Ooh, now there's a challenge. I am truly working on it even if it is only in my mind so far. I have written the next chapter or two of Vicadia totally in my head. The ideas and threads are flowing, it's just a matter of getting them together.

Paul wrote: "Welcome,Jeanne. Glad you've enjoyed the stories so far. I'll have a look at OWW and possibly join at some point.

Renee will tell you that tinfoil helmets aren't needed. In fact, I don't tell every..."

Thanks, Paul. I've been with OWW since 2002, and have met some brilliantly talented people.

Susan wrote: "Hi Jeanne! Nice to see you here. Yes, guys, jeanne's novels are well worth reading. Well researched and beautifully written.

Welcome to "On Fiction writing" Jeanne.

Sue"

Thanks, Sue. I figured I'd jump on board so I'll be in the know when your next work is published :)

Stuffed is not the word, bursting maybe. I thought Christmas was supposed to make people happy, tolerant and all that crap. Did you eat too many goodies today Susan? Me too. I won't mention what I overindulged in, I don't want a whack. A whole box, that's all I'm saying. Ugh.

That is a nice saddle by the way. Don't you love it when Santa brings you exactly what you want?

Actually mention one more piece of choccy and I'll whack you. *is stuffed*. I'm definitely trying that saddle tomorrow.

Oh hey, did you know they make chocolate with Irish Cream inside. Dammit, I`ve messed up my punctuation again. Where is the user`s manual for this thing. I have an É instead of a question mark and an ` instead of an apostrophe. Too much Baileys today maybe.

Hi Jeanne! Nice to see you here. Yes, guys, jeanne's novels are well worth reading. Well researched and beautifully written.

Welcome to "On Fiction writing" Jeanne.

Sue

OH! Welcome Theresa. I've followed that blog forever and found it very helpful even if I rarely comment. Lovely to see you here. Chocolate? These guys! Chocolate is no good without Baileys added to it, especially today.

Welcome!

Welcome,Jeanne. Glad you've enjoyed the stories so far. I'll have a look at OWW and possibly join at some point.

Renee will tell you that tinfoil helmets aren't needed. In fact, I don't tell everyone, but they're next to useless. The only thing that will save you from the voices is to sit in a wire cage.

...and even that doesn't work against me. Hehehe...

Henry wrote: "Jeanne wrote: "I am Jeanne Haskin, born and raised in New England, now living in Tennessee with my very supportive husband. I got my start with Algora Publishers doing nonfiction research as an in..."

Thanks so much. It's wonderful that you're participating in OEBD and, again, congratulations on a really stunning book! I don't believe we've met yet on OWW, but I'll be sure to look for you there.

All the best,

Jeanne

I know I will Jeanne. I've read your writing on OWW. I can't enter the giveaway (Canada is not included, sigh) but I can order it. I'll add it to my read list.

Jeanne wrote: "I am Jeanne Haskin, born and raised in New England, now living in Tennessee with my very supportive husband. I got my start with Algora Publishers doing nonfiction research as an independent analy..."

Hi Jeanne, welcome to the group. I see that Renee briefed you on the uniform. A must here. I am a contributor to Ménage à 20, Tales with a hook, and I am actually in charge of making our book available to the Operation Ebook Drop troops. It's nice to meet another author that's participating there. I am also a newbie at OWW, that's a very nice tool for writers.

Welcome to the group, happy holiday season to you too, and lots of success in the New Year!

Renee wrote: "Thank you Jeanne and welcome to our little group. We look forward to your comments and ideas. You know about the straight jackets? A must-have, trust me. I've just brought in some munchies for anyo..."

Thanks, Renee. I appreciate the welcome, and hope you enjoy the reading :)

Thank you Jeanne and welcome to our little group. We look forward to your comments and ideas. You know about the straight jackets? A must-have, trust me. I've just brought in some munchies for anyone who is able to escape the Christmas madness and steal a few minutes in here. Pie, cookies, cheese trays and of course, a few drinks.

Now, I'm going to check out your book. Merry Christmas. :)

I am Jeanne Haskin, born and raised in New England, now living in Tennessee with my very supportive husband. I got my start with Algora Publishers doing nonfiction research as an independent analyst of conflict and crisis management in warring situations. Then I branched into fiction from a desire to explore and recreate the emotional impact of the world's conflagrations, whether it be through fantasy, science fiction, or my current work in thriller/suspense novels.

With my Conflagration series, I initially queried agents but then went the indie route because I wanted to participate in Operation E-Book Drop, a program that makes my books available free in e-format to coalition forces overseas. The first book in the series ("Unbreakable") is being offered here as a give-away with a free preview uploaded of the first twenty chapters. I've also started a Q&A thread in the event that readers have questions about the book or would like to share their thoughts.

As a six-year veteran of the OWW (Online Writers Workshop for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror), I've had the pleasure of meeting and working with many talented authors, one of whom is Sue Curnow, whose short story "A Gift Horse" was just published in "Menage a 20." I couldn't be more pleased for her and the other contributing authors and would like to congratulate all of them on the success of their publication.

May you all have a happy holiday season and the best of the coming New Year.

Renee wrote: "We are extremely serious. This discussion is a figment of your imagination. It is not real at all. We are not speaking of straight jackets, chocolate cages or its application at all. This is a welc..."

I'll consider this post my Christmas Gift from Renee. I must add that I am so serious that I put the "S" in serious. Scratch that, I put the rest of the letters too. This is serious business. Nothing can't be more serious than a bunch of writers getting together. If you are new, please don't forget to stop by the "Crazy Thoughts" thread, or "The Serious Stuff:Humor" thread.

I can't believe I said all that with a serious face

I hope you all have a great Christmas and New Year. Relax, enjoy, forget all the troubles of your 'real' world for a week or so. Come back refreshed abd bursting with creative vigour :)

Theresa,

I'm afraid I'm late welcoming you but then I'm a newbie too. : ) I kinda feel like I know you because I read your blog!

There is a certain missing person retired and pondering "this finger-licking issue." Watch for a sensous mark in the near future.

Daniel wrote: "I am fascinated by this constant application of chocolate. Is the chocolate really applied continuously or is there time between applications for consuming? Who does the applying and who the cons..."

Daniel, you bet there's a story in this.

Paul wrote: "Rita wrote: We are nice normal people, raising families, working 9-to-5 jobs, writing stories in our spare time.

Speak for yourself! I've never been normal, or nice. I have to work, it's true. Wel..."

Oh, Paul, I know who that that-which-cannot-be-named; you know, the ultimate weapon of world domination... is. He/she/it lives in the dark.

Renee wrote: "Welcome Theresa, an editor? Well we can certainly use your expertise and comments. If you're writing, well you've probably heard about the straight jackets already.

They're over here, Kate love..."

Oh, Theresa, big welcome. Glad you dropped in. Perhaps you can help me and Renee and Rita keep this bunch in line. Ha!

We love editors. Really! Have you heard about our bold and daring accomplishment for 2009--Menage a 20? You must check us out. We're 20 authors in an unforgetable anthology. Consider it a Christmas or Holiday gift. It's free! http://www.menage-a-20.com/

Renee wrote: "No, no, don't struggle. Let's get you buckled in here. There, that's better. Oh and let's get this silly hat off. Look, you've got chocolate all over it. Now we'll have to wash it. Tj will do that for you. Just lay down. Relax. You can close your eyes. You're with friends. "

Dang. Why do I always get clean up duty?
*hooks up firehose*
Hold still. Hey! Come back here! I thought you guys sedated him. Wow, he's fast. I just hope he don't run into the room with... Too late. Next time tie their legs together too.

Renee wrote: "We are extremely serious. This discussion is a figment of your imagination. It is not real at all. We are not speaking of straight jackets, chocolate cages or its application at all. This is a welc..."

Chocolate hallucinations. Sorry

Extremely serious about chocolate, that's for sure.

We are extremely serious. This discussion is a figment of your imagination. It is not real at all. We are not speaking of straight jackets, chocolate cages or its application at all. This is a welcoming thread. That is all. We are so serious that you are imagining you're reading this just to make it more interesting.

Personally I'm offended that you're making this whole thing up. Seriousness is a serious matter, not to be mocked or taken lightly. I'd appreciate if you'd stop imagining this silliness and be serious, as this group is intended to be.

Jeepers.

**Pssst...Michael, wanna go fix the cage? If we melt it we can mold it back together. I know where the extra chocolate is stashed. Oh! Let's melt the whole thing and make jackets anyway. They'll never know.**

Kate wrote: "You are not here for fun, Michael. Haven't you figured out that we are very serious people here in OFW?"

Kate, that was well said. Yes, we are very serious here.

We once had a chocolate cage, Michael. We could've let you go in there instead except that someone ate big holes out of it.

Hey, can we do that? Chocolate straight jackets? Michael, I like the way you think.

Ahem, but Kate is right. We may be far to serious for chocolate jackets.

You are not here for fun, Michael. Haven't you figured out that we are very serious people here in OFW?

Chocolate strait-jackets would be more fun

Merry Christmas, newbies! Red and green straitjackets for all, in honor of the occasion.

Daniel wrote: "I am fascinated by this constant application of chocolate. Is the chocolate really applied continuously or is there time between applications for consuming? Who does the applying and who the consuming..."

Ah, what an interesting question. Who is consuming it, indeed, but more to the point, how?

I will retire to ponder this finger-licking issue.

Rita wrote: We are nice normal people, raising families, working 9-to-5 jobs, writing stories in our spare time.

Speak for yourself! I've never been normal, or nice. I have to work, it's true. Well, two of my clones do.

And how did CJ steal my cloning techniques? They were meant to be secure.

Oh no, they were stored with that-which-cannot-be-named; you know, the ultimate weapon of world domination. Yes, that one.

Dashes off, and checks vault...

Whew, it's OK. He must have missed that. It was disguised as a packet of muesli.

Dang, I missed the mobbing, -er I mean introduction.

Well folks, welcome to our assylum/group.

Normally I'd offer you all cookies, but this week I've been making fresh jerky out in the smokehouse for our gifts to everyone, so I'll offer you some as well.


Merry Christmas everyone! Hope the next few days are great fun.

(and for those of you who don't celebrate, I wish you a very nice relaxing day anyway)

Constant = at regular intervals
Continuous = uninterrupted

I have no objection to continuous application chocolate, except that it would lead to the continuous expansion of my hips.

"When Daniel woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a chocolate bunny."

Shhhh...it's okay Daniel. Just for a little while. The last man who woke to find himself that way fancied himself a matador and took off to Spain. Now he goes by the name CJ and thinks he is going to take over the world. You don't want that, do you?

**Psst...Wendy, you got any of that stuff? You know the N-e-e-d-l-e...Gwen said she'd leave a few here for emergencies. Hurry before he remembers what happened.**

No, no, don't struggle. Let's get you buckled in here. There, that's better. Oh and let's get this silly hat off. Look, you've got chocolate all over it. Now we'll have to wash it. Tj will do that for you. Just lay down. Relax. You can close your eyes. You're with friends.

I woke to find myself covered in chocolate. Not the syrup that some people put in milk or on ice cream but chocolate, the very thing, in all its decadence.

What? No, no, no, no, not the jacket, I'm not going back into the straight-jacket. Please, just let me have a little...

Ahem...G rated, right? Sorry, it's not as good in G.

Renee wrote: "And there is a story, a really good story. "

Care to share with the rest of the class?

Well Daniel, although I've been advised not to go into too much detail, I can enlighten you on a few things. Of course there is time for consumption, after all, there is only so much chocolate one can apply before you run out of...er-area.

As for who does what, well that is dependant upon the applicatee (new word). Many have a trusted applier, one they use consistently, some prefer a variety.

And there is a story, a really good story.

I am fascinated by this constant application of chocolate. Is the chocolate really applied continuously or is there time between applications for consuming? Who does the applying and who the consuming? I Bet there's a story in this.

No, I don't think we have any poppies growing around here.

Rita wrote: "We are nice normal people, raising families, working 9-to-5 jobs, writing stories in our spare time.


Right. Normal.


**she's been eating the weeds again.**

Rico Suave? Crap, we're all in trouble now. He could be lurking anywhere!

* Psst, do you think he fell for it? He's likely snoring in some corner somewhere. That will teach him to eat the chocolate I meant to give to CJ. *

Theresa, we're really not as crazy as we seem. We are nice normal people, raising families, working 9-to-5 jobs, writing stories in our spare time.

Theresa wrote: "Rather than straightjackets and tinfoil hats, I find some benefit from the constant application of chocolate. But hey, I'll try it your way. Might learn something new. ;)

Thanks for the welcome!"

Hi Theresa, welcome to the club. Don't let them fool you. It can get crazy around here, but this is a group of very talented people.

Note left on Rita's chocolate stash: "Rico Suave was here."

* you are getting sleepy, you are getting sleepy *

There is no chocolate here. It was all your imagination.

When you wake up, you will think about coffee. You will forget about the chocolate.

goes to hide my stash of chocolate

Theresa wrote: "Rather than straightjackets and tinfoil hats, I find some benefit from the constant application of chocolate. But hey, I'll try it your way. Might learn something new. ;)

Thanks for the welcome!"

Oohh, I like her. We're going to be friends I think. The constant application of chocolate is a technique I swear by. Very effective. Toss the hat, let's go see what we can find. There's always a stash of chocolate hiding around here.

Rather than straightjackets and tinfoil hats, I find some benefit from the constant application of chocolate. But hey, I'll try it your way. Might learn something new. ;)

Thanks for the welcome!