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year-end writing round-up post - 2020!
Dec. 31st, 2020 01:17 pmMy general sense, before I start actually finding fics etc, is that I wrote about the same or more overall in 2020...possibly more fanfic than in 2019, but more original, too...possibly less Stucky (again) and more Evanstan? And, surprisingly, probably slightly more Cherik - and I finished off TWO series I've had unfinished for *years*, so I feel accomplished! (Not 'rain on tin,' though. Dammit.) And I wrote for one fandom (Leverage) I'd never written for before! And of course there's the whole glorious massive epic that's Character Bleed, published in 2020, though I've been working on that for a while!
Academic (just to get this out of the way first)
~ the Terry Pratchett book came out this year, but no new writing for that - some reviewing of edits etc, though!
~two academic book reviews, one around 2k, one around 1,200 words
~a submitted (still in editorial review) article on medievalism and the show Blunt Talk and The Once and Future King, around 4k
~the in-progress Neil Gaiman and Batman book chapter - currently around 3k, needs to be around 6k including references, due this month
~not listing all the conference/unpublished papers, but a few of those too!
Fanfic
Stucky
Whumptober 2020 - Stucky Edition, M overall (individual chapters vary), 11,473 words. The collection of individual (some linked) shorts from the Whumptober challenge! This was fun, if tiring - I wrote more fanfic than I had in ages! Lots of hurt/comfort, near-death experiences, etc....
Evanstan
Evanstan Round Robin 2020, E,12,497 words overall, but my chapter's 1,313 words. The annual holiday collaborative masterpiece! So soft and fluffy this year - such a delight sharing this love and creation and fandom with everyone!
would anybody recognize, M (mostly for implied dynamics/Sebastian's fantasies), 3,329 words. The meet-cute at an obscure art-house movie AU!
my best, to keep you satisfied, E, 8,058 words. Co-authored with thebestpersonherelovesbucky! Delightful collaborative established-relationship porn-with-emotions fun, in which Sebastian's earned Chris's undivided attention.
Sea(son) the Moment, E, 4,606 words. Co-authored with musette22 & paperstorm! Quarantine coping mechanisms, otherwise known as: that fic in which Sebastian watches Chris's internet cooking videos, and falls in love.
Color In The Picture, E, 6,033 words. Unrepentant fluffy loving kink, with soft helpless Seb role-play kink.
Lift You Up Over Everything, E, 11,410 words. The semi-sequel to the above - can stand alone, but it's what happens next - and my 300th work (currently) on AO3! Also probably among the kinkiest fics I've written, what with the sounding and watersports and all.
Extra Sugar - My Evanstan epic fic-baby! I added chapter 32 - the final chapter! in 2020, which brings the total to 112,579 words - which means, doing some math, that's + 5,046 words! One of my 2020 goals was to finish off this series, completely, entirely - and I have, and we're done. I'm still so amazed by this whole universe that I somehow made, and by the fandom response to it. *hugs you all*
A Place Not Far Away, E, 38,160 words. My Evanstan autumn fluff (and porn!) fic! I'm so thrilled people love this one; it was one of those stories that just wanted to be written, and kept flowing, scene after scene.
Whumptober 2020 - Evanstan Edition, E overall (individual chapters vary), 16,050 words. The collection of individual (some linked) shorts from the Whumptober challenge! This was fun, if tiring - I wrote more fanfic than I had in ages! Lots of hurt/comfort, near-death experiences, etc....
Cherik
Whumptober 2020 - Cherik Edition, M, 1,415 words. Just a little sick!Charles hurt/comfort fic - ah, the memories, so much like one of my very first-ever fanfics!
And Heaven Only Knows, E, 6.653 words. Finishing off the compromise series, which has been in progress since 2013! I'm so proud of just...well...finishing it. And I like it - it's an XMFC fix-it, of course, because the series is, with Dom/sub dynamics and fun with powers, and maybe my writing style's shifted a little over the years, but that's okay - it's a good ending, full of hope.
Leverage
Whumptober 2020 - Leverage Edition, T, 2,163 words. I'd never written Leverage fic before, but I do love the show and this trio, and a friend asked, so I tried! I really like how it came out - I love the dynamic here.
Original Fic (at least mostly written and published in 2020)
(Character Bleed, E, 254,099 words. **Pretty much all of this was written in 2019, so I'm not really counting it as 'new words' - but all the editing - and the publication!!!! - happened in 2020!** THIS STORY, YOU GUYS. I love it and these characters so much. It's the most ambitious thing I've ever tried to write, that whole story-within-a-story, being about actors filming a Regency-era gay love story, and falling in love themselves. I'm just looking at it all...and I'm in awe...and the response to this, oh wow. I've been so amazed and so grateful and so thrilled - the art, the trailer, the comments, the people thinking about these characters and loving them along with me - I'm so lucky to have all of you. *hugs everyone* And now you can buy it! As three volumes - Seaworthy, Stalwart, and Steadfast! Available via JMS Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and everywhere!)
Character Bleed Bonus Scenes, E, 84,125 words, which means 58,428 new words! Also there're at least three special bonus scenes that *aren't* on AO3, only included with the published books! (Conversely, there're at least two bonus scenes that will only ever be on AO3, for all of you reading there!) So that's probably an extra, oh, let's say around 5k words.
Cinnamon and Strawberries (A Character Bleed Story), E, 12,169 words. My Jason & Colby holiday novella! Full of celebrations, love, moving in together, and interesting uses for holiday ribbon...
Cadence and the Pearl, E, 60,097 words, About 30k of it written in 2019/2018 (Was this really also published this year? I had FOUR novels out this year? Gosh.) I really love this one, honestly - historical, paranormal, pensive, ocean magic, a fairy tale.
The Arch-Mage's Firebird, E, 11,220 words. A spin-off story in the Kitten & Witch universe! (I really ought to write the third part of the main story...) A runaway firebird, and an Arch-Mage in hiding, and a beachside town.
One Night in London: Robert & Anthony, E, 29,247 words. My part of the fabulous collaborative three-part novel, with Shelly "turtletotem" Greene and K.S. "thebestpersonherelovesbucky" Murphy! You can buy the collected version here - they're more fun to read together, since our characters interact, but they can technically stand alone. Regency m/m romance, ballrooms, scandals... (I also wrote the prologue for the collected edition, so, + about 5k words!) Eventually there'll be a print version of the collected edition! We had so much fun - perhaps we'll do it again sometime...
A Demon for Forever, E, 13,752 words - surprise! I thought I was done with the Demon for Midwinter universe - but JMS did a submissions call for stories celebrating LGBTQ marriage, and, well - I'd written the proposal story for Kris and Justin, so...we should get to see the wedding, right? With Justin in a wedding dress. A sparkly one. This story is also available as part of the JMS Books 2020 Top Ten Anthology!
The Demon's Choice, E, 19,365 words - extra surprise! I'd had to cut this whole subplot from an earlier Demon story, but I couldn't stop thinking about it, so...I finally wrote it as a bonus story! Hurt/comfort, Justin confronting his heritage, and of course a happy ending.
Refuge at Clifftop, E, 17,262 words. Third in the Extraordinary superhero polyamory series! Lots of hurt/comfort in this one, near-death self-sacrifice, tons of heroic love!
Leather and Tea in London, E, 20,909 words - the third of the Leather and Tea stories! Written for the JMS Books BDSM collection call. Simon's brother needs a favor. So Ben and Simon head to London, bringing Ben's retired-spy skill set and also some fun toys for enjoying themselves.
This story is also available as part of the JMS Books Hurts So Good BDSM Trio Collection!
A Penny for Your Thoughts, E (but mostly implied / discussed - those darn truth-telling coins!), 3,981 words. A original-fic rewrite of an Evanstan drabble, expanded somewhat - and I really love these characters! A magician, his hero, mutual pining, and love confessions.
Of Starlit Balls and Starship Captains, T, 6,596 words. M/F, with bi/pan protagonists - my attempt at mixing space opera and Regency romance! Technically I'd written an earlier version of this a couple years ago for a contest, for which it was not chosen, so this isn't all new writing, but substantially so.
Statuesque, E, 3,491 words - some lesbian erotica! Short and kinky - established Dom/sub relationship - and loving.
Honey Witch, E, 4,032 words. More short lesbian erotica! A witch and her princess, finding each other.
Original Fic (written/heavily revised in 2020, publication contracts signed but not yet published)
A Sonnet for a Thunderstorm, M, 3,202 words. An expanded original-character version of a several-years-old Cherik drabble - 18th century historical, thunderstorms, a poet and his pirate. Probably out in April/May 2021.
(Frost & Raine, expanded version - the version that's still on AO3, which I'll have to take down, is about 31k - the published version, coming in February 2021, is currently 40,020 words. So...8,141 new words!)
Original Fic (written in 2020, not yet under contract or published other than on AO3)
In Focus, which is the Character Bleed spin-off, Leo's story - still in progress! it's up to 68,458 words, so that means...52,947 new words in 2020! Not bad.
Whumptober 2020 - Original Fic Edition, E (overall; individual chapters vary), 13,271 words. All the Whumptober fics for my original fic - fanfic for myself! A couple of the Character Bleed-related ones might make it into publication, as well as the Jamie/Brendan story, eventually, I hope.
Ember and Serenity, E, 23,170 words currently - I added chapter 5 in 2020, so that's 2,418 new words! I do have plans for this one. Oh yes. My librarian-magician and his book-thief...yes. And if you're wondering who hired Serenity, well, there already has been a clue... :D
Spells and Sensibility (working title), aka the mystery project I'm working on with K.S. Murphy, which involves Regency-era magicians, which is currently 35,546 words!
~~
Okay, I THINK that's everything! Which is...a lot of words. Good heavens.
It's definitely tilted even more toward original fic this year, and I didn't finish 'rain on tin,' which means it's been over TWO years since I've touched that one. Drat.
But I did get to go back and write a couple things for my old Cherik loves, and I finished off TWO big series - Like Sugar (finally, for good) and the compromise series, both of which I'd been writing for years. It's also been a very collaborative year, both published fic and fanfic, which I love! And then there's so much original fic - some of which is among my favorite stories I've ever written. (The Character Bleed characters still live vividly in my head - well, of course they do, we're still working on Leo's story!)
Thanks for reading! I hope your year is starting off splendidly. <3
Academic (just to get this out of the way first)
~ the Terry Pratchett book came out this year, but no new writing for that - some reviewing of edits etc, though!
~two academic book reviews, one around 2k, one around 1,200 words
~a submitted (still in editorial review) article on medievalism and the show Blunt Talk and The Once and Future King, around 4k
~the in-progress Neil Gaiman and Batman book chapter - currently around 3k, needs to be around 6k including references, due this month
~not listing all the conference/unpublished papers, but a few of those too!
Fanfic
Stucky
Whumptober 2020 - Stucky Edition, M overall (individual chapters vary), 11,473 words. The collection of individual (some linked) shorts from the Whumptober challenge! This was fun, if tiring - I wrote more fanfic than I had in ages! Lots of hurt/comfort, near-death experiences, etc....
Evanstan
Evanstan Round Robin 2020, E,12,497 words overall, but my chapter's 1,313 words. The annual holiday collaborative masterpiece! So soft and fluffy this year - such a delight sharing this love and creation and fandom with everyone!
would anybody recognize, M (mostly for implied dynamics/Sebastian's fantasies), 3,329 words. The meet-cute at an obscure art-house movie AU!
my best, to keep you satisfied, E, 8,058 words. Co-authored with thebestpersonherelovesbucky! Delightful collaborative established-relationship porn-with-emotions fun, in which Sebastian's earned Chris's undivided attention.
Sea(son) the Moment, E, 4,606 words. Co-authored with musette22 & paperstorm! Quarantine coping mechanisms, otherwise known as: that fic in which Sebastian watches Chris's internet cooking videos, and falls in love.
Color In The Picture, E, 6,033 words. Unrepentant fluffy loving kink, with soft helpless Seb role-play kink.
Lift You Up Over Everything, E, 11,410 words. The semi-sequel to the above - can stand alone, but it's what happens next - and my 300th work (currently) on AO3! Also probably among the kinkiest fics I've written, what with the sounding and watersports and all.
Extra Sugar - My Evanstan epic fic-baby! I added chapter 32 - the final chapter! in 2020, which brings the total to 112,579 words - which means, doing some math, that's + 5,046 words! One of my 2020 goals was to finish off this series, completely, entirely - and I have, and we're done. I'm still so amazed by this whole universe that I somehow made, and by the fandom response to it. *hugs you all*
A Place Not Far Away, E, 38,160 words. My Evanstan autumn fluff (and porn!) fic! I'm so thrilled people love this one; it was one of those stories that just wanted to be written, and kept flowing, scene after scene.
Whumptober 2020 - Evanstan Edition, E overall (individual chapters vary), 16,050 words. The collection of individual (some linked) shorts from the Whumptober challenge! This was fun, if tiring - I wrote more fanfic than I had in ages! Lots of hurt/comfort, near-death experiences, etc....
Cherik
Whumptober 2020 - Cherik Edition, M, 1,415 words. Just a little sick!Charles hurt/comfort fic - ah, the memories, so much like one of my very first-ever fanfics!
And Heaven Only Knows, E, 6.653 words. Finishing off the compromise series, which has been in progress since 2013! I'm so proud of just...well...finishing it. And I like it - it's an XMFC fix-it, of course, because the series is, with Dom/sub dynamics and fun with powers, and maybe my writing style's shifted a little over the years, but that's okay - it's a good ending, full of hope.
Leverage
Whumptober 2020 - Leverage Edition, T, 2,163 words. I'd never written Leverage fic before, but I do love the show and this trio, and a friend asked, so I tried! I really like how it came out - I love the dynamic here.
Original Fic (at least mostly written and published in 2020)
(Character Bleed, E, 254,099 words. **Pretty much all of this was written in 2019, so I'm not really counting it as 'new words' - but all the editing - and the publication!!!! - happened in 2020!** THIS STORY, YOU GUYS. I love it and these characters so much. It's the most ambitious thing I've ever tried to write, that whole story-within-a-story, being about actors filming a Regency-era gay love story, and falling in love themselves. I'm just looking at it all...and I'm in awe...and the response to this, oh wow. I've been so amazed and so grateful and so thrilled - the art, the trailer, the comments, the people thinking about these characters and loving them along with me - I'm so lucky to have all of you. *hugs everyone* And now you can buy it! As three volumes - Seaworthy, Stalwart, and Steadfast! Available via JMS Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and everywhere!)
Character Bleed Bonus Scenes, E, 84,125 words, which means 58,428 new words! Also there're at least three special bonus scenes that *aren't* on AO3, only included with the published books! (Conversely, there're at least two bonus scenes that will only ever be on AO3, for all of you reading there!) So that's probably an extra, oh, let's say around 5k words.
Cinnamon and Strawberries (A Character Bleed Story), E, 12,169 words. My Jason & Colby holiday novella! Full of celebrations, love, moving in together, and interesting uses for holiday ribbon...
Cadence and the Pearl, E, 60,097 words, About 30k of it written in 2019/2018 (Was this really also published this year? I had FOUR novels out this year? Gosh.) I really love this one, honestly - historical, paranormal, pensive, ocean magic, a fairy tale.
The Arch-Mage's Firebird, E, 11,220 words. A spin-off story in the Kitten & Witch universe! (I really ought to write the third part of the main story...) A runaway firebird, and an Arch-Mage in hiding, and a beachside town.
One Night in London: Robert & Anthony, E, 29,247 words. My part of the fabulous collaborative three-part novel, with Shelly "turtletotem" Greene and K.S. "thebestpersonherelovesbucky" Murphy! You can buy the collected version here - they're more fun to read together, since our characters interact, but they can technically stand alone. Regency m/m romance, ballrooms, scandals... (I also wrote the prologue for the collected edition, so, + about 5k words!) Eventually there'll be a print version of the collected edition! We had so much fun - perhaps we'll do it again sometime...
A Demon for Forever, E, 13,752 words - surprise! I thought I was done with the Demon for Midwinter universe - but JMS did a submissions call for stories celebrating LGBTQ marriage, and, well - I'd written the proposal story for Kris and Justin, so...we should get to see the wedding, right? With Justin in a wedding dress. A sparkly one. This story is also available as part of the JMS Books 2020 Top Ten Anthology!
The Demon's Choice, E, 19,365 words - extra surprise! I'd had to cut this whole subplot from an earlier Demon story, but I couldn't stop thinking about it, so...I finally wrote it as a bonus story! Hurt/comfort, Justin confronting his heritage, and of course a happy ending.
Refuge at Clifftop, E, 17,262 words. Third in the Extraordinary superhero polyamory series! Lots of hurt/comfort in this one, near-death self-sacrifice, tons of heroic love!
Leather and Tea in London, E, 20,909 words - the third of the Leather and Tea stories! Written for the JMS Books BDSM collection call. Simon's brother needs a favor. So Ben and Simon head to London, bringing Ben's retired-spy skill set and also some fun toys for enjoying themselves.
This story is also available as part of the JMS Books Hurts So Good BDSM Trio Collection!
A Penny for Your Thoughts, E (but mostly implied / discussed - those darn truth-telling coins!), 3,981 words. A original-fic rewrite of an Evanstan drabble, expanded somewhat - and I really love these characters! A magician, his hero, mutual pining, and love confessions.
Of Starlit Balls and Starship Captains, T, 6,596 words. M/F, with bi/pan protagonists - my attempt at mixing space opera and Regency romance! Technically I'd written an earlier version of this a couple years ago for a contest, for which it was not chosen, so this isn't all new writing, but substantially so.
Statuesque, E, 3,491 words - some lesbian erotica! Short and kinky - established Dom/sub relationship - and loving.
Honey Witch, E, 4,032 words. More short lesbian erotica! A witch and her princess, finding each other.
Original Fic (written/heavily revised in 2020, publication contracts signed but not yet published)
A Sonnet for a Thunderstorm, M, 3,202 words. An expanded original-character version of a several-years-old Cherik drabble - 18th century historical, thunderstorms, a poet and his pirate. Probably out in April/May 2021.
(Frost & Raine, expanded version - the version that's still on AO3, which I'll have to take down, is about 31k - the published version, coming in February 2021, is currently 40,020 words. So...8,141 new words!)
Original Fic (written in 2020, not yet under contract or published other than on AO3)
In Focus, which is the Character Bleed spin-off, Leo's story - still in progress! it's up to 68,458 words, so that means...52,947 new words in 2020! Not bad.
Whumptober 2020 - Original Fic Edition, E (overall; individual chapters vary), 13,271 words. All the Whumptober fics for my original fic - fanfic for myself! A couple of the Character Bleed-related ones might make it into publication, as well as the Jamie/Brendan story, eventually, I hope.
Ember and Serenity, E, 23,170 words currently - I added chapter 5 in 2020, so that's 2,418 new words! I do have plans for this one. Oh yes. My librarian-magician and his book-thief...yes. And if you're wondering who hired Serenity, well, there already has been a clue... :D
Spells and Sensibility (working title), aka the mystery project I'm working on with K.S. Murphy, which involves Regency-era magicians, which is currently 35,546 words!
~~
Okay, I THINK that's everything! Which is...a lot of words. Good heavens.
It's definitely tilted even more toward original fic this year, and I didn't finish 'rain on tin,' which means it's been over TWO years since I've touched that one. Drat.
But I did get to go back and write a couple things for my old Cherik loves, and I finished off TWO big series - Like Sugar (finally, for good) and the compromise series, both of which I'd been writing for years. It's also been a very collaborative year, both published fic and fanfic, which I love! And then there's so much original fic - some of which is among my favorite stories I've ever written. (The Character Bleed characters still live vividly in my head - well, of course they do, we're still working on Leo's story!)
Thanks for reading! I hope your year is starting off splendidly. <3
