For one of my favorite times of year- SHARK WEEK!!!!!

I make no secret about the fact that I am terrified of sharks. I will not go in the ocean or let my kids go in because I know- I KNOW!- that a shark will come after us. I've been obsessed with Great Whites since I was 5 years old, when I saw 'Jaws' for the first time. I've read the books and seen the movies too many times to count, I remember standing in line at the theater to go see Jaws 3-D when I was 8 or 9 years old. Even though I know any shark will come after me in the water, both my heart and terror belong to the Great White. They are one of the most beautiful animals I've ever seen, yet they also terrify me to death. My daughter thinks it's funny to email me pictures of them- thanks, Google Images- because I scream and damn near have a panic attack when I open them and see the pics.

But as scared as I am, I can't help but soak up everything Discovery Channel puts out about them. DC is showing repeats of past SW shows all day today, and then the new programs start tonight. At 9:00pm EST we have Ultimate Air Jaws, and then at 10:00 is Into the Shark Bite.

So tell me campers, is anyone else gonna watch? Have you ever had a close-encounter with a shark? Has 'Jaws' scarred anyone else for life???

In the twilight saga Edward's handwriting is described as elegant and put Bella's chicken scratch to shame... 

Include yours and lets discuss!

by: EBalways

Okay, so last week I posted a campfire, but I forgot to click the notify me if someone comments box. I didn't even know anyone replied! Sorry for leaving you all alone last week! I clicked the box so I will know if anyone responds this week.

So here we go!

Ahhh Sunday!

I love Sundays.  They are lazy and relaxing and my phone doesn't ring off the hook!!

Whatcha up to Campers?!?

One thing I love about Sundays is that one of my favorite websites updates.

POST SECRET!

Some of the secrets are sad, some are funny, some are inspiring...

(if you don't know about this, please come from under your rock)

I've never actually sent in a secret...though I do have many.  I'm just too lazy to make the postcard, get a stamp and send it in.  Someday maybe.

So instead, I thought I'd make my own and share with you all!

SO TELL ME A SECRET!!

Make it pretty.... or not.  Just make it REAL.  Anything you need to get off your chest, or something you just want us to know about you.

There's no judgement here!

I have another one in the comments...

So, I've been stuck in the house a lot lately with the family, and one of my brothers is constantly trying to get all of us to agree to play games in a big group to pass the time. I think this is mainly because his two brother totally destroyed him in Red Dead Redemption and now he's sulking.

Anyway, he's trying to convince me that Truth or Dare can include dares with no limits whatsoever, aside from murder or suicide. I disagree with him and think we need to lay down much stricter rules because I don't really trust him, and I'm afraid he'll come up with a really embarrassing or gross dare.

So, can you share your experiences with me regarding siblings in general, Truth or Dare specifically (with or without family in the game), and how to pass long hours indoors?

Also, in the early days of the Forest, I was told that I can post off-topic anytime, without Ranger approval.

So I've been drinking... blueberry acai pom margaritas are awesome.

And a friend just sent me this...

Can you spot the funny?

http://www.nickjr.com/video/?videoid=109873

I have decided I want to read 1 story from every author here on ADF. I was just looking at the author list and felt  bit overwhelmed. There are so many to choose from.

So here is your chance. Tell me what to read. Pimp your own story, Tell me you favorite. Add descriptions. Why did you love it. No spoilers of course.  

A **duh** moment. All fic's - obviously - need to be posted on here and be written by one of ADF's VIP authors.

Edward and Bella fics are my thing:

But I'm willing to try alomost anything.

What do you do?

I'm obsessed with Catinlinlaurie's "Near To You," but she recently wrote on her profile that her story is on hiatus.

I can't stop thinking about it. I wish she would continue or someone else would pick up from where she left.

Do you keep hope alive when a fic goes on hiatus or do you move on?  HELP!

Note: YAY! She just updated TONIGHT! It's a miracle!

What are the TOP FIVE FANFICTIONS that you think everyone should read?

They could be what you are reading right now or something that is a finished work.

I NEED something new to read TONIGHT and I want it to be AMAZING

So sell me your recs. Add pretty pictures. Link them up and tell me why they are your favorites!

Is it still FFAF? idk delete this if it isn't.

Share your voice. I'm interested in peoples different accents, just say anything.

Mine will be inside when i finally manage to dig out my new microphone, sigh.

Ranger Edit: FFFA ended at 5pm EST...but I'm nosey too, so yer fine.  Carry on...

OH THOSE PESKY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

 In the latest chapter of High Noon, there was a set of Luggage.

Now, the entire chapter I am reading it waiting for that luggage to be opened because I wanted desperately for there to be something awesome inside of it. It was an irrational need, but I still had it. It was eating away at me. It may have been empty, it may have had an awesome selection of cashmere socks. I don't know. But that is what bothered me, I DIDN'T KNOW! So..I could just ask the authors right? Well, I didn't. Because it's embarrassing to be obsessed with these kind of details, right?

Right?

So, my question is, does this ever happen to you? Are there any little unanswered questions either in canon or in fanfics that are just eating away at you? May they never be answered?

I want to know what they are! The more trivial, the better! 

And if anyone has a theory about that luggage, PLEASE SHARE IT!

Still FFA right?

Okay, I admit it. I love the British. It started when I was a little girl and my big sister worked at Wal-mart. Her supervisor was from England and was hot, and my friends and I would follow him around just to listen to him talk. In fact, I have discussed it and I believe the British accent alone can take a guy whose like a 5 and turn him into a 10. (Sad, I know) So now I dream of moving to England when the kiddies are grown and starting my life out where I am sure the good lord meant for me to be anyway (it was all a mix up I'm sure). So my reason for this campfire is this, I know we have tons of peeps from England in the Forest, I wanna know more about your country. Stuff about the culture you don't find out from guidebooks. What are the different parts of the country like? How does it compare to American culture? What is dating, relationships and family life like? Is it hard for newcomers to adjust? What one piece of advice would you give to someone coming to your country?

And that accent...are English ladies immune cause they have it too?

FYT, some of my favorite British things:

*black pudding/blood sausage kinda scares me though

hi guys i was wondering if maybe you could help me with a story that ive forgotten the title to it was pretty popular since i remember it had lots of reviews.

anyways bella's a cleaning lady and edward is this rich millionaire and he sees her in the shower and offers her a job of being his pretend girlfriend and yeah thats basically the summary of the story.

theres also another one i need help on but its about jasper and alice. i read it a long time ago so details maybe sketchy, jasper is a hired killer hes hired to kill alice because of her father i think, not sure though and then i think jasper changes his mind and takes her to his house where bella and edward are married. yeah thats pretty much all i can remember its a human story oh and alice has visions of the future even in human form yeah so if you guy could help that would be great thank you so much.!!!!

Hello again! Two campfires in so many days... *gasp* What's gotten into me, you ask... idek, I'm feeling chatty and you guys were awesome yesterday with your recs. :D

So, today's topic: the 90-95 %

What the hale does that mean, Kate!?  You speak in riddles!!!!

I'm talking about the 90-95% of readers who choose for whatever reason to not review. I'm very curious. I have some theories and I'd like to see how accurate they are and see if I've missed something. So, let's discuss.

90-95%? Really? Yep. From my own fics stats and chatting with others, this seems to be the norm. In a typical fic, only about 5-10% of readers review. For some, it's less, for some, it's more. For example: for my own WIP fics, per chapter stats are: my AU is around 6-7%, my AH around 5%, my geekporn around 0.5% (yes, you read that zero point five correctly). My AH and AU numbers are pretty in line with other people I've spoken with.

From my discussions, there seems to be some possible correlations between review/read ratio and 1. world (AH or AU), 3. main characters (ExB or secondaries), 3. pairings (canon or non), and 4. genre (porn, angst, etc).

For example, AU review/read ratios tend (note: I didn't say always is) to be higher than AH. Secondary pairing fics seem to have lower read numbers but often have higher review/read ratios. If I had enough data, I swear I'd perform some statistical analysis on this. I find it all absolutely fascinating. /dork

Why am I bringing this up? Recently, I've seen a lot of chatter on twitter where people are bemoaning their stats, lamenting that people aren't reviewing, etc etc etc. I think a lot of that is due to summer slow down, but still, I know a lot of people who are bummed out by their numbers. A lot of writers derive a lot of their self confidence from seeing feedback (right or wrong, it's true). Okay, but that's fine. Me personally, I'm just intrigued as to the whys and wherefores.  

What this campfire is not:

 - This is NOT a moan and groan session. No venting, no whining, no complaining about your stats or anyone else's. ATTN: Rangers: if this turns into a moan and groan, pls to delete.

 - There is to be no value judgement placed on those who choose not to review. 

 - If you review, that's wonderful. But at least for now, I don't want to discuss the whys and wherefores of your decision to review. You are in the minority. I want to chat with the majority. 

What this campfire is:

- An open discussion on why people choose not to review. I would like to know your reasons. What are your reason(s) for not reviewing?

 - Are you less likely to review certain types of fics? Why?

 - What, if anything, might make you more inclined to review? For example, some authors send out teasers to reviewers.

Some of my theories:

 - You simply don't want to / don't feel it's necessary

 -  It takes too long / you don't want to stop reading (i.e. if you are reading a completed fic)

 - You don't receive acknowledgement from the author for your review / you don't feel like your review matters.

 - It's a pain to do depending on your reading hardware and/or the site you read from (i.e  reading on phone)

 - You don't want other people knowing you are reading certain fics: A. due to content (i.e. porn), B. you think you might flounce and don't want to hurt the author's feelings if your reviews suddenly stop, C. other?

 - You don't know what to say

 - Other?   

Thanks for your time. Here's a lollipop for playing along. :D

Going to go mow (blech). I will be back for these comments and will reply some more :D

Okay, so yeah, something you wouldn't know...It just took me 10 freaking minutes to figure out how to start a damn campfire.  So glad I'm not in the outdoors, cause I would have died by now!

So I've been MIA for quite sometime now, RL has been fugly and I haven't had the time to enjoy the little things in life...like my twi-friends, my fic reading addition, and my writing.

But I'm back!! (not that half of you know me or probably care! But for the half that do..... ;) )

I spent the night in a WC with JFly, ProfMom, GrownAssWoman and my secret girl crush JandCo (don't kill me Kristen) and it felt damn good.

I got 4,000 words written and I feel inspired.

Jenny slapped my wrist for not hanging out in the forest and I made a promise that I'd be here!

So here I am.  Wanting to hang out.  Looking for a few of my girls. 

WTVoC, JandCo, Emibella, JFly, where ya all be hiding?  Come out and play with me!!!

To everyone else, hidey ho!  How's it's going?  Wanna sit around my fire and chat for a while?

I'm so close to having an update to A Person of Worth right now, I can taste it....

Hm.....I wonder if Kristen remembers me and my story...

What a wonderful day!

Oh yeah P.S.  I still have a naked box because even though SleepyVal made me an Avi about my naked box, and Emibella made me a beautiful Emmett one I can't figure out how to get the damn things loaded.  Yep, I'm a techno-tard....

happy birthday, harry potter

yes, in the wizarding world, today would be harry potter's birthday (also JKR).  so let's appreciate all things harry potter in here.

right now, my kid and i are about to finish goblet of fire.  rereading it with my kid has given me a new appreciation of these books, and i already loved them quite fiercely.

talk about the books, how much the movies fail (but you love them anyway), your favorite characters, post pics, gifs, youtube vids, talk about a very potter musical, discuss how stoked you are for the movie(s), anything.  but come in here and talk about hp.  oh, and spoiler warnings for those of you who care about such things.

my original internet icon and the DH thank you for your time:

Today is July 31st.

That means it's

AND

THIS IS A HARRY POTTER PARTY.

BRING YOUR BEST GIFS, ICONS, QUOTES, WEBSITES, VIDEOS, WHATEVER.

TELL ME WHO YOU SHIP. I'M HG/SS ALL THE WAY.

COME IN AND CELEBRATE ALL THAT IS GOOD ABOUT TODAY :D

There are many thing in Twilight that we collectively as a fandom quite don't grasp. Chief among them?

WHY DO THEY SPARKLE?!

Many fics writers have taken a stab to explain this, some downright ignore the sparkles because of the scientific and biological jungle gym that explaining the glittering skin. Well it seems someone out there has finally come up with something so hysterical and plausible that it must be true.

Someone over at I Like a little Science in My Fiction posted the following article: Twilight vampires are Insecets (of the cute kind, not the scary kind)

For the linkaphobe - article is c/p in the comments

I sit here and find myself once again disappointed with the latest update with UoEM. To make matters worse SR announced that there will only be one more chapter and two epilogues left.

I now have the same feelings about UoEM that I had about the ending of MotU. I feel like I have invested my time in a story that will inevitably leave me hanging.
 

It just feels like we read and follow these big name fics only to be let down in the end. Not every fic has to have a HEA. Let's face, most times in life there isn't a HEA, but at least don't blow the story to hell then expect us all to be okay when the ending leaves us hanging, wanting and extremely confused.
 

Is there anyone else feeling this way? Are there any other big name fics that you felt ended this way?
 

I'm happy today.... I am 21! it would make it better to get a birthday tweet from a twilight  cast member.... maybe @kellanlutz <------- that would make my year! tho i'm not holding my breath on that one.

It's been good so far. I went out with a few friends at midnight and got my first legal drink i might have already been a little buzzed at that point =)

We are going out later tonight to see a band play and celebrate.

So I wanna know... what is your favorite drink? or you can just spam me with pretty =)

FYT: