Krista

No no no no no... R-e-d-s REDS REDS REDS!

Yayy! Thanks Steve (Wildone) - The Editor that puts up with me, but never really has to work, since I don't write much. A.j. Beta Reader - Added to my writing team, but hasn't been put to work yet. Bee for any Poetry concerns I have - if I wrote more poetry, I'd bother you more with them. Lisa - Although not an official team member she reads, reads, and reads and gives great feedback and asks questions about plot points that are kind of sketchy. And readers as well. Myr and the gang of Administrators and Moderators.. keeping us all in line and the site from crash and burning probably is a headache and a half.. and these people are the nutty volunteers for the most part.

Very nice post really. FanFiction can be a nice tool for people who want to write, but haven't much in the their past. To see what sort of style they can create or multiple styles. Fanfictions are based on a character or plot, but not copied, but bits and pieces are used to, like you said, flesh out their own story. Not all new authors can flesh out a setting or character in a way that most "seasoned" writers can. So when a plot or bits of a character is taken, molded/reshaped then the author can learn from that and apply it to their original fiction, same with the setting. I have a Twilight Fanfiction posted here - I don't think it's all that good right now, but that's because I didn't know what in the world I was doing with it. I just started it for giggles and because I was so disappointed in how the Saga ended, that I just wanted to write my own character in a world that just happens to be some what what Steph. Meyers thought up. I'm not the only one, of course, there are probably millions of stories out there that would qualify as fanfictions or even started out and were changed. As you call it, pulled from and then edited to be original. I don't condemn doing that either. The Author wrote the fanfiction so it is their work - as long as it doesn't copy full parts of the original work it is based on - then manipulated it to what is deemed 'original' characters and plot. It is still and has always been their work. Do I think people should make money off a Fanfiction, no, I don't. Unless they edit and change names, setting, and such to become original. Fanfiction can also be fun, like I said earlier in the post. Sometimes it is just fun to think what a character will do in this situation or that. If their world was changed. Hell.. after reading The Hunger Games, I wanted to write a Fanfiction about forbidden love between one of the "Career" tributes and one of the outlying districts 8, 9, or 10, since we didn't really get a lot of characterization or knowledge about those districts. Then try to manipulate the story into Katniss and Peeta being the villains.. to see if I could sway readers of the Hunger Games to maybe feel for my characters, which would have either been completely disliked like the 'Careers' or completely unknown like the districts that weren't all that mentioned. Original idea, but unoriginal and borrowed aspects of the world Suzanne Collins created. One of my favorite Authors - well probably my favorite - is Cassandra Clare. She started off writing Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy slash fiction. When she got a ton of good reviews and people saying that she is "good enough" to become a "published" author, she decided to give it a go. But she did so by transitioning her fanfiction from H.Potter/D.Malfoy to an Urban Fantasy Modern story about Shadow Hunters. Some of her first chapters are probably recognizable to those that followed her Slash. I can see it, but wouldn't know that she did pull from her fanfiction to write City of Bones - until I researched her and people were being critical of her doing so. She also gets some flack for posting snippets of her favorite poetry and novels into her writing, mostly as a recitation that her characters are doing, because they like the books/poetry too. She does document the author and book/poetry that she used in her stories, so I see it as a form of flattery, that something another person has written has moved her enough to not only remember it, but to use it. But back to my point, I didn't see what all the fuss was about. She wrote an original story, but with borrowed bits from J.K Rowling's characters and settings. Then she edited the crap out of her work to make it original and published it and made money. She has become a world wide best selling author. She has written, Nine fiction novels, has a few stories in Anthologies. Is Co-authoring a series and is planning three more novels on top of the series she is co-authoring. What I want to say is - We all get our start somewhere - and our true goal is what you said.. To read and to write a good story.

I like these ask the Author questions/answer sessions. Lets people know that we authors are approachable and aren't scary monsters that are going to eat your fingers for asking a question. Although, I'd still keep them a safe distance away from some of us, never know. *shrugs* Oh.. and a side note, all the authors next time start with a C. I want to scream conspiracy, the Goat definitely has been sket... cliffy.

Reds lost their opener, Votto walk off win last night. they are saying the Angels are the favorite for the World Series - I think it is a bit early..

I am! I like me some Reds Baseball! Joey Votto, Zach Cozart, just to name a few. It also means that we are saying goodbye to winter and coming into my favorite times of the year, Spring and Summer. So Baseball is really welcoming.

Woot! Duke down, Duke down! Now I can be happy with the winner of the National Championship no matter who wins.

I want Duke to win. *wink wink* and wasn't that a nasty injury to Ware? My goodness.. I damn near cried..

And another Final four pick bites the dust. I didn't mind though, woooo. Now if only Duke and Syracuse lose I'll be happy.

Kansas losing stung, but I'm glad Michigan beat them! I'm just hoping it all implodes and Wichita State and Florida Gulf Coast is in the damn finals at this point. They are beating Florida 14 - 4 as I post. I hope I don't jinx them.

The Big East (What it is called for now anyway) and the Big 10 is really showing their muscle... Let's hope for Cinderella stories at this point. Too bad Wichita State and LaSalle are playing one other.. If Wich. State plays like they did against Gonzaga, then they will probably give Ohio State a good game. I detest Ohio State.. I'd hate to see them or Duke win.. bah.

Yeah, I'm a fan of Good Reads, I go there to read reviews for books, the people there seem better at reviewing. Then there are the groups and such that Cia mentioned. So I hope Amazon just leaves it alone, they already have a nice product buying and review site set up.

Shut it, you. Next year when we have 9 or so NBA ready players, you will be singing a different song.

I cannot remember my online bracket to save my life.. I know it isn't good. Wichita State, Florida Gulf Coast, and LaSalle saw to that...

Only knock on Pitino, if he has a chance to win a close game, he typically comes up on the losing end.

Quiet House Lights are out in this house, Candles lit, shadows dancing on the walls. Your eyes are darker in the dimness of the room. Quiet falls, only breathing. And you whisper in the dark, How your arms are strong, How safe they are, And that there will be no harm. I can smell you, Your mix of soap and shaving cream. I can feel your smile on my cheek. And your hand finds mine. Your devotion is in your kiss, And love in your gentleness. Passion in your fingertips, And happi

Special Poetry Anthology, Whispers in the Dark.

Michigan has looked dammmnn good so far.

Georgetown.. goodness that was a big loss. AS well as Wisconsin! Whyyy! I wish I could rip up my bracket, but it isn't on paper.. lol

Poor.. Poor Benji. And I thought New Mexico was better than that..

Ahahaha.. Poor Benji, living in his New Mexico dream.

Ouch, already missed one. Butler decided to play like Butler again.

Scratch that.. doesn't seem to be any interest. Where are all the people that talked about Hockey, Football, Baseball fantasy, and the Bracket Challenge? Have they disappeared?

Alright, I have created a group on.. MSN's affiliate FoxSports. The Group is Public, the Group is GA Challenge. To invite you, I will need for you to PM your e-mail to me. Or you can try to figure it out by going to this link: http://msn.foxsports.com/fantasy/collegebasketball/tourney/group/?entry=629299&group=5244 I believe inevitably you will have to sign in. I used my Google log-in. I believe it accepts Facebook, Live.com, Twitter, and Google. You have to fill out your bracket and submit it before.. Thursday March 21, 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.

I mean an online bracket challenge, where you fill out your choices to win games.. and we see who has the most right at the end of the tournament.