Fic or Fish

[gilpin25]

Have just posted a fic to the redandthewolf community for their Tales of Whiskey and Regret Challenge. If you fancy a tale of highly unlikely Ancient Rune casting, along with a look at the Marauders and their friendship from Peter's POV, centred very much on Remus, of course, then I hope you don't regret it or immediately need a whiskey afterwards, lol.

Title: The Outcast
Summary: "Sometimes I think Remus must always feel a bit of an outsider, even amongst the four of us." Peter knows the best thing in the world is having friends who care about you. And Remus needs a friend right now. (Suggestion of possible R/L; James hoping for J/L;)).
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Mild swearing
Word Count: 6045
Author’s Note: I have my hands up to apologise to any passing Rune Casting Experts - my version is based roughly 5% on something I read and 95% make-it-up-as-you-go-along to fit the fic. My prompts were Silver Bullet and the lyrics from Strawberry Fields Forever, by the Beatles: Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see. It's getting hard to be someone, but it all works out. It doesn't matter much to me. Feedback is always much appreciated. :)

There seems to be R/T fics (and art) everywhere at the moment - I'm well behind in reading and reviewing, as usual, at metamorfic_moon - which is great to see. I wonder what JKR is doing to keep busy? I keep wondering how she must be feeling and what the critics are going to do this time (they were mostly full of praise for HBP, after absolutely slating OotP - overdoing the former and being unfair to the latter, to my prejudiced mind), and whether she just longs for it all to be over... It must be very difficult to do these interviews, and not have a complete brainstorm and blurt everything out.

Cleaning up after the flooding is still going on around here. I walked past the racecourse this morning (someone without a brain put it right next to the river, unless they were thinking it was for water polo) and the entire course was underwater for weeks. Lots of fish got brought inland and there was an amazing operation to try and save them, with people bringing dinghys and little rowing boats, along with their fishing nets! They reckon they saved over 10,000 fish but a lot got stranded and died. I have to say, the smell is quite something, and they're due to race there next week. Not quite sure what the horses will think of a track like a bog and a fishy odour everywhere?!

Comments

[katyhasclogs.livejournal.com]

I have to say, the smell is quite something

Hmm, nice!

JKR does ever so well at keeping it all a secret without ever lying I think. In her position I'd probably just blurt it all out!

I'm liking all the oatmealy colours over here, very sophisticated. :)

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

In her position I'd probably just blurt it all out!

I keep thinking it must be so tempting. "Oh, for goodness sake - here's a list of who dies, and a copy of the epilogue. Now will you please ask me something else, like where I get my hair done?" ;)

I'm liking all the oatmealy colours over here, very sophisticated.

It's great you think so! I've been fiddling around all week with colours as the kind and talented ladybracknell is making me a banner to put at the top. All I can say is it's creamy in colour, so I'm hoping these will blend.

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Your fic for RATW sounds wonderful -- I'm intrigued by Peter, and very much looking forward to reading your take on him. But I don't think I'll be able to start reading over there until (well?) after DH comes out; I'm already hopelessly behind at Meta, with both writing and reading, so I'm trying not to spread myself too thin all at once. :/

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

Don't worry - I haven't even started on the fics at Red, either, yet, thinking Meta must come first. But I've got well and truly behind there as well in the last few days. Trouble is, I have never mastered the art of being able to read, review and then write my own all in one piece of precious free time. It seems to be either one thing or the other, otherwise I find I can't easily switch, usually because I'm so taken with someone else's story I'd like to read it again.

Thought women were supposed to be good at multi-tasking, as well, lol.

You must be near going away time? Are you away for the DH release?

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

That icon is too cute to be allowed.

Trouble is, I have never mastered the art of being able to read, review and then write my own all in one piece of precious free time -- Exactly; seems like I have to pick reading or writing each evening, and not try for both...

You must be near going away time? -- I'm away now, actually. Went to a wedding in Big Eastern City last weekend, then did a turn in the mountains with my guy and my parents, and then sent the guy back south on a plane before spending more time with the parents at their house. I'll be driving back in a couple of days: sixteen hours, oh joy. (Split over two days, of course.) So I'll be home again for the DH release, although I still haven't decided whether to take part in pre-release hoopla and risk being spoiled.

But I couldn't log in from the mountains at all -- not that that's necessarily a bad thing -- and even here, my dad's modem was blown up by a thunderstorm and had to be replaced, so I'm so far behind at Meta now I'll probably meet myself arriving.

I didn't get your photo of Gilpin Bay, either, since it was raining too much to go out in the boat on the day I would have had a chance. But maybe I'll try a picspam once I'm back where I belong -- you can see other parts of the same lake, anyway!

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

That icon is too cute to be allowed.

It's by a lady called cherrystonelane, as is this. She has an icon website called papersquares which, if you ever have a spare five minutes, is well worth a browse through. She's got some stunning ones, though obviously I started by bagging all the cute cats!

So I'll be home again for the DH release, although I still haven't decided whether to take part in pre-release hoopla and risk being spoiled.

It's difficult, isn't it? Tempting to a degree, but I really don't want to be, especially as I can remember everyone getting so worked up about all the phoney ones that surfaced just before HBP. But I feel something of a hypocrite as I know I'll be a back-of-the-book-first reader when I get it. It would be nice to have some safety blinkers so you can dodge what you want to.

But I couldn't log in from the mountains at all -- not that that's necessarily a bad thing -- and even here, my dad's modem was blown up by a thunderstorm and had to be replaced, so I'm so far behind at Meta now I'll probably meet myself arriving.

Didn't mean to send our awful weather your way. I hope the forced computer detox wasn't too bad. Did you manage to write with all this going on? And did the wedding go well?

Oh and don't mention Meta. You can always console yourself with the fact that you're on a par with one of the mods. Although I did glimpse your latest one approaching on the far horizen last night... ;)

I didn't get your photo of Gilpin Bay, either, since it was raining too much to go out in the boat on the day I would have had a chance. But maybe I'll try a picspam once I'm back where I belong -- you can see other parts of the same lake, anyway!

Yes, please. I'd love to see them. :)

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

I hope the forced computer detox wasn't too bad. Did you manage to write with all this going on? And did the wedding go well?

Internet detox meant I got some programming learned ('learnt,' heh) for work during rainy days or evenings, which was probably good for me. As for writing, I did manage to finish my second Meta ficlet, although it was supposed to be done about a week earlier, sigh. Now I'm about to spend two more days driving, so I think there's no chance of finishing either the post-hospital-wing scene, or the first-of-a-million-times fic I was considering posting instead. But I really want to use my Dumbledore quote prompt, so I might post a teaser for one of these, right before the deadline...?

The wedding was fun. It was held in a museum, and had some rather unique features. The table decorations at the reception included brightly colored pens and paper for playing word games, for example. (!)

You can always console yourself with the fact that you're on a par with one of the mods.

Hee. I think everyone is so busy pre-DH that there's a general lag for reviews at Meta overall, so I don't feel too bad about it...yet.

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

It was held in a museum, and had some rather unique features. The table decorations at the reception included brightly colored pens and paper for playing word games, for example. (!)

This all sounds a bit R/Tish to me, lol, and great fun. I have visions of you all sat there attempting the Daily Prophet crossword as well.

But I really want to use my Dumbledore quote prompt, so I might post a teaser for one of these, right before the deadline...?

Oh yes. It's very definitely a teasing week. ;) Hope the journey home goes smoothly and quickly.

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

I went immediately to read your story! I love the Marauders era, and I was completely submerged in your fic within seconds. It is interesting to see their realtionship from Peters POV, and I really liked those clues you left for how the story would go later on. It amazes me how much you are able to tell the reader both about the person telling the story and those people he is "talking" about. Loved it to bits.

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

I'm so pleased you liked it and thank you for letting me know, that's lovely to hear! I'm sure it must be just like drawing but some stories are easy to write, some are fun and some are just very, very hard work. This one was a mixture of all three and, as it was from Peter's viewpoint, that's probably about right, lol.

Am delighted to hear you're a fan of the Marauder-era too. Until redandthewolf came along, I only really wrote R/T but the lure of young Remus was far too tempting for me. He seems every bit as fascinating as the older version... ;)

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Ah yes young Remus - when I say I like the Marauder era, I really mean that I like young Remus of course! *g*

And I completely know what you mean about the flow of a drawing/story.. It is amazing sometimes when you have left something thinking that it is just too hard to be fun, and then when you come back a little while later, the whole thing practically finishes itself!! O_o I'm sure Peter is a very recalcitrant muse, I can just imagine..

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

when I say I like the Marauder era, I really mean that I like young Remus of course! *g

I just sort of automatically assume everyone does; I must stop doing it! But, yes, he is the real attraction to me about doing Marauder-era stuff and then the others come a long way second, lol.

I couldn't believe you'd done that drawing for Meta so quickly. That must have 'flown' off the pencil! As for Peter, he was a bit of a pain in the backside at times, but sometimes they're the ones you end up most pleased with, I think? And then sometimes you're just glad to see the back of them! ;)

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, that drawing. The artbunnies were really insistent that I do it, and I had been thinking for a while that it was time to tackle the naked body - it is so much easier to hide mistakes with baggy clothes and the like. The body alone is rather unforgiving, every mistake can be seen.. So I talked myself into it (wasn't really too hard, it is Remus after all) and completely refused to think about Tonks, because she had to carry the emotions of the piece, and that is always hard to do. But then she came on stage and told me in no uncertain terms how she would react! She was a complete joy to work with, and sat patiently while I drew her..
All in all the drawing probably took three hours, coming and going, so it did really flow. (without counting pre-sketches of course... :))Oh, look at me ramble!

But I agree that the things you had to fight hard to complete, and that then turn out good, are the most rewarding - if only because they lay down the foundation for the easy stories and drawings. :D

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

But then she came on stage and told me in no uncertain terms how she would react! She was a complete joy to work with, and sat patiently while I drew her..

This made me laugh because it was exactly how Remus behaved in my fic. Whenever Peter was messing me around, Remus just adapted accordingly. But I loved Tonks' pose which said so much in your drawing and that clenched hand of his... She did indeed carry the emotion for both of them, and for me looking at it. :)

[phoenixfyre13.livejournal.com]

Wow. I am sure the horses will love their track smelling like dead (and not-so-dead) fish. Yummy. That's really incredible that people really got together over these fish and tried to save them. Sorry to say, it seems as though folks here in the States wouldn't take such a proactive measure to save those fish, but that could just be my own home-grown pessimism about the state of the US talking there. :)

I am so totally looking forward to going over to RATW to check out yours and the other fics there! I seriously need to get an extra brain and set of eyes, so I can get caught up on Meta and RATW before people think I don't care! ;)

I have decided to become a hermit until Saturday. There really is no other option. I have already threatened my coworkers with extreme pain and facial lacerations (I think I threatened one girl with a face full of papercuts -- hey, I work in a bookstore) if they start spouting stuff. Only about four of us actually read HP, and the others seem dead set on spoiling it. I was beyond shocked by this revelation. How could you sell BOOKS and not love HP?! Or, in one case, never even picked it up?!? Hmph. But, I just have to work this afternoon and then it's off to Vegas, where I will be picking up my book and playing the blackjack tables and nickel slots! Yay! :D

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

The racing has been cancelled for this week - I can't think why! They've issued a statement saying they're not sure when it will be fit again, at the moment. It's just incredible in July, when normally the worry is the firm ground and horses breaking down on it. Instead, we've got all these firm ground horses trying to run on bogs.

I am so totally looking forward to going over to RATW to check out yours and the other fics there! I seriously need to get an extra brain and set of eyes, so I can get caught up on Meta and RATW before people think I don't care! ;)

Well, fear not, because a mod is doing equally badly, and that's far more embarrassing. I was doing quite well at Meta, until the last few days, and now it's all gone to pot. And I daren't start reading until my own last fic is finished. As for Red, I've only read one fic there, but that was really excellent (the one by bratanimus) so it's worth going for that alone.

And mine - well, Peter really did haul me over the coals a bit, but I was pleased with it. And it's quite rare I say that, lol.

I have decided to become a hermit until Saturday.

I know. If it wasn't for Meta, I'd be on my own desert island as the spoiler thing is ridiculous, and I just don't want to know anything until 12.01am on Saturday morning. What is wrong with people?! Happy Hermiting and lots of luck in Vegas.:D I'll catch you afterwards and you can tell me how much you've won and how many racehorses you're buying with it! ;)