I added Chapter 21 of the 8th year here and at Table for Three. It's only available here for my HP fanfic guests, so you havta sign in (and be friended by me) to see it.

The good news is, Chapter 22 is over half written already!

The Pitch has THREE of my stories up on their featured stories poll!
I'm completely blown away by this and want you all to go and vote for me. I hold out little hope that I'll make it, as I'm up against some great writers.

The stories nominated are:
'Infinite Incantatum' in the Drabbles category.
'Litany' in Dark Tales.
'In The Morning' in Menage a Trio

I'm competing against one of my betas, Leviathan, in the Drabbles category and worst of all, against Argyle_S in the Menage A Trio category. Argyle_S's story 'Mental, That One' is the story that started me writing trio! How can I even hope to win against that!

Anyway, go vote, however the writing takes you!

And more stories soon, I hope. Paid work is even more soul sucking than usual.

"There's a First Time For Everything" has been named a featured story at the Quidditch Pitch!
They even sent me a banner!
There's a little blue ribbon by my story!
It's been read 259 times! (But no one has reviewed it.)
Hee!

The more distance I have between the first reading of "Deathly Hallows" and now, the more unsatisfied I am.

( Spoilers )

We went to the downtown Barnes and Noble to a book release party and had a good time. Tristan won a HP coffee mug and they gave away gold and red tassels and Potter glasses and stickers and stuff. I was working next door to the bookstore when Half Blood Prince came out, so got my wrist band (to reserve a place in line) at 10 a.m. that day, but this year I wasn't so got the wristband when we got there at nine-thirty. Last time: # 10, this book: #232! Fortunately was next two a lovely couple from Georgia and had great conversation while waiting and started reading while walking to the parking ramp.

Stayed up till 3:30 reading, got up at 5:30 since I was going to an Arts and Crafts show. Fortunately once we were set up there I could read for most of the day and just take breaks when I was needed for selling stuff. Then after I got home I had to stop reading to go play poker and visit with friends who were in town: Bob from Wisconsin and Alan from Tel Aviv. But got up this morning and finished it this afternoon.

( Spoilers and Deathly Hallows discussion here )

Just got back from the movie and I really enjoyed it. But it would have had to be pretty awful for me not to like it.

( click here for spoilers )

My first story in the 8th Year series is now on The Quidditch Pitch!!!!!
http://www.thequidditchpitch.org/index.php
Please go there and read and review!
I'm so excited!
The next story should be up in a couple of days!

Title: Breakfast in Bed
Rating: PG-13
Relationship: HP Trio
A/N: I was cooking breakfast this morning....

( Breakfast In Bed )

There's a couple of people wandering over from the "A Summer Like No Other" email list, and I wanted to say Hello!

99% of my fiction is locked under a protected group in case younger friends and family wander by, so if you want to read this stuff, I have to friend you into the group. Let me know!

For those of you just arriving, the majority of my work is Triofic, featuring Ron, Harry and Hermione in a romantic, sexual relationship. There are also a few others featuring other pairings. I would like to encourage those who don't usually read Trio to give it a go and tell me what you think of it; not all comments should come from those who automatically like it!

Most of the Trio stories are referred to as "The 8th Year series" and are in this order:
"Planting a Seed", PG, posted 11/1/06
"There's a First Time For Everything", starts G and progresses rapidly to NC-17, posted 11/1/06
"Litany", R, posted 11/1/06
"And So Are You", NC-17, posted 11/2/06
"In the Morning", R?, posted 11/2/06
"The 8th Year", multi-chapter WIP, NC-17, posting starts 11/5/06
"Infinite Incantatum", PG13 for leering, posted 2/1/07.

Other Fics are:
"After and Before", A non-8th Year Trio fic, kinda angsty,soft R, maybe even PG-13, posted 12/3/06.
"Vulnerable" and "Teaching", posted originally at 'The Pervy Werewolf Fanciers' LG site, for the Christmas 2006 challenge. Harry/Remus, NC-17. Posted 12/21/06
"Good for What Ails You", also for the Pervy Werewolf Fanciers X-mas 2006 challenge. Sirius/Remus NC-17. Posted 2/10/07.

There's another couple posted at 'The Pervy Werewolf Fancier's' site for the Spring fling challenge: "The Rites of Spring" part one and two, posted 3/25/07, is a Severus/Remus story, NC-17, it's gotten lots of great reviews. Also "April Fool!" is a short Remus/Harry(Ron?)story, NC-17, posted 4/1/07 and I'm working on a sequel. Also WIP is a sequel to "The Rites of Spring".

So, welcome to everyone from "A Summer Like No Other"! I'm looking forward to hearing what you all think of this stuff, since it's much different from Aspen's work!

And don't forget, if you want me to friend you in to the fanfic here, you must let me know!

It's my second anniversary of quitting smoking. I don't make funny little wheezes when I lay down anymore. I don't cough until I pee my pants anymore. I can take a deep breath without coughing. No, Make that: I CAN TAKE A DEEP BREATH.I smoked for 25 years and I am really happy I quit.
But I still get the occasional longing for a smoke, so a cyber high 5 would be appreciated. Martin still smoking, so his praise is grudging at best.
Another bit of good news on the health front is that I've lost a bit over 70 pounds from my all time high last August of 298. Staying at home and writing agrees with me, but I don't get a paycheck for it so I'm still job searching.
What I'm doing: a massive declutter of the house in prep for a rummage sale sometime this spring or early summer. Heading up a sub-committee for the WisCon 31 SignOut Autograph party (Ursula K. LeGuin said last year that it was the best time she ever had at a signing!)Heading up a local conference on bisexuality. Helping the local bi group prepare for Pride. And one of the most time consuming things? Trying to unravel the red tape in order to get government aid for healthcare for my kids and I. As a friend on disability says, being poor is a full time job.
Oh, and I wrote two stories over at the Pervy Werewolf Fanciers LJ. One's a little thing I tossed off on a rainy Sunday morning, but the other one, "The Rites of Spring" came in at 12000 ! words and has gotten lots of nice reviews. I'm very proud of it, especially because it's not a pairing nor a kink I usually write.
Chapter 19 of "The Eighth Year" is almost ready, I promise.

More technical fumblings.
I've changed the LMG Book Club from a private group on my lj site to a lj community. What this means is that you'll need to save a new address (http://community.livejournal.com/lmg_books/), anyone can read the postings but only members will be able to post. I've sent invitations to the current group members. So go to http://community.livejournal.com/lmg_books/ to see more on the LMG Book Club in the future!

I was chit-chatting with MrsQuizzical about the upcoming "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" and who we thought was going to die in the book. The buzz has been that 2 people were going to die in book seven.

I went back to Mugglenet.com to see the interviews they had archived there and read this one: http://www.mugglenet.com/mnnews/06262006/transcriptrandjudy.shtml

I suddenly realized that Ms. Rowling states that "But I have to say two die that I didn’t intend to die."

So its not that JUST TWO die. In writing the last book, two people that she didn't originally plan to have die, do die.

That's really scary; it could be a bloodbath!

So who do you think is going to die? Name at least THREE.

Optimistically: Hagrid, Ginny, Snape.
In my darker moments: Harry, Ron, Hagrid, Tonks and a half dozen others.

Oh, another debate question among the fans: Is Snape truly evil?

I wrote this several months ago while thinking about the fact that the next Harry Potter book would be the last. I applaud Ms. Rowling's reasoning and agree with the decision, having seen good writers get stuck writing the same thing over and over until each new book is is greeted with a roll of the eyes instead of delight.

But it saddens me too, as I love the series. Love it to the point where I write stories set in Potterverse. I'm afraid of who she's going to kill off (not the Trio, please!) and actually teared up in relief when I heard she had spared Remus Lupin, my favorite character after our threesome.

If she does kill them off, well, it is just a book. I do know the difference between real life and ficton. I keep writing anyway.

I posted this at "Table for Three" and repost it here in honor of the announcement today that the release date of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" will be July 21st, 2007. It's my consolation story.

Rated PG because of leering.

+++++

Infinite Incantatum

+++++

They stood on Platform Nine and Three Quarters, the Hogwarts Express pulling away from the station. Around them other parents and the younger siblings of Hogwarts students waved and shouted at the children on the train.

The Trio stood alone together. Their youngest was on the train for the first time.

Harry sighed. “So that’s the end then, isn’t it?”

“Waddaya mean?” Ron asked.

“They’ll be back for hols, but it won’t be the same. Our lives as parents are done. End of story.”

Ron snorted, “Tell that to Mum. I dare you.”

“Ron.” Hermione said in gentle reproof. “Harry, do you really feel our story is over?”

“Well, a major part of it.” Harry started towards the entrance, Ron and Hermione automatically in step with him.

“What happened to taking care of us for the rest of our lives?” Ron teased.

Harry leered at him, “I think I can still take care of you two.”

Ron leered back at him and Hermione laughed, taking his arm while Ron slung his over Harry's shoulders from the other side. “Harry, stories don’t end, not really. There’s always another chapter, another book. It may only continue in our hearts, but the story goes on forever.”

And the three of them walked out of King’s Cross into the bright sunshine of the next chapter.

Some questions about the Book Club have come up and I thought I'd actually set some guidelines.

Any club member can enter a post reviewing any kind of published book or commenting on any writer, and can comment on or question any post. Commentary on the genre of Science Fiction and Fantasy, reviews of SF/F conferences and recommendations of SF/F web sites are also good.

Controversy will not be avoided but all arguments will be conducted in an adult and rational manner.

While members can post about any genre of book, if we pick books to read and comment on together, we'll stick to the Science Fiction and Fantasy genre.

No one is required to participate, a member can just read the posts (or not) and never need to be required to post or read any book. But it'll be more fun if you do!

Firstly, the LMGs are a bunch of my friends. LMG stands for 'Low Maintenance Guests'. They're the kind of people who, when they are at your home and they need a glass or a serving spoon, will go the the cupboard and get it themselves. After all, they know where it is, or are willing to look till they find it. A 'Low Maintenance Host' is someone who doesn't mind their guests rooting through their cupboards.

Anyway, we were partying over at John's house and were discussing books. We talked about doing an on-line book discussion/recommendation site. I was going to do a regular web site but was seduced into fanfic and Live Journal instead, so I might as well do it here, eh?

A LMG Book Clubber will be able to write book reviews, comment on other people's reviews and read other folks' reviews and comments.

So if you are interested in joining the LMG Book Club, respond and I will tie you in!

Hey there! Just posted another Christmas Kink 2006 Challenge Stocking Stuffer for The Pervy Werewolf Fanciers. This one is called "Good For What Ails You". So you can check that one over there if you want.

The challenge was for a H/C Remus/Sirius fic, where one is sick and the other uses some kind of kink to make them feel better.

Stocking Stuffers are supposed to stay short, 1000 words or less, and when I started this challenge I got to 1500 without even getting them to their first kiss. then I realized the story I was working on was really an early "8th Year" story and was going to be easily another 2000 words, so I put it on the backburner and wrote a different ficlet for the Pervs.

Now that that little ficlit is done I'm deviding my time between the next 8th year chapter and this little diversion. In any case there should be a new contribution in a few days.

Hope you all had a Happy Christmas, whichever holiday you celebrate. We stayed home and spoiled the kids rotten. Electric guitar for one, Drum machine for the other, MP3 players and computer upgrades, thanks to a nice Christmas bonus from my partner's employer. My best gift was not the most expensive: the new edition of the Joy of Cooking. My family decided it was in their best interest to get me everything for cooking that I asked for.

The best part really was hanging with the family, which we do a lot of and we all seem to really enjoy it. Kids are 14 and soon will not want to spend so much time with the old folks, so I'll enjoy it while I can.

And before I go, a thank you to the godfather of soul, James Brown. Woohoo, I feel good!

No, I didn't make my 50000 words goal, its going to come to about 10000, mostly due to the 3 weeks of illness I'm just barely recovering from. Oh well, I'll keep writing anyway.

I did do two stories for the Pervy Werewolf site http://community.livejournal.com/pervy_werewolf/
They are Remus/Harry and the kink is rimming, just a warning!

The next 8th year chapter is almost ready.

Reminder, because of the adult content of the stories, I have to friend you in order for you to read my fanfic. let me know.

I first heard of NaNoWriMo ( http://www.nanowrimo.org/ ) 2 years ago from Broad Universe ( http://broaduniverse.org/ ). I was seriously thinking of doing this, but they ask you to start a new novel and I am most interested in finishing "8th Year", even though I have 4 orginal novels outlined. So here goes: I'm setting a personal goal of 50,000 words of "8th Year" by midnight, local time, November 30. Whew!

I'm going to post what I have of "8th Year" so far and then will update as I go. I won't be counting the first 15 chapters of "8th Year" towards my goal.

Since some of "8th Year" is explicitly sexual, I'll be posting it in my restricted access area. If you want to be able to read it, I'll need to 'friend' you. Let me know if you want to read it and I'll add you in.

We had friends over for my partner's birthday, one of them being Wilf, a transplanted Londoner. At one point the party conversation was about British and American slang. Now, Wilf can't say the word 'sex' without blushing, but Cathy, his American wife, said that she had just learned that 'John Thomas' was an euphimism for 'penis' and Wilf then said, "Yeah, and so is 'Percy'." "What?" I asked, sure I hadn't heard right. "A slang word for penis is Percy?" and he affirmed it.

Mark (another HP fan) and I looked at each other and I said "Percy is a prick!"
We just about fell on the floor laughing.

I'm sure Ms. Rowling did that on purpose.

It was a good party, lots of good food and I made 57 cents playing penny ante poker.

In the intro of "In the Morning" I talk about the visual it presents and how I would like some one to do that picture. I thought I would show a couple Trio pics I like:

http://www.artisticalley.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=22823&cat=518

Nice family scene. I love the garden, very Monet, which is one of myu favorite classical artists.

http://www.artisticalley.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=10185&cat=518

Not quite "it", a little too 'graphic novel' for me (though I like that style elsewhere). Love the cuddle though.

http://www.artisticalley.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=10273&cat=518

Nice 'headshot'.

There's another I love but I can't find it: Ron is awake, keeping watch, with Hermione and Harry on either side with his arms around them and his wand tucked behind his ear. If someone knows it and can point me there I'd appreciate it.

Two modern artists I love:

http://www.patrickfarrellstudio.com/

and

http://www.matollig.com/