Nastasha

Coulta was far too restless to sleep that night. Despite what he'd said to Wildas about not fretting about their situation until they had more information, Coulta was still stressed and full of worry for his spies. Not even Wildas and Myri combined could find a way to relax him. Instead of keeping them awake all night with his tossing and turning, he decided to do something he hadn't done for months. He slipped carefully out of Wildas' bed, trying not to disturb him or Myri, and went to his own

I was really into manga in high school, more than anime. I read InuYasha and Gravitation, mostly. My ex-boyfriend had me watch Ghost in the Shell (which I loved), Cowboy Bebop (which I loved), and Fullmetal Alchemist (which I didn't love) though. I really like a lot of Japanese things, really. I would read more manga if it wasn't so expensive, and I would watch more anime if I had time. Now I'm stuck on the anime-style ball jointed dolls. And pocky. God, I love pocky....

Coulta had just finished getting his latest report from his people in Port Blasin a week later when Wildas slipped into his dark office. "You can do it," the Grand King announced. Coulta glanced up from the notes he was reading over, looking at his husband with confusion. "I can do what?" "Train your people." That got the wheels turning immediately in Coulta's mind as to how to actually go about the training. He hadn't let himself consider it before that point, in case Wildas didn't want him

Coulta spent the next day going over every single report he'd received from his spies over the last year – since he'd become spymaster and Second King. By the afternoon, though, his head was aching and he was scared that he was both reading too far into simple matters and not reading into other matters far enough. "Tea?" He jumped and reached for the nearest item he could use as a weapon – a paperweight – before he realized it was only Myri standing in the doorway of his office. He put the pap

Hello fellow snowy city dweller! I know, I always look up my professors before signing up for classes, but professors for online classes aren't listed until the class starts. By then, I would have no other class to transfer into. It's a really stupid way to do things, if you ask me. Online, you can check your grade compared to the class average as a whole, and my average is higher than the class average. That's really depressing. The entire class is averaging less than a B, with maybe one or two exceptions.

All valid responses, thanks guys. Yeah, I'm not really quitting, but I really wish I could. The professor does leave comments on the papers, but I didn't find them helpful. So I asked her for clarification and what I needed to do to improve. She just directed me to the written assignment guidelines and said I didn't meet the requirements. I was pretty sure I did though, so I tried being more thorough on the next assignment. Again, she left comments saying it didn't meet the requirements for a higher grade. I answered the questions thoroughly, so I don't see how I could have. I did outside research and used citations and submitted a properly-formatted list of my resources. I didn't mean to sound like I was complaining or whining, I'm just frustrated and disappointed. I took her feedback and built on it, and I definitely felt like I had improved. Also, I looked the professor up online last night, and found out that the vast majority of students had given her poor ratings all around on RateMyProfessor. If only I had known who was teaching my course when I signed up. Also also, @FishWings, the papers were all out of 100 points, so 78 is C+ range, and I'm used to anywhere between 85 and 98 for that much effort. Normally I can do a respectable paper in three to four hours. Seven is a new record for me.

I am not afraid to admit that I actually like school. Ever since junior high I've liked going to class, getting the work done, and getting grades that represent the effort I put in. But right now I hate it. I just finished an online class, and I'm ending up with a C when I put in more effort than I have for any of my other classes this semester. I took the online quizzes and did the online activities over and over again, until I got a 100% on every single one. But for the three writing assignments, I got three Cs. I have never gotten below a B on a writing assignment (even though I'm not the best essay writer - they're so boring) since I started enjoying writing in high school. Not even in AP English classes. I tried talking to the professor after assignment one, and she just said I didn't meet her requirements. So I worked harder on the second assignment. Instead of a 75 I got a 78. I made sure I used citations and was extremely thorough. Still not good enough. I spent seven hours on the third assignment. 75. I'm going to email her again and politely express my feeling that I worked harder than a C-average for this course. I'm not very hopeful though. Anyone else ever had to deal with this? I usually Google my professors before I choose my classes, but online classes where I'm at don't have professors listed until the course starts. I realize not everyone here is in school, but do you have any past issues like this? It's beyond frustrating to me, when I have to keep a certain GPA to keep scholarships.

When I was 5 I told another little girl that my grandma babysat that there was no Santa. So my grandma wrote me a letter pretending to be Santa and telling me how that was a really mean thing to do and how I will get nothing but coal for Christmas if I say that to anyone else. She sent it "From The North Pole." That had me believing again (I was so gullible) until I was about 8 or 9. Then I started doubting again. It was confirmed for me when I was 13 and my dad had me pick out the exact new bowling bag that I wanted for Christmas, and it was sitting in my living room on Christmas day. Still, every year my parents ask my brother and me if we want to get our presents "from Santa" (meaning they never get put under the tree and just get stacked in our own piles in the living room next to the tree Christmas morning) or if we just want our gifts under the tree "like grown-ups." We still choose to play Santa. There's just something child-like and wonderful to come downstairs and have your own pile of pretty gifts.

The Grand King's office was crowded with his top advisers; Former Second King Shelton, General Rohan of the Royal Guard, General Ruairi of the army, Admiral Pavle of the navy, and Coulta. It was past nightfall, and they'd been there since the early evening. As soon as the statue presentation had ended, Coulta had spoken to Shelton and Wildas, and an emergency meeting had been called. "I have no answer as to where this threat is coming from," Coulta stated – for what felt like the hundredth time

Shouldn't someone know the answer, then?

I take the pens and pads of paper, but that's it. I figure they probably get tossed anyway.

It wasn't confusing all along?

usage

I think I'm going to go with Meant to be Broken. It fits best with the main character's ideas of himself and the world. Thanks for helping me through the thought process!

Thanks, guys. I thought about Saving Grace, but it seemed like something frilly and overused, not that it's a bad title at all. But I'm actually thinking now (the idea occurred to me as I was driving home from class today) about using a line from the song "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls, because it's exactly the perfect theme song for this story and these characters. That, or use it to come up with a new line. The only problem, then, is what line to choose? This song is so inspiring, why won't it inspire a title for me?

So, this is the worst part of writing for me. I never know how to come up with titles for anything I write, especially novels. Right now I'm struggling to give a title to the novel I just finished for NaNoWriMo, and it's more stressful than writing 50,000 words in 30 days was! Here's the synopsis (rough draft) of what I wrote: Ives Fay is not having the best start to his junior year; his dad just died, his mom can't handle the loss, his sister finds it necessary to sleep with every guy she can, and he has an androgynous stalker who comes to school as a guy one day and a girl the next. And it's all really messing with his mind. He finds his escape in self-mutilation and bottles of alcohol stashed in his closet, hoping that the temporary fix will somehow become permanent. Then, when he's on a fast track to an early end, he meets Tomi, a guy so much like himself, but so very different. Could the guy be his saving grace? Does anyone have any title thoughts, or general suggestions on how to come up with a title? I'm so stuck here, I'll take any help I can get.

strange

I guess I'm just used to getting the question asked out of annoyance, not curiosity. Like my mother, for example, read my latest book and said, "I know you're a really good writer, so why do you keep writing about gay people?! Can't you write something normal?" Which really confused me, actually, because the main character in that book is straight, he just has two dads and a few gay friends.

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Coulta gave up his life of murder for the life of a king, freeing himself of a life-long curse in the process. But everything and everyone he has grown to love in the past year will soon be threatened, and he might lose it all. Unless he can find a way to stop what's coming.

It was a much warmer day than Second King Coulta would have liked, but he had promised both Prince Rohan, commander of the Royal Guard, and Former Queen Yvona, the best swordmaster in the country of Phelin, a sword match. He'd tried to politely decline the invitation the day before, but they had both informed him that he would lose his edge if he spent all of his time obsessing over the status of his spies and sitting in his office. Though, he had to admit that it was a great stress remover to f

Dearest Coulta, You may not remember my face, but my name is Markiel, and I am your father. You may have asked yourself for many years how I could have given you up, but believe me, I did it because I thought it was the best thing I could do for you. I have written you this note to explain things to you that I know I will never have a chance to explain in person. I spent my boyhood in the farmlands of Berk, until I was noticed by a traveling sorcerer named Alion. I was a minor sorcerer myself,

Which is stronger, a vampire or a diamond?

Why does sparkling always have to be a vampire thing?

Will talking about biting make you a vampire?