R. Cooper's Blog, page 24

In other words: to the left.

They're discussing feedback over at the_slash_pile and I have to say, I honestly don't mind it. I've worked hard and practiced my writing and read books on writing and suffered through critiques from writing groups and had the red pen of death slash all over works of mine. Bad comments and harsh critique can be upsetting, (I've been known to mope for a day or two) but it's one of those things where you have to learn to trust your voice (and the opinions of certain others) and carry on. But I also aspire to be (wait, I am one, weird) a professional writer and so I expect that sort of treatment. I'm not someone writing fanfic or an original story just for fun and posting it online to amuse my friends, so I can see how others would find any unasked for critique upsetting. (Though honestly, if you don't want the world to find your stories, then put them under a lock or keep them private.)

At the same time, I've learned to recognize that some critique matters more than others. I've learned to filter out remarks from people who simply have different taste than me ("eeeew gay stuff!" or "too much porn!" or "fantasy is stupid")--though I do sometimes wonder why they would read my fic after reading the summaries and warnings--the same way I've learned to filter out comments from those who were expecting something else. (Seriously, you ever go into a movie or something expecting one sort of movie because the trailers led you to believe something and it's not that kind of movie at all??? How pissed are you? It's understandable.)

The comments you want to pay attention to aren't just the obvious ones about grammar or typos or plot hole questions, though yeah, notice those and be grateful for them, but the ones in which someone has taken the time to really read through your story and point out, not just why it didn't work *for them* but also why it might not work *for everyone else*. There is nothing disrespectful about this process and I do not understand why people get these sorts of comments and reviews confused with the flame "I AM SO ANGRY RAWR!" reviews, which are a different beast. (Although frankly, if everyone loves you and *no one* hates you, you're doing something wrong). You don't have to listen to a review or a comment like that, it's up to you, as the writer, to make all final decisions, but you shouldn't fear or loathe getting such a comment either. It's a sign that someone cared enough to bother, and trust me, being ignored is far worse than a little criticism.

It would be nice if reviewers, even the haters, could remember that it's someone's baby they are talking about and keep their tone professional, but it would also be nice if no one went to bed hungry anymore and all wars were over and I got to meet Amy Poehler (and not make a fool of myself if I did). But those things ain't gonna happen any time soon. All you can do is keeping writing and choose to take away from the experience whatever you choose to take away. Personally, I take away that people are varied and diverse and what is aces with one person is the most horrifying and obnoxious thing in the world to another, that some people like to work for their answers and others don't want to think in their fun reading time, and that some people are really, really judgy about sluts in love.

Which is their loss really, sluts in love is like my favorite thing ever. But, as Etienne would say, C'est la vie, bitches.

It isn't like I get instant feedback or anything (though ...

It isn't like I get instant feedback or anything (though how weird would it be if I did?) or instant money, but still, tomorrow Cal and Ray go on sale (wait, tomorrow the story about them goes on sale. Ray would like to remind everyone that prostitution is illegal in this state.) So can I get a what what?

I would do this tomorrow, but tomorrow I will be all day at crappy day job and blaaaaah that's no fun. So all my (somewhat subdued on account of a headache) squees shall be squeed now.

Some Kind of Magic

That's it for my big pimping. I have a house to clean, dishes to do, jobs to apply for, and nails to file.


ENVY MY GLAMOROUS LIFE. ENVY I SAY!

you're so good for everybody else but you're trouble for me

I made orange scones yesterday and maybe I went crazy with the sugary glaze but I can't seem to focus today. I can't decide what to work on, I'm just fluttering around the internet and dancing around to Britney Spurrrr's new album.

I did glance around at a few publishing sites to see if any of their upcoming submission requests would inspire me. And Dreamspinner and Circlet are both doing pirate themed anthologies...and considering what got me into this genre, it seems a shame not to do something piratey. But then...it seems so cliche. Hmmm.

Meanwhile there's this random novella that just came out of my brain a few weeks ago and it really needs to be edited and given a better ending...not that I have any idea who would take it for publication. And I was considering expanding "My Man Godric"...and then waffling because it would get a little darker that way...then thinking that would be awesome...then waffling again.

Damn you delicious sugary orange glaze! You gave me the flails!!!

(Or I just turn into a mess when between projects. You know, the logical answer).

Taste the rainbow!

I have had way too much cranberry juice (without even any vodka in it, boo) and eaten like a bajillion (three) See's Marshmallow Easter Eggs. Yet somehow I am still in a good mood (and not puking my guts out).

I know right? I wish I had something deeper to add, but I don't, so, cracky Some Kind of Magic EXCERPT:

...

Ray scratched his nose, tried to clear his senses, but then moved when he couldn't. He headed out, pushing past Ross without an apology and ignoring his offers of help.

He just needed out. Now. Fresh air. It had been too long since a hunt, or a trip beyond the city. And this case. Cal. Ray just needed clean air.

A dirty parking lot would have to do. He gulped in oxygen until his nostrils weren't stinging and his blood wasn't hot with the need to hunt, and then he turned, unsurprised to hear Cal approaching. He was dressed today, in a tight t-shirt and jeans. How considerate of him. He looked good, but it was nothing to how he smelled, and he was studying Ray so carefully that Ray wanted to ask what he looked like to Cal, if he shined.

"So Penn looked it up in the car, and she says there's a werewolf who lives in the woods outside of town that this guy tried to beat up in a biker bar a few months ago."

He didn't seem to be reacting any differently than he always did to Ray's presence, so Ray nodded slowly, returning to the present. "The case was pending." He paid attention to werewolf cases, rare as they were. This one had been a simple assault charge, or not so simple, as the charge had been against the human.

"So…" Cal shifted, came closer, bright and immediately calming with his echoes of cottoncandybubblegum. Childhood pleasure in what was in front of him. Need. No fear.

Why him? Ray almost asked himself again, but couldn't when the funhouse, carnival midway scent of Cal was so near and dear to him. He was probably staring, mooning, but for once Cal didn't seem to notice.

"Maybe it's not related, but she says you have to check it out." Cal shifted position again, staring out at the cars and the road and not Ray. They weren't touching, but when Ray glanced down he could see his shoes getting covered in glitter. Cal abruptly, finally looked at him again, reading something in Ray's face that made him sigh.

"What?" Ray wondered. It was as close as he could get to asking the rest, what Cal saw when he looked at him. There was too much hope in his voice as it was. Cal sighed again, then shook his head.

"So I was thinking…" Cal paused, rolling one hand and trying to look more beautiful, or persuasive, Ray wasn't sure, but he managed to do both. "…Road trip?" he asked finally, then hopped when Ray lifted one brow. It wasn't a no and they both knew it. "Sweet! I call shotgun!"

Damn Ray wanted to smile. He had to fight to sound stern, to wonder where his dark mood had gone.

"No way. You take the back again." Then he stopped, looking past the yellow tape and over at poor Benedict, who still looked queasy, then to Penn, who was watching them from the car. He looked back into green and gold and chocolate eyes. Shiny. Yes, Cal was shiny to him. "You sure you want to ride in a car with a savage, murderous werewolf, Petunia?"

Cal wrinkled his nose. It was irritatingly cute.

"You want to ride in a car with a hyper, weak, no good half-fairy, Fifi?" he inquired smoothly, then danced toward the car with a crazy pirouette.

Ray grinned after him, faintly.

"You forgot slutty," he shouted.

"Please!" Cal didn't even bother to turn back to him. "Pixies are way sluttier. Besides, half-fairy, remember?"

...


Act fast with a request and I'll commentfic them for you. :P

On a semi-related note, Cal would totally suck dick for Skittles.

excuse me while I whip this out

Coming Soon...

Still totally exciting for me! Shaddup you! :P

*breathless squeak*

Cal's belt is undone. That pretty little slut.

It's going up on the Coming Soon page tomorrow!!!!







Now back to my drag queen/s.

COVER SKETCHES. Like fanart, they always make me embarras...

COVER SKETCHES. Like fanart, they always make me embarrassed in this really strange way. Like it's more real now that it's outside my head and in someone else's? I don't know. It's fantastic, but yeah, at the same time...part of me gets giggly and too excited and can't focus.

This is bad and unprofessional. Tsk tsk tsk.


I say this because I saw the prelim cover for Some Kind of Magic this morning and Twinky!Cal with his little baby wings OMG!

*flail*



Ahem. In other news, I had no idea people spent so much on romance ebooks. (Not on mine, obviously, but in general). The Dreamspinner Daily Dose anthology is like $80 for one short story a day for an entire month, though it's $30 if you preorder. Oh to someday have that kind of money to drop on books again!!!

In the meantime, hello, library. Thank you for facilitating my new interest in Elmore Leonard.

...SO glad I decided to go with the old school "Never res...

...SO glad I decided to go with the old school "Never respond to reviews" philosophy. Whoa.

"how many girls called you today, son?"

Argh! I hate dying my hair, but I'm too vain to stop! Luckily I long ago stopped the whole experimenting thing and just stick to one color. (Although by the way I don't have my glasses on because I don't want to get dye on them, so sorry about any typos, I'll fix them later.)


Aaaaanyway, on to an actual point... I've been thinking about Ideas of Sin. It's too long to get published anywhere any time soon, and, frankly, it's got all these religious themes and dubcon shit and a weird writing style, so it getting anywhere anytime soon is unlikely. (I commented to plainapple the other day that it was obviously written at a very specific point in the timeline of slash's evolution, from its themes alone.) And like I've said, it's loooong. Nonetheless, I don't mind it being up for free for people to read, in the old or new version. (In fact, someone comparing them would be interesting, but omg, imagine that much reading). I was even considering posting it in serial form or something on one of the original slash comms.

The problem being, that's a lot of work, and they've never especially been fond of me/it on most of those comms. On the other hand, what's there to lose and why not? Excepting of course there's no tension because it's already finished. And I'm never going to be able to compete with The Captive Prince --which is something I've never read but which is apparently like THE thing to read.

Hmmm maybe that's not worth it. Ioa has its secret and not-so-secret fans already. I have no idea how people even find it though. I ought to get one of those tracking stats things and find out...if there's a point. I don't mind working hard when there's a point to it.

So...where was I going with this? Maybe the dye fumes are going to my head. Hmmm, um...I'm just between projects and getting antsy with nothing to do, and a big pointless amount of work to do that won't affect anything in anyway sounds like my kind of busywork. lol

So "Some Kind of Magic" will be coming out in May and the...

So "Some Kind of Magic" will be coming out in May and then in June, I will have a story in Dreamspinners Daily Dose Anthology--in which I guess you pay a set price and you get a short story on your "shelf" every day for the month of June. Though from what I understand, you may also purchase just individual stories if you wish.

I am excited, but mostly because it will be the first time I will be getting paid anything up front for a story. A short story, so a short story amount, but still, there was a lag between "Let There Be Light" and my teeny royalties that made it not as real. So this is really cool to me.

Of course, now I have to debate spending it on wise things that I need or something foolish and awesome--like a semi decent bottle of champs. Decisions.


Anyway, if you're wondering what the hell my short story is, the theme of the anthology is "Firsts" and my story involves the Old West, a lonely town marshal, and a seemingly no good gambler.

Woe, the cheese. Thank goodness pir8fancier and dlasta can put up with me. And my excessive use of commas. Seriously, I love commas. I can't help it. :)