[Krista] Where I'm at and...

[Krista]

...where I'll be going... 

 

Clever eh?   

 

Those of you still following me, and lord mercy you're all a patient bunch... will know that I am still working on Standing in Shadows. I just noticed that I started that story in 2010. Knowing that and also knowing that I only have written 23 chapters to that story, has given me a right good slap in the face. With that said, it is easy to see where I'm at, because I've been there for so long. I will remain with Standing in Shadows until it is completed.

 

Which comes to the, 'where I'll be going,' part.

 

As of right now, I have no idea. Where do I want to go? I know where I don't want to go. I do not want to revisit the Fanfiction for Twilight. I think that ship has sailed. I also do not want to revisit Conflicts, as I believe I lost my way with that story. I feel that through Standing in Shadows, that I have grown as an author. I have grown older, damn near 4 years older to be exact. So I no longer want to work with those stories, because I feel that I have out grown them. So they will be deleted and closed. I apologize for that of course. I could force myself to continue both, but forcing me to do anything is pretty difficult and if I don't spend my time writing something I want to write, then I probably will not write. 

 

So what I'm saying is, with Standing in Shadows hitting the mid-twenties in chapters, that I will eventually get to the end and I want to start fresh.

 

Stories like Standing in Shadows, Are You Christian, Roommates, those realistic love stories will always have my heart. I want to continue stories like those. I do not have a story planned for after Standing in Shadows, like I said, Shadows has been with me for years and I honestly couldn't tell you when the end date for that is. It's getting closer mind you, than it was a few weeks ago since I've decided to devote a bit more of my time to writing... or at least whilst the motivation to has lingered. 

 

What I will not do though and this is a big one... and something I have said in the past and not committed to... is post anything until I am finished or mostly finished with the story on my side. I just will not do that. Why? Because you see what happens when I do. I lose commitment with a story (Conflicts and Fanfiction), I get bogged down in a story (Standing in Shadows, Are You Christian) and that hurts the story as a whole.

 

So when Shadows is finished, I will not be posting anything unless it is finished, edited, scrutinized, polished, etc. Then I will be posting chapter by chapter, using that time to work on something else. That system needs to become habit if I am to continue down this road. My time is so limited and I want to make sure that time is productive.

 

What I'm leaning towards though is an Are You Christian sequel, but I'm not even sure I can create something of length from that. So I may just move ahead with something brand new. 

[Graeme]

Krista, if you're looking for ideas, I have a novel that I started but never finished. It's currently not published anywhere. I'm happy to share it with you, and what I saw as the direction of the story, and maybe you and I can collaborate to finish it It's currently set in Australia, but moving the location to the USA shouldn't be a problem.

 

It's only a suggestion

 

Oh, and the reason it's not published anywhere is exactly the same reason you've given for not posting anything -- because I didn't want to post it unless I was sure I could complete it. I could probably complete it myself if pushed, but it was going to be a struggle because I lost my way a little. I could see the ending, but I lost track of how to get there.

 

Send me a PM or email if you're interested

[Krista]

So since Standing in Shadows - extension x2 is completed. I think it is safe to say the project is officially complete. Although, still needs to be posted. I looked and added up the word content and on my side, as it stands right now, it is at 22,000+. That's a lot of reading still left, so I hope y'all will enjoy it when I do begin posting the ending chapters. I think I have resolved a lot of the unanswered questions from before the extensions. The Epilogue, probably won't happen. I just don't see a reason to carry it on out. I think it may even diminish the ending scene before it.

 

Anyway, since I believe that it is finished.. the question needs to be answered again, "Where will I go next?"

 

Well that has changed slightly... well not slightly, it has changed pretty drastically. As my mind usually does. I am no longer doing the Are You Christian sequel. That much is pretty straight forward for now. I will not commit to that at all. I feel that I may have completely outgrown that story. Reading back, I saw improvement after the seventh or eighth chapter. I wasn't happy with some characterization, especially involving the Religion aspect and the Parents. Although, since then my irritation, annoyance, or what have you has been alleviated slightly. My confidence did take a big hit. For the first time I doubted my ability. I mean I can overlook the "growing stories" like Something Unexpected and Good Guys, everyone has to start somewhere. Are You Christian isn't that old of a story - mind you, it is about five - six years old now, but since Standing In Shadows took nearly five years to complete - sorry about that - by the overlapping time-line for both stories, it's not that old.

 

So anyway, needless to say I couldn't get through it. Like I said though, my mind has changed about it. Not enough for me to revisit the story. I doubt I would write another word if I tried to go back and reread it. I mean I came really close to just saying, "delete it, I'm done." Then stop writing altogether. To think you've been at something for ten years and still not be happy with it, is a difficult thing to get over. So no, there isn't a sequel being planned anymore. That project is off the table. At least until I can sit down and read it. If I can't do that, there's no point in trying, because I'd do it wrong.

 

With that said, there isn't a story on the table right now either. That doesn't mean I'm not writing though, because I am. I'm just not going to say, "hey this is what I'm doing... this is what is next.." not anymore. I may never post what I'm working on. I may never post again, my life has become hectic and busy. The older the kids get the more hectic and busy it becomes... really each new day brings more responsibility placed on my shoulders. I just don't know if I have it in me to do this anymore.

 

I'm not hanging it up, though. I'm just saying, if I ever complete a project, then I will post it. If I don't, then well you get the idea.  

 

Sorry for the gloom an doom. Reading past posts about promises made though, I'll never do that again. I've broken too many. 

[Graeme]

Thanks, Krista!

 

I made myself a promise awhile ago to not post something unless I was sure I would finish it. I tend to start posting before the story is complete, but only once I know I can take the story through to the end.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide to do next!

[wildone]

Whew, finally a break

 

Having to look at 30 chapters over five years has been exhausting

 

Do what you can and anything that you finish will be a bonus

[Krista]

You enjoyed every second of my torture, Nadian. Behave yourself. 

[Krista]

Project 1:  

 

Pages: 61

Words: 26,029

Status: Last worked on - October 1st

 

Project 2:

 

Pages: 12

Words: 6020

Status: Last worked on - October 27th

 

Project 3:

 

Pages: 26 

Words: 12,346

Status: Last worked on - August 4th

 

Those are the three that I would post here. I do have two projects that will not be posted here started and I have worked on them more than I have anything else to be honest. I've also expanded on the Bluebells Prompt twice, so I don't want to throw that in the mix either. I also have plans to expand upon a different prompt, but I have not started the second part to that one. Aside from that, I scrapped 17 pages of the Chains Anthology and started that one again. Although it is nearing November and I'm still nowhere near finished with it, so I don't think that will make the cut for posting either.

 

So, I just wanted to give y'all another update. I have been writing, just most of it hasn't been for you guys, so I do apologize for that. The first project I am nearly ready to commit to. I think having that much content already to paper is a good sign that I like it enough to continue it. The second - I recently became motivated by something, but I do not think you guys will like it. It is a story that I would be incredibly comfortable telling as it is well within my comfort zone. First person, modern romance. So that doesn't bother me. I don't want to get into any further detail with it though. 

 

The third has been on hold since August! I honestly didn't know it had been that long since I opened those documents, but it is still a project I would like to pursue eventually. Not going to commit to that one at all though.

 

I am still my old self. I don't like working on just one project, even though I have preached against that for the most part. It is just too easily to get bogged down and messed up if a person does that. Two of these stories are similar in nature though, so that helps. One is also far enough along that I don't see how I could write myself into a corner. It has a clear picture from where I want it to go and how. My only worry is that it is possible that I've went too far with the character and he may not be so easily liked. Still maybe the entire picture will come across better for readers, I hope it does anyway.  I mean we've all wanted to grab a character by the shoulders and slap some sense into them at some point.. and still enjoy the story.

[Krista]

Oh, forgot to announce, that I'm doing Prompts from time to time. You can find them here:

 

https://www.gayauthors.org/story/krista/kristasprompts

 

They are totally slice of life.. and for the most part unedited. I only have a couple right now. I'll try to do more to make the entire file worth checking out here and there.

[Krista]

Prompts aside; I believe I need to update y'all on what I am up to now.

 

Force of Nature has gone by relatively quickly. Only the Epilogue remains to be written. It ends with Twelve chapters, I pretty much expected it to be a shorter story. Only because it began as an Anthology story that got completely out of hand. With that said, I do plan on writing a story after Force of Nature. As you may be aware, I posted the first chapter of the rewritten, Acceptance of Fate. It is distinctly different from the first one - which I wrote myself into a corner on to be honest. The original plan is still somewhat intact, just don't expect the same bit of characters to pop up. 

 

That is NOT the project that I want to tackle next. That is just a side treat for whomever wishes to read such a story. I know it will likely not be so popular or as easily welcomed, being a fanfiction. So I am partnering it with an Original.

 

I have two choices:

 

Curse of Love - which has been shelved at Chapter 3 for awhile.

 

and,

 

A Vampire/Human/Werecreature/Warlock Fantasy story that I've been daydreaming about recently. I'll need to do a lot of plotting for that one and it will take me awhile to get that out there to readers.

 

I could go either way. Possibly doing two fantasy stories together would bog me down, so I'm leaning towards the other one. It is relatively different and I'm afraid of diving into it as well. I don't know if I could pull it off at all, it is definitely not in my wheelhouse.  

 

So I'm NOT done writing just yet. I hope y'all continue to bless me by reading and reviewing.

[Benji]

...................OMG!!! Krista is still alive!!! BTW, I think I will win my bet soon as I qualify for social security soon!!

[Krista]

Benji! You're also kicking still. And what do you mean, I'm still alive? I've been posting my little fingers to the bone. I have a new story, 'Force of Nature,' almost completely written, thank you very much.. and posted up to chapter 8 of 12.

 

What bet are you going to win? I finished Standing in Shadows before you keeled over or something.

[Benji]

.............Hmmm, I will need to confer with Steve on the bet thing! (BTW, in the beginning retirement sucked, but now it is great!!) Still kicking it up in LV, having the grand-kids kill me slowly and working on the garden! 

[Krista]

Two things: I'm still a little bit undecided on what I want to work on next... so, here they are. If you are a fan you may try to sway me, but I doubt that will work.. haha. I'll probably end up taking on the newer of the two, but here we go:

 

The, "He Got To Me," re-write, I've barely even started on that story, I think I only have two little pages started so there will be a ton of writing before I even dream of posting. But it will follow a more strict romance, that I am comfortable with.

 

----

 

Trials of Boredom is the working title for the moment - although it sounds too "epic" for what the story will be about...

 

Sitting across from the empty desk, I couldn’t help smirking at the pictures on it. Not because they were funny, not because there were anything extraordinary about them at all. They were just familiar and that meant that I was awaiting yet another lecture that I wouldn’t listen to. Nothing would change, there wouldn’t be an epiphany at the end. I would walk out the same way I walked in, with a smirk on my face.

 

“Jackson Greene,” Principal Welker snarled as he entered the cramped office. I could hear his secretary punching away on her loud cheap keyboard just down the hall.

 

“Steven Welker,” I responded leaning back in the low-backed uncomfortable chair. The legs were set too wide for me to prop it up onto two feet, I knew that would just upset him more than he already was.

 

I heard him grunt when he heard his first name. I knew I was pressing my luck a little, his face had reddened and the vein on his forehead was becoming more prominent by the second. I didn’t know what the big deal was, exactly. This was High School and I was a senior, a little fooling around never hurt anything, or anyone. Nothing could touch us, not anything that would last. The rest of the world envied us for our youth and limited to no responsibilities. I didn’t do anything different than anyone else.

 

“I’ve called your parents, we will wait,” he announced not smiling as he rested his hands on the desk in front of him.

 

“Fine with me,” I said shrugging as I saw his jaw clench and then relax.

 

“You could do some homework while we wait,” he countered pointing to the desk off to the corner by the small bookcase that had old yearbooks  usually stacked neatly and organized by year. He hadn’t noticed that I scrambled them yet and I wondered if he would.

 

“Don’t have any,” I commented glancing over his head and out the open window. I could just see the maintenance man mowing the lawn out by the flagpole.

 

“If your grades weren’t near perfect I would assume you were lying,” he said sighing. I could almost hear the, “but you’re a good student, why can’t you follow rules,” lecture in my head, but he seemed to have given up on that approach.

 

We both stared across the desk, neither of us backing down. I could tell the easy grin bothered him. Over the years he tried to intimidate me with threats of calling my parents. They all went to this very school together, went to church together on Sunday. I wasn’t afraid of him, like I said he could do nothing to change me. No one could, I am all about having fun.

 

“That almost sounded like a compliment Steven,” I said smiling when his eyes blinked.

 

“Principal Welker,” he corrected, “if you continue to disrespect me you will have detention on top of everything else.”

 

I shrugged knowing I pushed him just as far as I wanted as the door opened and I could instantly smell my mother’s perfume. She worked as one of the top managers of the only real business in town that mattered. Everything else was fastfood or banks. It was still a factory that made commercial sinks and washing machines, but most of the town was employed to work there in some fashion.

“Jackson Austin Greene,” she hissed as soon as she entered the already cramped space. I looked up as she stepped around the second chair and took a seat beside me. Dad followed her in and hovered on the other side of her, not having a seat to sit in.

 

----

 

Next is, "Curse of Love," which I have shared bits of in the past, but they have fallen to the wayside and I've done some re-writing to make the story more... put together than what it was at first. I think it will be fun to write, but I'm not sure I have the lasting motivation for it... either. Especially if it isn't all that well received.

 

“Oh my he’s at it again,” Mary said as she looked down at her son.  He entered his dorm room, after the last day of finals before the summer.  Gently pushing a brunette, both of them staggering towards the bed as they kissed.  “I can’t watch, tell me when it is over.”

“If it’s anything like last time it won’t take long,” Ruth countered stifling a laugh as she pushed her daughter Mary out of the way.

“I can’t believe you can watch,” she said, “he is your grandson.”

“They always pull the sheets over themselves poppet,” she said, “and it isn’t like we haven’t all done it.”

“Not four times in one week I assure you,” Mary groaned as she clasped her hands over her eyes.  “Don’t watch them Mother, please!”

“Oh alright,” Ruth said as she turned away from the window-like screen.  They sat on a comfortable couch overlooking Craft University, the largest Engineering college in the south.  It was also conveniently located close to the beach in southern Florida.

“The ole boy at it again?” Cliff asked, looking over his wife and daughter’s expressions.  His wife, Ruth looked amused. Mary though, was shaken, her cheeks flushed.

“This has to be my fault,” Mary sighed, “a new girl every night, reckless, high spirited.”

“Intelligent, attractive, Mary you died when he was just eleven years old,” Ruth soothed reaching over to pat her daughter.  “Your James died in the war and we died before he was born, it is not our faults.”

“I should have been there,  I should be there now,” Mary countered tears welling up around her lower eyelids.

“Be kind of awkward with you there at the moment dear,” Ruth countered, “don’t think he’d want you barging in on him right now.”

“Mother I wish you would take this more seriously, we’ve seen his future,” Mary argued, “we know what he will become if he doesn’t stray down a different...”

“We know,” Cliff said, “we do worry about the boy, but he is still just a boy.”

“He will grow out of it,” Ruth added, “James did, didn’t he?”

“Where is James anyway?” Mary asked looking around for her husband.  She was pregnant when he was deployed.  She didn’t know it herself, but it soon became apparent to her.  She didn’t want to surprise James over the phone, they rarely talked while he was away.  Mary took for granted that he would be returning, like all the other times.  It wasn’t meant to be, she was going on five months pregnant when she got the call that he had died in battle. Councilors on base came by, but she dismissed them as she began to pack her things.  No longer an Army wife, she had only a short time to get her affairs in order.  She packed everything that belonged to them and moved back home, where she was raised.

“Here I am darling,” James said as he appeared in the room.  “Did you call?”

“He’s at it again James,” Mary hissed pointing to the viewing window.

“You watch him like a hawk, you have been ever since we found his future,” James said walking over to sit between Mary and Ruth on the couch.  Cliff looked around and pointed to a bare area in the room.  A fluffy chair formed and he took his seat, the small family shared different expressions.

“We were just telling her that he will grow out of it,” Ruth explained turning around to peek through the window again.

“Mother please!” Mary shrieked and Ruth slid the curtain closed, covering the view of the young couple below.

“His future can change,” James said putting his arm around Mary and holding her close.  Something she missed so strongly when he had died, but it couldn’t soothe her now.  The future they all saw seemed set in stone and it was dawning.  They didn’t have much time before it began to take shape and nothing would stop the spiral.

“It is too close,” Mary whispered, “just too close.”

“What will you have us do Mary?” Ruth asked her eyes worried now as she looked at her daughter.  “We’re up here and he is down there.”

“Not like we can intervene,” Cliff said, “he’ll be with us shortly and we can all be together.”

“James and I died, early, with a lot left unfinished,” Mary said looking at the closed viewing window again, tears falling down her face.  It was a strange feeling to cry in heaven.  It darkened the clouds around them and rained down on the people below.

“You’re ruining people’s evenings dear,” James sighed, feeling the weight of Mary’s grief on his heart.

“I don’t want him to be unhappy, I don’t want to see him turn away from himself, us,” Mary cried, “any more than he already has forgotten.”

“How do we stop him?” Cliff asked rubbing his temples.  “The boy thinks with his penis as it is, every one of them do now days.”

“Definitely would have kept us younger longer if you had Cliff,” Ruth joked reaching across the small room to slap Cliff on the knee.

“Someone thought it was a sin to do it on Sundays,” Cliff countered, “you know I worked six days a week.”

“And I had a screaming, needy child and a house to tend to, along with Mary seven days a week,” Ruth snapped as James snickered and Cliff blinked, finally understanding what Ruth meant.

“You old stubborn goat,” Cliff barked, but with humor in his eyes.  Ruth returned the smile calling him a pig.

“What if he didn’t think with his penis?” Mary asked a blush forming on her face, but it was a determined expression fighting against the embarrassment this time.

“Well it would do him a bit more good if he didn’t,” Ruth answered, “but the poor girls of Florida will be missing him dearly.”

“Mother,” Mary hissed.

“We can’t do anything, we shouldn’t do anything,” James countered careful not to upset Mary again.  He was also confused by the sudden change from hopelessness to determination.  It was a stark contrast from a few moments before and it was a look he knew well as a human and now as an angel.

“We can curse him, that will wake him up,” Mary countered pushing the curtains aside to look through the viewing window.  The happy couple were now arguing and Mary watched in horror as her son picked up the young girl’s belongings and shoved them in her arms.  The girl rushed off to the bathroom to put on her clothes.  Another night of trickery and another night filled with her regrets.  She had let a young man feed her false happiness for awhile at some bar.  She took his bait and now she is cast off, like a week old newspaper.

“You can’t take a man’s penis away!” Cliff bellowed crossing his legs tight.  Mary heard James suck in a breath and Ruth began to laugh.

“She’s not going to take the boy’s penis away, she might as well kill him,” Ruth said peeking over Mary’s shoulder to see the girl, her hair a mess slam the door to his dorm.  They both watched as their son and grandson shrugged and slid back into bed.  The room was ransacked with dirty laundry and fallen posters he had hung as the semester started.  His second year of college already over and only three years left.  It frightened Mary knowing only three years and she would not be able to recognize the fun and carefree son she watched grow up.  She would look upon a battered man, by stress and an unhappy marriage to a woman he didn’t love.  A child caught in the middle of all the screaming and drinking.  No, she won’t watch him go down that path, not when there was still time for change.

“We can make him see, can’t we?” Mary asked, “a summer is all I ask.”

“You mean you really are going to take away his ability to, you know?” James asked putting his own legs together.

“Mary I know I never discussed the birds and the bees to you,” Ruth said, “but a man will find a way.”

“And there’s all kinds of things that can help a man along with that,” Cliff said shaking his finger, but not being able to remember any of the pills and creams.

“They even do it when we’re not even in the room,” Ruth added, “he does it three or so times a day.”

“And yet still feels the need to go out and find a one night stand,” Mary hissed staring down at her sleeping son.  “If only he knew what it felt like to be used, to feel desperate for attention, to feel at a loss for something.”

“Make him ugly,” Cliff said, “but don’t take away his manhood.”

“I’m not taking just his manhood away,” Mary whispered and she held up her hand, pointing towards the viewing window.  The window changed from something hard and clear to a rippling, like water and then vanished altogether.

“What are you doing, Mary?” Ruth asked, “James stop her!”

“No James,” Mary said, “he needs to know what true happiness is, he needs to know love.”

“He has time for all that,” James countered as blue sparks formed at Mary’s finger tips.  She closed her eyes.

“Three years,” Mary whispered, “not enough time.”  Then a bolt of blue shot from her hand and hit her son square on the chest.  She was then muscled from the viewing window as it returned and everyone looked on in horror.  A still figure unaware of the miraculous change slept.  There was a rumble in the small room, but Mary heard none of it.  They all pleaded with her to change him back, but miraculous things didn’t happen that way.  Mary confirmed it when she flipped the viewing window to her son’s future and it was black again.  Yet to be determined, like it was before that horrible day it began to play for them.

“How long Mary?” James asked her, his eyes wide with fear and frustration.  “How long did you curse him?”

“The summer,” Mary whispered, “If he doesn’t know love by then he will remain as he is.”

“He’ll go mad!” Ruth countered reaching over to shake Mary from her stunned state of mind.  “He won’t find love, you don’t know what you’ve done!”

“Pup you will never be as selfish again as you are today,” Cliff sighed, “and I do hope you know what you are doing.”  And the four of them waited in silence for the sunrise and the alarm clock to sound.

 

--- Some backstory --- Since the prologue is vague and unlike the rest of the story, the Mother curses her son. Gives him the summer to 'fall in love' or to at least understand what that is. She fears that her death and the death of all of his other caregivers have somehow scarred him from ever knowing what love entails.. what if feels like. Anyway, she curses him, he wakes up completely different than what he is now... And he will have the summer to fight the curse/change back, or remain as he is. Either way, it changes his future path, which is what Mary wants most.

 

I've been sitting on this story for awhile, so. There are.. the Pro, Chapter 1, and Chapter 2 written. At least a little farther along. I don't feel that it will be a large project, 10 - 15 chapters at the most. Where as, the Trials of Boredom may be longer around the 20 - 25 chapter range, just because the progression and type of story has more time to develop at this point.

 

Anywho, just wanting to show y'all what I'm thinking about. Even this topic has went a bit dead for me.. I hope I haven't scared people off my writing completely.

Edited July 15, 2015 by Krista

[Krista]

Just giving a small update - I am 6 chapters into - "The Best Year" - which in the sneak peeks (above, which I hope you checked out) would be the the first story with Jackson. I'm really struggling with motivation, I believe that is because I am trying to write a complete story with little feedback. I guess I'm still not used to writing large portions of a story before posting it. I've said at times that I don't really need feedback to motivate me - how wrong I am about that. I don't want to go back to my older way of posting stories, only because I'm staying incredibly busy with life/at home stuff and work. So I cannot guarantee a steady posting rate at this point in time. Likely not in the future either. It will definitely take some time to adjust, for sure. I just hope my writing doesn't suffer because of it.

[Parker Owens]

I agree with the way you want to write. Your beta readers may or may not give you the kind of feedback you want, or need. And God knows, life gets in the way of writing. All this is to say we're patient enough to wait for the great stories you write.

[wildone]

I agree with the way you want to write. Your beta readers may or may not give you the kind of feedback you want, or need. And God knows, life gets in the way of writing. All this is to say we're patient enough to wait for the great stories you write.

 

Oh trust me, I give her more than she wants as far as need.............

 

 

[Krista]

Oh trust me, I give her more than she wants as far as need.............

 

 

 

When he gets cheeky like this, I know it is time to up his beatings.  

[Cris L]

I'm enjoying Jackson, though I'm going mad at the slow pace of publishing!

 

I think he's an interesting character with a lot of development potential.

 

Interesting as how he sees himself as so different/seperate from his parents, I'm looking forward to seeing that resolved!

 

And as for Luke! Well he is as annoying as "BLEEP"!

[Krista]

Aww! Sorry I missed last week, me and my editor were both swamped with family stuffs. We're still dealing with those, but hopefully I'll have the next chapter out sometime soon, maybe this week-ish. Then chapter six out Friday-ish of next week.

 

Although I just started chapter 7 so none of that above is set in stone - life happens as they say.

 

And I'm glad you like Jackson and I 'hope' you come to like Luke. lol. 

[Krista]

A long overdue update... maybe? Maybe not.. but you're getting one anyway.

 

The Best Year is now 18 chapters long and it just hit, 100,000 words. A little over and I think Gay Authors may not match the word count of some document programs like Good Docs, etc.. so give or take a couple thousand, but since GA says it is 100K.. I'll take it. I think the story has progressed past the mid-way point. It may be closing in on the ending chapters, but I'm not too sure. I would like to tell you that I have it all planned out - which I do - I just don't think the plan will work. lol. It isn't plot related or anything like that. I know where I want to go there, just getting there has been a wee bit rocky at times. Mostly due to the fact that I am over 10 years outside of high school and the classroom schedule aspect of the story just grates on my nerves to be honest. I think I may dread Monday as much as students do and all I'm doing is writing about a group of teenagers dealing with the case of the Mondays in high school... lol. Mercy.

 

So.. the plan:

 

I find a nice spot for the story to end... chronologically. It may be any time after certain things happen. Most of which are happening in the very near future. The snag with that is, it may read as an abrupt end to the story. That maybe I should continue it piece by piece for a longer while. I might be able to manage the story and have it not feel that way, but I'm banking on it feeling that way to readers. Mostly because at this point of the story - I don't think an ending can be sensed. If it doesn't feel like an ending... then why did she end it... sort of thought.

 

But! With the, "probably not going to work" plan.. after I do end it, I revisit the story in a small mini-series of short scenes starting with the Epilogue and continuing until I run out of ideas. The snag is... will that feel like a suitable conclusion at all. Or.. when will it feel like a conclusion if I'm doing something like that.. since the story wouldn't flow from A to B.. but from A to F or whatever.. and I won't be filling in the blanks unless the scenes between the jump call for it, in which case I will.

 

It is something similar to what I done with an anthology story: Finding Alex.

 

That plan was thought up before I wrote chapter 18 though... but I keep revisiting it. I do have a lot of things planned for this story, but to be honest they are important scenes.. and they're not interconnected. More like "Milestones of Senior Year and the Summer After.." (Might of been a better title for this story... lol)

 

So.. I don't think The Best Year will turn into.. "Like... The Best Two Months..." because that's literally the time line passed so far, but we'll see.. lol. 

 

If I do it the above way, I think I can maneuver through the scenes faster and get them to you. If I write those scenes and have them fall chronologically within the story itself as it is being written, then those scenes + story will need to be re-established a little bit and will come to you slower.

 

---

 

I know all of this could have been avoided if I was at all a planner when it comes to writing. My planning seems to come a day late and more than a dollar short. I do have more to tell y'all though.

 

I need a break after this story. I need to refresh my motivation and pull to write. I need to sit down and think about new stories that aren't similar to, "Standing In Shadows," and "The Best Year," that I will still love.. and that you readers will still want to read. "Standing In Shadows," ended and a few weeks later I started, "Force of Nature." When that story ended I went right into, "The Best Year," and I'm starting to feel a little burned out. Just on the grind of putting words to paper on a significant level for posting.

 

There definitely is a difference between writing and writing to post for me.

 

I will say this though:

 

My last three stories have been wonderful so far, because I am loving the interaction and feedback from you guys as readers. The feedback and reviews I've gotten for FoN and TBY have kept me going despite feeling burned out... and I am very thankful for you all sticking with me and enjoying the stories that I am putting out.   So thank you.. thank you, thank you... I do my best with you guys taking time out of your days to read my writing, especially knowing that everyone is busy, everyone has lives, and demands on their free time.

 

---

 

I won't say what I have discussed with Steve about my writing future, just know that I'm not saying goodbye to you as an author here.. So don't worry. 

Edited October 12, 2016 by Krista

[wildone]

And trust me, I don't know what she is doing until a day late and she has spent my dollar

[Timothy M.]

Not to worry, we'll read, like and rant - I mean review on any chapters you feel like putting out there, Krista.

[FoxEmerson]

I'm a bit late to the party... where do I get to play catch-up and read the first 23 chapters?

[Krista]

I'm a bit late to the party... where do I get to play catch-up and read the first 23 chapters?

 

Heyyy! Welcome to the party. You can scroll through and browse all of my stories here:

 

https://www.gayauthors.org/author/krista

 

---

If you're talking about my now complete story, "Standing in Shadows," it is on the second page of my story list. Aside from my works, you'll be able to find a ton of good stories on the Stories feature of the site. Link located below:

 

https://www.gayauthors.org/stories/

 

I hope this helps! Happy reading and welcome.  

[Krista]

I may have bit off more than I can chew with this story. I know that sounds bad, but I am still having fun writing it. It is just that the chapters are really long. They are about as long as my Anthology entries are. So it does take me awhile to get into the flow of the chapter and then there is an obvious time difference between writing a 5000 word chapter and a 12000 word chapter.

 

I do hope the longer chapters stay amusing and that the story stays fresh. I also do hope that you still get a feel for the characters and such. Every time I post a chapter I begin thinking, "Where do I want to go next," and.. "Where does the story need to go next?" Hopefully the two lines up readily and I can start working, but sometimes they don't. This is definitely out of the norm for me.

 

I think there is a bit of a "full table," of where I could go after this chapter. I mean I mention two things directly. (Yeah, I'm trying not to be spoiler-y) that I may not even touch on directly at all.. or I may, if I can get enough content to support (those things I mentioned).

 

The story,  I think is winding down a bit though. I have some things I really want to get out there. I've put some "twists" that I planned to throw at you.. into the, "trash bin," so that closes the door on some plot issues that I would be introducing. I'll tell you what those were in a sort of.. "deleted or never made it off the development floor" reply here after I'm finished. I don't think there will be that many.. just one big one. 

 

With this story winding down, I do have another story swirling in my mind already. So I hate to say it, but you guys may have to deal with me and another one of my stories after, "The Best Year," concludes if you still have the patience to read my writing at all by then... lol.

 

Then I want to attempt to write a Fantasy story. I've always wanted to write one, but the idea still feels a bit over my head and out of my ability. But anywho, just a small update. Hope y'all are still liking, "The Best Year!" 

Edited February 17, 2017 by Krista