HEY, HEY, HEY!!! The first outtake for Unraveled Knot just posted!!! More Skye you say? GO READ!!!!!

Did I mention that this wonderful fic has been nominated for TWO INDIES?!?!

Love makes us do crazy things.  Real life and fiction are full of examples of people who've done some bizzaro things for the people they care about. 

Well.... I am no exception.  A few months ago, I entered my husband into RedBook magazines Hot Husband contest, partly because I do think he's a hot number and partly because it was the goofy type of thing the two of us do for each other.  I didn't anticipate anything coming of it. That was until a few weeks ago when we found out he was a finalist in the contest.

So I am "popping my campfire cherry" with this desperate cry for help ....

Will you help me get him voted in as the Hot Husband for 2010?!?

Here he is - for your viewing pleasure (I hope.  And Yes - it feels kind of wrong pimping my hubby out like this!)

vote here: http://www.redbookmag.com/love-sex/hot-husband/richard-grimm

I would love if you would click and vote - and then come back and tell me:

What is the craziest thing you've ever done for love? ( and can it top begging strangers to vote on the attractiveness of your mate?)

(I know Free For all Friday is "in full effect", but Ranger wtvoc did approve this message - thanks.... and I am off to find some Bones to watch - I promise!)

I'm relatively new to Twi FF Fandom and I've been really disturbed by some of the drama that has arisen in the last few months.  I'm a lurker in this fandom.  I didn't review many stories for a long time, I followed ppl on Twitter, made a comment or two to a few authors, but never really made a solid connection with any of them.  Mostly because RL is a beyotch and I didn't really have the time to devote to being involved in the social networking stuff.

I did notice, however, as I lurked during those random moments, that a lot of negativity within the fandom started to become more prevalent.  I'm pretty easy going.  I really try not get too involved in the little dramas that are aired publicly.  I've enjoyed my limited interactions with all the authors I've had contact with and I admire all of them for having the moxie to put themselves out there creatively.  Not everyone can do...not everyone should, but everyone that does should be given credit for their participation.  Everybody is different.  Because of that, there will never be a time that everyone agrees about who's writing is the best, what story is the best, etc.  We're all here because we love (to the point of obsession, and sometimes to the point of stalker) Twilight or Robward or Kristella or any combination of the three.  

So it was a bit disheartening when all this pettiness started to cloud the reason that brought us together.   Many a talented writer bounced the fandom because of such pettiness and the only result in that is our fandom loses a talented storyteller and we become angry and bitter and bitchy.  Each and every one of the authors who contribute to the fandom do so without compensation, save the reviews we give them.  Whether you agree with what they write or the direction of their story, ask yourself, "can I do better?" If you can, write your own fic and share it with the rest of us.  Don't be rude and bitchy and publicly degrade it on the random social networks, unless whatever they are doing is something that they could be arrested for in RL.

It's fiction ppl.  It's suppose to be fun and an escape for both the writers and readers.  If you don't like it, stop reading it and move on to the next fic.  There are PLENTY to choose from.  Of course everyone has an opinion which they can express freely.  But every time you choose to air your opinion in a public forum, you cloud the judgement of everyone who follows you, whether intentional or not.  

Twilight, and Edward and Bella's story is about love and devotion; good and bad, right or wrong.  I, for one, am grateful to ALL the authors of the fics I've read because their stories, whether they were my cup of tea or not, touched me in one way or another.  I applaud their talent and guts because it takes courage to open yourself to criticism, knowing not everyone will love or even like your story.  

So thank you to all the authors out there, whether I've read your stuff or not, for sharing your fic with all of us, your love of Twi/Robward-Kristella/smut-smexing-pr0n/etc.  You give me the escape I need from RL and I greatly appreciate it!!  

...Is STILL a freaking strawberry!

I'm well aware most of you know this but I have a point. Trust.

Hello everyone. I thought it was about high time I make my way over to the forest. Seriously, I've been hearing about the awesome campfires here and smores that are to die for! When was the last time you had a good, honest to god, smore made somewhere other than your kitchen zap frying chocolate in the microwave or trying to balance graham crackers over your stove without killing yourself in a "made for TV" way?

Moving on, I'm EndellionSinClaire. Feel free to call me any snippet of that name. I'll probably answer to all of them. Actually, don't call me dell. My customer service is far worse than theirs if you can believe it.

So...Strawberries. Yummy stuff right? Assuming you're not allergic. Something really bothers me about the little suckers though.

In just about every piece of writing in the twilight community, canon or otherwise, Bella has strawberry scented shampoo. If we're to believe Edward from MS and everywhere else he's "penned", it smells divine. Her scent is intoxicating yadda yadda yadda and so on. We get it. now it's true that I won't spend a fortune on shampoo but that doesn't mean I haven't had my fair share of different brands with locks like mine. A rat's nest is probably the more appropriate term. It's very possible that the canon Edward that never dared to show his face in BD is tangled up somewhere in this hot mess.

Anyway, this little tidbit about Bella has never really made sense for me. I've come across a LOT of shampoo and I've NEVER experienced strawberry shampoo that ever came within miles of the real scent of strawberries. Given the nature of vampires, wouldn't Edward probably be turned off by this fake "months old candy from halloween" smell?

The only shampoos I've ever seen with a strawberry scent really weren't something I would want my hypothetical vampires soul mate to see in my bathroom, let alone massage in to my scalp when we inevitably end up in the shower/bath together. I would imagine a number of fics are manifesting in everyone's minds. It's really not sensual to be nude up against the reincarnation of Eros in the shower only to see him reach for the shampoo and grab on to this...

Naturally, as a mature young woman beyond her years, Bella only buys the highest quality Loreal Kids shampoo. nothing less will do. Who knew it was Edward's other kryptonite? Makes you wonder what else we don't know....

Really Now SMeyer. Midnight Sun PLEASE!

 I'm abusing the Friday Free For All by posting this monstrosity....

www.unlikelywords.com/2009/12/08/jersey-shore-nickname-generator/

Yes, that's right...a Jersey Shore Nickname generator.  Love it or hate it, it's a good way to waste a minute of your time when you're bored...

My nickname is "The Rack"...What's your's?

***FIST PUMP!***

DEAR ERICA LOPEEZY.

I TRUSTED YOU WITH MY HEART, AND YOU BROKE IT INTO A THOUSAND PIECES. NOW WHEN I GO TO MEET JAY-Z, WE WILL TALK ABOUT YOU AND LAUGH FONDLY AT YOUR SHENANIGANS.

FLAMING SUCKS.  I THOUGHT YOU LIKED MY WRITING.  IT HURTS, LADY.  it hurts.

NO LOVE, WTVOC

i'm sobbing in my pillow, jsyk 

USE THIS POST TO WRITE AN OPEN LETTER TO SOMEONE, ANYONE.

So....

Rver Dam won't be updating this Sunday...BUT!  it's not abandoned at all.  It just had to take a backseat to real life...and Jennyfly is once again trying to narrowly escape death.  She is sick again. 

Feel free to leave your well wishes or pick at her estate in this thread.

Happe weekend people!

(My first campfire, woot!)

So I was reading my Facebook feed this morning, and saw a comment from my brother's mother-in-law (we're closer than that relationship implies), and the first thing that popped to mind was "That's such a Renee thing to say!"  And the more I thought about it, the more I realized that she really does remind me of Bella's mom.

Which got me to wondering -- is there anyone in your life that reminds you of a Twilight character?  I mean besides your husband/boyfriend being so very Edward-like. ;)  (Personally, mine's an Emmett! ;) )  Do you have a little brother just like Embry?  Best friend like Angela?  Aunt like Esme?  Come grab a seat by the campfire and tell me!

Figure Skating, Elvis Stojko

Had this to say about last night's men's figure skating

"The night they killed figure skating"

You’re a great skater and all.

But that wasn’t Olympic champion material.

In Thursday night’s men’s free skate, Lysacek skated slow and his jumps weren’t close to the technical ability of defending Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko.

How can you be Olympic champion when you don’t even try the quad? If you’re going to take the quad out, why not take out another triple axel and just have more of the other stuff so the International Skating Union can make it more into an “art” recital.

Plushenko had a great performance. His footwork was great and maybe his spins weren’t quite as good as Lysacek’s, but it wasn’t that big of a difference. He also had a quad toe triple toe that wasn’t even attempted by anyone else. He did both triple axels, so all the jumps were there.

But the judges’ scoring was ridiculous.

Because of it, the sport took a step backward. Brian Boitano did the same thing, technically, in 1988. There are junior skaters who can skate that same program.

And the judges’ scoring probably killed figure skating because kids now are going to see this and say, “Oh, I don’t need a quad. I can just do great footwork for presentation marks and do a couple of nice spins and make it to Olympic champion.” With that type of scoring, you don’t have to risk it. You can play it safe and win gold.

In what other sports do you have to hold back in order to win?

The International Skating Union has taken the risk out of figure skating and it makes me sick.

If Plushenko had made some mistakes, then sure, maybe Lysacek deserves gold. But when you take the risk out of skaters’ programs, it doesn’t compute to me.

And it’s not a personal thing. I like Evan. But when you compare performances and have an outcome like this, the sport is going backward. And it hurts me to say it because I love this sport. But the judges made a mockery of it by giving Lysacek the gold.

I don’t want to rain on anybody’s parade because it’s not the skaters’ fault. It’s the system. And the figure skating community wants to control who wins and who loses. And what it does is it makes the component score more valid than the jumps so it can control whatever it wants. And that’s exactly what happened Thursday night at Pacific Coliseum.

How can the sport be put back on the right path? I have no idea. I haven’t even thought about it. It’s not up to me. Because people at the ISU obviously seem to know what they’re doing. Well, they think they know what they’re doing.

For me, the outcome on Thursday night was disappointing.

A few more thoughts on the men’s free skate:

• I thought Daisuke Takahashi was awesome. He tried the quad and he had the guts to go for it, and he should’ve been ahead of Lysacek in that aspect.

• Johnny Weir was great. He should’ve been higher than sixth – above Patrick Chan, who was fifth. Weir outskated Chan. He might’ve skated a little bit slow but he went out there and did his stuff. I feel bad for him.

• People say I’m hammering certain skaters. I’m not. It’s the system I don’t like and if you say I am biased … I already said I am not a fan of Weir’s skating, but he skated well tonight and deserved to be ahead of Chan.

In addition, Takahiko Kozuka – my favorite skater – did not get the points he deserved. He skated great, had awesome spins, the best edges in the competition, was very close with the quad and did a ton of triples.

Figure skating gets no respect because of outcomes like this. More feathers, head-flinging and so-called step sequences done at walking speed – that’s what the system wants.

I am going to watch hockey, where athletes are allowed to push the envelope. A real sport.

I COMPLETELY AGREE, ELVIS, I AGREE.

YOU SHOULD DUST OFF YOUR SKATES AND GET BACK IN THE GAME, AND SHOW THESE LOSERS HOW IT'S DONE.

AND THEN COME TO MY ROOM, KTHANX.

So, we all love our happy little fandom.

But sometimes, I just want to grab an idea from another book/TV series/movie, and just drop it in the middle of a Twi fic. Which I totally can't, because then it's a Crossover, and we all know that Crossovers... aren't that popular.

One of things I wish I could write a Twific about: Pon Farr.

Wikipedia says the following about pon farr: "In Star Trek, Vulcan males and females go into heat every seven years, going into a blood fever, becoming violent, and finally dying if they do not mate with someone with whom they are empathically bonded."

So dudes, tell me if you ever wished you could steal an idea from another fandom (or whatev) and see it in a Twi fic.

Remember those days of handwritten letters?  Waiting for the mailman to bring the response from a friend or camp crush or pen pal?  Do you remember the anticipation as the days went by and nothing came? 

Imagine meeting your someone on a moonlit night on the French Riviera, making a connection you've never felt before, sharing a romantic kiss and then never seeing him again.  Imagine receiving a letter from him many months later, which then continue to arrive every few months and he courts you for 2 years and woos you with his words.  Sound like the makings of a fanfic?

This is actually the true story of JFK and the Swedish girl, Gunilla Von Post, he fell for in 1953.  The letters he wrote to her for the next 2 years are now up for auction and they tell a really romantic but sad story (not just about them but about what being a Kennedy meant). 

"In this explosive collection of handwritten love letters—never before seen in their entirety since they were penned more than a half-century ago—a new facet of Jack Kennedy is revealed. It is a tender side, heartfelt and sincere, hopelessly romantic, naïve even, while his bright star was still on the rise and before universal fame came to dim and pollute, turning him callous and insatiable in his lust for conquests." 

This link http://legendaryauctions.com/LotDetail.aspx?lotid=106663 will take you to the lot detail with excerpts of the letters. 

I read this yesterday at work and couldn't help the tears.  Come back here and discuss and tell me if they effected you too.  Do they make you sad for him, for Jackie?  Can you see passed the fact that he was married during this "love affair"? 

Does someone want to turn this into Twific?

^^ news piece by ABC News including interviews with Gunilla

ETA: approved by Emibella

When the birthday spreadsheet was going around Twitter this week, I realized I share a birthday with someone I fangirl really admire and thought "How cool is that?".

So I thought it would be fun if everyone writes their birthdays to see who they share their special day with.

Wait, that doesn't sound right. With whom they share their special days? Apparently sharing a birthday doesn't mean her writing genius is going to rub off on me.

I'm May 16. You?

^^Not a good sign

MY TWO FAVORITE VAMPIRES!!!

Sooo...

The other night I was chilling out on the interwebz...and all was quiet.  It appeared that everyone was watching the Olympics....everyone but me.  So I gchatted jandco and was all dude whats the deal...and her response was DUDE--MEN'S FIGURE SKATING!!

Now... I love the Olympics.  Men's Swimming... Gymnastics.  I NEVER MISS THIS.  Occasionally, I've watched the Winter Olympics...but idk...I never got into it before.  But thanks to JANDCO and INFERNALHEART I have been introduced to the BEAUTY and the DRAMA of MEN'S FIGURE SKATING.

Ladies (and gents).... it's spectacular.  There is SPARKLE and GLITTER and FEATHERS!  There are pretty boys with HOT BODIES and bitchy attitudes.  WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE??

And of course... EVAN LYSACEK WON THE GOLD MEDAL last night... and he was fab.  I clapped.  My hubs thought I was nuts (he doesn't get it).

Enjoy the Fabulous Pretty...

Evan Wins Gold...

Okay, so EVAN totally deserved the GOLD MEDAL...but c'mon... JOHNNY WEIR deserves PLATINUM just for being BEAUTIFUL...

Hit me with your pretty boys.....

(oh and the 1st Greatest Thing in the World?  Well if you know me, then you KNOW!)

So I was reading the campfire below about book recs, several people (including myself) mentioned the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins.

I finished Catching Fire a few days ago, so I am suffering from THG withdrawal right now, I had to try very hard not to start spouting out my theories and opinions all over the book rec campfire, therefore spoiling the book for anyone who hasn't read it.

Therefore I decided, seeing as it's free for all Friday, to start a Hunger Games Campfire!

So fellow campers, tell me:

Have you read THG?

If so, did you find out about it through this fandom? Cos I did.

Favorite character? Favorite book? Favorite scene?.....you get the idea. 

Peeta or Gale? Who would you choose and who do you think Katniss will choose?

Current theories about what will happen in book 3 - The Mockingjay? Is it killing you to wait until it's released in August?

The rights to the film have been bought, so what's your opinion on a THG film? Thoughts for casting?

Have you read any THG fanfiction? Was it good? I haven't, but I'm curious, and I feel like there is huge opportunities for some non-Katniss-POV canon fics, such as Gale's POV watching Katniss and Peeta in the games, that would be a great fic.

So come sit round the campfire and lettuce discuss all things Hunger Games!

Since I'm writing a fic that's based in the Victorian era, I badly need some movies recs u guise. I usually try to read books to get into the groove, but this time I'm craving some imagery to go along with it.

I've seen P&P and other Austen adaptations (which actually belong in the regency era, meh), and I feel like I don't know much else in this area. I'm not a huge movie buff, so yeah...

And Bel Ami is fuckin far away, gah! It's set in perfect time for my fic imagery, since it's based in late 1800s. Yes, those Rob pics did their magic with inspiration, but I want moar! Le sigh.

So any recs for me, pwetty please?

Of course, for your time-

I guess its Free for all friday now, right?

Anyways, I'm going to London next week, and as a Bookaholic and a Swede (and since books in english are much cheaper there than here) I usually make sure to buy a lot of books while I'm there. Now,Ii usually have a list of books I want, but this time that list only has 2 books on it. That's why I need your help.

What books do you recommend?

I can read anything except for detective novels. I usually find those boring. 

And as a thank you:

My friend Jennifer, who is a camper lurker here, attended the Yellow Handkerchief Premiere tonight  at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood.

I was supposed to meet up with her but you know, RL got in the way. hahahaha

She just emailed me the pics to post here.

So here I am posting them. Enjoy :]

 more pics in comments

 

Situated on the east coast for Fashion Week, Kellan Lutz was spotted roaming the streets of New York City on Thursday (February 18).

The Emmett Cullen stud strolled past paparazzi as he grabbed up a coffee drink for a much-needed energy boost.

In related news, Kellan recently chatted with Glamour magazine about his thoughts on what a lady should wear when out on a date.

To this, he responded, “Socks.” Lutz added, “Like, cute animal printed socks or something like that. ... Because nobody knows she’s wearing them except her, and then she takes off her thigh-high boots and has those bunny socks under there and it’s just like ‘oh man.’ It makes the mood lighter, it just gets you guys laughing.”

The “Twilight” actor finished off by saying, “And then ... you see where it goes from there.”

source

I could watch him drink his starbucks all day long.

btw: what is your favorite coffee house drink? Personally I think coffee is nasty so I'm a chai tea or green tea drinker. And I'll never turn down hot cocoa on a cold day.