I was going to ask this in wtvoc's Friend-fire, but that thing has over 400 posts now and it would just get lost.  

To quote her Purpleness:

"jandco & i are soon going to be inundating you all with obnoxious posts about our upcoming self-published novel"

That's it.  That's all she said.   

I HAVE QUESTIONS!

Like .... what's this novel about?  When can we expect it?  Where do we buy it?  Are they selling autographed copies?  

Hmm.  I'm probably being pushy, huh?  They might not be able to answer these questions yet for, like, REASONS. 

Ok then.  How about we all guess what it's about? Go ahead, give me your best guess in the comments.  Or post pictures of men in kilts.  Or post pictures of hook-handed pirates with creeptastic eyebrows.  Your choice. 

meet your fellow campers

hi, everyone! your ranger dirty uncle wtvoc here. i have things to do, so naturally i figured it'd be a good time to make a post like this.

let's get to know each other, hmm? the forest is a different place lately, and jandco & i are soon going to be inundating you all with obnoxious posts about our upcoming self-published novel but not, you know. fanfiction posted under a pseudonym.

i'm kind of hoping people who are still lurking or are new around here will participate. introduce yourselves, i only bite when requested to do so! but abellebiter bites; it's right in her name. stay away from that broad. the rest of you, though, i expect to see in here.

okay, here we go.

-fill out my handy dandy question thingie down below

-make it colorful or full of gifs or idk offer to send me everyone amazon gcards, anything to catch the eye

-bond with other campers by responding to their posts; make the new people feel welcome! ask them questions you've always wanted to ask but were afraid for fear of rejection! this is your moment to shine!

-profit

so, copy paste this into a new comment, and have some fun! make a new friend or harass an old one!

hi! my name is ____________ but you can call me _____________

i have been in the forest since ___________. i came for _________ but i stayed for ________________.

we can't be friends unless you like:

we're more likely to be friends if you like:

i will side eye you for eternity if you:

here's something i just want to share with everyone:

here's where you can find me in other places on the internet: 

and as always, here's a gift for my favorite uncle wtvoc:

okay, darlings. go forth and make a friend.

a serious gif on this fine monday morning fyt:

Welcome to the Monday Morning Hot Guy Campfire. What better way to start your week than a hot guy?

Every Monday, I'm going to dedicate a CF to the Hot Guy of the Week.The catch? The CF can ONLY be about the current nominated guy. 

We all have different tastes in men, so please don't yuck anyone's yum.If you have a man you'd like to see crowned for the week, PM or hit me up on twitter (@ffcherry) with his name

***~~~ Happy Bastille Day! ~~~***

       "The peasants are revolting!"         "Oui, dear. Or at least I've always thought so."

Your loyal subjects are storming the royal gates.
Demanding just a bite of the warm baguette
from your most recently baked chapitre yet.

They're running around without their culottes on -
in a sick summer fic fashion frenzy - like monarchs
with their heads cut off.
 

Your résistance is futile.

But what to do to appease the pitchfork publique,
carrying a torch for your words this week?

Off with some crumbs of what's to come in your story!
Guillotine a section so we can see a new selection.
Don't hold your prose prisoner. Tear down the fortress around your art.

Let the rioting reader masses know exactly where your class is.

Liberate some lines for a little droit de seigneur & our first gander at the goods.

King Louis Seize sez: Don't forget to leave a live link in the basket so we'll know
where your tête - and your histoire - are at. 

Today I'd like to discuss a particular fiction  pet peeve of mine that hits a little to close to home. I have questions.

I'm noticing a trend in a lot of the stories I read. When the character has a serious mental illness or PTSD brought on by a traumatic past( which I find as a common plot device in stories) they refuse professional help.

Now I don't know about most folks, but Therapy and medication seriously helped me deal with my mental illness so I fully support it. You read stories about veterans who can't get the help they need, and not for lack of trying. You hear about emergency services keeping grief counselers on retainer to help their employees deal with the things they see in their jobs.

Is professional mental help really that much of a stigma that the aforementioned trope in fiction is now almost formulaic? Or is it a particular plot device to produce drama?

i guess it kinda make me mad that I see it so much, I feel like it's telling readers that Therapy and medication is bad, that it shouldn't even be an option.

So lettuce discuss.

also if you have any other pet peeves in fiction, this would be a good place to voice them.

Here's a picture of some hotness for your time.

Man Tells Woman He Can't Get Turned On By Her Aging Body
and She Reacts Perfectly

'"Your body is too wrinkly," he said without a pause.
"I have spoiled myself over the years with young women.
I just can't get excited with you."'

Read the full article here.

I'm not as old as the woman who wrote the article, but I'm at an age where I can start to see the tell-tale signs that gravity and time are starting to take their toll.  Obviously, our culture values youth and beauty to an extreme degree.  I see pictures of celebrities who've had frightening things done to themselves, and I wonder how much more beautiful they would be if they just let themselves age naturally. 

Also, a lot of the issues the author discusses (her no longer flat stomach) are issues for much younger women, many of whom have never had a flat stomach or a positive body image.  

What do you think, campers? Are you afraid of aging? What do you think of the author's response? Do you see this ever getting any better for women?  Also, for those of you who live outside of the United States, how different is the beauty culture where you live?

So, I heard from my online wifey, who told me she misses Jeffrey. He normally graces the forest every Saturday beginning in September. Saturday football cf, dontcha know. 

Anyway, it's summer and pretty much hades here in tenish country. I'm pretty much blind from reading, I'm definitely NOT going to be cleaning my house any time soon (the horror!!!).

So, here he is. Rhd took this picture today and has dubbed it "Hello darkness my old friend." I studied it briefly and decided that folks who claim their dogs make human facial expressions are actually probably not crazy. Cause, yes. Jeffrey looks sad.

NOW FOR THE FUN AND INTERACTIVE PART OF THIS FIRE - do you have any photos of your fanfic best friend - ones in which your doggie ( or kitty, or bunny, or lizard, or hermit crab) is looking pretty human??? Some dogs smile, some frown, some just stick their tongues out and look goofy (kinda like the entire male contingent of my family). Anyway, BRING OUT YER DOGS!! Let's see what expressions they sport for the camera!!!

I'll label this one "Pathos Peke"

Looks like you Jamie fans are in luck! We'll get the premier a week earlier!!!!

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/07/11/outlander-to-premiere-online-early/?hootPostID=bb2a1a0188f58ec09901cfc94efbc813

Let the celebration begin!

One ring to rule them all...Yes. Today we're discussing LORD OF THE DANCE RINGS. 

Do you like the books? What did you think of the movies? Are you excited about the new Hobbit movies? (I think Elijah Wood is like, the hottest guy on the planet - I've loved him since I was 16.)

TALK TO ME, FOLKS!

What's your favorite Meet-cute?  Did you meet your significant other in a typical way?

What's your favorite swoon-worthy meet cute situation?  Tell us even if the relationship soured in the end.

Did you bond over The Smiths in an elevator?

Or maybe you bonded while unwillingly riding the bus together? (Also bonding over The Smiths and 80s punk....)

Or maybe your SO insulted you within earshot and later gave you the honor of being the only lady he asked to dance:

Or, even better, (omg this is creepy when I think about it), your, um, intended to be showed up out of nowhere in your tower and you clobbered him with a frying pan?

Alternatively, post movie clips or scenes from your favorite 'meet-cute' scenes in film, books or FF. 

PS There is a mini meet-up going on later this summer on the west coast.  See inside CF for details.

2014 Fic Dive of the Year!

We had 186 stories and over 850 votes cast to give us your favorite Fic Dives of the past year! The Top Ten Favorites are listed below.
Congrats to all of our Favorites!

And our Winner is…..

Spin & Sway by pattyrose
Sometimes, no matter how strong you are, life deals you blows that are too heavy to carry on your own. Sometimes, no matter how fragile you feel, you're the only one who can help bear the load of another. Sometimes when strong and fragile collide, the world spins and sways.

Snapshots by LyricalKris
When his older brother walked out on his girlfriend, Bella, on the worst night of her life, Edward was there to pick up the pieces. Jasper breezed back into town after being missing for three years to find his family had reformed around the hole he left behind.

Rest My Soul by MrsSpaceCowboy
On opposite corners of Third Street and Beale, two lonely people fight to stay that way. Her scars are on the surface, soft on her skin and in her eyes. His run bone-deep, seeped in bourbon and blues. EPOV.

LARP and the Real Edward by LyricalKris
Live action role play. Edward had heard of it, but he'd never given it much thought until he promised his coworker Bella a favor he couldn't refuse. Little did he know she was anything but the mousy pushover he saw every day at work. Collab with EveryDayBella

Onscreen Chemistry by winterhorses
Bella, America's young sweetheart on screen, is starring in her first R-rated film. Her co-star is Edward Cullen, Hollywood's reputed playboy, and he won't give her the time of day. Will they fizzle onscreen as Bella attempts to turn up the heat in her first erotic scene, or can she cause a reaction powerful enough to burn through his arrogant, impassive facade?

The Best Mistake Of All by MrsK81
Living the perfect life with no cares or responsibilities suited Bella just fine, but her family had other ideas and all of a sudden everything was changing... and not necessarily in a good way. One last night out, one quick escape through a bathroom window, one assumption about her new boss plus so many other things proved to be one mistake after another or so it seemed.

My Heart My Home by Edward's Eternal
Edward Cullen, constantly in the spotlight, sought after British actor has had problems with his staff. He needs a new housekeeper. Bella, his manager's sister, is in a tight spot and needs a job. They meet … they talk … they bond. But how deep does the bond go? Can either of them figure it out? Will he realize what he already has?

Tatted Hips and Wicked Lips by Hoodfabulous
Bella can't stand Edward Cullen. She hates his tattoos, his piercings, and his stupid band. But mostly she hates how badly she wants him. He hates her too...or so she thinks. Will one iPhone fail change everything? My entry to LOL Text Message Contest. Won: Public Vote, Best Edward, Hottest Text Fail, Host's Choice- CaliGirlMon, Judges' Pick- SDFanFicChic.

Easy as Pie by Edward's Eternal
Edward Masen: successful actor, admired by many, desired by thousands; he had everything he could have possibly wanted, except … happiness. One night, while trying to escape his crazy life, he literally made a "right" turn, which led him to Little Bell. Could finding that happiness really be as easy as pie?

Seven Forty-Three by CullensTwiMistress
Maps dictate where we go, but they don't always take us home. City subway tunnels and dim street lights converge, bringing two people infinitely closer. Will a chance meeting lead them to forever? Maybe it was only a matter of time. Collaboration with Maplestyle. Romance; BxE; Rated M.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
These three were in the mix until the last possible second!

He Came Along by Hopesparkles
This was going to be a fresh start; a new beginning, in a far off place. But what happened that night, on a dark road near Maxwell changed everything for Bella.

NOVA by cupcakeriot
The early 27th century - a young omnilinguist gypsy girl who creates visions with her li'lute, an alien bio-weapon struggling with his control, the Federation starship Nova, and how their lives intertwine.

The Princess And The Playboy by kymbersmith90
'Sure, she was hot, but I imagined her to be a pompous, stuck-up know-it-all who would more than likely be incredibly boring in bed, so as far as I'm concerned, she isn't worth my attention' Playboy Edward is in for the shock of his life when The Princess Isabella of Scotland is assigned to his flat at university. Based on the love story of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
 

Did your favorite make the list?  If not, what fic do you think is missing?  Did you vote right away, take your time and look back and review,or wait until the last minute?

Thanks for a great year!  Looking forward to finding more!!

Let's hope this doesn't get pulled.

BTW, I just saw on FB that Starz will be showing the first episode online for free. They are nothing if not marketing geniuses.

Tulach Ard!!