Behind the thick red curtains

Happy Saturday!

I'm going to be doing a little maintenance today. It will likely cause a tiny interruption of service (specifically for www.dreamwidth.org) on the order of 2-3 minutes while some settings propagate. If you're on a journal page, that should still work throughout!

If it doesn't work, the rollback plan is pretty quick, I'm just toggling a setting on how traffic gets to the site. I'll update this post if something goes wrong, but don't anticipate any interruption to be longer than 10 minutes even in a rollback situation.

Title: Twice Over
Fandom: Culture Club
Pairing: Boy George/Jon Moss
Rating: G
Length: 585 words
Content notes: N/A
Author notes: A smaller oneshot this time!
Written for: Challenge 509 - Plant
Summary: George is not, he would like it noted, a naturally nurturing person. Jon comes home to find the plant dying. This is not, strictly speaking, a surprise.

( Read more... )

For large-scale projects, specifically for ships. All my ship-related resources for the era are for the British Navy, and books on colour that I've read have been on artists' paints or dyes.

How would a French Imperial Navy vessel be painted, not at one of the big shipyards? Would it be mixed up on site from raw ingredients, or bought in? Would there be barrels, buckets with lids, cannisters, vats or what - and what would the paint be made of? 

Searching online produces info on painting scale models, or contemporary pictures of ships. I found a chapter on ship decoration in Conway's History of the Ship: The Line of Battle but that doesn't have the early-in-the-process details I want. I found an article on the pre-Revolutionary Navy in the International Journal of Maritime History, by David Plouviez, that's too early and still doesn't cover paint.

Thank-you in advance.

What I Just Finished Reading

Still nothing. I mean, okay, I read The Superia Stratagem for the 616 server book club but I'm not counting that because I have dignity.

What I'm Reading Now

Comics Wednesday!

( 1776 #5, Doctor Strange #4, Imperial Guardians #1 )

What I'm Reading Next

Don't know. Still trying to figure out how to medicate my migraines. I clearly shouldn't try to write these posts while in the middle of migraine prodrome.

Title: House + Garden
Fandom: Original
Rating: G
Length: Collage of 9 photos
Summary: Plants both within our house and in the back garden

It's the one post I remember to make every year!

They have called this day The Eleventh of March! And whom-so-ever of you gets through this day, unless you are shot in the head or somehow slain, you will stand at tiptoe when e'er you hear the name again, and you will get excited!...At the name March The Eleventh!

We happy few, we few, we band of brothers...our names will be as like...household names. And those who are not here, be they sleeping or... doing something else...They will feel themselves...sort of crappy. Because they are not here to, to join the fight. On this day, the Eleventh of March!

(Okay, I remember it because it's also my LiveJournal's birthday and I still haven't deleted it and so they send me an email every year. My LJ is now 25.)

Our new challenge is:

PLANT

As always, you can interpret the prompt literally or figuratively, in whatever way works for you.

Each work created for this challenge should be posted as a new entry to the comm. Posting starts now and continues up until the challenge ends at 4pm Pacific Time on Friday, 20th March. No sign-up required.

Mods will tag your work for fandom. When you've posted entries to three consecutive challenges, you will earn a name tag, and we'll go back and tag all your previous entries with your name, as well.

All kinds of fanworks in all fandoms are welcome. Please have a look at our guidelines before you play. If you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to contact a mod. And if you have any suggestions for future challenges, you can leave them in the comments of this post.

You can view stats for fan_flashworks entries and search and filter them via the Community Report and Creator Report. See our FAQ post for more details.

Also, keep an eye out for the next ffw_social post, which will go up in the next couple of days. If you haven't joined the ffw_social comm, it's never too late to come and check it out. (Posts are locked, which means you have to join to see them.)

The Anticipation challenge is now closed. Here are the entries:

The Professionals: Fanfiction: Sexy Sunday by lucy_roman
FAKE: Fanfic: The Big Jump by badly_knitted
Doctor Who: Fanfiction: Cloudbound Dreaming by infinitum_noctem
Culture Club: Fanfic: Six Hats and a Suitcase by midnight_heavenly_bodies
The Double: fanfic: some fences will forever stay unmended by teaotter
Viola come il mare: Fanfic: First Date by veronyxk84
Spooks (MI5): Fanfic: An Unexpected Situation by smallhobbit
Torchwood: Fanfic: Desperate times by m_findlow
9-1-1: Fan Fiction: Worth It by darkjediqueen
Crash Fever: Fanart: in the digital rain by x95
Ponies (TV 2026): Fanfic: waiting for someone else by alasse_irena
Marvel 1610 (comics): icons: Step into my Parlor by highlander_ii
Fanservice Paradox: Fanfic: the rise of the wall (in the future, things will happen) by bluedreaming

\o/ \o/ \o/

Thank you to everyone who participated! You're now free to post your entries to your journal or wherever else you'd like. If you're archiving on AO3, you can add your work to our fan_flashworks collection there.

The Community Report and Creator Report will be updated shortly with the entries from this round. See our FAQ for more details.

Next challenge is on its way.

Okay, I thought I knew science, but after several days of researching this, all I've got is indecision and a headache.

Original fiction, unspecified not-too-far-future time.

My character is the pilot of a small cargo ship in the asteroid belt. (No FTL, no artificial gravity.) Said ship has sufficient radiation shielding to be safe under normal conditions. My idea is that there's an unusually strong solar event (solar flare? coronal mass ejection?), and he has to survive by positioning his ship on the shadowed side of an asteroid (rocks are good shielding), and use his excellent piloting skills to stay there until the storm passes.

1. Does this, theoretically, actually work?

2. I'd like the solar event to be a Coronal Mass Ejection, because some CMEs move relatively slowly, and that gives my character time to make a narratively interesting choice. But is it the CME itself that's hazardous to human life, or a sort of "bow wave" of radiation that precedes it? And if the latter, is that radiation moving at the speed of the CME, or the speed of light? (I keep thinking I have a grasp on this, and then the next source I read contradicts it.)

Guidance appreciated, fellow space enthusiasts!

ETA: Okay, based on comments and additional research the comments inspired, my takeaway is: (1) CMEs can happen with or without accompanying radiation, (2) the stuff in the CME itself is not dangerous to humans, (3) the dangerous-to-humans part of the radiation travels at the speed of light. Which means this story is probably dead; I really needed that longer warning time for the narratively-interesting parts, darn it.

Fandom: Fanservice Paradox
Mods please use the f: book (category) tag
Rating: T
Length: 100 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: The title is from What I Said to Myself by Han Dong, translated by Simon Patton, and Anticipation, aimless, hopeless by Sanjin Sorel, translated by Kim Burton.
Summary: It’s better to go together.

( Read more... )

Title: Step into my Parlor
Fandom: Marvel 1610 (Ultimates)
Rating: PG-13
Content notes: None apply
Summary: icons of Ultimates Tony Stark in various states of anticipating his bedroom shenanigans


( Step into my Parlor )

Title: waiting for someone else
Fandom: Ponies (TV 2026)
Rating: Mature
Length: 1031
Content notes: n/a
Author notes: I guess this is loosely about anticipating, in that it is about waiting? Anyway, my first fan_flashworks entry! And also the only fic I have ever written for this fandom. Is it the only fic I ever will write? Unclear
Summary: Ivanna and Twila understand each other, but they both know Twila would rather be with someone else. A specific someone else.

( Read more... )

Title: in the digital rain
Fandom: Crash Fever
Rating: G / General Audiences
Content notes: Embedded images.
Artist notes: Drawn with Krita, page/canvas templates via Electric Zine Maker.
Summary: Foucault and Helmholtz wait for the rain to stop.
Challenge: 508 - Anticipation

( in the digital rain )

Title: Worth It
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Explicit Sex
Fandom: 9-1-1
Relationships: May Grant/Ravi Panikkar
Tags: Established Relationship, First Time
Summary: The anticipation was worth it.
Word Count: 2,220

Title: Desperate times
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto, Lisa
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 800 words
Content notes: None
Author notes: Written for Challenge 508 - Anticipation
Summary: Ianto is nervous as hell, but he’ll do whatever it takes.

( Read more... )

Title: An Unexpected Situation
Fandom: Spooks (MI5)
Rating: G
Length: 1,284 words,
Summary: Following his father's death, Lucas doesn't anticipate any further problems. Meanwhile, the solicitor Mr Huggins' anticipation is rather different.

Title: First Date
Fandom: Viola come il mare (category: tv)
Author: veronyxk84
Pairing: Viola Vitale/Francesco Demir
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: none
Word count: 440 (Ellipsus)
Spoilers/Setting: Set post S2.
Summary: Their first official date should be easy—after all, they’ve known each other for two years. Instead, anticipation hits hard as Viola and Francesco prepare for their first night out as an actual couple.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction created for fun and no profit has been made. All rights belong to the respective owners.

Challenge: #508 - Anticipation

—
( READ: First Date/Ficlet )

☙ ☙ ☙
 

Title: some fences will forever stay unmended
Fandom: The Double
Content notes: Spoilers you probably knew before watching the show, but definitely by the third episode.
Challenge: Anticipation
Length: 100 words

Summary: Some day, Jiang Yuanbai and his daughter will meet again.


( Read more... )

What I Just Finished Reading

Nothing. Migraine medication side effects happened and I was in bed for four days and unfortunately too tired to read. Plus migraines.

What I'm Reading Now

Comics Wednesday!

( Avengers #36, Iceman Omega #1, Nova Centurion #5 )

What I'm Reading Next

Man, I don't know.

Title: Six Hats and a Suitcase
Fandom: Culture Club
Pairing: Boy George/Jon Moss
Rating: G
Length: 955 words
Content notes: N/A
Author notes: This was so fun to write. I love these two so much.
Written for: Challenge 508 - Anticipation
Summary: George is packing like he's emigrating, Jon is pretending not to panic about how much he cares. Four days before their first holiday together, the flat is full of hats, silk shirts, and things neither of them are quite ready to say out loud. Domestic chaos, soft glances, one suitcase, and the quiet realization that this might be something real.

( Read more... )

Title: Cloudbound Dreaming
Fandom: Doctor Who
Characters: Amy Pond, Rory Williams
Rating: G
Length: 100 words
Summary: And the girl waited with her head above the clouds, dreaming of the day he would return.

( Read more... )

Title: The Big Jump
Fandom: FAKE
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Ryo, Dee.
Rating: PG
Setting: Stuntman AU.
Summary: Stuntmen Randy ‘Ryo’ Maclean and Dee Laytner are buzzing with anticipation and excitement as they get ready for a huge stunt.
Word Count: 1046
Content Notes: Alternate universe.
Written For: Challenge 508: Anticipation.
Disclaimer: I don’t own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.

Title: Sexy Sunday
Author: lucy_roman
Rating: Mature
Summary: Bodie doesn't normally look forward to weekends but this one is different
Pairing: Bodie/Doyle
Word Count: 374

( Sexy Sunday )

Our new challenge is:

ANTICIPATION

As always, you can interpret the prompt literally or figuratively, in whatever way works for you.

Each work created for this challenge should be posted as a new entry to the comm. Posting starts now and continues up until the challenge ends at 4pm Pacific Time on Tuesday, March 10th. No sign-up required.

Mods will tag your work with fandom and challenge. When you've posted entries to three consecutive challenges, you will earn a name tag, and we'll go back and tag all your previous entries with your name.

All kinds of fanworks in all fandoms are welcome. Please have a look at our guidelines before you play. If you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to contact a mod. And if you have any suggestions for future challenges, you can leave them in the comments of this post.

You can view stats for fan_flashworks entries and search and filter them via the Community Report and Creator Report. See our FAQ post for more details.

Also, keep an eye out for the next ffw_social post, which will go up in the next couple of days. If you haven't joined the ffw_social comm, it's never too late to come and check it out. (Posts are locked, which means you have to join to see them.)