Original Fic: Waterhouse

This story came about in a contest called LJ Idol on livejournal. We had to intersect stories with another participant. You might be able to read the story I based mine off here: recklessblues LJ

Waterhouse
by jennickels (aka Jen Connelly)
original
words: 1363
rating: PG
WARNINGS:

My boots clicked along the polished wood floor. The hall was dark and musty, the faint scent of burnt ozone tickled my nose. I pulled the crumpled piece of paper from my pocket and read it. Nothing had changed from the first dozen times I’d looked at it since arriving at the University in Brandywine.

Room 220-B
Survey of History: The Fall

Prof. E. Barth

I came to the last door on the right—a tall, solid wood door worn on the edges from years of countless students swinging it opened. A shiny metal plaque next to it read 220-B, and a card clipped under that simply said, “HISTORY-BARTH.” This was the place. I shoved the paper back into my pocket. Why were my hands shaking? I willed them to still, for my suddenly raspy breathing to even out. This detour was not part of the plan, but disrupted none of the important aspects of it. I was just curious.

I did it

So, as you might recall, I signed up for the monthly challenge at 750words. That is to write 750 words at least each day of the month.

Well I did it. Not only did I do it but I kicked its ass into next Tuesday. I wrote over 1000 words every day at the site and all of it was on one story (I also did some writing not at the site this month on top of the 1000+ words each day).

The grand total came to…
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.
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Stargate Atlantis fic: No Fault But His Own

No Fault But His Own
by jennickels (aka Jen Connelly)
Stargate Atlantis
team
631 words
rating: PG
WARNINGS:

Just another mission with Rodney putting his foot in his mouth resulting in a mad race back to the Stargate.

don’t own… wish I did, but I don’t. No infringement intended.

---

“This is all your fault,” Sheppard yelled.

“My fault,” Rodney shouted back, his voice cracking. “Why is it my fault?”

They continued to run full tilt through a thick forest, vines and fallen trees threatening to trip them at any moment, branches slapping at their faces, thorns pulling at their clothes. Rodney was finding it harder to breath with each step so he found it a little incredulous that Sheppard chose now to scream at him.
Sheppard made a hard right to avoid a large boulder in his path. “You were the one that insulted their king!”

“How was I supposed to know he was so sensitive?” Rodney asked between huffs and gasps.

“Do you ever think before you open your mouth?”

Stargate SG-1 fic: The Moments Before Leaving

The Moments Before Leaving
by jennickels (aka Jen Connelly)
Stargate SG-1
Jack/Sam
638 words
rating: PG-13
WARNINGS:

What happened after Sam found about her transfer to Atlantis?

don’t own… wish I did, but I don’t. No infringement intended.

---

When Sam got home from work that night she wasn’t surprised to find him sitting in her living room. He had a habit of popping up when something was going on. She barely spared him a glance while pulling off her shoes and tossing her jacket in the closet.

“How long have you known?” she asked. Jack made a face then rubbed the back of his neck. She could guess the answer. “And you didn’t tell me?”

Stargate SG-1: The One About Feelings

The One About Feelings
by jennickels (aka Jen Connelly)
Stargate SG-1
Jack & Daniel friendship
516 words
rating: PG
WARNINGS:

“There are things I want to talk about, things I’d like to tell him. Serious stuff.” Daniel and Jack are spending some time at Jack’s cabin but Daniel has other things on his mind than fishing. Not slash.

don’t own… wish I did, but I don’t. No infringement intended.

---

Jack sits across from me with his eyes closed. We’re at his cabin in Minnesota—just the two of us—for some team bonding. Teal’c was supposed to be with us but he decided to go see Rya’c. I can’t say anything bad about that. If Sha’re were still alive I sure as hell would be on my way to Abydos any time I got a break. Sam chickened out at the last minute. Sure she said there was some symposium or something in L.A. But I still think she chickened out.

But it’s not bad. We’ve been here three days and it’s been quiet. Jack likes to fish. Sometimes he just sits on the dock with his bare feet dangling inches from the cool water, other times he takes out his little aluminum boat. I go with him, I don’t go with him, he doesn’t seem to care either way. It’s a side of Jack I’ve rarely seen—completely relaxed, in his element… happy.
I watch him now, draped over the Adirondack chair, head tilted up to the last rays of evening sun, eyes closed. There are things I want to talk about, things I’d like to tell him. Serious stuff. I open my mouth a couple times but close it without uttering a sound. I take a sip of my beer—my fourth—and feel the liquid courage working in my gut. I’m about to blurt it out when he opens his eyes and stares hard at me. It’s like he can sense when I’m going to get all sentimental and “touchy-feely.”

Stargate SG-1 fic: Future Imperfect

Future Imperfect
by jennickels (aka Jen Connelly)
Stargate SG-1
Jack/Sam
1588 words
rating: PG
WARNINGS:

Future fic: Sam isn’t quite satisfied with the life her and Jack have developed but he thinks he might have found the cure. Inspired by the song, “You’re Still the One,” by Shania Twain although, in the end, the story has almost nothing to do with the lyrics.

don’t own… wish I did, but I don’t. No infringement intended.

---

Sam stops mid-reach, her arm extended over her head holding a can of Campbell’s tomato soup. How’d she get here? It’s an odd thing to think while putting away the groceries. She slides the can onto the shelf with the others then reaches into the bag for more: cream of mushroom, cream of celery, barley beef. They eat a lot of soup apparently.

Stargate SG-1 fic: Missing Something

Something Missing
by jennickels (aka Jen Connelly)
Stargate SG-1
Daniel/Janet
1408 words
rating: PG
WARNINGS:

There’s a lot of adjustments for Daniel when he leaves ascension behind. And there’s a lot of mysteries he’d really like to solve with the return of his memories. Missing scene from “Fallen.”

don’t own… wish I did, but I don’t. No infringement intended.

---

When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained.
-Mark Twain

“Does any of this look familiar?”

“Should it?” Daniel watched the blond woman’s—Sam’s—grin falter. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

head hopping

I’m reading this book: Swipe by Evan Angler. It’s meant more for middle grades (the main characters are 12 and 13) so the story is kind of… unbelievable but if my 11yo son read I think it’s the kind of thing his age group would like.

Anyway, it’s not the weird storyline that is annoying me. It’s the author’s insistence on head-hopping all over the freaking place. I’ve heard that this can be a stylistic thing, being able to see into everyone’s head (omniscient 3rd person). But I was taught it’s just sloppy writing. I keep hearing my junior high English teacher telling us you stick with one person’s POV per section (like a chapter or whatever).

I’ve gotten used to books that take place from several people’s POV (even in the 1st person which was different) with each chapter getting inside a different person’s head. But this isn’t like that.

Sometimes a whole chapter will be fine from the main character Logan’s POV. Other chapters will suddenly introduce the thoughts of another character in the middle of a chapters. And worst of all one chapter went from being in Logan’s POV to suddenly being in Erin’s for almost half the chapter then suddenly switched back to Logan’s. There’s no transitions. It’s like a sentence will be talking about what Logan’s thinking and end with Erin’s thoughts and continue on with her POV. UGH.

Even at 11-12 years old (the target audience) this would have annoyed the crap out of me.

It just pulls you right out of the story and leaves me feeling almost no connection with the characters. They’re just there. And then half way through the book they start introducing other characters’ POVs, sometime for just a couple paragraphs for what seems like no real reason.

There’s also supposed to be some kind of romantic feelings developing between Logan and Erin but I just don’t see it. Erin treats Logan like he’s an idiot redneck. Logan is pathetic in his attempt to get Erin’s attention. And then half way through his whole personality changes. He started out timid, afraid of his own shadow, paranoid, sure someone is following him (there is). Then he suddenly becomes super brave and outgoing not only confronting Erin about how she treats him but going into the bad part of town looking for the person he thinks is following him (Logan thinks the guy wants to kidnap and murder him). Huh? The kid is 12 for crying out loud. Not to mention the two of them go all over the place, break into what amounts to their version of the FBI to steal surveillance equipment in the middle of the night. The parents of both kids are completely clueless, lol. I suppose that’s what kids want to read about so I let it slide but still… the kid does a complete 180 in just a couple days time.

Still, I’ll finish the book and the sequel because I have both of them here. I am curious to find out why the guy wants to kidnap Logan, and now his best friend, Dane, too (which came right out of left field). I just wish the head-hopping would stop. The whole idea of seeing what everyone is thinking at all times makes no sense to me. It kills the suspense. I could never write like that.

750 words

Anyone else use this site? 750 words

I signed up last summer but because of my depression and lack of computer time I never did anything. But since it’s January 1st I think I’m going to make a commitment. I signed up for their monthly challenge for January.

The writing doesn’t have to be creative or anything. Writing a post counts as words on the site. You can write anything. The goal is just to write 750 words every day. And they keep track of all sorts of data (like how long it takes you to write your 750 words each day).

I did the calculations and that comes to over 270k words for the year. If you do it every day. I doubt I’ll actually make it all 365 days but even a month’s worth is 20k+ words.

Anyone else want to challenge themselves this year?

Stargate SG-1 fic: Purpose

Purpose
by jennickels (aka Jen Connelly)
Stargate SG-1
Jack/Sam
398 words
rating: G
WARNINGS:

There’s something shiny in Jack’s life that is in desperate need of a purpose.

don’t own… wish I did, but I don’t. No infringement intended.

---

He used to take me out sometimes. Just to stare. He’d hold me tight, eyes boring into me like they could find the answer to the universe in my curves. Occasionally he would run a finger along my side. Over and over. It was neither comforting nor irritating, mostly just pitiful. And then it was back to hiding in the dark. It was a routine I eventually got used to.