Well, that's a surprise...

[heavenly_pearl]

The winner of the .moon Winter Challenge was announced today, and somehow my HP story Birthday Fool (linking to the thread - it's an April Fool's story, so I'm waiting until then to post it at the usual places) actually won. O.o

I'm a bit in shock, because the story I entered is definitely my least favorite of all the challenge entries I've written for the seasonal contest. The only reason I really entered it is because I spent so much time working on it, I thought it would be a waste not to go ahead and submit it. I never actually believed it had a chance of winning, but I guess it helped that there were only four entries this time. Still think December's story should have won instead, though; it was adorable.

Speaking of fanfiction, I'm currently taking a bit of a break from my Kaleido Star multi-part. For the past couple of weeks, I've actually been working on my first Princess Tutu fic (working title: Searching for the Missing Past). It's been going fairly well so far, but I'm having some trouble with the last part of the story, so yesterday I went back to a story that I've had on hiatus for quite a while: Only Human. Yep, my oft-mentioned, oft-ignored Helios/Serenity/Perle Thorn Birds-inspired love triangle fic. ^_^ 

And this time, I'm really determined to finish it. I always said I wanted to write at least one really good Helios/Chibi-Usa romance, so that's what I'm going to try to do, since this will most likely be my last major SM work. (I'll still write the occasional story for sm_monthly, and there's still the possibility for the SM/WHR crossover I really want to write, so I'm not completely retiring from the SM fandom yet!) As I've mentioned before, I've decided to cut it down from the long multi-part I first invisioned it as to a long one-shot (possibly a short multi-part, depending on how things go) using some of the entries I wrote for sm_monthly(rewritten to better fit the story). I really think that'll make things a little easier to write, so wish me luck this time! *crosses fingers*

Comments

[ayadec.livejournal.com]

I thought your story was really good, and HP isn't even my fandom.

Thank you for the compliment on my story. I'd actually been trying to write that story since the first winter challenge (because it had the same theme). I think I was just so happy to get it done. I'll probably be posting it and the additional chapters around in the near future - but I'm glad you liked it.

I didn't know that you easing out of the SM fandom. I think I've left the SM fandom (in terms of writing), for all intents and purposes. I mean, I would love to finish Ties and Royal Blue...and maybe work on Victory, but I think that's it in terms of writing. I keep having these LWD, BB, and Animaniacs ideas that mess with my head instead.

And I think this is the longest comment I've ever left. I'll shut up now. But congrats and it was a great story.

[heavenly-pearl.livejournal.com]

Hehe, long comments are good. ^_^

I'm glad you liked the story, even if you aren't an HP fan. I guess I managed to do something right, although I still say yours deserved to win more. It made me all nostalgic for Animaniacs.

I wouldn't necessarily say I'm easing out of the SM fandom. I don't think I'll ever be able to give it up, to be honest, but I really want to start writing more major stuff for other fandoms (like the aforementioned Kaleido Star), which I don't think I'll be able to do if I keep writing really long SM fics (which tend to take at least a couple of years for me to finish and edit). More one-shots are definitely possible, but there will probably be no more SM multi-parts from me unless I write the WHR crossover I mentioned.

- Yumeko -

[samuraiter.livejournal.com]

*applause*

Pleasant surprise, no? And I've no doubt that you've still got at least a few BSSM stories left to tell.