Writing Pride

Sometimes I'll be reading a book and I'll think, "I can totally do this!" And then other times I'll be reading a book and I'll think, "Oh, there is no way in HELL I can do this!"

I'm on the "no way in hell" end of the spectrum right now with regards to The Witch of November (although the edits have been going better since I stopped trying so dang hard), so I decided I needed to do this post now rather than later.

I've kept a lot of the fanfic I've written on hard copy. I tend to fall in and out of fandom (I'll go through, say, SVU phases and Sports Night phases and so on) so sometimes I feel like re-reading some of the stuff I've written. (Please tell me I'm not the only one who does this!) Most of the time, I read it very critically, all, "Holy crap, this is kinda horrible." Especially the older stuff. Sometimes, though, I have flashes of, "Hey, this actually might be kinda good!"

So, at the risk of sounding terribly conceited, I'm going to link to the couple of stories I've written that I actually like, if only to remind myself that I do have some semblance of talent lying around somewhere, hee.

-"Lost in Time", a Charmed story it took me three dang years to get out on paper.

-"Stalemate", an SVU story that is kind of AU (alternate universe) in that we were never given any info about Casey's family so I gave her one. It is probably the most dramatic story I've ever written and was therefore very challenging, but I do like the end result.

-"Hide and Seek", the most recent fanfic I've written. It's a Harper's Island fic through the eyes of the killer, so it spoils the end if you haven't seen the whole thing, but you have no idea how much fun it was to write. Which should worry me, I think, hee.

And just so this doesn't look like I'm shilling my old work (because I'm really not ... it's more for me to remember that I can do this and that it's not hopeless), here's a snippet from The Witch of November, a letter from my ghost to her husband, back when she was still alive (there are a few of these scattered throughout the story).


February 26, 1877

Dear Josiah,

I have not had the slightest bit of success in contacting you with the ritual Millie uses to reach her dear Caleb. I have seen the ritual in action, and I believe that Millie does indeed talk to Caleb. Somehow. I don’t claim to know how or why it works but I believe that it does. I’m unsure as to why we can’t find you among the others.

I want you to know that I’ve not given up hope. I am confident that you and I will speak again soon. Millie knows of a different ritual we can try, and if that does not work, she assures me that she can do some research for me. She knows some people who are quite adept at contacting the those on the ‘other side’ and should be able to help us find some way to get in touch with you.

And if none of those options work, I will do research on my own. I know what you’re thinking, Josiah, that I’ll be soon joining Millie Albertson as the town fool, but I promise you, I won’t let it go that far. But the thought of living the rest of my life without you … Josiah, you have been in my life in some form or another since I was six years old. These past three months without you have been hell on earth for me. I miss you so much and all I want is to know that you’re doing well where you are. Perhaps once I know that you’re happy, I can learn to be happy, too.

I must cut this letter short, I’m afraid. Millie is coming over soon with something new to try. And if this doesn’t work, we’ll then go to see her medium friend, the one who taught her how to talk to Caleb. Perhaps she’ll be able to contact you and then she can teach me how to do so on my own.

I promise that you and I will speak again. I’m not letting you go that easily, Josiah. What kind of wife would I be if I did?

Yours forever still,

Lillian