Sunday, November 27, 2011

Rant of the Day: Is Facebook really just a weapon that could be used against you?


Rant of the Day: Is Facebook really just a weapon that could be used against you?

Today’s rant has nothing to do with fanfiction or even Harry Potter (gasp!), but a topic I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, thanks to my sister, who’s a (very) young, single mother, whom we’ll just call “Allison.” So lately Allison has been having issues with her child’s father, whom we’ll call “Douchebag.”

I would like to begin by explaining that while Allison is by no means the epitome of maturity and rational decision-making (she’s a baby with a baby, what do you expect?), Douchebag is a 23-year-old loser living from couch-to-couch, doesn’t own shit—not even a car—yet he somehow manages to get to the mall (right across from Allison’s apartment, FYI) to buy himself new clothing, to go to the gym, & to show up at Allison’s work with a gaggle of underage girls; yet he somehow can’t manage to find a means to get to Allison’s apartment to see his own daughter—and the few occasions that he HAS seen her, Allison had had to physically pick his sorry ass up.  Now, the most ridiculous part is that Douchebag claims that Allison is keeping him from seeing his daughter when Allison refuses to pick him up, and when she responds by pointing out that he can somehow manage to find a ride to the mall, the gym, & Buffalo Wild Wings, his response is always the same: “Bitch.”  (Apparently his vocabulary is very limited.)  I'd also like to add that he has a criminal record & has become physically violent toward her.

Anyway, so some more drama ensued; Allison said he wasn’t to bring girls around the baby since she doesn’t bring guys around, & his response was to threaten to take the baby, claiming that she’s a bad mother because she “leaves the baby every night to go party.”  While it’s true that Allison does go out on occasion, she’s also working seven days a week to support herself & her daughter, with no financial support whatsoever from Douchebag (the one time he helped her, he expected sex in return), but now because her friends “tagged” her on Facebook as being at a club last week, Douchebag is apparently claiming that she’s an unfit mother & is going for full custody (although, I’m finding that hard to believe, since that would actually require some EFFORT on his part).

My response when Allison told me about all this?  Either stop going out until after the custody hearing, or delete your fucking Facebook account.  But does she listen to me?  Of course not.  If she listened to anyone she wouldn’t have ended up with a baby to begin with: I warned her about what boys her age are after (& apparently boys in the bodies of supposedly grown men), & I told her that partying leads to fucking, fucking leads to pregnancy, & pregnancy leads to baby, but she just had to learn the hard way—and now she’s a young girl trying to live the life of an adult because she got knocked up by a random pathetic excuse for a man.

Don’t get me wrong—I certainly don’t think the internet or Facebook is evil (or men, for that matter, since I snagged me a great one who happens to be an EXCELLENT father).  I think it can be a great way to keep up with friends, but people should also be aware that Facebook & other social networking sites can be used to spy on you or to portray you in a negative light by people who would seek to use it against you.  Take Allison for example: After her friends tagged her as being at the club, she ran out of diapers (again, there’s an example of her poor judgment, but that’s beside the point), & when she wanted our dad to buy her some more, his response: “You went out last night while knowing you were out of diapers, so ask your baby’s father.”

My sister’s poor decision-making aside, I think people need to be a bit more wary about Facebook & other social websites, & to watch what they post online & who their “friends” are—unless you’re okay with having a “window” into your life that allows others to spy on you, make judgments, & use it as a tool against you.  (Also, I’ve heard of employers checking out their potential employees’ profiles, & I’m not even going to get into the potential of being targeted by a predator with truly evil intentions.)

Rant over.

-Kari

Friday, November 18, 2011

Rant of the Day: Don't Be a Flamer


Rant of the Day: Don’t Be a Flamer

First of all, I’d like to put a crucial disclaimer here: This rant is NOT about any of my own readers in any way, shape, or form.  Quite the contrary, in the HP fandom I’ve never received a single review that I would consider a “flame.”  I mean, sure, I’ve had a few comments from disgruntled readers who weren’t pleased with some of my writing decisions, but I try to handle them as graciously as possible by clearing up any points that I might not have gotten across in my writing.  In general, though, my experience in the HP fandom has been a positive one, and most of my own readers have been supportive or, at the very least, civil. (This wasn’t the case when I wrote for the Twilight fandom.  I actually encountered a lot of extremely rude people there; admittedly, I probably didn’t always respond to them in the best manner possible, but at least it was a learning experience.)

All righty, now that that’s out of the way, I was recently looking at the profile of a fellow reader/writer, faultybooster, and came across a rant about flames, which I’ll quote here, since I feel she says it better than I could:

“I've been fortunate to not have received any 'flames' in my very short-lived experience as a fanfiction writer. Well, not yet anyway. Now I'm all for reviews, whether they be light OR critical OR a combination, whatever the case may be. However, I recently came across a flame in a story that was so incredibly RUDE that it actually filled me with undiluted rage, and it wasn't even my story! The reviewer insulted the author time and time again, spewing out pure venom. You'd think the reviewer was a bloody senior editor for some posh publishing company, or some multi-award winning author, the way they were carrying on… I don`t claim to be a professional writer, and I`ll never say that my work is perfect because I`m human and I make mistakes. But if you`re going to shit all over somebody`s story in regards to their `lack of originality, poor grammar skills, improper spelling, etc. etc.`, then you had best make sure that your story is perfect as well and not write like a fucking child. It irks me, it really does. It`s not an easy thing to put your work out there, and expose yourself. And while some need to hone their skills more than others, it doesn`t give anybody the right to belittle a fellow author. We`re all here for the same thing - to read about and/or write about the characters we love. If you like the story, share the love. If you do like the story, but feel it lacks a certain something, then offer some constructive criticism. If you don`t like the story, be critical but kind. And if you can`t handle the latter, then keep your fucking mouth shut. End rant.”

I liked what this person had to say so much that I PM’ed her with this:

“Totally agree, 100%. I'm all about honest feedback (after all, you're not helping an author if you just rave over them when there are areas where a writer could use improvement) but there's no reason not to use tact & to not treat other authors with dignity, especially since a lot of writers on this site are young & inexperienced. I mean, writing isn't like singing, where you just either have it or you don't; it's a skill that's honed & improved with time & experience, so blasting younger/inexperienced writers is inexcusable.”

Curiosity got the better of me, so I decided to ask her about the fic & the flame in question, & I discovered that while the fic in question was a bit…threadbare, in all honesty, there was no true reason for the reviewer to be so cruel in his/her delivery.


Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there that use the anonymity afforded by the internet to bash others in an effort (I can only guess) to make themselves feel better.  Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion, & this is a writing community, so obviously some people are going to be more critical than others—myself included, since some of my own reviews are bordering on brutally honest, especially if I feel that the story/writer has potential; conversely, if I think something is an absolute piece of garbage with no redeeming values, I usually keep my mouth shut unless the piece is obviously a “troll,” intended to garner a negative reaction from readers. 

However, there's no excuse not to retain civility in the spirit of community.  All this to say that, in my opinion, flaming is straight-up bullying, except that it’s possibly even more cowardly because the bully in question is hiding behind a screenname.

(I might get flamed for speaking out on this matter, but that’s okay because it’ll only prove my point.)

-Kari

An example of CONSTRUCTIVE criticism that isn't necessarily all praise, as opposed to a flame (The following was submitted in regard to my own fic, Coming to Term, and I actually agree with some of what this reviewer has to say, since it reflects my own thoughts - or at least what I thought some readers might think -  as I was writing in regard to my own work.  Hey, we're all our own worst critics, right?  I certainly don't think my own writing and storytelling prowess is the shit.  Anyway, note the tactful delivery & the fact that the reviewer actually contributed something that she LIKED about the fic in question, making it a well-rounded review.):

"Hermione was rescued (not that there was ever any doubt about that LOL) but also it turns out that Ron wasn't actually raped, and Snape's only purpose was to prove it. It was a bit too convenient. Which goes back to my original question, of why go there in the first place? And then Hermione and Ginny giving birth at the same time, AND then getting pregnant again at the same time was a bit much, even though it's probably canon LOL It just feels like you started out writing one story that was funny, sexy, and sweet, and then you went super dark, and instead of following through, you just went back to the previous story. And I think a fluffy story could have been great, as well as a dark story, but when they got put together it kind of messed up the flow.

All that said, I still think you are a great writer, and I still enjoyed the story. I don't think there are any other stories of Rose's birth that are in any way the same quality as this one. And I admire you for taking risks with your writing. If you aren't experimenting and trying new things, you aren't growing as a writer."
An example of a flame:
"I could wipe my ass with this piece of shit: The writing doesn't flow, the story is contradictory, you put no thought into the plot, which is full of holes, and your writing stinks."

I totally just made up the above, but you get the point: Although it's honest, it offers nothing constructive at all and is intended specifically for the purpose of hurting the author.  A comment like that would sting an adult writer, so I imagine it would be down-right traumatizing to a young first-time writer.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Fanfiction rec: "And I Swear" by jesrod82, rated M for strong sexual content and language, Ron/Hermione, humor/romance, two-parter, complete, listed under my favorites.

The following recommendation was originally posted in the author's notes of Chapter 28 of my fic, Coming to Term:

Fanfic Pic: "And I Swear" by jesrod82, rated M for strong sexual content and language, Ron/Hermione, humor/romance, two-parter, complete, listed under my favorites.

Author's story summary: When Ron's vulgar language goes too far will he be willing to give it up in order to have a happy wife? Will it help their marriage, or will it backfire? Rated M for language, obviously, and sex.

First of all, I want to say that jesrod82 is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors on this site. This actually makes the third story of hers that I've rec'ed as my Fanfic Pic (& I plan on rec'ing a fourth; I was merely waiting for her to post a few more chapters of "Look at Me" so I could see how it progresses first). She's an extremely talented and versatile writer, and her smut is seriously some of the hottest I've read—amateur OR professional.

Not only is "And I Swear" a ridiculously hilarious (I literally LOL'ed throughout the whole thing) story about what happens when Ron performs an incantation to help curb his swearing in order to please Hermione, but it's also incredibly sweet & sexy. The entire thing was just an absolute pleasure to read, and a favorite for life. I encourage all of my readers to check it out & to leave a well-earned review for this talented author! Note: This fic most definitely isn't for the kiddies, so if you're underage, shoo!

Happy reading, writing, & reviewing!

-Kari

Fanfiction recommendation: "One More Time" by veritaserumkills, rated M for sexual content, Ron/Hermione (and sort of Charlie/Hermione), angst/romance, incomplete (currently 10 chapters posted), listed under my faves.

The following recommendation was originally posted in the author's note of Chapter 24 of my fic, Coming to Term:

Fanfic Pic: "One More Time" by veritaserumkills, rated M for sexual content, Ron/Hermione (and sort of Charlie/Hermione), angst/romance, incomplete (currently 10 chapters posted), listed under my faves.

Author's story summary: Hermione tried accepting Ron's death. She even married Charlie. When she finds she may not have to, will she risk her marriage and repeating a horrible branch of history to be with Ron, or accept it and move on? Post DH. Full summary inside, kinda AU?

While the author definitely has her critics for having Hermione marry Charlie several years after Ron's supposed death, I'm personally enjoying this story thoroughly. I've gotta admit that I'm torn on some of the plot devices, such as Hermione cheating on her husband with Ron (even if it IS Ron, her true soul mate, I have trouble stomaching infidelity). Even though I'm rooting for Ron & Hermione, I'm not looking forward to poor Charlie inevitably getting his heart broken!

Nevertheless, this story is well-written, it has an interesting plot, and I find myself looking forward to its updates more than any other story I'm currently following, with the exceptions of, perhaps, "Almost Everything I Wish I'd Said" by hey-torch & "With Me" by TMBlue (the latter of which I'm expecting an update sometime in the next…well, never, lol). Oh, and don't tell anyone, but I actually cried during the first several chapters of this story (something I rarely do!).

Happy reading, writing, & reviewing!

-Kari

EDIT: The above review referred to the first 10 chapters only.  Currently, although this story remains one of my favorites, I am not pleased with the manner in which the author has chosen to have Hermione handle her "break-up" with her husband; Hermione actually comes off as a bit heartless, and the newly reunited couple have no qualms about flaunting their relationship in front of his parents.  Likewise, Molly and Arthur don't seem to have too much of a problem with the fact that Ron effectively ruined Charlie's marriage.  On the one hand, I understand that they're just happy to have him back alive, but the story would have worked better for me personally if the author had chosen to just have Hermione & Charlie merely dating, rather than being an actual married couple since the author hasn't adequately handled the emotional strife that should have been involved.  Anyway, that's just my opinion on the matter.

Fanfiction rec: "Almost Everything I Wish I'd Said" by hey-torch, rated M for dark themes/subject-matter including implied torture & rape, incomplete, angst/horror, Ron/Hermione, Deathly Hallows AU.

The following recommendation was originally posted in the a/n of Chapter 23 of my fic, Coming to Term:

"Almost Everything I Wish I'd Said" by hey-torch, rated M for dark themes/subject-matter including implied torture & rape, incomplete, angst/horror, Ron/Hermione, Deathly Hallows AU.

I'll keep it short & sweet: Once I got past the first few chapters, which were riddled with misspellings & typos, it developed into an AMAZING story. Seriously. I'm even ignoring the fact that the dialogue is punctuated incorrectly. It's simultaneously angsty, horrific, sweet, suspenseful, and a ton of other things. It's listed under the genres of "angst/horror," but I personally think "romance/hurt/comfort" would be more fitting; "suspense/drama" would also work. Anyway, you have to check out this fic when you have the chance, but be warned - it's quite dark, and poor Hermione experiences horrific abuses (mostly implied). It's listed under my favorites. Read it. And then be courteous & leave a well-earned review. And then PM the author to beg for an update as quickly as possible. (I actually woke up with an update notification for this story in my inbox this morning, & it took a LOT of will-power not to drop everything in favor of reading it.)

Happy reading, writing, & reviewing!

-Kari

Friday, November 11, 2011

FFn updates for the month of October

10/26 - I just wanted to thank everyone for the reviews I've received for my prologue of The Waiting Place! Truly, I'm overwhelmed & flattered by the response, & so excited about continuing - especially knowing you all are so eager to read more! FYI, I've begun re-reading The Half-Blood Prince so that I may seamlessly interweave TWP within the canon text, much as I did with my fic Hallowed Hearts, which I created as a Deathly Hallows subplot. I hope to have chapter 1 of TWP up within the next week, so keep an eye out for it!

To all my Twilight fans that happen to still be lurking about my profile - I just wanted to let you know that after a year of Coming of Age being on hiatus, I decided to take it down since the chances are slim-to-none that I'll ever finish it, seeing as my interest in the fandom has dwindled to non-existent. I know that may come as a disappointment to some, but I thought that leaving it up any longer would be unfair, as it offers false hope that I might pick it up again in the future. Also, even though I've previously announced it, I wanted to add for those who missed it that the reason I removed my completed Twilight fic, In Pursuit of Normalcy, is because (in addition to writing my HP fics) I'm actively transforming it into a completely original paranormal romance novel.

Lastly, I re-edited my Fred/Angelina/George oneshot, Double the Pleasure, Double the Fun, for some minor errors that I previously noted. If you haven't checked it out, I hope you'll do so now & let me know what you think!


10/12 - New blog post: "Rant of the Day: Writers who start multiple multi-chaptered fics."

10/10 - I'm actively working on Coming to Term Chapter 25 today & hope to have it up in the next day or two. To those awaiting my new fic, I'm still not sure whether or not I'll start it before completing CtT, but we'll see. :)

10/7 - Just wanted to let my readers know that I've had a super-hectic week (not much time for fanfic'ing - reading OR writing), but rest assured that I've been thinking about the remainder of Coming to Term (I have it all outlined out) & my new story that I'm uber excited about starting! I actually have pretty much the whole thing planned out in my head & plan on hashing out an outline early next week. Thanks for your patience & your understanding! :)

10/4 - Happy big 3-0 to my hubs, aka Studly Love Muffin (on the off chance that you might be reading my FFn profile)! Congrats! You're almost as old as me! :)

Oh, & if you're not reading "Look at Me" by jesrod82, you should be! (It's listed under my faves.)

10/1 - New blog post: Harry Potter inspired by Star Wars?

9/30 - Moved my profile's updates dating 8/13 - 9/23 to my blog, where I also post fanfic recs, book recs, the occasional movie rec, and other randomness: Musings of a Fiction Fanatic

Read all of the posted chapters of "Pictures" by Athenais777, rated T, a clever, well-written collection of snippets from a wide array of characters' lives (from the Marauders to the next generation) centered around, as the title suggests, pictures. While, as I said, it features various characters, it's heavily Ron/Hermione-centered. I've enjoyed it thoroughly - definitely worth a read! It's listed under my favorites.

Also, as I announced in my final chapter of Skimming Stones & Skinny-Dipping, I have a new fic project in the works, which is going to be a Ron/Hermione Half-Blood Prince-era AU-subplot type of story, so if you enjoy my writing then don't forget to put me on author alert!