So strange to be posting on DW/LJ: I feel like a foreigner peering around an unfamiliar city, not quite sure how the traffic lights work or what the road signs mean. But I like that feeling when I'm visiting somewhere new, and it's good to be back here, even if it's just a brief visit. So, hi!

The other feeling that's sheer bliss, as good as the adrenaline high after a good run, is writing. Not that awkward attempt to put down words when there's nothing in my head, but the feeling when characters are chatting away in my head, and I've just got to get it down. Thank you freece, and Kings Rising (aka Captive Prince book 3) for making me able to write again. Even if I don't manage anything more than the few pages of book 3 epilogue I've written today, it's been great. I honestly thought I wouldn't write again, and while in the scheme of things, that'd be no great loss, I was a little sad about it. Today, I'm happy.

I'm organising a little group at work to make cakes to raise money (and awareness) for the Philippines Typhoon Appeal, and I need some help with recipes. Individual cakes/cookies that are cheap, quick and easy to make, but will tempt people to buy! Any suggestions welcome. And if you don't have recipes, but want to help me pick, just +1 any in the comments that you'd buy!

(If you use cups as a measurement, could you give me an idea of what that is in ounces, fluid ounces or grammes - thanks!)

I've just done the final edit of my yuletide requests (zombies and tribbles somehow crept into the optional prompts), and offers. I love trawling through the needy fandoms and spotting things I would never have thought of writing, but just might be able to. And I found an awesome letter in a needy fandom which tempted me (it'll be a treat if I don't get assigned it). So, two needy fandoms added, plus a more popular one I think I might be able to handle, and another fandom I've a sudden itch to write in.

And now for my plan: I mean to set myself a tough deadline, way before the real deadline. Artificially induced last-minute panic.

Calvin: You can't just turn on creativity like a faucet. You have to be in the right mood.
Hobbes: What mood is that?
Calvin: Last-minute panic.

A brilliant plan, I think.

Though I still have two ficlets in my notebook needing to be typed up/edited from the writing prompts I got a couple of weeks ago. I need deadlines.

Okay, so, the thing is, I am absolutely terrified of yuletide this year. But even more terrified of not taking part and missing out, because I so love writing for yuletide and that scrabble towards the end to write some treats, and begging hippos for a last minute beta (okay, that bit isn't my favourite) and the wait on Christmas Day for the archive to open, and the fun of opening up my story and sitting down to read. But, guys, I haven't written more than useless, unposted snippets since January!¹ January!!! So can I even still write? I don't know. But I do know that if I'm going to even think of attempting yuletide, I'll need some help. So is someone willing to, I don't know, coach me how to write again or hold my hand or kick my ass or something? And beta some random fandom? And talk me through panicking?

I'm trying to bribe myself into doing it by thinking about fandoms I could request (I love gifting fics, but obviously I do love getting fic too!). So here's what I'm thinking (bearing in mind that I want to avoid really tiny/non-existent fandoms because of the extra work matching they can cause, but I want to pick a selection that means I wouldn't favour any one over the others).

Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. This is an easy choice, because Phryne Fisher is an awesome character, and the supporting cast are all fun, and it'd be an easy one to ask for because I'd love just about anything.

The Captive Prince. I'm so glad kaneko and tevere recommended this so heartily, as I'd never have given it a go based on the blurb, or kept going based on the first couple of chapters. But I ended up reading it online and then buying the ebooks and reading it all over again straight away. I have thoughts, and theories, and at one time I even had fic ideas (and a fic fest idea), just no opportunity to write them/run it, so there's plenty to explore here.

The Unusuals. Either Shraeger/Walsh or ensemble. One to make me happy.

The Gates. I'm always going to want more Dylan and Nick (or Dylan/Nick).

And then there are Eureka, Chicago Fire, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Richard II, Macbeth, Diana Wynne Jones novels, Warehouse 13... Look at me, being good and not picking a selection of obscure plays hardly anyone has seen!

¹ This morning for some bizarre reason I attempted to write femmeslash. Queen Margaret/Duchess Eleanor of Gloucester from Henry VI part 2. (As an aside, why?! I can't do hate sex, and that's all they'd have.) I wrote 3 sentences, read them, and winced.

gen_battle is taking prompts until 11:59 EST today! Get your prompts in! It's perfect for all those characters you want fic/art/vids about, just not in a romantic/porny way.

Forbidden Colours (520 words) by Signe
Fandom: True Love (TV)
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Holly (True Love), Original Female Character
Summary: "Are you happy?"
Notes: Thanks to athenjen and lix for the super-fast betas. Title from the song by David Sylvian.

On LJ | on AO3

Thanks again to everyone who came up with suggestions for the title of the next porn battle, Porn Battle XIV. I can't chose one, so help me again!



I'm running the poll on both sites. If you feel strongly about a certain title, you can vote twice - I won't be checking! This is a relaxed poll! *g*

eta: I can't get a poll to work on Livejournal, sorry! If you can't vote on Dreamwidth, just leave a comment on the Livejournal post.