Dept. of Tuesday

[kaffy_r]

 Work, Workity, Work

What I really want to do is fool around on DW/LJ and finish Chapter 23 of Hearts and Moons, because it's finally, finally coming together. 

Or perhaps start re-reading the epic ASOIAF fanfic "The North Remembers" by Silverblood. It's the best long-form fanfic I can remember reading, and I greeted every new AO3 alert of a new chapter with glee I normally reserve for Christmas presents. The writer did an incredible job in more than 600,000 words and 113 chapters, completed over two-plus years, of finishing the story GRRM has not yet finished. When I consider that she did it without an editor, whilst finishing grad school, I am not surprised in the least that she now has a historical fiction of her own published in e-format. 

If you are at all a fan of Martin's universe, and don't mind (as he apparently does, sadly), the idea of good fanfic built within that universe; if you are afraid or convinced that GRRM will never ever complete his masterpiece and want some sort of quality conclusion; if you're willing to have your heart broken and thrilled at the same time by some fantastic writing (and, to be fair, if you're willing to understand that lack of a good editor - not a beta reader, but an editor - can trip up even the best writer), then go read this. 

I'll read it later. Because right now what I really have to do is get three stories done before I switch off work-mode today. Then I can write, do some reading, watch the last episode of Defiance, and maybe see a couple more episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender, which BB and I have finally started watching. 

But now? Work. Work, workity, work. 

Comments

[yamx]

I enjoy Game of Thrones, but I refuse to read the books until he finishes the series. Yes, yes, I'm aware GRRM is not my bitch, as Gaiman reminds us, and if he decides to never finish (or passes before he can), that's totally his right. But I'm not gonna get cliffhung again!

I have a bad track record with this, you know? Every time I start reading something unfinished the author either abandons it or takes ages to finish. (Totally unrelatedly, that's great news about Hearts and Moons *g*)

I'm not sure how much I'll enjoy the books anyway. I hear they have even more graphic sex scenes then the series...

[kaffy_r]

I continue to live in hope, and am on the point of reading A Dance With Dragons again.

When it comes to the sex scenes, I don't recall them being more graphic than those I've heard about in the show (which I've seen one or two episodes of, and loads of recaps/vids of, but haven't buckled down to see completely.) There are rapes, as I gather has translated into the book, but they are less sex scenes, than scenes of violence. A lot of the sex scenes are actually pretty tame. It's the violence I had some time getting used to.

And Hearts and Moons ... damn, I don't know why it's taken me seven years running to get this thing written. I mean, I know my output is low and slow, but FFS. I only know that I won't ever abandon it, and I will, somehow, finish it.

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Bless you, bb. Boy do I ever get it!! Looks like it's gonna be a long year, lol!! And I'm going to have to give up some control here and there. *SIGH*

Send that chapter about whenever you get done penning it. I will happily be waiting!

*SQUISHES YOU*

[kaffy_r]

I'll share what I've got so far with you later tonight, my dear; look for it in email.

And you know I'm cheering you on!

*hugs*

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Thankies, sweetie!! Sorry I haven't read it yet. Rough couple of days. I'll try to catch up soon.

Aww, bless you and thank you! Hoping everything shuffles out here soon...oi.

*HUGS*

[ljgeoff.livejournal.com]

Ooh, thanks for the rec.

Looking forward to the update!

[kaffy_r]

I hope you like Silverblood's work - I kept being impressed with it, and I really miss looking forward to new chapters.

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

Good luck with your chapter! And I hope you could relax and have a good time after work :)

Wow, that sounds like extraordinary work. Really impressive! I have yet to read A Dance with Dragons though, so can't look at that just yet ;)

[kaffy_r]

Thanks for the good wishes - we did indeed relax and watch some Avatar.

"The North Remembers" is worth keeping in mind once you've finished A Dance with Dragons, since it takes up immediately after the final scene in that book. Of course, perhaps GRRM will have completed The Winds of Winter by the time you rea-

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Just joking. Heh.

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

Good :)

Okay—I'll load it on my e-reader so I won't forget ^_^

Haha. Yeah. How long have you been a fan? I feel your frustration… I kind of understand why such long and complex books would take a very long time writing, but it's tough for the audience.

[kaffy_r]

I started reading the stories about a year and a half ago, after a friend decided he wanted to share the joy and pain. I'm a bad reader, because I skip all over the place (I also read linearly, but I don't do it as well as I should), but I love the story. I'm actually willing to wait for GRRM, but I was certainly happy to see The North Remembers. In fact, now it's going to be hard for me to think of GRRM's eventual story as canon!

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

Okay :) I often feel like a bad reader too because the universe is so big and complex, I feel like I forget characters, places and bits of plots all over the place, haha. And I get that, it's really brilliant a person put so much passion, investment and hard work into writing such a story. Such commitment is pretty admirable.

[kaffy_r]

Oh, goodness; with something as long as ASOIAF I think you need a map, a glossary, a player's roster and a scorecard to keep completely straight.

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

XD Indeed. A friend of mine advised me to note the characters' names to keep everyone straight… I did so at first, then stopped thinking "well, it really isn't that hard". Turns out the beginning wasn't the hard part to keep up with, too bad… XD (Which is why the extra parts at the end, with the houses, family trees and households, can be pretty useful—when one feels like wading through all that, mind.)

[tardis-stowaway.livejournal.com]

Oooh, thank you for the rec! I am five chapters in to The North Remembers and really enjoying it so far. I was doing okay with the waiting for GRRM, but it seems that finding out what happens next to these characters (even a fan writer's version of next) is like taking a drink of water when you were really thirsty but didn't realize it until the first sip hit your tongue. All of a sudden, you just can't stop drinking.

[kaffy_r]

*glee*

I'm so glad to provide a little relief for your ASOIAF thirst! (And I like the way you describe that.) Her skills increase as the chapters progress, too, so the reading becomes even more enjoyable.