#purebloodmage writes

[snarky-bee]

Summary:

Cyrion gets a glimpse at a softer side of Zevran as the Tabris family finally meets baby Eldora.

Originally posted on my tumblr for ZevWarden Week 2017: Day 6 - Family/Papa Zev

After all the splendor and finery of Amaranthine, coming back to Denerim, that small rundown house in the alienage, still kind of felt like coming home. Though Kallian didn’t live there, there was the familiarity, the sense of comfort, the memories - good and bad - that it evoked. Eldora was stirring in the wrap where she was held tightly to Kallian’s chest, chubby fingers grasping at strands of Kallian’s hair as they tossed around in the breeze.

“I think our daughter is the type to love attention, no?” Zevran spoke at her shoulder as they walked through the alienage. “Waking up just before visiting all sorts of adoring family members just in time to be fawned over. As they should.” He was gazing down lovingly at the dark eyes now focusing on his face, her lips mirroring his smile as she reached for his hair dangling too.

Continue on AO3

[thinkdragonage]

meme

I’m barely around anymore but @purebloodmage tagged me and I’m feeling chatty, so here you go.

a - age: 43

b - biggest fear: death c - current time: 10:30 pm d - drink you last had: prosecco (aka sparkling wine) e - every day starts with: COFFEE f - favorite song: I can’t pick just one! that’s just... mind boggling. But, I can pick a favorite song of the moment and it is probably something by  Vérité since I just started listening to her tonight. g- ghosts are they real: no, they are not. h - hometown: Ida, Michigan i - in love with: my husband of 14 years j - jealous of: people who’ve managed to make a career out of their writing k - killed someone: Not yet... l - last time you cried: November 9th n - number of siblings: 2 o - one wish: that trump wasn’t president p - person you last called/texted: one of my besties q - questions you’re always asked: How are you feeling? (Answer: leave me alone) r - reasons to smile: sparkling wine exists s - song last sang: Sugar by Maroon 5 t - time you woke up: I totally overslept-- 8 am u - underwear color: pink v - vacation destination: we’re going to Colorado for a long weekend this friday w - worst habit: alphabetical or chronological? x - x-rays you’ve had: lots. I’m old. y - your favorite food: cheese is glorious

z - zodiac sign: Taurus

I’ll tag... no one. Do this if you want to.

[the-smol-death]

2016 Writing Review

I was tagged by @cullenstairshenanigans and @turbootaku. Thank you!!!

Total number of completed stories

If I count one shots: three.

Total word count

154,665

Fandoms written in

Dragon Age. 

Sort of Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Sons of Anarchy (Sort of... just some weird mashup I have going. It’s still DA though.)

Looking back, did you expect to write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you’d expected?

I didn’t really have an expectation. If I had to pick, I’d say more since I’m new to writing.

What’s your own favorite story of the year?

Bond of the Grey. It’s not done, but I am more proud of my writing and the growth of my characters.

Did you take any writing risks this year?

Does posting it online count as a risk? Hm... actually entering writing contests felt risky.

Do you have any fanfic or profit goals for the new year?

Just keep writing. Just keep writing. I’d like to finish the fics I’m working on. 

Best story of the year?

IMO... and again it’s not done, I’d say Bond of the Grey.

Most popular story of the year?

Mother of Griffons. The fic before Bond of the Grey.

Hits: 2758 Kudos: 99 Bookmarks: 37 Comments: 321

Story of mine most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion:

My Girl with the Dragon Tattoo/ Sons of Anarchy/ Dragon Age crime-drama mashup: Warden’s of Ferelden MC

Most fun story to write:

La Femme du Fromage. 

Story with the single sexiest moment:

Mother of Griffons

Most sweet story:

Fynn

“Holy crap, that’s wrong, even for you!” story:

Mother of Griffons

Story that shifted my own perceptions of the characters:

Mother of Griffons: When etaeternum fell in love with Nathaniel Howe.

Most unintentionally telling story:

Oh boy. Um. Do I have to say what it’s telling? Rather than most telling story, I’d say my most telling character is Hale.

Hardest story to write:

Mother of Griffons. *clutches chest*

Biggest disappointment:

Wardens of Ferelden MC. I’m stuck with it even though I have such big ideas. It’s also not finding many readers. 

Biggest surprise:

Mother of Griffons. Because decent sized surprise ending and I didn’t realize how much I’d grow as a writer in the process of writing it.

I am going to tag.... @purebloodmage @seabirdsong @normandystarlight @uriellactaea @leanarutherford @heartsyhawk if you haven’t already and any other writers that want to participate.

[snarky-bee]

one week later, another chapter finished. who am i? since when do i write a chapter a week? 

[snarky-bee]

Sometimes even pushing through and trying to keep writing and hoping it will develop along the way doesnt even help and you gotta admit those 2000 words you wrote just simply dont work. 

Time to scrap and start over. (hey, at least I don’t have to do this very often)

[snarky-bee]

in an effort to force me to finish this nearly done chapter, im gonna go ahead and say there should be a new chapter of Unintended up sometime tonight

[snarky-bee]

it’s a good thing i haven’t come up with a title for my new fic yet because it might be the only thing holding me back from starting to publish it. I need to get further ahead before i do or else i wont be able to keep to a publishing schedule. 5 more chapters (and then a title) and then i’ll start sharing

[snarky-bee]

my intent: write a few paragraphs of zevran then get back to what the awakening gang is up to. what happens: so much zevran, awakening who? whats a warden commander? no no, zev isnt done yet. this chapter is really getting away from me

[snarky-bee]

i said i would write today (set a goal of 1500 words) but im not feeling motivated. i read somewhere that someitmes motivation comes from starting tasks first, then motivation follows to help you complete them. testing that theory now. google doc is opened. come on motivation, make something magical happen!

[snarky-bee]

Writing Exercise

They say that smell is tied most closely to our memories. I smelled something that took me back in time to my childhood and I really felt the urge to write something about it.

The water rebounded off the side of the building when the hose hit the wall in full force. A trickle soon grew into a puddle spreading across the pavement of the parking lot. The smell hit me in full force. The kind of smell you only get on a hot summer day when the cold water is instantly warmed by the heat of the road. 

I was reminded of those hot summer days of June when school is almost done, and every walk home at three in the afternoon was like walking across a desert. I would count how many steps it took me to get from one point of shade on the sidewalk to the next. Those two steps underneath the shade of a large maple tree were bliss but soon enough it was back into the beating sun, my back sweaty under the heavy backpack. 

Suddenly the smell would hit me. Water was running down a driveway five houses away. My stride would increase, no longer the sluggish walk of a kid just trying to reach the sweet caress of air conditioning. Water meant sprinklers, and sprinklers meant the relief of cool water. It was the difference between suffering the whole way home, and surviving.  A water-soaked shirt was all that was needed to hold the heat at bay. Just ten more steps to the shade of that oak tree. Then six more steps and, finally! The first spray of water isn’t enough. I would wait for the sprinkler to turn around again to get another full blast. 

With water dripping down my face, I would continue the trek home, always hoping for that wet pavement smell, wishing for another brief jaunt in a neighbour’s sprinkler.

[snarky-bee]

to be honest it sucks as a writer being so needy for comments and attention. like i dont want to want it, because i’m writing this story for myself but when you put something out there, there’s still a part of you seeking validation. like, man, i almost stopped writing because i received zero feedback on a chapter i posted and i went to a very depressed headspace - like i didn’t think my writing was interesting or good enough and that no one cared. WHY. why do i need constant validation. I like my story!

[snarky-bee]

theres something so satisfying about writing a scene thats been in your head for days. The words come easier, you can finally stop replaying it over and over again in your head, like finally

[snarky-bee]

I can’t believe i just made this typo and am struggling not to burst out laughing because my sister will be like um wtf is wrong with you.

I typed “Her only thought: glee” and now i’m just picturing Kallian humming dont stop believing and hoping to binge the show on netflix after shes finished fighting darkspawn. WHAT.

flee. i meant flee. this is not the time for glee.

[snarky-bee]

been almost 2 weeks since my last update. chapter 5 is barely even a thing. but i have chapter 3 written so i may as well suck it up and edit that monster because i dont want people to wait for an update anymore. maybe tonight is the night i binge on redbull and power through writing a whole chapter in one night. 

[snarky-bee]

i was in such a writing mood today but my mom for whatever reason was coming into my room and asking me questions regarding moving and school and stuff like every half hour. i could not focus at all. got about 400 words written but like damn. need some quiet time please. 

[snarky-bee]

so i am currently working on unintended again. I stumbled across a bit of writer’s block, knowing what had to happen, but not how to say it. back on track again, but likely won’t be posting a new chapter until the weekend just to give myself more time to edit and work ahead of my own somewhat loose “posting schedule”