September writing & October goals

[osprey_archer]

And that’s a draft! The first draft of Honeytrap clocks in at 110,658 words. I actually finished on September 28, so I took the last couple of days of September off from writing, but I am ready to dive back in now that October has began.

My goal for October is to finish the revisions on the Russian Little Red Riding Hoods Meets French Silent Film book, and also to come up with a title for it, because sadly I can’t publish it until it has one. I do have the cover image all picked out, though: isn’t that gorgeous? 100% wrote the book because I found that image and I thought “This would be the PERFECT cover.”

I’m hoping to publish the Russian Red Riding Hood Meets French Silent Film sometime in November; after that I’ll either be revising Honeytrap or starting work on an m/m novella. (I had intended to write the novella for NaNo, but I’ll be on the road for the first half of November, so that threw a wrench in my plans.)

***

Also, I have decided to write ficlets for Whumptober! This link will take you to a list of prompts; please feel free to select one and ask for a ficlet for fanfic or origfic, whichever you like. I’m trying to use the challenge to stretch my wings a bit, so feel free to ask for any source material you know I’m familiar with, even if I haven’t written for it before.

I’ve already posted my ficlet for the first prompt here: Shaky hands. Origfic. Nothing like accepting your army’s defeat to make your hands shake.

Comments

[oracne]

Hooray for a completed draft!

[osprey_archer]

Thank you!

[kore]

Yay draft! WHEN IS IT COMING OUT

[osprey_archer]

AGES.

But I did just link to a whole prompt list and offer to write a ficlet for a prompt so if you wanted just a little bit more Honeytrap now... I mean, it's open season. Human shield, secret injury, isolation and abandoned have already been taken, but there are still plenty of options. And if you scroll down to look at the alternative prompts, there are even more!

[kore]

//SOB

But I did just link to a whole prompt list and offer to write a ficlet for a prompt so if you wanted just a little bit more Honeytrap now

Aww, I wanted to do that but didn't know if it would be too much to ask! Awesome!

-- DONE (I forgot my login so it's an anon ask, but I signed it)

[osprey_archer]

Now you realize the maximum whump version of "Don't move" for Honeytrap is a scene with Arkady in it. I thought I would let you know just in case you didn't want maximum whump.

[kore]

....YES I WOULD LIKE SOME OF THIS CAKE THANK YOU

(Whump away!)

[osprey_archer]

I will be reposting this on DW in a couple of days (have actually made a few edits to that version, too), but I thought I should let you know that your Whumptober Honeytrap ficlet has been posted over on tumblr: Don't Move.

[kore]

<33333 //zips off to read

[kore]

“I suppose they ran out of pretty ones,” he said.

AAAAAAAAHHHH TELL ME GENNADY GETS TO PUNCH HIM

(what a swine, Gennady is just my jam and I am sure he is magnetic)

[osprey_archer]

But really, do you WANT Arkady to think Gennady's pretty? That would just make Arkady even worse.

[kore]

I guess that role is being filled by poor Leonid!

[brigdh]

110k words! That is incredible. Go you! :D

[osprey_archer]

It is SO MANY WORDS. My God.

[minutia_r]

\o/

Looking forward to the final version!

[osprey_archer]

If only it would just revise and copyedit itself, right? IF ONLY.

[littlerhymes]

YAY go you!!!

[osprey_archer]

Thank you!

[asakiyume]

Whoa, that is really powerful. I really *love* that the ivory dog tag wasn't the one she thought it was--that somehow captures completely in miniature the sense of defeat. My heart aches. In writing it, did you get hints of what the circumstances of the war and surrender were all about?

And yes, that's a lovely cover for the Red Riding Hood story?

(And definitely hurray for your completed draft!)

[osprey_archer]

The war came about because a particular region attempted to break away from the larger country. They lost because they basically ran out of food. It's part of an idea I've been poking at for a while, but given my track record at actually finishing fantasy novels (poor) I've been leery of it.

Is there a Whumptober prompt you'd like me to write for? Human shield, isolation, "Don't move," secret injury, and abandoned have been claimed, but there are still loads left. THINK OF ALL THE CHARACTERS WHO COULD SUFFER.

[asakiyume]

Well, I would read more in that world even if you never finish the story, just so you know!

Wow--I hadn't looked at the prompts until just now. INTENSE. I might have to try writing one or two of these myself. "Stay with me," asphyxiation, laced drink, and bleeding out all grab me.

[osprey_archer]

You can see why I couldn't resist Whumptober, though I tried. But I think the Little Red Riding Hood novella is short enough that I'll have time to revise it and do Whumptober both.

Any particular characters you would like to see whumped?

[asakiyume]

How about more with the characters from this world, if that's possible? If that's not possible, then--well, I like OCs. (I can't say Catra and Adora because I love them too much; there is no way I want them bleeding out our asphyxiating--and they *sob* have already done *sniffle* "stay with me")

[osprey_archer]

I don't have anything quite dramatic enough planned to use 'bleeding out" or "asphyxiation," but I might be able to work something up with "Stay with me."

[skygiants]

CONGRATS YOU DID IT \o/ \o/ \o/

[osprey_archer]

YES!!!!!!

Would you like a Whumptober ficlet? There are many prompts still open! Many characters who could yet suffer beautifully!

[skygiants]

How can I turn down an offer like that? Let's go with "gunpoint", for ... The Talk of the Town :D

[osprey_archer]

It's been A While since I've seen The Talk of the Town, but I will do my best!

Clearly it should be Dilg at gunpoint; Cary Grant suffers so beautifully. Maybe he's getting arrested with unnecessary roughness and one of the coppers scoffs, "Your boyfriend (Lightcap, obvs) won't be able to get you out of this one."

Perhaps on top of the everything, Dilg has a moment's pain at the thought that Lightcap is not and never will be his boyfriend.

[kore]

(I hate to ask but maybe maybe could you link Whumptober fics on Tumblr back here? I'm not on Tumblr that much and I missed stuff!) (including DOTTIE) (also, apologies if this is obnoxious/demanding)

[osprey_archer]

I've been contemplating the best way to do this - I'm thinking maybe a weekly round-up post where I either link the stories on Tumblr or just repost them here. I've got so many posts backed up already that I don't want to also be posting a fic every day; it feels like spamming everyone.

[kore]

A round-up sounds good! (I like the reposting idea because I like commenting here. But just some links would be great.)

[osprey_archer]

I'll probably repost them here because, let's face it, I'm a slut for comments. And they're in a form where it would be be pretty easy to reformat to post here, too.

[kore]

YAY (I am just selfish and like everything on DW)

[silverusagi]

That is a gorgeous image!

So, the Shutterstock thing. If you publish an ebook, and you pay the Shutterstock fee, you can use an image from there as a cover, for a book you're selling commercially? (Part of me is curious in a 'someday' way, and part of me is curious because I have been reading a lot of Pride and Prejudice published fanfic, and there are some truly terrible covers that make me wonder how hard it is to get good images.)

[osprey_archer]

If it's not legal, then my cover maker has brutally misled me, but as she's a professional graphic designer I think she knows what she's talking about.

My approach to covers so far has been to find a gorgeous image and slap some words on it. They may not be the most beautiful covers ever, but it has never resulted in a monstrosity.