From the Writing Desk: revised “Dare” uploaded, current plans
Finally, I cleared up a corner of my desk enough for another writing entry.
At last, I’ve managed to upload the edited version of “Dare” to the Writing Desk, so you don’t have to wade through 26 single posts and its typos anymore in case you would like to (re)read the story.
This means that only one of my fan fiction stories is missing from the Writing Desk index now, which is the J/7 Phantom of the Opera challenge entry “Quando m’en vo”. It needs some editing and tweaking first (it was written a decade ago and has some serious lapses in style), which is why it ended up on the back burner for now. It’s still on the To Do List, however.
Apropos editing: I’m still working on revised versions of both “Campus” and “Small Steps” (“Jungle Fever” is waiting in second row for now), still uncertain which one to put first, but it’s probably going to be “Small Steps” in the end, since that one requires less revamping. Small steps are also the speed at the moment as I try to clear my desk of academic assignments and am preparing for another project that should start in about a week.
It frustrates me when my desk is covered so much in academic writing work that there remains only the smallest corner for fiction. At the moment, I need to finish up an article for an academic journal. Yesterday, an encyclopedia entry from the summer finally came back for revision and then I’m waiting for the galley proofs of my Ph.D. that should get here in November or early December. After that, a presentation for February and most likely revising an article I filed last week for an anthology, but I’m still waiting to hear back from the editors.
Next to all that, I gaze longingly at the small corner labeled “fiction” and wonder what story project I would like to pick up next. There is the storyboard for the “next big novel”, titled “Curtains”, but I don’t know whether I want to jump into something that big again right away. I need a minimum of two years of commitment for that project and at the moment, I can’t guarantee that.
Then there are the two old J/7-ish Über plots I’ve been carrying around with me for years and I still can’t bring it over me to put them to rest. At the moment, the plot ghosting through my head the most is the “Killing Game” based WWII scenario, working title “Resistant Ladies”. Even the soundtrack is already planned and every time I hear a piece of it, my fingers are itching to sit down and just write, although I continue to have scruples regarding the setting. I’m not sure I could use the horrors of WWII as the background of what would basically be a romance, but that is a recurring doubt I keep having.
One project I’ve regretfully let go recently is a classic J/7 h/c plot titled “Capture”, which revolved around a switch of powers and control. While I had to half empty my apartment in September, I found the sketches (which must have been written a decade ago) in longhand, although I had problems piecing everything back together in reading. If I find my typed sketches again – I know I had the first few pages typed out – I’ll upload them to the Sketchbook section together with the general outline.
For this week, I’m heading back to my journal article and hope that in about ten pages, I’ll be allowed to think about something else for a change.
I think a WW11 background would work well, Sarah Waters ‘Nightwatch’ or ‘Foyles War’ all good characters and stories, just a thought.
those are great novels!
I’d just be dabbling a bit on the extended short story/novella side, leaving the background perhaps too illustrative. But I’ll think about the angle!
Let’s hope your new project gives you some time for fiction writing. I have “Nordie mono” right now, I long for good well written stories!!