in a friendly sparring match, who would you pick and why? Torin, hands down. He’s an expert in unarmed combat and I think he could both whip my behind and teach me so much about self-defense and offense. I’d also love to learn how to use a sword and he’s damn good at that too.

How did you decide on the genre of your main wip? Do you have more than one? I love fantasy and it’s what I’ve always written. The worlds that come into existence in my head are almost always fantastical, complex, foreign, medieval but I’m working on branching out. I love creating magical worlds, worlds that could never be. It blows my mind that my little brain is capable of imagining things that are impossible and have never existed.

If someone read your book and said that it had scared the life out of them, how would you react? I’d be... A little baffled? Maybe they have a deadly fear of earthquakes (living in New Zealand that’s both understandable and unfortunate). Maybe they’re terrified of gay people? If so, too bad lol. I’d be a bit confused.

And lastly, if you could co-write a novel with a famous author, who would you pick as your partner? Neil Gaiman. Omfg, it makes my palms sweat just thinking of it. Or (and you didn’t specify living author), I’d love to write with David Gemmell. His books... I just read again and again and again. I love his worlds, his characters, and I’m heavily influenced by that.

 Okay, and now to make up 11 questions of my own. Uuuuuum lol bear with me.

What book have you read a million times and would read a million times more? And why?

Which OC of your current wip did you come up with first?

What piece of world-building gave or is giving you the most trouble?

What type of scene is your favourite to write? Why?

(Stealing this one) What chapter of your main wip is your favourite? Why?

If your OCs were transplanted into another genre (say, fantasy to sci-fi or sci-fi to horror), what would their new occupations be?

How well would you survive if you were dropped into the world of your main wip?

Which of your OCs is the scariest, or if none are scary, which is the sweetest? Why?

What would you say was the one thing that sparked the idea for your main wip?

Describe the space you write in like you’re telling a story.

What is the first thing you remember reading and thinking ‘This inspires me to write’?