I 𧑠Revising
Dec. 10th, 2023 12:35 pmThis sort of line-level polishing is absolutely my favorite part of the writing process.
( Snippet of fairly steamy scene of Original Novel )
( Snippet of fairly steamy scene of Original Novel )
Original Novel Update
Dec. 7th, 2023 09:14 amI finished the revisions to Original Novel yesterday πΎπ₯³π₯π It's soooo much better than the original draft, which I know is the way it's supposed to work lol but I changed a lot of it, including the Love Interest's emotional background/damage and put some additional burdens on the MC in the last quarter of the book. It's a more complex story now, with more open ends, but I hope that will encourage other people to look forward to the (eventual) sequel and not get angry that I didn't wrap everything up with a tidy bow.
The plan was to start in on the line edit revisions today but I think I'm gonna give myself 24 hours to just chill about it (and also do some housework that's gone neglected this week). I also need to research renaming places that take into account the concepts behind the land back movement. If anyone has resources on that I'd appreciate it.
The plan was to start in on the line edit revisions today but I think I'm gonna give myself 24 hours to just chill about it (and also do some housework that's gone neglected this week). I also need to research renaming places that take into account the concepts behind the land back movement. If anyone has resources on that I'd appreciate it.
After several bad days in a row (low energy, brain fog, depression, anxiety, etc.) I ditched my usual morning routine. Instead of making tea then doing my morning meditation and tarot study I started my day the way I used to, back when I was writing Ghost Story and Deconstruction. Make tea, check in on social media, then write. I got 500 good words done in an hour! I wanted to write more but didn't want to ruin myself for the rest of the day. Instead I rewarded myself with making gimbap for an early lunch, then did a bit of work in my art studio, and then laid down for an hour although I didn't fall asleep. After that I did my tarot meditation, then a very little bit of stuff for my website before popping in on social media again. I can feel my brain starting to misfire and fritz out at this point, the way it usually does at this time of day but at least I don't feel like it was another wasted day.
I have got to start generating some income soon. It's getting very yikes in here.
In other news, I should have run the caffeine experiment for a bit longer before ordering three tins of new tea. I started having problems sleeping after about a week and a half. I'm back to decaf black tea in the mornings and will save the caffeine for special occasions. sigh
I have got to start generating some income soon. It's getting very yikes in here.
In other news, I should have run the caffeine experiment for a bit longer before ordering three tins of new tea. I started having problems sleeping after about a week and a half. I'm back to decaf black tea in the mornings and will save the caffeine for special occasions. sigh
Sunday Snippet
Oct. 2nd, 2022 05:58 pmOk I knew it was Sunday? But I utterly failed to make the cognitive leap to posting a Sunday Snippet. Not that I've gotten much written this week, but I got enough written for another installment. Still from Hellbent:
He pushed out his lower lip before blowing a raspberry against Shen Wei’s side—the soft, tender skin high on his ribs that made him squirm. Indeed, Shen Wei squeaked and flinched away, but when Zhao Yunlan looked up, the face that looked down at him was warm and full of affectionate indulgence.
“You really don’t think we’re moving too fast?” Shen Wei asked.
“Oh, we’re definitely moving too fast,” Zhao Yunlan answered, laughing, “but I don’t care. I’ve got tons of experience making shitty decisions without you. I want to find out what it’s like to make shitty decisions with you.”
“You really don’t think we’re moving too fast?” Shen Wei asked.
“Oh, we’re definitely moving too fast,” Zhao Yunlan answered, laughing, “but I don’t care. I’ve got tons of experience making shitty decisions without you. I want to find out what it’s like to make shitty decisions with you.”
Sunday Snippet, et. al.
Sep. 18th, 2022 09:11 amToday is a Lonely Day.
I haven't dreamed/remembered dreaming in a long time. The last time I remembered a dream well enough to write about it was January 2021 so that's.... yeah, a while. It's too bad because I love my dreams, even when they're creepy or violent or something that other people might find disturbing. I never don't lucid dream (or if I do, I don't recall them--this has been true my whole life), so I can sit back and just enjoy the weirdness. Because I know it's a dream. It's nice.
Last night's dream, though... I was getting ready to travel internationally with some friends while also wrapping up a big conference event thing. I was constantly surrounded by people either needing things from me or providing things for me and it was busy and a little stressful and I was barely keeping everything under control but I was keeping it under control and it felt so incredibly good that I literally cried when I woke up this morning. I've cried once since getting out of bed and now I'm crying again just writing about it.
It's not even 9:30am and I've cried three times today.
I have a Zoom thing this afternoon that will provide some distraction. That's good. I'm so very tired and weary of this life.
Have a snippet from Hellbent.
I haven't dreamed/remembered dreaming in a long time. The last time I remembered a dream well enough to write about it was January 2021 so that's.... yeah, a while. It's too bad because I love my dreams, even when they're creepy or violent or something that other people might find disturbing. I never don't lucid dream (or if I do, I don't recall them--this has been true my whole life), so I can sit back and just enjoy the weirdness. Because I know it's a dream. It's nice.
Last night's dream, though... I was getting ready to travel internationally with some friends while also wrapping up a big conference event thing. I was constantly surrounded by people either needing things from me or providing things for me and it was busy and a little stressful and I was barely keeping everything under control but I was keeping it under control and it felt so incredibly good that I literally cried when I woke up this morning. I've cried once since getting out of bed and now I'm crying again just writing about it.
It's not even 9:30am and I've cried three times today.
I have a Zoom thing this afternoon that will provide some distraction. That's good. I'm so very tired and weary of this life.
Have a snippet from Hellbent.
Zhu Hong snorted.
“The free labor isn’t enough?”
Zhao Yunlan’s head shot up.
“Pretty sure what I do in my free time is my own fucking business,” he snapped at her.
Immediate regret forced an embarrassingly auntie-like tsk through his teeth. Zhu Hong’s cheeks flushed and she returned her grim focus to the fender. He breathed in an apologetic hiss through his teeth but Zhu Hong didn’t even look up.
“Um,” he started.
“Two fresh cranberry almond scones waiting for me tomorrow when I get here at 10,” she interrupted.
“Yep.”
“The free labor isn’t enough?”
Zhao Yunlan’s head shot up.
“Pretty sure what I do in my free time is my own fucking business,” he snapped at her.
Immediate regret forced an embarrassingly auntie-like tsk through his teeth. Zhu Hong’s cheeks flushed and she returned her grim focus to the fender. He breathed in an apologetic hiss through his teeth but Zhu Hong didn’t even look up.
“Um,” he started.
“Two fresh cranberry almond scones waiting for me tomorrow when I get here at 10,” she interrupted.
“Yep.”
Posted a surprise fic yesterday. Surprise fic because I didn't plan on writing it, but when ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
yantantether rec'd Twill Seeker on Twitter earlier this week I re-read it and went "yeah I'm remixing that from ZYL's pov." Behold the result:
In Pursuit (5631 words) by clevermanka
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: ιι | Guardian (TV 2018)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Characters: Shen Wei (Guardian), Zhao Yunlan
Additional Tags: Remix, Alternate Universe, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Inappropriate Behavior
Summary: If Zhao Yunlan has to spend his first summer after college at the family home, he's gotta find something to do. He wants that something to be the family's new butler.
I had a great time writing this and it took practically zero effort (compared to coming up with my own story). It kept my brain active without over-taxing it, kind of like doing PT instead of a CrossFit workout. I vastly prefer revising over writing and I know I'm a good ghostwriter so idk why it took me so long (more than three years!) to remix another fic.
Probably going to be doing more of it if energy/life allows.
It was good to give myself a break from Hellbent. I'm in the home stretch--one chapter and around 7k words to go. The last chapter supplies the (slight) peril that's been largely absent in this fluffy rom-com of a fic, so it's gonna take more energy to write than the others. No worries though, it's still a largely fluff piece (worlds fluffier than I originally envisioned).
This week's dump on cm.net.
yantantether rec'd Twill Seeker on Twitter earlier this week I re-read it and went "yeah I'm remixing that from ZYL's pov." Behold the result:In Pursuit (5631 words) by clevermanka
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: ιι | Guardian (TV 2018)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Characters: Shen Wei (Guardian), Zhao Yunlan
Additional Tags: Remix, Alternate Universe, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Inappropriate Behavior
Summary: If Zhao Yunlan has to spend his first summer after college at the family home, he's gotta find something to do. He wants that something to be the family's new butler.
I had a great time writing this and it took practically zero effort (compared to coming up with my own story). It kept my brain active without over-taxing it, kind of like doing PT instead of a CrossFit workout. I vastly prefer revising over writing and I know I'm a good ghostwriter so idk why it took me so long (more than three years!) to remix another fic.
Probably going to be doing more of it if energy/life allows.
It was good to give myself a break from Hellbent. I'm in the home stretch--one chapter and around 7k words to go. The last chapter supplies the (slight) peril that's been largely absent in this fluffy rom-com of a fic, so it's gonna take more energy to write than the others. No worries though, it's still a largely fluff piece (worlds fluffier than I originally envisioned).
This week's dump on cm.net.
Sunday Snippet
Sep. 4th, 2022 11:57 amI'm 2,300 words into a PWP that I started yesterday and it wants to be in present tense so bad. I don't like writing in present tense, but I'm having problems keeping this one in past tense. I keep switching back without noticing and it's annoying as hell. I suspect a lot of the trouble is it's a remix of a fic written in present tense so when I go back to check for details to include I'm thrown back into that tense and ughhh.
No fear, I'm still making progress with Hellbent. I've only got one more chapter to go and am giving myself a break before I head into the final stretch. I finished another porn scene from it, so have some spice. Spoiler, I guess, Zhao Yunlan eventually discovers Envoy is Shen Wei. π
No fear, I'm still making progress with Hellbent. I've only got one more chapter to go and am giving myself a break before I head into the final stretch. I finished another porn scene from it, so have some spice. Spoiler, I guess, Zhao Yunlan eventually discovers Envoy is Shen Wei. π
Shen Wei leaned heavily onto him as he climbed into bed. With a shaky laugh he dropped down to the pillow and covered his face with a hand. He looked happy, but still shy. Settling between Shen Wei’s legs Zhao Yunlan traced a finger down his belly.
“This is fun,” he said with a smile. “Being able to see you. But I can turn off the lights if you’d be more comfortable.”
Shen Wei just shook his head and Zhao Yunlan happily returned focus to the now fully-erect cock in front of him. Holding it at the base, he ran the flat of his tongue up the shaft in several long, slow licks.
“I like having two first times with you,” he said. “Kinda makes up for not getting one sooner.”
“This is fun,” he said with a smile. “Being able to see you. But I can turn off the lights if you’d be more comfortable.”
Shen Wei just shook his head and Zhao Yunlan happily returned focus to the now fully-erect cock in front of him. Holding it at the base, he ran the flat of his tongue up the shaft in several long, slow licks.
“I like having two first times with you,” he said. “Kinda makes up for not getting one sooner.”
Sunday Snippet
Aug. 21st, 2022 08:19 amI'm having trouble pacing myself on Hellbent. The writing is going so well I overdid it twice last week, resulting in two Lost Days of me near-catatonic on the couch. In four days of writing I've produced nearly 9k words. o_O Granted, it all comes in ten and fifteen minute bursts over the course of the entire day, but that's still a lot of words to be happening and they take a toll. It just feels so good! *sigh* There's a ton of fun banter in it that I've missed (note to self: write more ensemble pieces), but this morning I woke up and chose violence angst.
Tell me y'all like it. Beware a spoiler for Good Intentions though.
Tell me y'all like it. Beware a spoiler for Good Intentions though.
He understood why people scoffed at puppy love. But what he’d felt in those brief, brilliant weeks with Shen Wei still hurt his heart. He’d never felt that connection, that rightness, with anyone since. Well, almost. Not until recently. He shook his head. He couldn’t afford to think about Envoy with someone else’s bike in front of him.
Sure, part of it was nostalgia and the soft focus time threw over memories. It had been beautiful, though, and… pure, he had to admit, though he scoffed at notions of moral chastity. They’d never had time to go stale or sour. They never had a first fight, much less a last one. For the first and only time, Zhao Yunlan had been in it to win it. Until Shen Wei was taken away against his wishes, anyway. Against both their wishes.
Yes, both of them. Zhao Yunlan would still swear it, despite all the years, all the silence.
Sure, part of it was nostalgia and the soft focus time threw over memories. It had been beautiful, though, and… pure, he had to admit, though he scoffed at notions of moral chastity. They’d never had time to go stale or sour. They never had a first fight, much less a last one. For the first and only time, Zhao Yunlan had been in it to win it. Until Shen Wei was taken away against his wishes, anyway. Against both their wishes.
Yes, both of them. Zhao Yunlan would still swear it, despite all the years, all the silence.
Sunday Snippet
Jul. 31st, 2022 11:28 amQuestion: Other than his mentor do we ever see SW interact positively with a male friend or (academic/non-SID) co-worker? Even his two grad students are women.
Last night was annoying (hate it when I can't fall asleep until after midnight) so today is pretty rough but overall it was a better week than the two previous. Even got some writing done. Yesterday was a spanking scene I've been planning for months. It needs a lot of revision but the bones of it are on the page. Snippet is not from that scene:
Last night was annoying (hate it when I can't fall asleep until after midnight) so today is pretty rough but overall it was a better week than the two previous. Even got some writing done. Yesterday was a spanking scene I've been planning for months. It needs a lot of revision but the bones of it are on the page. Snippet is not from that scene:
Later, finally in bed and curled around a sleeping Shen Wei, Zhao Yunlan took a deep breath, pulling in his familiar and comforting scent. Unwilling to imagine the idea of never smelling it again, he risked pressing his nose into Shen Wei’s nape. They’d come a long way from Shen Wei being the one to sit vigil and the Zhao Yunlan who’d surrendered himself to the lantern no longer existed. Not really. Too much had changed, and his physical body was the least of it. He had an uncomfortable feeling that if he ever had to choose between saving the world or his husband, he wasn’t sure it would be the lantern that burned.
I've read a couple fics lately that feature a really strong pov voice--the Untamed AUs live from new york and this river runs to you. Halfway through live from new york I realized I wanted to do something like that with Price of Redemption.
The last time I even touched this fic was October 10. Tonight I'm opening it up to start rewriting 39,048 words in a stronger Zhao Yunlan voice. My very first fic was a remix. Let's see if I can give my own story a bit of a shake, if not a complete remix, and jump start another era of rewarding fic writing, eh? Revision always has been my favorite part of writing...
*cracks knuckles* *crosses fingers*
The last time I even touched this fic was October 10. Tonight I'm opening it up to start rewriting 39,048 words in a stronger Zhao Yunlan voice. My very first fic was a remix. Let's see if I can give my own story a bit of a shake, if not a complete remix, and jump start another era of rewarding fic writing, eh? Revision always has been my favorite part of writing...
*cracks knuckles* *crosses fingers*
Sunday Snippet
Dec. 12th, 2021 07:46 amMore from Heartland. Please tell me you like it (even though it features Zhao Xinci). I need the serotonin hit.
Zhao Xinci didn’t look up from his newspaper when Zhao Yunlan walked in the door. The Barracuda’s rumbling motor faded in the distance as Zhao Yunlan focused on dragging her suitcase into the house. Finally inside, her father held her gaze a moment then shook the paper before returning his attention to it.
“You know I could sue the hospital for violation of privacy.”
“Yeah,” agreed Zhao Yunlan as she bent to unlace her boots. “And what would that get you? Five hundred dollars and a lifetime worth of dinners at the hospital cafeteria?”
Her father made a noise of displeasure.
“Do people in Chicago not close their doors?” he asked sharply. He nodded when Zhao Yunlan closed the door and threw the deadbolt. “I could just sue Zhu Hong directly.”
Zhao Yunlan tipped her head in acknowledgment as she removed her second boot.
“You’d probably only get two hundred but her husband’s a good cook.”
“I’m aware. That’s why I tried to pay him to cook for me while I’m…” he dropped the paper with one hand to wave his fingers at his chest. “He wasn’t available, but he gave me information for someone who was. I suppose since you decided to attend me during my convalescence you can go pick it up from her. Make yourself useful since you’d kill us both with your cooking.”
Zhao Xinci didn’t look up from his newspaper when Zhao Yunlan walked in the door. The Barracuda’s rumbling motor faded in the distance as Zhao Yunlan focused on dragging her suitcase into the house. Finally inside, her father held her gaze a moment then shook the paper before returning his attention to it.
“You know I could sue the hospital for violation of privacy.”
“Yeah,” agreed Zhao Yunlan as she bent to unlace her boots. “And what would that get you? Five hundred dollars and a lifetime worth of dinners at the hospital cafeteria?”
Her father made a noise of displeasure.
“Do people in Chicago not close their doors?” he asked sharply. He nodded when Zhao Yunlan closed the door and threw the deadbolt. “I could just sue Zhu Hong directly.”
Zhao Yunlan tipped her head in acknowledgment as she removed her second boot.
“You’d probably only get two hundred but her husband’s a good cook.”
“I’m aware. That’s why I tried to pay him to cook for me while I’m…” he dropped the paper with one hand to wave his fingers at his chest. “He wasn’t available, but he gave me information for someone who was. I suppose since you decided to attend me during my convalescence you can go pick it up from her. Make yourself useful since you’d kill us both with your cooking.”
Sunday Snippet, et. al.
Dec. 5th, 2021 07:47 amI guess Franzeska's at it again. JFC.
A few weeks ago (months? I don't remember, what is time) I mentioned I'm gonna start culling down the fandom people I interact with if I don't see them speaking out against racism in fandom in their social media. Yes, this includes DW folks. I found out a while back that someone I was fandom-friendly with was still chummy with Franzeska and I would like to avoid those sorts of surprises in the future. If you want to support racism by your silence, that's your choice and me distancing myself from you is mine.
Writing this week was rough and I'm gonna give myself a break for a while. If I'm struck with inspiration, sure I'll see if I can get some words down but I'm not gonna feel bad about not opening the document if I'm not feeling it.
But! I did land on a title for the Femslash Weilan Big Eden AU. The fic's a bit over 4k words at the moment and (unsurprisingly) has developed a bit more angst than I'd planned. Surprise! It opens with Zhao Yunlan getting on a plane to Wichita to care for Zhao Xinci who's scheduled for heart bypass surgery but that's not where the angst comes in. Yet, I guess...
I've been calling this fic "'tis the damn season" because that's the Taylor Swift song that inspired the general vibe of it, back when I pictured it as potential m/m original fiction. If I may say so myself, I come up with good fic titles and I like this one very much. So I give you the first snippet of Heartland:
Zhu Hong had told her. Bless the woman’s unflagging loyalty despite Zhao Yunlan’s spotty record at staying in contact. It really was a shame Zhu Hong didn’t like girls. Zhao Yunlan had made a valiant and desperate attempt at changing her mind back in high school, but oh well. Zhao Yunlan was grateful for their friendship although it had taken a while to get there. She was also grateful for the fact that Zhu Hong had variable standards about patient confidentiality when it came to certain people in her wing of the hospital—especially when she hadn’t found out herself until two days before his arrival in it.
“Consider me an anonymous source,” she’d said at the end of the call.
“Is that why you called instead of texted?” Zhao Yunlan asked, phone tucked between her ear and shoulder, grabbing the well-worn suitcase from her tiny hall closet. She snorted at the silence on the other end of the line as she threw socks and underwear into the bag. “A good journalist always protects her sources, asshole. I’ll see you soon.”
A few weeks ago (months? I don't remember, what is time) I mentioned I'm gonna start culling down the fandom people I interact with if I don't see them speaking out against racism in fandom in their social media. Yes, this includes DW folks. I found out a while back that someone I was fandom-friendly with was still chummy with Franzeska and I would like to avoid those sorts of surprises in the future. If you want to support racism by your silence, that's your choice and me distancing myself from you is mine.
Writing this week was rough and I'm gonna give myself a break for a while. If I'm struck with inspiration, sure I'll see if I can get some words down but I'm not gonna feel bad about not opening the document if I'm not feeling it.
But! I did land on a title for the Femslash Weilan Big Eden AU. The fic's a bit over 4k words at the moment and (unsurprisingly) has developed a bit more angst than I'd planned. Surprise! It opens with Zhao Yunlan getting on a plane to Wichita to care for Zhao Xinci who's scheduled for heart bypass surgery but that's not where the angst comes in. Yet, I guess...
I've been calling this fic "'tis the damn season" because that's the Taylor Swift song that inspired the general vibe of it, back when I pictured it as potential m/m original fiction. If I may say so myself, I come up with good fic titles and I like this one very much. So I give you the first snippet of Heartland:
Zhu Hong had told her. Bless the woman’s unflagging loyalty despite Zhao Yunlan’s spotty record at staying in contact. It really was a shame Zhu Hong didn’t like girls. Zhao Yunlan had made a valiant and desperate attempt at changing her mind back in high school, but oh well. Zhao Yunlan was grateful for their friendship although it had taken a while to get there. She was also grateful for the fact that Zhu Hong had variable standards about patient confidentiality when it came to certain people in her wing of the hospital—especially when she hadn’t found out herself until two days before his arrival in it.
“Consider me an anonymous source,” she’d said at the end of the call.
“Is that why you called instead of texted?” Zhao Yunlan asked, phone tucked between her ear and shoulder, grabbing the well-worn suitcase from her tiny hall closet. She snorted at the silence on the other end of the line as she threw socks and underwear into the bag. “A good journalist always protects her sources, asshole. I’ll see you soon.”
Sunday Snippet
Oct. 31st, 2021 08:52 amLast week (this week? how do y'all think of the week that just happened in this context?) I broke 20k words on Good Intentions, cut a week's worth of story time and a non-crucial plot point, and typed the words Chapter 4. I think I have only one chapter left, now? Maybe two? But probably only one.
Snippet!
After brief laughter, the conversation shifted to gossip about Becks being caught making out with someone named Andy Voorhees behind the guy’s lockers at the dirt track.
Shen Wei choked on his grilled cheese until he had to leave the table. Zhao Yunlan glanced briefly at Ye Zun before following him and with a gentle arm he guided Shen Wei out the mess hall door. After they rounded the corner of the building, Shen Wei gratefully drank the water he hadn’t seen Zhao Yunlan take from the table.
“You okay there?” Zhao Yunlan asked as Shen Wei wiped his eyes with the back of his wrist.
“Yeah,” Shen Wei managed, his voice gravelly and hoarse. “Just,” he cleared his throat and took another drink of water, “Remind me next time we race to let Shuzhi win.”
Zhao Yunlan looked at him curiously for a moment before throwing his head back in laughter. He shook his finger at Shen Wei, grinning.
“Right. No PDAs with you.”
“Well,” Shen Wei clarified, concerned, “Holding hands is okay.”
Snippet!
After brief laughter, the conversation shifted to gossip about Becks being caught making out with someone named Andy Voorhees behind the guy’s lockers at the dirt track.
Shen Wei choked on his grilled cheese until he had to leave the table. Zhao Yunlan glanced briefly at Ye Zun before following him and with a gentle arm he guided Shen Wei out the mess hall door. After they rounded the corner of the building, Shen Wei gratefully drank the water he hadn’t seen Zhao Yunlan take from the table.
“You okay there?” Zhao Yunlan asked as Shen Wei wiped his eyes with the back of his wrist.
“Yeah,” Shen Wei managed, his voice gravelly and hoarse. “Just,” he cleared his throat and took another drink of water, “Remind me next time we race to let Shuzhi win.”
Zhao Yunlan looked at him curiously for a moment before throwing his head back in laughter. He shook his finger at Shen Wei, grinning.
“Right. No PDAs with you.”
“Well,” Shen Wei clarified, concerned, “Holding hands is okay.”
Sunday Snippet
Oct. 17th, 2021 09:39 amA bit of dialogue from Good Intentions (teenage summer science camp AU). Spoiler alert: They Kiss!
Zhao Yunlan leaned his ear close, frowning.
“Sorry, what was that? I couldn’t quite make it out.”
“Shut up,” said Shen Wei, laughing and trying to pull his hand away.
“No, no, I’m serious. What did you say?”
Sighing heavily and rolling his eyes, Shen Wei refused to look at him.
“Kiss you. I want to kiss you some more.”
Ugh y'all they're so cute in this I can't even and I'm writing them. π
Good news regarding the IATSE strike!
Pretty shady news regarding the OTW tho.
Zhao Yunlan leaned his ear close, frowning.
“Sorry, what was that? I couldn’t quite make it out.”
“Shut up,” said Shen Wei, laughing and trying to pull his hand away.
“No, no, I’m serious. What did you say?”
Sighing heavily and rolling his eyes, Shen Wei refused to look at him.
“Kiss you. I want to kiss you some more.”
Ugh y'all they're so cute in this I can't even and I'm writing them. π
Good news regarding the IATSE strike!
Pretty shady news regarding the OTW tho.
Sunday Snippet
Oct. 10th, 2021 07:26 amI had to step away from Reconstruction (hi! guess who can't write sex scenes without crying these days?), so I went back to Good Intentions, the Hellbent prequel. I'm now almost 15k words into it and feeling steadier on my feet plot-wise than I was when I last touched it in April.
Ready to rejoin me in a teenage summer science camp AU?
“What do you want, Ye Zun?”
The mask fell, and Ye Zun sighed, kicking a stone out of the path. His mouth twisted, not in a sneer, but in uncertainty and vulnerability. Shen Wei missed the younger brother he’d adored, before family and social pressures had carved him into something uncomfortable and unhappy. Dodging around him, Shen Wei kicked the rock back onto the path in front of them. Ye Zun’s eyes flicked up but he kept his head down and didn’t break his stride as he kicked the stone, this time in a fairly straight line on the path ahead.
“I don’t want you to forget about me,” he said.
The stone landed closer to Shen Wei’s side of the path and Shen Wei eyed it warily as they approached. When Ye Zun didn’t push into his space, Shen Wei breathed a silent sigh of relief. He kicked the stone, doing his best to angle it to Ye Zun’s side.
“I won’t forget about you,” he said, aiming to sound factual rather than reassuring. “Trust me, you’re impossible to forget.”
Ready to rejoin me in a teenage summer science camp AU?
“What do you want, Ye Zun?”
The mask fell, and Ye Zun sighed, kicking a stone out of the path. His mouth twisted, not in a sneer, but in uncertainty and vulnerability. Shen Wei missed the younger brother he’d adored, before family and social pressures had carved him into something uncomfortable and unhappy. Dodging around him, Shen Wei kicked the rock back onto the path in front of them. Ye Zun’s eyes flicked up but he kept his head down and didn’t break his stride as he kicked the stone, this time in a fairly straight line on the path ahead.
“I don’t want you to forget about me,” he said.
The stone landed closer to Shen Wei’s side of the path and Shen Wei eyed it warily as they approached. When Ye Zun didn’t push into his space, Shen Wei breathed a silent sigh of relief. He kicked the stone, doing his best to angle it to Ye Zun’s side.
“I won’t forget about you,” he said, aiming to sound factual rather than reassuring. “Trust me, you’re impossible to forget.”
Sunday Snippet
Oct. 3rd, 2021 07:48 amStill creeping in this petty pace, but a few words a day are better than none!
Zhao Yunlan (briefly) has long hair again:
Eyes still closed, Shen Wei pulled away to take a gasping breath, warm air from his lungs blowing over Zhao Yunlan’s spit-slick lips. Zhao Yunlan let go his own grip in Shen Wei’s hair to rub his thumbs over those beautiful, perfect cheekbones. The lack of restraint allowed Shen Wei’s hair to fall down in a curtain around their faces.
Shen Wei’s eyes flew open, wide and wanting, to glance over Zhao Yunlan’s face before slipping closed again. With a soft moan, he let go of Zhao Yunlan’s hair only to gather a mass of the length in his fist, tangling their locks together.
Zhao Yunlan (briefly) has long hair again:
Eyes still closed, Shen Wei pulled away to take a gasping breath, warm air from his lungs blowing over Zhao Yunlan’s spit-slick lips. Zhao Yunlan let go his own grip in Shen Wei’s hair to rub his thumbs over those beautiful, perfect cheekbones. The lack of restraint allowed Shen Wei’s hair to fall down in a curtain around their faces.
Shen Wei’s eyes flew open, wide and wanting, to glance over Zhao Yunlan’s face before slipping closed again. With a soft moan, he let go of Zhao Yunlan’s hair only to gather a mass of the length in his fist, tangling their locks together.
Sunday Snippet, et. al.
Sep. 19th, 2021 08:37 amCan anyone who reads Korean please translate this fanart? I feel like it's a take on the "what are you" "a (whatever) sandwich" meme, which I love.
My hair looked so good yesterday I ran extra errands just so it could be seen. Too bad my hair doesn't photograph well.
One of my stops was to pick up nail polish supplies. I used to polish my nails regularly and had a salon-worthy collection of colors. A decade later, and wow today's selection sucks. OPI seems to have discontinued most of the lines I liked (like the hologram one--π©) and the China Glaze selection was uninspiring, too. I might try hitting the ULTA store at some point, but the offerings at Sally's and Beauty Brands were deeply disappointing. I went prepared to buy five or six colors and found only one. I need to mosey over to the Zoya website at some point, see if they still have the sort of colors I like. (eta: oh yeah, Zoya's still got me)
In solidarity withnaye, I've committed to writing at least 50 new words* on Redemption every day until (I think) October 17th. Fun times because as I mentioned last week, the next (now current) scene is the midway emotional tipping point of the story--Zhao Yunlan's first meeting/confrontation with Zhao Xinci after, you know, everything. *jazz hands*
* New words = Stuff that advances the plot past the last place I left off. Words added in edits don't count.
I got 120 words down yesterday, so β for me. Here are some of them:
He hated his dad for assuming Zhao Yunlan would know what tea shop he meant. He hated him for being right. He hated himself for knowing he was going to go. Any remaining comfort from the conversation with Zhang Shi dissipated, he sullenly slung his legs over the arm of the couch and flung an arm over his eyes to take a short nap. Sure he’d meet the father who hadn’t bothered reaching out to him until now, but damned if he’d be early.
My hair looked so good yesterday I ran extra errands just so it could be seen. Too bad my hair doesn't photograph well.
One of my stops was to pick up nail polish supplies. I used to polish my nails regularly and had a salon-worthy collection of colors. A decade later, and wow today's selection sucks. OPI seems to have discontinued most of the lines I liked (like the hologram one--π©) and the China Glaze selection was uninspiring, too. I might try hitting the ULTA store at some point, but the offerings at Sally's and Beauty Brands were deeply disappointing. I went prepared to buy five or six colors and found only one. I need to mosey over to the Zoya website at some point, see if they still have the sort of colors I like. (eta: oh yeah, Zoya's still got me)
In solidarity with
naye, I've committed to writing at least 50 new words* on Redemption every day until (I think) October 17th. Fun times because as I mentioned last week, the next (now current) scene is the midway emotional tipping point of the story--Zhao Yunlan's first meeting/confrontation with Zhao Xinci after, you know, everything. *jazz hands** New words = Stuff that advances the plot past the last place I left off. Words added in edits don't count.
I got 120 words down yesterday, so β for me. Here are some of them:
He hated his dad for assuming Zhao Yunlan would know what tea shop he meant. He hated him for being right. He hated himself for knowing he was going to go. Any remaining comfort from the conversation with Zhang Shi dissipated, he sullenly slung his legs over the arm of the couch and flung an arm over his eyes to take a short nap. Sure he’d meet the father who hadn’t bothered reaching out to him until now, but damned if he’d be early.
Sunday Snippet, et. al.
Apr. 18th, 2021 09:07 amFanart: LGK and Kunlun. BB!SW and ZYL.Chibi Ye Zun and Zhao Yunlan and I wish I could read Korean. Weilan, together always and in all seasons.
Zhu Yilong travels with his electric keyboard and guitar??? *squish* Stills from his birthday livestream. This needs to be a new meme format.
A tabletop RPG based on The Untamed.
Ah, Midwest living at its finest.
Todays Oglaf (NSFW) is DELIGHTFUL.
Someone with the username soecrates left me kudos. π
I wrote 1,200 words yesterday on Recostruction/the Deconstruction sequel! It felt amazing. Still having a hard time attaching to ZYL's voice but it'll come, I'm sure. I suppose he's still finding his feet back in Dragon City and (as I mentioned to someone in an email) he's a bit numb at the moment and in no small amount of denial about some things so it's probably not completely inappropriate that his voice is a bit distant at the mo'.
Speaking of finding ones feet/coming to terms with stuff, I've been working through a lot of Feelings About Things lately. Some of them are obviously a result of working through the Pretty Darn Rough couple of years I've had (in addition to the global pandemic and massive social unrest we're all grappling with) . Some of them are a result of my looking a little harder at myself and past relationships. Some, most recently, are from wise words received from people smarter about me in certain topics. It's making me think about how I'd like to see the next few years of my life play out and how I might be able to thrive despite so many setbacks. I don't even know what's actually possible for me to do, from a purely physical standpoint. It's impossible for me to tell right now if I'll be able to stay gainfully employed for any amount of time without debilitating myself (further). But I'm starting to ponder some paths I never would have considered even six months ago, and feeling a little hope on top of it all.
And now, a snippet of yesterday's words, from Reconstruction/the Deconstruction sequel, now titled(ππΎπ)! The Price of Redemption:
He turned to meet Shen Wei’s soft gaze, close enough he could see the faint lines of stress and unhappiness the last nine months had put on Shen Wei’s forehead. Zhao Yunlan realized he could probably get rid of those if he put his mind to it. Surely there was something in his understanding of how healing worked to reverse-engineer the aging process. He shuddered, suddenly sick at the idea of Shen Wei’s hair going white. The dumplings they’d enjoyed at lunch rolled uncomfortably in his gut. The lines between Shen Wei’s forehead deepened.
“Yunlan? What’s wrong?”
Zhao Yunlan shook his head and glanced up and down the still empty street.
“Kiss me now,” he said, disengaging his arm from behind the bench to cup Shen Wei’s cheek. “Be here with me now.”
Zhu Yilong travels with his electric keyboard and guitar??? *squish* Stills from his birthday livestream. This needs to be a new meme format.
A tabletop RPG based on The Untamed.
Ah, Midwest living at its finest.
Todays Oglaf (NSFW) is DELIGHTFUL.
Someone with the username soecrates left me kudos. π
I wrote 1,200 words yesterday on Recostruction/the Deconstruction sequel! It felt amazing. Still having a hard time attaching to ZYL's voice but it'll come, I'm sure. I suppose he's still finding his feet back in Dragon City and (as I mentioned to someone in an email) he's a bit numb at the moment and in no small amount of denial about some things so it's probably not completely inappropriate that his voice is a bit distant at the mo'.
Speaking of finding ones feet/coming to terms with stuff, I've been working through a lot of Feelings About Things lately. Some of them are obviously a result of working through the Pretty Darn Rough couple of years I've had (in addition to the global pandemic and massive social unrest we're all grappling with) . Some of them are a result of my looking a little harder at myself and past relationships. Some, most recently, are from wise words received from people smarter about me in certain topics. It's making me think about how I'd like to see the next few years of my life play out and how I might be able to thrive despite so many setbacks. I don't even know what's actually possible for me to do, from a purely physical standpoint. It's impossible for me to tell right now if I'll be able to stay gainfully employed for any amount of time without debilitating myself (further). But I'm starting to ponder some paths I never would have considered even six months ago, and feeling a little hope on top of it all.
And now, a snippet of yesterday's words, from Reconstruction/the Deconstruction sequel, now titled(ππΎπ)! The Price of Redemption:
He turned to meet Shen Wei’s soft gaze, close enough he could see the faint lines of stress and unhappiness the last nine months had put on Shen Wei’s forehead. Zhao Yunlan realized he could probably get rid of those if he put his mind to it. Surely there was something in his understanding of how healing worked to reverse-engineer the aging process. He shuddered, suddenly sick at the idea of Shen Wei’s hair going white. The dumplings they’d enjoyed at lunch rolled uncomfortably in his gut. The lines between Shen Wei’s forehead deepened.
“Yunlan? What’s wrong?”
Zhao Yunlan shook his head and glanced up and down the still empty street.
“Kiss me now,” he said, disengaging his arm from behind the bench to cup Shen Wei’s cheek. “Be here with me now.”
