But where is the next chapter, tho?
Short answer: I’m working on it.
Long answer: Things are chaos. Also, hubs and I are an interracial couple who live close enough to the capitol building in our state that we are taking the FBI’s warning pretty seriously and hunkering down until after Inauguration Day. Not that we were going anywhere (whispers to self to remember the ongoing global pandemic), but trips to do things like pick up grocery delivery or drop by the post office are a serious no-no for us right now. We plan to make a final run on Friday and then stay indoors.
That should mean plenty of time to write, which I’ve been doing with mixed success. But mostly, I’m just mentally and emotionally exhausted. It’s taking a lot of my energy to manage things at work right now, and sometimes I just need to sit lay on the couch and watch 35,000 hours of Bridgerton and Doom Patrol.
I am coming down the home stretch, though! I only planned to go to Chapter 43 for this story, and I will tell you that chapters 39-41 are in excellent shape. Chapter 42 is a hot mess, but the last chapter is mostly written. I guess the easy part is knowing where you want to end up.
Screenshots are another story. Many threads are coming together, so I’ve got scenes with tons of people that are a bitch to stage. Also, I’m an insane person, and I really want to shoot one more machinima and do some fancy shit for my big plot reveal.
I’ve got a ton of clean-up I want to do on the blog in anticipation of the end of the first story (and a peculiar desire to go back and copyedit my old chapters that’s probably grounded in procrastination). Because I’m how I am, I have this burning desire to finish everything and then do a big sweeping launch—maybe even post all the chapters at once.
Chances are, I’ll come to my senses and do something much more middle of the road. Either way, it’ll be a few more weeks before I get my shit together. I’ll try to put out some bonus content I’ve been saving up in the meantime.
In the meantime, I’m plodding along, reading all your stories, and eagerly anticipating the release of the paranormal stuff pack because JUSTICE FOR BONEHILDA FINALLLLLLLLYYYYYYY.
Okay, here’s a preview shot from a future chapter with no context as penance.
Hi, Ferosh! I still am not even close to getting caught up yet, but I’m jumping in here anyway. The last year-and-a-bit have been rough here too, and that’s without the added chaotic drama that is the USA at the moment. Just try to be safe, yeah? I’m totally with you on Bridgerton, I binged that show myself not too long ago *cough* last week *cough*
Also YES JUSTICE FOR BONEHILDA FINALLY MY GODS I’m almost willing to buy the pack just for that alone, lol.
Anyway. Take care and see you in X years when I finally catch up all the way!
Oh my gosh sammmmmmeeeeee. Like given how insane things have been, Bonehilda is no less than what we deserve.
We are definitely staying safe, thank you 🙂 I hope your 2021 brings plenty of good stuff (including more Bridgerton. They need to make season 2 immediately).
Ummm by time you catch up maybe I’ll actually be done HAHAHAHA.
It’s so shocking that the state of things is so bad that you guys can’t even go get groceries without fear, I am so sorry.
Random tangent time: I was born in the communist Czechoslovakia. I can’t say I remember much of it, I was very young when we got democracy – relatively soon after the Berlin wall fell over in Germany. In Czechoslovakia, this happened following a series of peaceful protests (this was called the Velvet Revolution – because the protesters were not violent). The protests initially started led by students joined by artists and theatre actors, but were soon joined by the wider public. Of course there’s more to it then that, overthrowing the regime was decades in the making, but this was the final culmination, where everybody finally joined together regardless of their background, no us and them. (Again, I was like 2 years old at the time, so none of this is my credit).
Anyway, the point why I’m saying this is that the person that then went on to become the first democratic president in the new state was a playwright, a dissident; and his motto during the time of no hope was “Truth and love always prevails over lies and hatred.” A shortened version of this even became the national motto.
In these crappy times, I try to remind myself of that saying often. ❤️
This whole comment made me smile and gave me hope! I’m actually going to pin that quote to my bulletin board because I need that reminder. I’m a historian so I try to have talks with myself about how the world continues to turn and people make their way through plenty of things, even when they seem bleak. This is just a reminder!
In the meantime, I’m going to stay safe, try to practice a lil grace and self-care and kindness. And obviously, feel completely renewed when Bonehilda is finally back in my game again (gotta take the small wins).
I’m glad, it’s a good reminder for me too 😊
Yes! I have wanted Bonehilda for BC for the longest time, to the point I deliberated if it would be semi-plot-plausible to bring back one of the skeletons from Selvadorada (it was really not, lol), so I’m super excited! I’m cautiously excited about this new pack in general, bring on the seances and delightful cursed objects, yay!
I mean, I went out on a limb and just hoped that there would be some way to cc/mod Bonehilda into my story when the time came lol.
I’m also pretty hype and build/buy looks good!
Oh, man, “we’re living in history” is the best excuse for not sticking to a hobby blog schedule. I can’t wrap my head around how close the attack on the Capitol came to tragedy. THANK THE HEAVENS FOR EUGENE GOODMAN. They don’t seem to be organizing anything, luckily, but we’re hunkering down here as well. Sending good vibes, and hoping y’all stay safe.
I’ll admit to feeling strangely calm. It’s the first time in forever I haven’t felt powerless. Plumbbob is right: we have the truth on our side, and that, to me, is fundamental.
Honestly, Bridgerton could just be Regé-Jean Page walking around in an ascot and velvet waistcoat for a full hour and I would still watch it.
SAME. I mean, I read the books but as far as I am concerned, the plot of Bridgerton is Rege-Jean Page. The scene where he is explaining to her how to touch herself? My husband came in and was like: “I think I might leave you for him, Jesus.”
Yes, I want to shout Eugene’s name from the rooftops! Funny how organizing falls apart when the government is like: oh yeah we will actually treat this as a threat, you know, almost as if brown people were threatening to do it. Also, I am following her now for nefarious work-related reasons.
Whew! Today went better than expected!
Someone online proposed tearing down all the Confederate memorials and replacing them with statues of Eugene Goodman—but can we, can we please?! For real. Sore losers, all of them.
DANG! I’d make a play on the word ‘burn’ if I weren’t worried about getting arrested algebraic-geometers-talking-about-“blowing-up-points-on-a-plane”-in-an-airport-style.
Yay! I can help with the work science! That’s usually not the case!
Regé-Jean Page has been added to the list of conversation topics that might come up at a hypothetical Martin-Straud/Shallot-Liu dinner party. Of course, other topics include Victorian Windenburg, death, and the evolution of English usage.
IT DID!!!!!!! Eugene was with Kamala and I screamed. I have no power to do anything about this, but in my dreams this statue replacement process is complete.
Again, I emphasize how great this dinner party would be and how unlikely it is that you or I would be invited, even though we planned the damn thing.
This is not a bad collaboration idea, especially for two burnt-out people… they’re pretty constrained as far as cooking skill goes, so they’re probably having hot pot and whatever Alice decides on for dessert.
Putting sim blood in the hot pot would probably net a “This is inappropriate, please stop,” though. Poor Vlad.
Honestly, Alice would probably yell at him for not eating before they left.
I am very pro this collaboration idea. I can’t visualize the exact logistics but my heart wantssssss it. Also, I read the fan fic and omfg ahahahahahahahaah
Weirdly, Cordelia just avoided all the strife in her life by not making bad dating decisions.
Ahahahaha!! This fanfic brought to you by the Aggressively Ambivalent About Morgyn Club: “Morgyn? Who? Oh, right, the blond one. Meh.” We’re the ones commenting “hey, cool lampshading, haha—did something else happen?” in THAT Selvadorada chapter! Currently has only one member. Funny, I didn’t realize how much of the story that situation would bypass until halfway through.
Oh, hmm, I’d prefer to work off of a skeleton plot so we already know what beats to hit, but we’d at least have to write our own characters’ dialogue and brainstorm a bit. This requires more thinking. Hm. (And I’d be willing to adopt a less insane prose style but keep the dialogue tag allergy: there’ll be one ‘said’ and that’s it.)
If I had the speed, I’d do some fanart of Vlad and Gwendolyn dismembering and eating Bob Pancakes while Eliza Pancakes stands next to them, wagging a finger and saying “This is inappropriate, please stop.” (I don’t think they’ve shown up, or I just forgot.) The title? “Mmm, Pancakes.”
Now that I’m hard at work on editing screenshots for chapter 40, the best thing I can say is on the Vlad and Gwendolyn dinner scenario you imagined is stay tuned. LOL. I consider it an honor that we so often think of similar jokes. That’s why this collab would be DELIGHTFUL.
I agree we need a skeleton plot and I definitely want to keep the magic that makes CT and BBD work (I mean, I heart the insane prose, though I know what you mean).
Let me know if you want to try and work this out over email 🙂
To be clear, Vlad is wearing his Docs. He loves them now, and will never not wear them.
“Weirdly, Cordelia just avoided all the strife in her life by not making bad dating decisions.”
Is it really that weird, or is it sort of the point? 🙂 I mean, BC without Cordelia making bad dating choices would be somewhat akin to CT if Claudia went “I’m not feeling this Mike guy, and him calling me Miss Universe is pretty annoying” when they first met 🙂
HAHAHAHAHHA EXACTLY. I mean this is why we yell at characters, right? Because they are acting their most human and making mistakes we *know* we would make or have made in the past. Without their decision-making there is no story. None of the bad stuff, but also none of the good (like Hawthorne, who is now the new celebrity figure of my fan club).
I do like an alternate universe tho. Maybe one where Claudia never returns Mike’s phone calls after the first time he negs her. And one where Vlad actually leaves town the first time his wife is like: we are danger, we should go and not live in the hunting cabin of your father, who wants to kill us.
(Who am I kidding? I’m still in the Morgyn Fan Club, clearly BBD loves them)
Oh man, if only Vlad did do that… I guess the fates could even technically arrange that. But then we would miss out on so much (selfish response first! 😀 ) and Alice would most likely be dead by now (non-selfish save there, phew).
Our characters would figure out how to mess things up anyway! Ahahaha. Xiyuan is screwed in every alternate scenario: either he eventually dates Mike, or pulls the same garbage he did in canon while Mike gets a different girlfriend, or there’s no Mike at all and it’s not clear whether he’ll get a close friend ever in his life. AU Xiyuan is all, “why do I get the sense there’s a cadre of women telepathically screaming at me to go to a haunted house?”
Inspiration did strike this morning: we can collaborate on the events & dialogue, but write the same scene from our characters’ point of view. Then there’s no need to coordinate style! Woo! I have a skeleton, too: things are shaky until a third party intervenes, then the night turns around. If held at the Shallot-Liu apartment, the Fengs won’t take “you’re not invited” for an answer, forcing Bernard to awkwardly shoo them off in Mandarin while Xiyuan hides on the stairs. If held at the Martin-Straud mansion, Bernard is 100% going to start shit with Gwendolyn, and everyone can bond over how diabolical she is if ‘Nard ever gets his seat back at the big boy table.
I’ll make a Google Doc or something. Just have to address these reviewer comments first.
(Reviewers only want ONE THING and it is BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THE PAPER)
Did I say Vlad? Whoops. I meant Mr. Alice Martin. I have decided this is the BBD universe version of “Barack (Michelle Obama’s husband)” and need that energy all the time. And now I have to listen to “BO$$.”
(also there’s a Blackwell Chronicles fanfic on the forums, pp. 23, that you might enjoy)
::goes there immediately::
I just discovered your blog and wanted to say thank you thank you for writing and your stories. I need to go back and read from the beginning but what a fun read, I love it. And as a fellow Simmer myself seeing the story through the Sims just makes it even better.
Haha oh my thank you! And welcome to my weird little world. I love using the sims for storytelling and it has not yet dampened my desired to write very weird, very absurd, sometimes dark, sometimes hilarious paranormal romance lolol enjoy the ride!