Which I have, so apart from a few things I must get done it is all tea and reading The Wood Beyond (which is The One Where Reginald Hill suddenly (though ever-justifiably) became incensed by the injustices of the First World War, and there are about twenty ridiculous coincidences in the plot but it's still just wonderful and oh, Peter. Both of them).
Text exchange with son yesterday involving pictures of snow (him) and accusations of cold-giving (me) and then him: "Oh good. It's organic and fair trade and I knew you would love it." Clever-clogs snarky git. *hugs*
Speaking of which, I finished the Lewis story and it is off to beta. (So I may sit Aral and Ekaterin down for a chat today, yes. Depends on how good the tea is.) I did manage (is this thing on? Trying not to broadcast) to sneak a sex scene in, one which (unusually for me) I'm uncertain about the rating for, though I think R/M is sufficient (well, for first anon posting I suppose the mods will decide). The choice does seem to vary a bit by fandom as well as by individual preference, the number and type of words, and the body parts mentioned. (Relatively conservative, a few passionate but not terribly specific paragraphs, two of the most obvious.) I am not good at writing, posting, or commenting on the truly explicit, and tend to roll my eyes a bit at fictional anatomy lessons, though I will excuse a lot if there's good dialogue attached.
Surprisingly though not surprisingly, then, when I think over favorite stories of this year-that-is-not-over-yet, one that's consistently near or at the top is![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
philomytha's First Aid (which is rated E though in some fandoms-not-Vorkosigan it might only be M, because really, not that detailed, nor does it need to be. I did leave a comment rather than cravenly hit "kudos."). The summary is "After Escobar, Simon tries to hold on to Aral" and there is a fair amount of literal and lovely holding-on and doing-things-to, but the core is all gut-wrenching love and loyalty and loss, which is why the sex works so well, not because they are hawt!!1! together (though. they are). Anyone can write the story where repressed people hold back and deny themselves and then finally give in and bang!wow (I have. Recently. Several times) but it takes a brave writer, in the fic world especially, to give us the pairing that isn't going to go anywhere, that we are in fact strongly invested against because another one trumps it, and yet make us feel oh, damn, why can't it work? It also takes a good set-up, preferably a canonical one, and a receptive audience, both of which exist in this fandom. (I'd try it, in Lewis, but I have a feeling I'd get drawn and quartered, or at least drowned in disappointed looks. Seriously, try writing second-season-out-of-six depressed-Hathaway-not-yet-saved-by-Lewis's-love and watch the comments you get. And then imagine writing it in season six.)*
I just have Doomed Love in my neurologic pathways, that's all. At least I can exercise it in original fiction *glooms*. (And, okay, in "L'oiseau qui vole," which is probably why it's my favorite of my own stories this year.)
ETA: Oh, and hurray and ha! Someone just did.
Text exchange with son yesterday involving pictures of snow (him) and accusations of cold-giving (me) and then him: "Oh good. It's organic and fair trade and I knew you would love it." Clever-clogs snarky git. *hugs*
Speaking of which, I finished the Lewis story and it is off to beta. (So I may sit Aral and Ekaterin down for a chat today, yes. Depends on how good the tea is.) I did manage (is this thing on? Trying not to broadcast) to sneak a sex scene in, one which (unusually for me) I'm uncertain about the rating for, though I think R/M is sufficient (well, for first anon posting I suppose the mods will decide). The choice does seem to vary a bit by fandom as well as by individual preference, the number and type of words, and the body parts mentioned. (Relatively conservative, a few passionate but not terribly specific paragraphs, two of the most obvious.) I am not good at writing, posting, or commenting on the truly explicit, and tend to roll my eyes a bit at fictional anatomy lessons, though I will excuse a lot if there's good dialogue attached.
Surprisingly though not surprisingly, then, when I think over favorite stories of this year-that-is-not-over-yet, one that's consistently near or at the top is
philomytha's First Aid (which is rated E though in some fandoms-not-Vorkosigan it might only be M, because really, not that detailed, nor does it need to be. I did leave a comment rather than cravenly hit "kudos."). The summary is "After Escobar, Simon tries to hold on to Aral" and there is a fair amount of literal and lovely holding-on and doing-things-to, but the core is all gut-wrenching love and loyalty and loss, which is why the sex works so well, not because they are hawt!!1! together (though. they are). Anyone can write the story where repressed people hold back and deny themselves and then finally give in and bang!wow (I have. Recently. Several times) but it takes a brave writer, in the fic world especially, to give us the pairing that isn't going to go anywhere, that we are in fact strongly invested against because another one trumps it, and yet make us feel oh, damn, why can't it work? It also takes a good set-up, preferably a canonical one, and a receptive audience, both of which exist in this fandom. (I'd try it, in Lewis, but I have a feeling I'd get drawn and quartered, or at least drowned in disappointed looks. Seriously, try writing second-season-out-of-six depressed-Hathaway-not-yet-saved-by-Lewis's-love and watch the comments you get. And then imagine writing it in season six.)*I just have Doomed Love in my neurologic pathways, that's all. At least I can exercise it in original fiction *glooms*. (And, okay, in "L'oiseau qui vole," which is probably why it's my favorite of my own stories this year.)
ETA: Oh, and hurray and ha! Someone just did.
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Date: 2012-11-28 07:48 pm (UTC)From: