writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia

Oh hey there

2017-11-08T03:09:59Z

So I haven't posted here (publicly anyway) in a while. I've mostly been sing this as a private idea diary and have shifted a lot of my writing over to my author blog. But I figured since i'm trying to do nano this year, I'd post some stuff here and keep myself accountable.

As you can see, I'm already behind.

But it's partly because 3 days in I switched projects, and haven't had a great 10K day yet, but I'm hoping for one later this week. I just realized I wasn't happy writing the story I started and that there was one I wanted to tell more, so I switched to that.

So, more to come here, but for now...I guess I'm back?

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Oh hey I have a book!

2016-12-19T00:19:02Z

I haven't posted here in a while but that by no means signals that I haven't been writing. In fact...

My novella A Honeyed Light was released on Wednesday!! I was really excited and overwhelmed all day long. Like how do people do this all the time? Anyway I wrote all the deets in a blog post already so just go here.

Yay a book!!!

No but for real if you want a multicultural, gay/bisexual, male/male romance set in a haunted town during the Hindu festival of Diwali in a short sweet novella, pick up A Honeyed Light now!

Like you can say no to this stunning cover:

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Friday Five

2016-04-22T18:01:01Z

I'm being crazy generous today and giving you five paragraphs!

"Oh you have to have heard about how haunted our little town is," Oscar replied, a grin back on his face. "It's the main thing that brings in the tourists. All year long people trickle in to see the town that was to source of the documentary Perfect Harmony. Ever heard of it?"

Kunal shook his head. He wasn't exactly a skeptic, but he didn't actively believe in the paranormal either. "So how is this place haunted?"

Oscar stopped at an intersection. "That, Kunal, is a long story I'll have to tell you about later. I'm heading off this way, unless you'd like company a little way further?"

Oscar was giving him an out. Kunal could take it, or he could find some courage and let Oscar walk him back home. After a brief hesitation, he took the coward's route, but amended, "Yeah you can tell me later. But if there are spirits hanging around, I need to know so I can blame them if I bowl a rotten game."

Oscar blinked and then grinned. "Why, Kunal Sadaram, was that a joke? I knew you couldn't be so serious all the time. I'm really looking forward to Friday even more now. Good night." Before Kunal could react, Oscar turned and headed down the street toward his house, leaving Kunal to wonder why that comment had made this sound like a date.

Story finished at about 32K!

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Friday Five

2016-04-15T15:09:02Z

It's more than five sentences but who cares?

Kunal decided to call it an early night. Paying his tab, he got up to leave, vacating his seat at the bar to the man who'd just approached. "All yours," he tossed over his shoulder. "I was just leaving."

"Well that's a shame. Here I was about to ask to buy you a drink."

Kunal paused to actually look at who was speaking and froze. He was right. It really was just a matter of time before he ran into someone he knew. Someone from Harmony. Someone who could recognize him.

I'm over 22K with this story. I feel so good about it :)

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Friday Five

2016-04-08T15:59:20Z

I haven't done this in a little while, but as I've been on a roll this whole week, here's five lines from my current WIP!

Kunal Sadaram untied his apron, smoothing it as he hung it up behind the door of the kitchens. The wall next to the door had neat rows, a hook and cubby system. It had been devised by Divya, the elder of his two younger sisters, to keep everyone's belongings neat, tidy, and perfectly in line. It was a reflection of her life. As Kunal looked at his sparse cubby, he briefly thought it was also a reflection of his own: organized, but empty.

How are you all doing on your projects?

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Friday Five

2015-11-06T16:00:40Z

It's a bit more than five sentences but who cares? I FINALLY FINISHED THIS THING.

Nadir almost felt drunk. He was lightheaded and almost giddy from the sudden realization that perhaps he hadn't been imagining, hoping against hope at all. That there was something here and that Bastian felt it as much as he did.

Then Bastian's hand moved to slide along Nadir's jaw and creep into his hair and this time Nadir was the one fighting shivers and sounds as his eyes drifted shut. "Nadir," Bastian breathed and it felt like a benediction. He felt Bastian move, felt him shift nearer and opened his eyes in time to see Bastian's face so close it was distorted and wasn't that strange?

And that was the last thought Nadir had before Bastian exhaled against his lips and then kissed him.

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Sunday Six. Sorta.

2015-04-05T23:15:32Z

I went back to this story today and figured why not post some more. This part isn't from what I wrote today but still, enjoy. It's more than six sentences. I don't think people will mind that.

It was true; the woods made Nadir nervous. He was happy and comfortable inside the castle walls, with his books and his sword, his education and his training. His routine. The woods were not part of what made him feel safe or comfortable. They were dark, even during the day, with their giant twisting trees, their windy branches, their silence.

That was what bothered Nadir the most about the woods. They were too quiet. He couldn't hear birds or anything else for that matter. It felt like slipping into pure absence of sound. He didn't mention it to Baz; that would mean actually admitting that fear aloud - never mind that Baz seemed to know Nadir was more than just unnerved. But he still refused. At age twenty he was nearly a knight of the realm, ready to leave squiredom - and the remains of childhood - behind. He couldn't be afraid of a mere forest.

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Sunday Six!

2015-03-15T20:47:20Z

I haven't done one of these in a while so I figured why not, since I wrote a good 1500 words of AU kpop fic omg what even is my life. Anyway...here you go. Squishy Satan & his soon-to-be demon consort.

And then a new opponent stepped into the ring. Unlike the previous fighters, this one was not built for brute strength. This one was lean, tall but not broad, with glowing red eyes Kyungsoo could see from his throne. His hair was the kind of careless that took effort to achieve, mimicking horn where there were not, which piqued Kyungsoo's curiosity. Red-eyed, slender demon, no horns, no visible tail- no, he corrected himself, noting the unusual belt wrapped around the demon's waist: not a belt at all. Intrigued at what looked like like a terrible mismatch, Kyungsoo finally sat up, his own eyes, usually quite normal in appearance, flickering bruise-black in the firelight.

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The Devil and the Deep

2014-11-06T15:38:14Z

Here's a sample of what I'm currently working on, hopefully for Less Than Three's Villains Inc. anthology.

Above the surface, the sun rose and, beneath the waves, the prince of Sujung rose with it. His Royal Highness Prince Ilseong slid from his bed of soft sea sponge, his grey tail uncoiling lazily. He rubbed sleep from his eyes, stifling a yawn. It was his day off and yet still he could not sleep late. Too many years of training with his father's warriors meant he rose at dawn even when he was so far beneath the ocean's surface he could barely see its light. That did not hold true for today. Today the sun shone so brightly it reached the spires of the palace, which caught and bent it so it spread across the kingdom. It had been built just for that purpose - to bring the kingdom's citizens light no matter how deep.

It was a beautiful day which made it so surprising when everything went terribly wrong.

Prince Ilseong was not a spoiled indolent royal. He was a warrior, like his father, built strong a lithe, his powerful tail as much a weapon as his knives and his teeth. When he smiled it was a baring of sharp fangs, and it was a reminder that the prince of the merkingdom was a shark. He was not genteel mermaid nor was he a siren of legend, with their beautiful voices and sometimes beautiful faces that lured men to the deaths.

Those were his sisters, some the former, some the latter. He was the hunter, the killer, the future king. He was his father's son.

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Postmortal

2014-10-13T14:32:54Z

My name is Pandora Rich and on my birthday this year, I died.

I know. That raises a lot of questions. If I'm dead, how am I still here? How am I still able to tell people my story?

I'll tell you the same thing I was told when I 'woke up' after I flatlined.

Welcome to the Underworld.

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Oh yeah!

2014-08-10T22:54:08Z

Also, new layout!

I sort of forgot to mention that part lol.

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Sunday Six. Sorta

2014-08-10T21:11:53Z

I have no idea if this will make the final cut or not but here's a thing!

The woods to the north of the castle grounds were an immensity. In all the years Baz and Nadir had trained as squires on the grounds, they had never managed to fully explore it. That wasn't to say they didn't try. Not long after becoming a squire, Baz had developed a habit of sneaking out and after the first few times, Nadir joined him if only to keep him out of trouble. Later, despite his protests, Nadir began to enjoy those excursions into the forest. The trees were evergreens, so thick and tall they seemed to touch the sky and blot out the sun even on the brightest day.

Nadir had to admit, the first time he'd accompanied Baz, he'd been more than a little afraid. He'd covered his fear with stern reprimands and cautionary tales about how much trouble they could get in, and how Baz was lucky Nadir was with him to keep him out of trouble. Baz had simply looked at Nadir with his green-hazel eyes and replied, "I know. I was scared too. I'm glad you're with me," then plunged headlong into the trees.

Looking back, Nadir knew he'd started falling for Baz then.

I got this all outlined today so hopefuly I can get it written soon!

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In which yabamena requests Maleficient fic, and I provide.

2014-07-10T00:45:33Z

So this Maleficient/Diaval post showed up on Tumblr and yabamena reblogged it and tagged it requesting fic. Just like that, I suddenly got bitten by a writing bug and this fell out of me, so I posted it for her. Maleficient/Diaval, G, etc. etc.

--

"Whatever you need, Mistress."

And so Diaval became Maleficient’s wings. He became them small and feathered. He became them large and leathery. He became her eyes, her breath, her iron will. When she darkened more, he became her compassion, her gentility, the part of her that still remained, however hidden. He became whatever she needed, not just because she needed it, but because he was willing to give.

And when she remembered how to open her heart again, she found he’d been there all along, for that too was what she needed.

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It's not Friday Five or Sunday Six , but it's still an excerpt!

2014-06-09T20:19:36Z

I finally got started on what I hope will be a submission to Less Than Three's Lovely, Dark, and Deep anthology. This starts two side characters from my story that was in the Won't Back Down antho. Anyway, enjoy!

The third time Baz let out his perfectly calculated huff, Nadir sighed and put down his book. He knew that sigh, the weight of it, the balance, the careful planning that went into Baz sounding just the right amounts of forlorn and discontent. Baz had had years to get it right, after all.

Nadir resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose, a habit he'd developed after years of spending time with Baz and instead swung round in his chair to look at him. Baz didn't even have the decency to look sheepish at interrupting Nadir. In fact, the corner of his mouth was twitching slightly, like he was fighting back a smile.

Calmly Nadir took in Baz's appearance. He was dressed in his walking clothes, casual clothing the squires wore when not in training. With their impending knighthood only a few months away, they didn't have much time to themselves anymore. So it was rare they found the time to - in Nadir's case - catch up on reading, though it appeared he was not about to have that time now either. "What is it now, Bastian?" Nadir used Baz's full first name, making it clear that he was displeased, albeit only slightly.

Baz smiled then, that charming, almost too-white smile that always crumbled at Nadir's resolve. "I'm bored."

It was Nadir's turn to sigh. "Of course you are. And you need me to do something about it?"

Baz only smiled wider, sensing an advantage Nadir hadn't intended to give him. "I need you to come with me."

Nadir narrowed his eyes, his dark heavy eyebrows knitting above them. "And go where?"

"Into the woods."

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Friday Five!

2014-05-09T19:37:08Z

And by that I mean "Five Paragraphs" to make up for all the Friday Fives I've been missing. This narrative was written for a application for an rpg two years ago. Sicne I just joined a new game with said character, I figured I should post this here...since I never did? Oops?

Anyway, this is Aksel. He can control you. When he says dance, you dance. He's the Puppetmaster, bitches.

( And he's not a nice guy. )

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dusts off

2014-04-09T17:46:27Z

So I changed the layout here. Not sure that means there are any new posts forthcoming but I will try. I need to make myself make time to write something I don't mind posting up here. Yeah.

That is all!

actionreaction

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Thoughts

2014-02-28T17:01:02Z

As it's getting less possible for me to post my writing here (as things are going to be more and more considered for publication) I might instead start posting character bios/outlines here for me to get a better sense of who they are as well as for anyone still reading this thing to get to know them better.

I'll start thinking about who to develop and how and try to get to posting on a schedule again.

Probably weekends.

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Day 13: Your Breath Fills My Lungs

2014-01-07T14:53:40Z

As part of a yearly tradition with yabamena, we write each other drabbles for the 12(+1) days of Christmas. Day 13: More surprise fanfic! This is also the bonus day, and the last day ;_; SADS. Anywhere here. Have some Covenant fic.

If there was one thing everyone knew about Reid Garwin it was that he was a reckless skirt-chaser. He took chances none of the other sons of Ipswich would -- not even Pogue -- and flirted with every attractive girl who passed by. He went through relationships like he went through tissues and considering he was a young man with a healthy sex drive, he went through a lot of both.

( Your Breath Fills My Lungs )

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Day 12: I believe in a cruel God.

2014-01-05T19:58:50Z

As part of a yearly tradition with yabamena, we write each other drabbles for the 12(+1) days of Christmas. Day 12: More surprise fanfic! Blaise/Draco is probably my #2 Harry Potter OTP and so they're the other one I've written more than a few fics on. So here's another, set in one of our RP-verses.

Blaise was a very private person and always had been. If fact, one of the things that drove Draco mad about him was how much he didn't know about him; the tall, dark, often cruel Zabini kept very much tightly under wraps. Over the years Draco had learned a few things about Blaise: his taste for wine, his disdain for anything he deemed beneath him, his quick mind, and his incredible patience.

( I believe in a cruel God )

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Day 11: Bound and determined

2014-01-04T18:57:50Z

As part of a yearly tradition with yabamena, we write each other drabbles for the 12(+1) days of Christmas. Day 11: Here there be bondage. Fades before it gets to an R rating so I'm not locking it.

The gift itself was a large, flat, very misleading box, wrapped carefully in shiny silver paper with a velvety red bow. It was so very misleading because of the contents within. Ezra watched as Avery pulled the four black cuffs attached to short sturdy metal rods out of the packaging and looked quizzically up at him. His rosebud mouth pursed as he turned them over in his hands, clearly only halfway to figuring out what they were. Ezra had cuffed him to his bed on more than one occasion already, so that these things were made to fit around Avery's wrists and ankles was pretty obvious.

( Bound and determined )

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Day 10: All I want

2014-01-03T19:32:45Z

If you're just tuning in, as part of a yearly tradition with yabamena, we write each other drabbles for the 12(+1) days of Christmas. Day 10: Finally caught up. Sorry for the f-list spam. I just have not been posting these daily as I should have. I only have two left after this and they'll be posted tomorrow and Monday.

JD had stopped celebrating Christmas years ago. When the holiday season meant either wheeling and dealing with administration at Salem Academy to stay there during the holidays rather than go back to the boys' home in Jersey, after a while, the holiday started losing meaning. When you had no family, no loved ones, what was the point of it? Certainly not the religious aspect -- he'd given up on that even longer ago. So now though he'd been an adult out of the system and out of Salem for a few years, Christmas was just another highly irritating day to him.

( All I want )

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Day 9: It's not an act offstage

2014-01-03T19:14:11Z

As part of a yearly tradition with yabamena, we write each other drabbles for the 12(+1) days of Christmas. Day 9: Yay, more kpop inspired band-slash!

Sometimes it was a little too easy to get caught up in the stage lights, the persona and the performance. Sometimes it was a little hard to figure out where the performer ended and the maybe not so ordinary young man began. Sometimes, it was hard to turn off the daring, inappropriate fanservice that sent girls in the crowd into screaming fits.

( It's not an act offstage )

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Day 8: New Year's in New York City

2014-01-03T19:07:19Z

As part of a yearly tradition with yabamena, we write each other drabbles for the 12(+1) days of Christmas. Day 8: This is pretty schmoopy. Again, these folks have superpowers, but don't use them within this drabble.

New Year's Eve in New York City wasn't about fancy restaurants, champagne on rooftops, or cramming into Times Square to freeze among a million other people to watch the glitzy ball drop. At least, it wasn't like that for Chien. To him it was rum and cokes until midnight, affordable champagne at midnight, and dancing with Mo until they collapsed, but only after that sweet kiss that made him tingle even more than the bubbles did.

( New Year's in New York City )

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Day 7: And days of Auld Lang Syne

2014-01-03T19:06:59Z

As part of a yearly tradition with yabamena, we write each other drabbles for the 12(+1) days of Christmas. Day 7: So hey sometimes I write fandom! HP fandom, Dean/Seamus aka my OTP to end OTPs

The press of the crowd was something Dean was not nearly as fond of as his many former Gryffindor friends. Out of them all, he was probably the most introverted; he valued his quiet time, his alone time. He didn't mind sharing it with Seamus, because despite how much energy Seamus exuded, he also knew when Dean needed to be alone to create or just to recharge.

( And days of Auld Lang Syne )

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Day 6: O Christmas Tree

2014-01-03T18:55:23Z

As part of a yearly tradition with yabamena, we write each other drabbles for the 12(+1) days of Christmas. Day 6: So this is kpop (faux) bandslash. We created a band (and a label for the band, as well as a few other talents under said label) annnnd stuff happened.

It wasn't often that Lunatox members got any time off. They were still a rookie group after all and that meant every minute of their day was scheduled for something, whether it be practice, performance, variety show or sleep. So when their manager told them, only two days after Christmas, that the were given the day off to spend at a shopping mall, and were give an allowance, KC could only stare in pleased surprise.

( O Christmas Tree )

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writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia

Oh hey there

Oh hey I have a book!

Friday Five

Friday Five

Friday Five

Friday Five

Sunday Six. Sorta.

Sunday Six!

The Devil and the Deep

Postmortal

Oh yeah!

Sunday Six. Sorta

In which yabamena requests Maleficient fic, and I provide.

It's not Friday Five or Sunday Six , but it's still an excerpt!

Friday Five!

*dusts off*

Thoughts

Day 13: Your Breath Fills My Lungs

Day 12: I believe in a cruel God.

Day 11: Bound and determined

Day 10: All I want

Day 9: It's not an act offstage

Day 8: New Year's in New York City

Day 7: And days of Auld Lang Syne

Day 6: O Christmas Tree

dusts off