Sunday 26 August 2012

O Equals Outstanding

I’ve just posted a little oneshot featuring Lucius Malfoy called ‘O Equals Outstanding’ on Fanfiction.net. I’ll be honest I have got absolutely no idea where it came from and it doesn’t form any part of any of the stories I’m currently writing, whether Lucius-related or not – just another of those little plot bunnies that popped up and stopped me from what I was supposed to be writing.

I may start posting a new Draco/Hermione story tomorrow, assuming I can get a few bugs straightened out, but that will be on AFF.Net as it is very lemony in content, so definitely for over-18s only I’m afraid.

As ever, reviews would be gratefully appreciated if you take a look.

Enjoy!

Dx

Friday 17 August 2012

The First Rule ... 1


So I've just posted a naughty little story called The First Rule...(1) on AFF.Net. This is a very lemony Dramione story and actually came from some aimless browsing of the internet.

You know how you have those days where you follow a link and see something interesting, so you follow that link too and then discover that you've spent hours reading all sorts of stuff you had never intended? Well during one of those sessions, I came across the rules for Fight Club, from the film of the same name. Now I’ve never seen the film, mainly because I’m not a fan of Brad Pitt, and so I have absolutely no idea what happens in it, but the little porn bunny that lives in my brain and occasionally (okay, more than occasionally) raises its ugly head suggested that the rules could be adapted to create a competitive club involved in sex instead of fighting.


As I seem unable to break out of Dramione mode it became clear that it would be an interesting way for the couple to interact. But then I had a problem. My mind began to conjure two completely different scenarios for the story—one consensual and a bit of fun, the other definitely not consensual, although not necessarily any less fun (for some of the participants at least). And so I began to write both stories. The consensual one, which is what this one is, was easy to finish, as it was really just a bit of fluff, but the non-consensual one has turned into something of a behemoth.

Originally, it was a very dark and twisted tale and, I’ll be honest, quite nasty in places, but then I realised that there was a bigger story to it; that around the core of my original idea there was something that wasn’t quite so unrelentingly grim, although still not entirely pleasant, and so I began to write about that as well and softened up the core of the story so it didn’t have quite the shock value of the original. But it’s turning out to be a huge project, far larger than I had ever anticipated.

I don’t know whether I’ll ever get it finished, as it is a difficult story to write well and if I do I don’t know if I will publish as it will depend on how I feel about it once it’s done. But it’s an interesting piece of work and has made me think about what is considered acceptable in storytelling. I know I’m not really pushing any boundaries as there are plenty of published works out there that include rape, and violence and actually there is much worse out there, but it’s pushing my boundaries, and as a writer that can only be a good thing, whether or not the end product is ever shared with anyone but my beta.

Off to catch up with Pottermore as they finally released the first chapters of Chamber of Secrets and I haven’t yet had a chance to look at it. Hopefully it will teach me something new that may one day turn up in my fan fiction.

As ever if you have any recommendations for stories for me to read, please leave a link and I’ll take a look. Oh, and reviews for my stories would be nice, especially if you haven’t yet read them. Please take a look. Hopefully you’ll find something you enjoy.

Dx        


Wednesday 15 August 2012

The Trial

I have recently posted a new short story featuring Severus Snape and Hermione Granger called 'The Trial'. Set post-Deathly Hallows, the tagline is:  How much is Hermione willing to risk to help Severus Snape beat an accusation of being a Death Eater? 

You can find 'The Trial' at Ashwinder or, if you prefer, at AFF.Net

It isn't hugely lemony, but there is a smigeon of smut, so be prepared, if that sort of thing worries you at all.

I did have a moment of panic, as having posted the story on Ashwinder, I had completely forgotten (as I always do on that site) to change the status of the story to completed and received some reviews which whilst positive about both the story and my writing, were also unhappy with where it finished and were looking forward to further chapters when it would all sort itself out to their satisfaction. 

I have been fortunate not to have too much nasty criticism over the years, but invariably when I have it has always been because I've gone for Jo's canon pairings and usually that of Hermione and Ron. I'm not sure why Ron engenders so much hatred in fanfic readers, although perhaps that is the reason they read fanfic because they are so opposed to the canon pairings. Whilst I don't ship Hermione and Ron, any more than I ship Harry and Ginny, sometimes you can't help that things turn out the canon way - however hard you try or may hope that it won't. I look at it in the same way as real life relationships. Sometimes Hermione gets the man of her dreams, sometimes she chooses Ron, who may still be the man of her dreams, even though they have so little in common. Let's face it, who hasn't chosen the unsuitable partner at some time in their life? Just because he's none of the things Hermione is doesn't mean he's not right for her - perhaps he's a great shag.

Anyway, this morning I admitted my error to my reviewers and apologised profusely for ruining their dreams, which I hope won't get me flamed. I have to admit that having seen the reviews I did consider whether or not to write more, but after due consideration decided I didn't want to. The story finished exactly where it was supposed to and to try to force a different ending would ruin the story (for me, at least).

However, that doesn't stop people from using their imaginations, just as we do all the time in fanfic, to create the ending they want in their head. I know I've certainly done that on occasion, when the ending of a story wasn't quite what I'd hoped for.

And on that note I'm off to finish a bit of Snape/OFC fic.

Enjoy reading and talk to you soon

Dx