YO!  VIP.....Let's kick it!

Oops.  Sorry.  Went a little off the rails there with my Vanilla Ice flashback.

Looking for some fun and unique gifts for Mom for Mother's Day.  We're not the overly emotional or heartfelt gift giving type of gals.  Nothing birthmonth-y or engraved to show our love.  I like to give gifts that I know Mom will use and appreciate, or at least will get a big kick out of.  Of course, my overachiever younger sister found a cool gift already. She always comes up with the best gifts.  (I can't complain too much, because I am often the beneficiary of such treasures.)  When we decide on a big gift to get her we'll usually split the cost, but she beat me to the punch and found these fun candles. Mum will love it.

http://www.diamondcandles.com/

Like to spend in the $25-$30 range, but will go higher if its worth it. Show me whacha got Campers!  Thanks!

How about some live music for a Friday?

Post your favourite live performances. The best concert ever! Something mellow, unplugged & accoustic. An awards show extravaganza! How about your favourite Broadway show tune - they're doing it live, 8 shows a week!

Here's a start, Her Madgeness. Madonna is touring this Summer, hope it's as good as this!!

Kristen was at CinemaCon last night and as if it wasn't enough for one night, her Jalouse photoshoot/interview with Garrett Hedlund (for OTR) also came out while we were fast asleep.

The new song from Florence+The Machine for SWATH soundtrack (Breath of Life) inside.

ElleUK cover reveal (out on news stands on the 2nd of May)

ETA: Charlize talking about SWATH, Kristen and Prometheus:

free for all until sunday at 6pm

it's been a rough week here in the forest, man.

we were down for most of a day, i turned 33, james massone was eliminated over cheesa. MADNESS.

anyway, post what you want all weekend long. YOU DON'T NEED RECS DURING THE FREE FOR ALL, DUDES.

this is the time to ask your fellow campers what you should do with your life, whether fairy drops mascara is worth it, what to do about your no-account loser boyfriend, chee-tos vs. cool ranch doritos, whatever. anything you want. just no nudes or george carlin's 7 on the front page. and if you do post nudes in a campfire, make sure you send me links to all of them as i don't always check inside every post.

and please, make it a habit to automatically click up top when you come here. feed our trees! you don't have to go beyond that first click or anything. just the one time will suffice. and we thank you for helping us out!

anyway, use this campfire if you're too lazy to start one of your own. talk about whatever comes to mind.

fred armisen photobombing jimmy fallon on tonight's live episode of 30 rock fyt:

manners, a sense of fairness, kindness, and a HUGE talent in writing. 

At least, VampiresHaveLaws has all those things. 

Her writing is extraordinary, her passion towards the things she reads is inspiring, and she's made sure the keep conversations going throughout the day/night for our awesome campers not in the Americas. In addition to those things, she's available for "page a Ranger", she takes her turn making sure we all play nice, and helps run the place many of us didn't know how much we loved until we lost it for a few hours this week.

Wanna come in and love a Ranger? Come tell VampiresHaveLaws how awesome she is and how much you appreciate her. 

If you're a Slytherin and not raking house points for your house, then shame on you!
And if you're a Ravenclaw and not helping out your house, then also shame on you.
If you're a Gryffindor and not helping your house, then I'm perfectly fine with that. :P
And and... if you're a Hufflepuff, then... well, I feel for you.

So campers, the lot of you that are at pottermore, are you trying to collect points for your houses?

Well, I am, for--

Current points rally is really looking interesting as Slytherins are trying to keep in lead and the Gryffindors are catching up fast.

Ravenclaws are not that far either, but their lesser numbers are proving to be a hinderance. (Otherwise, seriously, the Ravens are damn scary, I tell ya. They duel to win.)

Gryffindors are now the house with maximum members-over 5,64,000.

Behind them is Hufflepuffs-546,121 members

Then come Slytherins-541,504 members.

Then Ravenclaws-513,544 members.

So it seems the world is stuffed full of Gryffindors and Puffs, and Ravenclaws are a rare specie. Oh but I have massive respect for the Ravens.

Are you scoring for your house? Are you registered yet at Pottermore? Are you sorted yet? Got your wand? Got a hang of the duels and potions? Come and discuss!

Don't forget to add in your ADFname and pottermore ID HERE.

PS- can anyone rec me some good Cedric lives fics (Other than Minisinoo's Finding Himself)? I'm in the mood. And yeah, please no slash.

Rec- Anything written by FantasyMother

Dual realities is supernatural, right?

Come in and marvel at Jason Isaacs!

Root for more nekkidness!

(OMG, is he wearing the same tie that's on the 50 Shades cover?)

I'm currently looking for a graphic designer to make a blinkie for my current WIP titled A Different Kind of Pain.  There is only one blinkie maker that I know of in the fandom, but she's currently on hiatus.  I'm know that there are some really awesome artists in the fandom, and I was hoping y'all would lead me in the right direction.

Any suggestions?

WHAT WILL HAPPEN THIS WEEK?

While we wait for the new episode to come on… I found this video on youtube last night, but the person who created it flagged it so that you have to be “of age” to view it. (IDK… it’s just the D/E kissing scene). So, if you have a youtube account, you can watch this… and I suggest you do.

FREAKIN’ HILARIOUS.

YOU KNOW THE DRILL, CAMPERS.

IF YOU CAN’T WATCH THE SHOW AT 8PM EST THERE WILL BE SPOILERS!

Juniper has ruined me...

I have been sucked into the Fae World and I do not see a way out.

I am talking about the Fever Series by Karen Moning

I started Book One on Monday and I am on Book 4 now.

My campfire has two purposes:

1-Does anyone have the last book on either a nook or a kindle that I can borrow? Shadowfever

I have bought a book a day this week, and my hubs is going to kill me

2-Have you read these books? 

What other Fae type books are there?

Fill this campfire up with Fae Book recs or pictures of how you picture some of these characters in the Fever Series.

Also- I am pretty sure that the Fae subject is ok in the Forest. It seems like a Fandom that is our cup of tea, anyway. :0) But, if I wrong..so sorry. I can repost tomorrow during FFA.

Wishing there was a Jericho Barrons tag....because...seriously...ugh!

Rec:

The Fever Series,,,obviously

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/112750.Darkfever

Hi all,

I have officially finished my first year of University, just finished my last exam today!!!!!!! Yay for me! (sorry I don't know how to insert blinkies)  And to celebrate and not have to read any textbooks or journals (uggghhhhh)  I'm looking for some smart/well written fic to read!  

What is your most favourite well written story right now?

I'd prefer something AH, E/B, romance and humour is good, i'll take a side of angst too, just not much.  :)

When i say well written, here are some gems I wish i could find the likes of:

Recommendations:  (if you have not read these, I highly suggest you run not walk)

Art After 5 by sleepyvalentina   (complete)

Bright Like the Sun by dryler (i love this story but she hasn't updated in a bit)

Water Landing by camoozle

The Selkie Man by DarkBlueBella (hasn't been updated in a bit either)

Dear Mr Masen by jendonna (complete)

This is being posted today since there was a fire in our beloved forest yesterday.

DO YOU MAKE FAN VIDEOS?

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE YOU WANT TO SHARE?

WHETHER YOU'RE A VIDDER OR YOU JUST LIKE TO WATCH THEM, POST ALL OF YOUR FAVORITE FAN VIDEOS HERE!

MY WEEKLY RECS:

"Edward & Bella || Frozen Moment" by TheRobStenation

"I Used To Know" by paradisedanifm1 <- Damon/Katherine Vid

POST AWAY CAMPERS!

ROTFLMAO! Sorry if I am late to the game and you all have seen this already, but I was slayed by this! Seriously, I love Ellen!

"He put his hand on my...secret garden...."

Out of curiosity:

• Who do you think is a BNA in today's fic world?
• Who do you feel was a BNA but is no longer in the fandom?
• By definition, what to you is a BNA?

:)

Greetings from vacation! I've had a week full of not so fun family time, but got in plenty of reading and it got me thinking....

We've all read romance novels. We've all read fanfic that is romantic, angsty, sexy and everything that we wish we had in real life. Romance books aren't the number one selling brand of book for no reason, ya know!

So, while I've been up to my eyeballs in sex and heat and lust and love and omg whatever else, it made me very aware of what it is about the romance genre that has captured me. Even though I know all the things that are wrong about what I love to read, like the codependence and jealousy and all that, I still read it!

I love the idea of the broken girl, and the broken boy, coming together and healing each other.

I love the idea of the bad boy staking his claim over his girl, by any means necessary.

I love the idea of a man marking his territory.

I love reading about people who can't live wihout each other, no matter what it takes!

But that's just me. I want to know about what gets you, sepcifically! What do you like to read about in fic? In books? What is it about romance stories that get you on the inside, makes you squeal with delight, forces you to read chapter after chapter even though there are so many other things to be doing.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF READING ROMANCE?

We’ve all seen the arguments on authors who flounce and reviewers who are abusers, but what about Validation Betas? Those lovely figures in the metaphorical sky who determine whether or not a fic is appropriate for a moderated site? What happens when they step out of line?

This is based off a conversation I had with a friend from ffnet. She’s been having issue with a VB, and I tried to advise her on what to do.

I approach you with three different scenarios:

#1. A Validation Beta who takes almost a month to validate a story? How long should the author be “understanding” before it becomes unreasonable? We all know that RL is the ultimate trump card, but when does it become an issue? Should a VB be told to take a hiatus?

#2. An author discovers that their Validation Beta has been bad mouthing the author’s story on another website. What should be the appropriate action here? Would you consider this abuse? (fyi: I’m not talking about someone saying “I don’t care for this story.” I’m suggesting that they are really flaming this story non-stop.)

#3. A rude validation beta. If you email them and ask for a status update on your chapter, they react very harshly. What should the author do in this situation?

Interactive fun: How would you respond to these instances? Have you ever had one (or more) of these happen to you?
 

Ranger Edit:  Remember that this is not a Badmouth the Beta site.  It's fine to discuss adverse posting situations, but please refrain within the campfire from any name-calling or derogatory language.  Thank you.

Better late than never so...

THIS WEEK WE ARE HAVING A HELP DESK FREE FOR ALL

As always, the weekly help desk is your place to ask questions about the names of fanfics that have slipped your mind, request a certain type of fanfic that you have been wishing to read, or to ask technical questions about ADF but this week

CHAT ABOUT ANYTHING

It can be about planting and forestry, it can be about how to deal with a sensitive issue, it can be about the proper way to apply self tanning lotion, it can be about anything. 

Your questions can be serious. Your questions can be frivolous. Your questions can be silly.

But the truth is:

PEOPLE LOVE ANSWERING QUESTIONS. SO ASK THEM.

So, yesterday while the forest was on fire, we were talking on the Twittah about Zodiac signs. Someone thought that would make an excellent get-to-know-you campfire.

Come on in and tell us - what's your sign? What characteristics define it and does it match your personality.

Or - to make it even more interesting, post the characteristics of your Zodiac sign and let the other campers guess what it is.

CF approved by the lovely EKSmith.

Oh, and please fertilize the trees while you're here. :)

Yeah that was scary yesterday!! I figured something had happened when I couldn't sign on.  WELCOME BACK!!!   Knew you'd be up and running in no time!!

Every so often I go through my lists and get rid of stories that haven't updated in a long time.  I came across

The Plan By QuantumFizzx and found that it had been taken down.  It was on my favorites list and was very sad to see it gone.  Would anybody happen to have it on pdf?  I'd really love to have a copy of it!!

While I was waiting for the fire to be put out, I came across a new and wonderful story that I found and is reading.

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7899031/41/My_Wounded_Soldier 

Written by Counselor!!!  WONDERFUL WRITTEN STORY!!!! However, there is a book that's going to be published soon, written by TM Franklin called MORE!!  She is TKegl on ff and wrote:   http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7792629/1/Cutlass,  http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6579540/1/Do_Over,  and http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5755522/1/Beyond_Time!!  All three stories are wonderful and excellent writing..Enjoy!!