The picture I have in my icon is from the third movie. With the fifth one coming out soon, I want to update but I haven't found the right picture yet. I've been so busy lately, I know I've missed stills from the new flick. I want one of Harry, not Dan.

Where is a good place to look for stills from OotP? I want to make something similar, so any specific picture recs are appreciated.

I forget which fic I saw this in, so if it was one of yours - well - here is something to think about.

The phrase is all told not all tolled. Yes, all told infers the summation of something, but it is the telling of that summation. If you actually meant to refer to the extent of damage in a situation you can refer to the toll.

The toll was 5 buildings damaged and 3 more completely destroyed. All told, the town was devistated.

Despite appearances, I'm not dead. Not that many here would notice, but let's not go there.

For those who do remember me, life has been eating me from the bottom and not in a good way. I haven't had the chance to read much and comment on even less, which sucks because authors deserve to be fangirled up one side and down the other.

I know I've missed so many good stories...

First of all - when did green eyes become unusual?

Ok. I was reading a fic and a couple of pages in, it slapped me with it's bad-fic-ness. Did I stop reading? No.

But it did get me thinking about what made this fic bad. Thanks to some wonderful writers, I have found the joy of crack fic and I have been known to read such prior squicks as mpreg and even the occasional het (gasp). With this fic, the main thing that kept pinging was that the main characters were totally OOC and there was no conflict or tension in either of them. If you switched out the names to Sam and Joe, the fic would have felt one dimensional. Even tooth-decaying fluff has recognizable characters with emotions and thought processes.

Then I started considering my complaint about OOC-ness. I have plenty of favorite fics where the characters end up OOC. But that is the trick - end up. There is a journey. There is something recognizable about them to begin with and there is at least a hint of what brought on the change. So by the end they don't feel OOC.

For example - Snape is never going to be a fluffy bunny (transfiguration aside). He is never going to do something nice, just because someone else asks him to. Not without seeing what is in it for him and not without grumbling.

Despite my love of Snarry, I don't see Harry just turning to Snape and seeing him as a nummy treat based on a comment from another character. With or without considering HBP, there is much these two need to overcome before they get groiny. Shoot, same goes for Draco. I could see hate!sex happening without much explanation, but not fluffy/lovey!sex.

He smiled a promise.

He what? How?



He nodded wordlessly.

Ok.

Wait, aren't nods generally wordless? I mean, I know you can talk as you nod, just as you can also moan, giggle, sigh, and other such non-wordy vocalizations, during the action. But what does the addition of "wordlessly" bring to this description? If you want to emphasize the quiet, then go with "silently".

Last night, the after dinner talk turned to the Harry Potter books. I reminded my 10 year old son that the next book is supposed to be the last one...

Him: I have two theories on the last book.
Me: Really?
Him: Yeah. First - Ron and Harry are going to get together. Second - Harry is going to die.
Me: ... What was that first one?
Him: Ron and Harry are going to get together.
Me: ...
Him: I mean Ron and Hermione
Me: Oh.
Him: Oh, and Harry is a thingie.
Me: ...?!?!?!
Him: You know, like the locket.
Me: Horcrux?
Him: Yeah.

I know he has no clue I read slash. I doubt he has a clue what slash is. But for a moment there...

It has been next to forever since I have posted here. I have not written a thing in months, not that I was much of a writer before that. I haven't even done much beta work. Man, I'm a bad fangirl.

I mainly use this lj for reading my fandom flist and commenting. While I rarely (understatement much?) post here, I do post about my real life in a different journal. It makes me feel as though I am stalking some of my flist - but it is the good kind of stalking!

My 10 year old son is finally reading Book 6. I head the first five books out loud to him as he was, first too young to read, and then it became a family habit. But with Book 6 I wanted him to use his reading skills and make his own way through the story.

( His comment... )
I'm still wishy-washy on this theory but was impressed that he picked up on the idea.

Headdesk.

"I shall leave my flu open for you."

Headdesk





I need a "Picky Bitch" icon.

Happy Birthday furiosity!

Please give her fics a read and send her lovely feedback!

Dear Creative Author

Your multi-chapter fic is fascinating. You have built an intriguing plot with lots of layers, twists, and turns. I have been sucked into the world you have created within the HP universe. And yet, I keep getting tossed out of the world by silly typos and mistakes. If there were just the occasional mistake, I wouldn't be writing this, but every chapter seems to have new and exciting gaffs.

The story is epic and you have created your own web site to archive it. That takes a great deal of effort. It is obvious that you have put a tremendous amount of time and creativity into this whole process. Why not go back through your story or, better yet, have some one else help you, and fix these minor errors. Cleaning up the bits and bobs would help future readers fall even deeper for your tale.

Yours respectfully,
A frustrated reader

tap, tap - is this on?

Corny, I know. I apologize. I haven't posted anything here in too long. I've also been atrocious about giving feedback on fics. I am the worst fan in fandom.

Anyone on my rl lj knows that life has had me running lately. I feel like a hamster stuck on that darned wheel.

Do I have a point? Yes, I do. I want to THANK the writers and artists in fandom as they have helped me maintain a certain level of sanity in the current insanity of my life. Escaping into the worlds you create - fluffy, romantic, angsty, even cracktastic - short or long - with plot or without - is a gift that I deeply appreciate.

I wish I could promise to change my read and run ways, but I am a very bad girl. I should be punished.

If you must describe a Quidditch-toned stomach, it is taut not taught.

Taut - adj
1) Pulled or drawn tight; not slack.
2) Strained; tense: nerves taut with anxiety.
3) a) Kept in trim shape; neat and tidy.
b) Marked by the efficient, sparing, or concise use of something, such as language or detail

Taught - v
1) Past tense and past participle of teach.

I guess someone could be taught Quidditch which might eventually lead to a taut stomach. But please, for the love of all things kinky, use a beta.

Geesh, has been almost 2 months since I've posted something other than comments from this journal. I'm alive and reading.

I am currently sucked into the stories in snarry_games. Both Team Angst and Team Romance are posting fantastic fics. If you like Snarry at all, you should be reading and voting on these fics.

I have made my last poll private, to protect those who answered. Now that I've had time to think about the issue of virginity more, I would have asked my questions differently and I would have locked the answers from public view.

I know this is not necessarily a fandom issue, but those in fandom seem to be more open to sharing. Thanks to those who did answer.

One last question for now. Should a teen under 18 expect the same privacy/respect regarding sexual issues as someone 18 or over?

I have set comments to screened this time.

It is funny how story themes seem to come on clumps. I have read 4 stories recently that have shed various Weasley brothers in a very unflattering light. Normally these guys are the good guys. The fics are not all recent or by the same author, just a cross section of stories I have bumped into recently.

I have had other streaks where it felt like every fic I read had parseltongue as a kink. Now, I like this kink, but it wasn't something I was seeking at the time.

Anyway, now I want to find some hot Harry/Weasley fics. I know where to find my fill of Harry/Ron, but do you have any recs for Bill or Charlie or the Twins? Yeah, I know there is likely Harry/Percy fic out there too, but it doesn't ping me.

Big Bang II, Baby!!! I am so buried, I have not been able to get my read on YET, though I have cruised the site to check out the artwork and once again, the talent out there is just awe inspiring.

I did have the honor of being part of the beta squad for one story. furiosity and imadra_blue collaborated on Abide the Sleeper. The story will suck you in and the artwork is amazing.

As an added treat, imadra_blue wrote an "outtake" from the story for my birthday. After you have read the big fic and are craving just a little bit more - go read Complicated.

Go now - read, enjoy, comment....

For the love of all things - it is wholesome not holesome.

Oh, and it is fare-thee-well not fair-the-well.

Why do some people insist on going without a beta? Silly mistakes like this kill a story faster than a turbo charged firebolt.

Over the past week I have been craving a H/D story where the boys are together before HBP and the story weaves their relationship into the events of HBP.

Has anyone written this? If so, links please?

Is anyone up to the challenge?

Any writers want to try this as birthday fic for me?

Warning - minirant ahead.

When writing, PLEASE take a minute to construct the sex scene in your head before you commit it to paper. Draw it out. Shoot, act it out. Whatever. If you don't have a willing partner, find a couple of dolls or, heck, Care Bears even (I am resisting reading that yuletide fic).

If person A is on his back, then person B is going to have a difficult time entering "from behind and licking down his spine". While some characters may be fairly limber, this would be quite the challenge for even the most flexible.

It only takes a touch of planning to get your boys or girls or whoever into positions that don't leave your reader trying to picture a pretzel having sex with Gumby.

End minirant.

Thank you.

I can't believe I was floundering around for fic to read just a month ago. November was so quiet and now my to-read pile is unbelievable. How do the rest of you keep up?!?!?

I have barely made it into all the merry_smutmas stories, not to mention the other exchange fics, and writers have been revealed before I have had a chance to read and post feedback. yuletide has also produced a bunch of amazing fics, though that has been easier to be selective, as I'm not that familiar with the source material for many of the stories.

Then there is the fics that I have committed to beta, which go to the top of the pile, gladly. It was funny, reading through the merry_smutmas fic's as they were posted, I realized that I had beta'ed 3 of them, but had to get into each story before it pinged.

I am so woefully behind in posting comments to all the glorious fics. To ALL the writers out there, I am in awe of your talent and your willingness to share that talent with the rest of us.

Happy Birthday silentauror!!!

I wish I could offer you fic or some fantastic art to match your amazing stories, but I missed out on that creative gene. So, instead, I shall pimp.

I want to ask anyone who is not familiar, with silentauror's work (she writes H/D primarily, though not exclusively) to run, don't walk, to her stories. Shoot, even if you have read her stuff - what is a better treat than lots of lovely feedback?

There is something there for just about everyone. Long. Short. Stunning. Fluff. Hurt/Comfort. Silly crossover. A fantasic, oft updated, WIP.

Last year, she even stepped out of her usual pairing to write me a birthday fic when I was going through a Harry/Lucius phase.

Have a fantastic day, darlin!!!

The talented kerryblaze offered to write gift-fic, she just asked for a pairing and a song. On a whim, I asked for Harry/Twins and A Certain Shade of Green by Incubus - and this is what she came up with. It is short, but packs a punch.

Once again, kerryblaze - THANK YOU.

I'm a happy camper. While I ended up going with my DH and son instead of some fellow fans, I had a blast. I ended up sitting next to another woman who was an obvious fangirl, so I did get to squeeeee with her over certain parts. I'm looking forward to seeing it again with my daughter. She picked up on the slash in LotR, so I think we will have fun seeing this together...hopefully we can do that Sunday.

Not going into any other details for now - still trying to wrap my brain around the whole thing.

Via hogwarts_today, I found larilee's essay called Finding, Caring for and Feeding Your Beta. She has done a fantastic job of detailing the author-beta relationship and some do's and don't.

I know I'm fairly new to the beta business, but I value any opportunity to learn more. Based on the beta types she listed, I'd say I fall into the Proofreader and Editor classifications. I would never claim to be an expert at either, though. I beta because I adore all the authors in fandom and want to be able to give something back. I'm not an English major or wordsmith by trade.