Saturday, January 19, 2013

Done...and Plans


It's been a few weeks since I completed Pinned but Fluttering. The sense of accomplishment in completing Pinned but Fluttering is incredible; it's nearly twice as long as Evening Star, and it took me nearly a year and a half of posting almost weekly chapters to complete the story. 

 Unlike most fan fiction writers, I make no outlines; I don't plan out my plots beyond a vague idea of how it's going to end. It's much more fun to write that way because I don't know what's going to happen, either. But there are also drawbacks to writing off-the-cuff as well: repetition, writing oneself into a corner, etc. Nevertheless, I enjoy writing this way too much to stop now. :) 

 Readers on both Wattpad.com and FanFiction.net are requesting sequels to both of my novel-length stories, but I don't think I'm ready to write another epic-type novel at the moment.

 The popularity of Pinned but Fluttering continues to astound me. Currently it's received almost 200,000 reads on FanFiction.net (adding the outtakes story to the original PbF) and 1,415,600 on Wattpad.com, for an overall total of over 1.6 million hits all together. Wattpad also shows nearly 9500 votes and 6700 comments while FanFiction.net has over 1500 reviews. I still can't wrap my mind around those numbers....  

 Because I am currently teaching three classes in January (two online courses, one a family grammar workshop and the other a high school literary analysis class on Oscar Wilde's play The Importance of Being Earnest, and one IRL expository writing class that lasts all school year) plus homeschooling my three teen boys, I'm taking January off from writing. Between Evening Star and Pinned but Fluttering, not to mention my shorter stories/one shots, I've been posting weekly chapters for just over two years. So once I return my final essays from my online Literary Analysis Class in February, during which I"ll be teaching only one online course (a poetry workshop), plus the IRL writing class and homeschooling my boys, I'll probably work on two or three shorter stories I've started, a couple from which I've posted excerpts on this blog. 

 I have an idea for a novel-length story, but I've been debating whether to write it as an original story or as a fan fiction story. I asked my readers on Wattpad which they'd prefer, and currently this is how the polling stands:
Original story: 9 votes
Fan Fiction story: 14 votes
Both/Either (no opinion): 5 votes
I'm still debating. I found myself excited when I received a vote for "Original" and kind of sad when I received one for "Fan Fiction," so my heart it telling me to write an original story which I would publish on Wattpad. But part of me is still drawn to the ease and comfort of writing fan fiction since it's what I know. It would be easy enough to revise the fan fiction story into an original story since this story idea is AH/AU (All Human and Alternate Universe); there won't be vampires or shape shifters/werewolves, but the story will still be a paranormal-type tale. I don't want to say much more, but I'm definitely letting the ideas bubble away on the back burner of my mind this month. 

 Teaching two concurrent online classes this month is killing me; I had to take yesterday (Friday) off and just crawl into bed and rest because I am that worn out right now. So please be understanding if I don't get back into writing until March or so. My IRL class will be working on their research essays which means I won't be grading piles of essays as I usually have to do until May when their research projects are due, so I'll have 6-8 weeks of more free time. Plus, as far as I know, I'm not teaching any online classes in March although I have some big projects I need to be working on for my job, mostly revising and editing some of our online classes (those taught only once per year) into e-books that families can do at their own pace. I'm nearly done with the grammar class, so I'm thrilled about that! 

 And I am so sorry that I haven't been able to respond to many of the wonderful reviews and comments that readers posted at the end of Pinned but Fluttering. I've saved them all and definitely treasure them, and I will respond when I have the time...which may not be until February. I hate having to postpone commenting until then, but that's just the way it has to be. :(

 Oh, and I just found out yesterday that Breaking Dawn Part 2 is being released onto DVD here in the US on my birthday!! At least my kids will know what to get me, LOL! :) 

 So that's where I am, writing-wise and life-wise. Thanks for being understanding about my need to take a break. My autoimmune illness has also been in flare-up mode because of my work schedule; when I overwork and don't sleep enough, the pain worsens, which makes it more difficult to sleep, which makes the pain worsen further, etc. It's a vicious circle. So thanks for your understanding and your amazing support; you're all the best readers ever!!

 With much love,
Cassandra :)
xxxooo

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Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Fan Fics I Read in 2012

Letters to Corporal Masen by SoLostinTwilightwas my favorite fan fic of 2012

 2012 was a year of reading fan fics. Yes, I read a good amount in 2011, my first full year of reading novels and stories in this genre, and 2010 was the year I both discovered fan fiction and started writing Evening Star. But 2012, with all its pain and stress, was endured by reading fan fics. 

 I keep track of the fics I read in the sidebar of this blog, and these are almost exclusively multi-chapter fics; I don't usually list one-shots unless they're over 10K words and then only rarely. If you scroll down, you'll see "Fics I Read in 2013" there now, and I already have several fics listed there. So if you ever want some recs, my list is always there. I'm fairly picky about what I read, and if I don't like it, I don't finish it. So if I finished reading it, it already has my Stamp of Approval. ;) 

 All fics listed are on FanFiction.net unless I indicate otherwise; there may be a handful from Wattpad. 

 This year, for the 2013 list, I'm going to start something a little different. If a pair of asterisks (**) precedes a story title, know that it has been or will be making it to my Fan Fic Stars list...which means that I either have already copy and pasted it to my Kindle or I will be soon. I only put my absolute favorites on my Kindle, the ones I go back to re-read often. So the presence of asterisks means it's a particularly worthwhile story.

 For my 2012 list, I added asterisks if I have already added the story to my Kindle.

 So here's my list...in the reverse order that I read them (most recent reads on top):

Fan Fics I Read in 2012:
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"Summer Nights" by Jenny0719


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"Carnelian and Ice" by Raum

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"Between the Sun and the Moon" by Jenny0719

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**"Bella Hale" by JulesSC (re-read)

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"Defying Gravity" by Jenny0719

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"Cursive" by Phoebe44

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"The Man Who Can't Be Moved" by Jenny0719

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"Dear Mr. Masen" by jendonna

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"Sins of My Past" by content1

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"Dear Maggie" by Jenny0719

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"The Vines We Weave" by Twiddler83

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"Fixing Bella" by CullensTwiMistress

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"Brazilian Chocolates" by AwesomeSauce76

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"Pinky Promises" by PrettyKittyArtist

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"More" by CaraNo

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"Elemental" by TallulahBelle

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**"Nightingale" by Lady Gwynedd (re-read)

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**"Letters to Corporal Masen" by solostintwiliight (read twice)

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**"In Your World" by SoLostinTwilight (re-read)

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"Blind Spot" by FictionFreak95

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"The Bella Swan Scholarship" by eiluned price

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"Clementines" by Nachos4Children

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**"From This Day Forward" by HopeSparkles

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**"A Different Kind of Pain" by SparklingWand

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**"A Forbidden Love" by TwiloverSue (re-read)

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"This Life" by CaraNo

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**"Indecent Proposal" by pattyrose

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**"No Ordinary Proposal" by twilover76 (twice)

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"Antiques Roadshow" by aerobee83

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"Nine Days to Eternity" by Artemis Leaena

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"Between the Covers" by CosmoSydney

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**"Decisions" by Windchymes (re-read)

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"Blind Luck:" by badjujube

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"Hardcover Paranormal Romance" by badjujube

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"High Fidelity" by IreenH

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**"Our Yellow House" by CaraNo (re-read)

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"The Diva Diaries" by KiyaRaven

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"Finding Home" and "Finding Liberty" by jennde

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"Close Your Eyes" by CaraNo

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**"Nightingale" by Lady Gwynedd

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"A Soldier's Homecoming" by morsus mihi

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"Behind the Images" by A Cullen Wannabe

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"A Good Liar" by Raum

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"Surviving High School" by tardis19 (Wattpad)

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"Design for Life" by tardis19 (Wattpad)

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"The Wallflower and the Flyboy" by A Cullen Wannabe

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"A Lesson in Fate" by Lillie Cullen (re-read)

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"A Lesson in Release" by Lillie Cullen (re-read)

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**"More than Words" by SydneyAlice (re-read)

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"Plight Thee My Troth" by GingerandGreen

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"Isla de Cullen" by CaraNo

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"I'll Follow You into the Dark" by SydneyAlice (re-read)

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"Hunted in Seattle" by TwiLoverSue

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**"Solace" by SydneyAlice (re-read)

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**"Pieces" by SydneyAlice (re-read)

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**"Forget Me Not" by SydneyAlice (re-read)

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**"I Thee Wed" by SydneyAlice (re-read)

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"Last Tango in Forks" by AwesomeSauce76

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"Stranger than Fiction" by MasenVixen (re-read)

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"The Single Game" by AwesomeSauce76

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**"Turn the Page" by SydneyAlice (re-read)

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"Cliche" by Suzie55

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**"Words with Strangers" by Nolebucgrl (read twice)

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**"Songbird" by SydneyAlice (re-read)

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"The Most Eligible Bachelor" by Lost in Fanfiction

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**"Wrenfield Hall" by Wannabe Charlotte (read twice)

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"Take the Ice" by bellamarie117

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"True Companion" by bellamarie117

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"Secrets and Lies" by BellaScotia

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"A Darker Shade of Twilight" by Stoney Angel

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"Evading Edward" by VampiresHaveLaws

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"Another League" by CaraNo

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"Nebraska Hideout" by CaraNo

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"An Angry Man" by katinki

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"First and Ten" by Nolebucgrl

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"The Blessing and the Curse" by The Black Arrow

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"The Face I Can't Forget" by TwiliteAddict

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"Honeymoon Suite" by TwiliteAddict

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"Forbidden Muse" by ChocolateLover82

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**"Words with Friends" by Nolebucgrl (read twice)

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**"Little Buttons" by ChocolateLover82

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"A Beer with the Guys" by CaraNo

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"A Drink with the Girls" by CaraNo

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"No Place Like Home" by Tellingmelies

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**"The Wisdom Seeker" by AE Giggle (re-read)

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**"If We Ever Meet Again" by pattyrose

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"Thief of Hearts" by pattyrose

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"The Grand Tale" by CaraNo

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"A Little Night Music" by katinki

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"Remind Me" by rtgirl

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"Cotton Creek" by rtgirl

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"Just a Kiss" by rtgirl

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"War of the Roses" by edwardandbellabelong2gether

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"Requiem" by katinki

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**"The Man in Black" by PrettyKittyArtist

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**"The Secret Keeper" by AE Giggle (re-read)

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"The Count of Tuscany" by withany

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"Litany at Dusk" by duskwatcher2153

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**"It Will Be As If I'd Never Existed" by pattyrose (read twice)

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"Anybody There?" by Kat097

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"The Imprint" by Kat097

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**"Cullen Hall" by Kat097 (read twice)

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**"Romance Is Dead" by Kat097 (read twice)

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**"Parma High" by Lady Gwynedd

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**"Bear Valley Ranch" by Lady Gwynedd (read twice)

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**"Mail Order Bride" By Lady Gwynedd (read twice)

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"Anything but Conventional"

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**"After the Fall" by Lady Gwynedd

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**"The Exchange Student" by Lady Gwynedd (read twice)

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**"A Hope Renewed" by Hopesparkles (read twice)

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**"Fridays at Noon" by troublefollows1017

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"Wanted" by troublefollows1017 (sequel to "Pictures of You")

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"Pictures of You" by troublefollows1017

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**"High School Confidential" by troublefollows1017

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**"Risk and Return" by catharticone

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"Come Back to Me" by Melolabel

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"Atlas Shrugged"

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"While You Were Knocked out Cold" by Melolabel

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"Chosen by Blood"

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**"I'm Only Sleeping" and "Soliloquy" by Simaril (read twice)*


Have a wonderful 2013, everyone!!

 Much love always,
~Cassandra :) 
xxxooo
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