in which there is a large amount of nonsense

[ontology]

I'd never heard of steampunk before today (or, rather, I'd heard the term bandied about and didn't pay a great deal of attention), but reading some of the discussion over the really nifty thing that Neil Gaiman linked to in his Journal of Awesome piqued my interest, and off to trusty Wikipedia went I. Now, I am rather deleriously enthralled, and I must find some to read, or watch. Alternate history--I include in this alternate explanations of historical events--is also something that fascinates me endlessly (one of the reasons that Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell was so enchanting--did I never talk about that book? I didn't, and I ought to), as does speculative fiction, and, you know, that Victorian gothic aesthetic. 

The prospect more interesting than reading steampunk fiction is, of course, writing some, but the last thing I need is another novel to wrestle with, and I haven't got any ideas, anyway. It's really a pity that the Evangeline project can't be manipulated into a steampunk sort of universe, but, despite the plot being very vague, only one character having a name--I did settle on the surname Nox, by the by, for what it's worth--and the rest of the lot being twice as vague as the plot, it's settled its universe and aesthetics rather solidly already. I'm beginning to think of it in terms of, well, Anne Rice with a great splash of L.M. Montgomery. (You know, if Anne Rice wrote well.) Probably a few dashes of Gaiman and L'Engle for good measure, and hopefully a great deal of me, as it's my book and all and also all of these writers excepting Anne Rice are far, far more fantastic than I can ever dream of being anyway.

You know, that (deeply magnificent!) production of A Midsummer Night's Dream I went to at our local theatre had some steampunk influences, except without any obvious, er, steam, or a great lot of machinery. There was an odd little sequence with robot-things in it, though. And really awesome music and costumes. I wish I had a videotape of it, except that the quality there would be fairly shoddy, and I don't know if video can come close to the thrill of sitting in the third row and smelling the fog machine and watching Oberon come stalking up the aisle two feet away from you in his leather sleeveless trenchcoat to music that sounded like anthemic gothy folk rock.

Speaking of Neil Gaiman, I love what said recently when he announced he was starting on a new book: "I know it's a real book because there are all sorts of things I don't quite know yet, and I can't wait to find them out." Which is a feeling that I have always had when writing, and never thought clearly enough about to make into words. I love not knowing how my universe works, how all the pieces are going to fit together, how to get from Point A to Point B (and Point C, and on down to Point M, and Point Y), because I get to find out, and that's always a corker of a journey.

Agh, I'm probably going to have to wear my black lace high-necked Victorian blouse tomorrow in order to satiate my sudden hunger for all things gothic Victoriana, and striped stockings and what very abominably prosaic people refer to as 'granny boots' (like these, except mine are slightly less awesome--in my search for a photograph, I found these (!!!!!!!!), which I am currently salivating copiously over; I love that catalogue, too). Except I am going to the youth group of our new church for the first time and probably oughtn't to worry people. And I haven't figured out how to coax my great mess of hair into a pompadour, anyway. Should be fun, actually: apparently it centres around actual discussion and spiritual growth rather than the usual Teens Having Unintelligent And Freely-Sugared Fun, With A Bible Lesson Tossed In Briefly Someplace. (Thanks for the underestimation; I really appreciate it. *is still totally not bitter*) 

By the by, we (meaning I) have set up a blog for updates on Leandra: leandra_erin. There ought to be photographs soon. We (meaning mostly Mum, and occasionally I, and even more occasionally, Dad) should be posting rather frequently. Currently there is an update about how lady_moriel is absolutely spot-on about Leandra being a Gryffindor, as she is already solemnly swearing that she is up to no good making mischief. 

And. Um. Kind of odd specific-yet-very-vague music request, actually. Has anyone got moody, melancholy, atmospheric music that references the ocean, lost love, and preferrably both? I need a song about drowning, too. I'm particularly looking for music that sounds oceany, and a bit old, you know--not necessarily lacking in electronic instrumentation, but not screaming 'MODERN DAY!' at you in two-foot capitals, either. Currently I've got things like Dido's 'My Lover's Gone', Vienna Teng's 'Between', and some very awesome Solas songs that none of you except for lady_moriel is likely ever to have heard (and I don't think she's even got one of them). It's, er, for a mix. Which sprang out of nowhere because 'Between' was kind of perfect. It also happens to be a mix for an obscure branch of an obscure branch of the Tolkienverse (any 'The Mariner's Wife' fans out there? Hiiii...), and, um, yeah. I really do need a drowning song especially. 

Also, I made angelfood cake yesterday, and it was v. good.

Comments

[wanderlight.livejournal.com]

I'll give this a proper reply later -- I've got an insane amount of homework to cram into the next six hours -- but I procrastinated and have song suggestions. Kate Bush's "Hello Earth", possibly Patrick Wolf's "The Shadow Sea" (which may not be what you're looking for; it's practically a capella), PJ Harvey's "The River" (might not sound "old" enough), Porcupine Tree's "Stop Swimming". There's also Charlotte Martin's "The Flood", which is instrumental.

Anyway, give those lyrics a Google, let me know which ones sound like they could work, and I shall upload for you. I hope at least one works...

[faeriemaiden.livejournal.com]

Belated good luck on the copious homework!

Looked over the lyrics, and 'The Shadow Sea', and 'The River' seem particularly apt (especially the line in 'The River' about 'two silent birds', cos there are birds in 'The Mariner's Wife'), and I'll have a go at 'The Flood'. :D Speaking of Charlotte Martin, have you got her version of the lovely folk ballad 'I Am Stretched On Your Grave'? I was looking up some stuff on songmeanings.net and saw she'd done one, and I ♥ that song. I'd be happy to upload Kate Rusby's version for you in return.

[wanderlight.livejournal.com]

Eep. Minus ten points for being so late at replying; bad Rita! Here you are (http://www.mediafire.com/?7wdttzn3dum). ♥

If Charlotte did a copy of that ballad, then I haven't heard of it, and haven't got it, no. :( Will file it in my mind and keep a lookout in the future, though.

[faeriemaiden.livejournal.com]

Rita, these are perfect. Thank you!

I'll nag about on teh_music for 'I Am Stretched On Your Grave'--apparently there are also Sinaed O'Connor and Dead Can Dance versions, and I wannnt them. (Me? Obsessed with different versions of ballads? Never! It's not like I have two versions of 'The House Carpenter' on my hard-drive and a running list of versions I don't have...)

[wanderlight.livejournal.com]

There's also a charlottemartin community; I don't think artist-specific music comms mind if you poke about for rare songs, it's just the uploading of full albums they're picky about. Maybe try there? xD

... I will have to poke you for some of those ballads sometime; I don't have nearly enough.

[lexiedoh.livejournal.com]

Well... seeing as this has only just very recently come out, it might be a bit too modern, but it certainly doesn't seem very typically mainstream to me. Anyway, it's called "Into the Ocean" and it's by Blue October, and it specifically references drowning, the ocean, and it seems to me to have tints of lost love as well. I've lately become rather fond of it. I would send it to you, but it's protected... actually, are you authorised on my iTunes account? I can't remember. Anyway, that's the only thing I can think of right now.

[midenianscholar.livejournal.com]

Ugh, have a huge headache but will try to comment with some form of intellegence.

steampunk sounds interesting. even though I haven't been able to read all about it due to said headache. But yeah. interesting.

gosh, you sound depressing. "I need a song about drowning!!!" heh. Ummmm. I don't know of any--OH. Maybe one in my Across the Sea CD. I'll try to look at it when I'm on the other computer. I don't remember any of the songs right now. But they have a lot of songs about sailors who died/disappeared/whatever. Very sad.

[ressie-noldo.livejournal.com]

Er, my own Novel Project O'Doom Wot I Don't Normally Mention? Is maybe sort-of steampunk. (Well, it's nothing so much as 'bloody insane', but it does involve a sort of semi-historical setting with machines in it. So that counts, kind of.)


And 'The Mariner's Wife'?! *fangirls*

[litalicious.livejournal.com]

Never actually read Steampunk, but I LOVED Chris Bachalo's artwork for it. Some of the main characters actually made a crossover into some Uncanny X-men issues last fall, if you're interested. ^_^

[lady-moriel.livejournal.com]

Yay, steampunk. I think I've known vaguely what it is for quite a while but didn't specifically look it up until...let me see...the guy who does the Doctor Who recaps on Televsion Without Pity made a reference to it during the "empire of the wolf" bit in the recap for "Tooth & Claw," and I realized that while I've never read any real steampunk (well...somebody mentioned A Series of Unfortunate Events, but I don't think it's quite that), I'd love to. It sounds awesome. (Well, and cleolinda's Black Ribbon thing is apparently steampunk, but I never read much of it...the format was a little too confusing, plus I didn't have time.) And that thing from Gaiman's site is...interesting. I don't quite know what to think of it, really. It looks very awesome, but it doesn't really get anywhere, and it's all sort of postmodernistly pointless, and guh. I don't know.

I haven't read any Anne Rice. I probably should, just to see what she's like, and because, you know, vampires. Or much Montgomery, because I am a bad person. And I'm curious now: when did you discover Neil Gaiman? 'Cause I keep hearing things about him from charismitaine, mermaidrain, and honorh, but I haven't read any of his stuff, even though I'd like to dig up the Sandman graphic novels.

watching Oberon come stalking up the aisle two feet away from you in his leather sleeveless trenchcoat to music that sounded like anthemic gothy folk rock.

Anthemic gothy folk rock...that sounds very, very cool.

(Er, and your second bootsquee link doesn't work, BTW.)

So you're basically making a mix for a fanfic you still haven't finished? ^-^ Well, no, not really, I suppose. But still. And, um...I feel like I have at least one song that would be perfect, and I can't for the life of me think what song it might be. Um, you have all the Emiliana Torrini songs I do; with a name like "Fisherman's Woman," one of those would probably work. I'll let you know if I think of anything.

Re. leandra_erin: Lovely pictures. That one of Heidi is fantastic--you should put it up on dA. (Er, and she looks a lot like I did at that age, weirdly enough, except my hair wasn't quite that dark.)

[faeriemaiden.livejournal.com]

Drat you for finding out about Cool Stuff first and never mentioning it. ;) I'd forgotten why I liked Disney's Atlantis so much--sure, weakish plot and all, but EDWARDIAN ERA. WITH EDWARDIAN SUBMARINES AND STUFF. Seriously, that stuff was way cooler than Atlantis. (Okay, and the art was pretty.) ...Er, what were we talking about? Oh, yeah. Steampunk is nifty. *nods* Must hunt some down. Or write some. Or just wear my military jacket and my cravatish thing cos my creativity is sort of spent.

There is Anne Rice at my library (of course), but it is all very nasty bent and battered paperback that has me cringing just looking at the spines, and I am afraid of the vampire sex, so, yeah. *scuttle* Libraries discourage the use of white-out on their books. And, um. I think I read Gaiman last autumn--yeah, I got Coraline on my first bicycle trip to the library, liked it, and got Stardust the next(?) time 'round, which I liked tremendously, and never mentioned because...I don't know. I am bad at reviewing things, and the whole day was so perfect, so far as I remember, that I couldn't push it into words. I had a good, new book, and chocolate, and my bed was actually made, and it was lovely and autumnal out my window, and that sort of thing is magical. Anansi Boys is quite good, too, and there my library's stash ends. I'm interested in Sandman rather a lot, but don't see any likelihood of reading it until I move to a larger city with better libraries. ...And I just remembered that Gaiman was on one of the last programmes I saw on the History Channel before we moved, about the history of the comic book, which was very nifty, and he had an awesome accent.

So you're basically making a mix for a fanfic you still haven't finished? ^-^ Well, no, not really, I suppose. But still. And, um...I feel like I have at least one song that would be perfect, and I can't for the life of me think what song it might be. Um, you have all the Emiliana Torrini songs I do; with a name like "Fisherman's Woman," one of those would probably work. I'll let you know if I think of anything.

Shush, you. :D I do intend to finish it, someday, when I've got my own computer and can sort it out, because it was starting to lag and retell Tolkien, which was dull, but I'm not forseeing any quick fixes.

I'm going to give Fisherman's Woman another listen, because it all sounds exactly right, but I haven't zeroed in on any particularly fitting lyrics just yet.

[lady-moriel.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, Atlantis--I'd forgotten about that. Yeah, plot that started good and got lamer and more confusing as things went on (the people don't know what their crystals do? Except...they totally do? They should be dying, except...they're totally not?), and weird New Age stuff, but it was pretty. Especially the steampunk bits--which, now that you mention it, definitely qualify as such.

*needs to hunt up some books now*

Oh, and for other songs--try "The Water Is Wide" by Charlotte Church (http://www.mediafire.com/?fnic2xd22yy)...it's a pretty song anyway ("Carrickfergus," (http://www.mediafire.com/?0zjmyyzdmyn) on a similar theme, is prettier, but it doesn't relate as well), but it's definitely about love and the ocean...most if it is more about missing a lover, but the last bit sounds perfect:

O love is handsome
and love is fine
And love's a jewel while it is new
But when it is old, it grows so cold
and fades away like morning dew...

[lady-moriel.livejournal.com]

Re: steampunk: Airborn by Kenneth Oppel (the Silverwing guy, yes) is maybe sort of steampunk. It's like...early 1900s, except with airships/zeppelins/blimps/whatever you want to call them. And weird creatures. And sky pirates. And it's really pretty cool.

Annnd...well, I'm not sure if you ever read Diana Wynne Jones' Howl's Moving Castle, but while I'm not positive that would count as steampunk, I'd say Miyazaki's adaptation of it would. Everything looks sort of Victorian, only they've got airplane...things. And magic. Or, possibly, my definition of steampunk is just messed up. >_< Could be.

[lady-moriel.livejournal.com]

Oh, wait, I know--have you got any October Project in? "Deep as You Go" has drowning, of course, but the overall tone is no good. "Ariel" would work, though--it's about loss, I think, and maybe love, and definitely the ocean.

[safebox.livejournal.com]

That Midsummer production sounds really awesome! Ah, I love that play and all the amazing ways it can be staged. And I'm really very intrigued by this steampunk you speak of.

Mmm, interesting music request! Alas, nothing springs to mind that fits the bill.

[trollywoodqueen.livejournal.com]

Banui my dear! So, I listened to you and set up a livejournal. (please forgive the misspelling of trolley in my username, they do only allow you a certain number of characters you know!) It's not much yet...I have quite a long way to go in order to figure out how to make it as pretty as yours.

It'll probably never get there though, you are gifted, if I might say. Hope to hear back from you soon,
Me

[trollywoodqueen.livejournal.com]

For instance, how do you get all that stuff on the side of your page? Like the calendar and your interests, etc... I'm usually not too bad figuring this stuff out, but there's so much I just don't get...*sigh*

Oh I'll stop bugging you for now...

[faeriemaiden.livejournal.com]

Hiii!! :DD *waves*

Different layouts have different options: the one that I'm using (Flexible Squares) has got a sidebar with a 'free text' box and links and tags and whatnot, and the one you're using doesn't have those options. (Which is a pity, 'cos I love that layout, but no sidebar makes me a bit twitchy.)

And I knew it was you; no worries. ^-^

[trollywoodqueen.livejournal.com]

I haven't even mentioned yet that this is Ryn, have I? Dear I am daft...so sorry.

[trollywoodqueen.livejournal.com]

On February 23rd, 2007 03:47 am (UTC), trollywoodqueen replied:
I honestly didn't think you were the Sawyer/Kate type...but it makes me happy to know that you are. At least that's what I got from your post...sorry if I'm wrong. I'll tell you exactly what the bickering was about (you'll have to forgive me, I'm a shameless shipper, but I also love the complexity of those two characters)
Both Kate and Sawyer have obvious trust issues, and because they both are such hurt, scarred people, it is nearly impossible for either of them to admit that they love someone. And even after they both did (kate: I love him, I love him! and Sawyer I love you too) I think they're both incredibly insecure about it. It terrifies them to think that they could be in love. Sawyer cons, Kate runs, and any kind of commitment scares them. Sawyer brought it up, I think, to hurt himself more than anything. He wanted closure, you know? He wanted to prove to himself that she didn't really love him, and Kate was so heartbroken by what he said, and in return, angry, that she couldn't reply. So, to Sawyer, he got his confirmation, but, I for one, am not worried. They are not over by a long shot...it was very obvious to me, in the first 6 epis, that they both love each other very much, and they are bound to hurt each other...but I think they have a real shot.

And..."sally slingshot?" That was pricless...:D

Sorry for that rambling...you really shouldn't get me started on Skate stuff...I'm slightly obsessive. Thanks for the encouragement for tomorrow as well...I honestly wish I could just call out or something. I really do not want to do it! But I must. :(

Sorry again for the insane length of this comment...*sighs*

[builtofsorrow.livejournal.com]

Now I really must read all the steampunk I can get my hands on.

And I can't believe you made angelfood from scratch! I'm officially jealous now; that's been on my List of Things To Do Someday for years (maybe I'll do it over Spring Break, although I've got a whole list of other things I want to make as well, so we'll see).

Also: I'll keep an ear out for songs.

[anthon1.livejournal.com]

Hi; have friended you on the wonderful wanderlight's recommendation, and would have written a far more sensical first sentance if it hadn't been for the fact that doing it this way allowed me to use a semi-colon as my first punctuation mark. I hope you don't mind.

(In fact, between starting this and finishing it I have commented on your writing journal anyway; but the point still stands. And now there are two.)

The reason I commented on this particular entry rather than the most recent one, which would have made far more sense, is that you mentioned steampunk, and I have recently read China Meíveille's Perdido Street Station, which is a magnificant example of how wonderful steampunk can; it is inventive and baroque and bizarre, and I loved it. (It is built in a world that is not explained but simply travelled in, and we meet scientists and criminals and underground reporters and artists and dock-workers and mercenaries and politicians and the Ambassador of Hell, and we see analogue computers and flintlock pistols and a menagerie of things with wings and photographic evidence of a long-resolved nuclear-style war and silent women who have scarab-beetles for their heads, and I cannot recomend it enough.)

[faeriemaiden.livejournal.com]

Hullo! *waves* Well, I don't mind new friends (always v. exciting & splendid!), and I don't mind semi-colons, either, so we're all good, eh? :D *is awkward at introducing & stuff*

And thank you very much for the book recommendation!! Ever since I stumbled on steampunk I've been wondering where to go next, and...yes. Also I read much too quickly and am therefore always running out of things to read until I find new things. (Unfortunately, first I need to apply for a job in order to earn the money necessary to pay off my $45 dollar library fine, which is mostly the fault of a snowstorm, I SWEAR. I have, like, six books lined up that I am desperate to read, which is a really good incentive to find work. :D)

[anthon1.livejournal.com]

*is awkward at introducing & stuff*

I always feel terribly awkward, to the point of seriously considering making myself a 'Will breaking the candlestick' icon to use on these occaisions - but as I'm lazy, I just have to resort to twisted and hesitant syntax instead...

Also, ampersands. :D Glee. :D:D:D

Unfortunately, first I need to apply for a job in order to earn the money necessary to pay off my $45 dollar library fine, which is mostly the fault of a snowstorm, I SWEAR.

I feel your pain. I have a similar fine, which is why a large chunk of my allowance seems to be flowing into the coffers of various second-hand and charity bookshops near to where I tend to lurk, despite the fact that it's probably more expensive in the long run and the fact that my school library has interesting things in it...

[faeriemaiden.livejournal.com]

At least you can't see me shuffling online. I can edit the awkwardness! (I don't always manage convincingly, but at least I manage. ^-^)

Oh, drat you people and your good bookstores. ;p I've got one Waldenbooks in my small-town mall, and one used bookstore that has...well, sometimes I manage to find something really fantastic (I'm really annoyed with myself for not buying one of the two copies of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell they had last time I went, and I haven't been able to get around since), but they have two shelves of romance novels and nearly all of the sci-fi and fantasy is pulpy stuff, alas. They do have an excellent little cafe, though.

[anthon1.livejournal.com]

Jonathon Strange & Mr Norrel is a wonderful wonderful book. I initially picked it up at my school library because it was so overwhelmingly huge that I couldn't not read it, although fitting it in my bag to carry home was another matter and bought a paperback copy when it came out because it was so wonderful. A couple of weeks ago I discovered that because it was one of Bloomsbury's Top 21 books, Waterstones was selling copies of it for insanely low prices (along with a mysteriously shiny edition of Smoke & Mirrors, and some other things) to the extent that my immediate thought was 'Who do I know that I can give a copy to, as I can't buy one for myself?' (I ended up giving it to all_my_words because I thought she'd like it, although she didn't appreciate having to carry it around all afternoon.)

I am really very lucky, because I have an insane over-abundance of bookshops and coffeeshops within easy striking travelling distance. Are they able to order in stuff for you at Waldenbooks, or are you entirely at the mercy of their whims?

[lady-moriel.livejournal.com]

Wait wait I know, how about "Sea People" from Love in the Time of Science? I dunno, it just sounds sort of right:

Can you ever see me as you did before
Can you ever see me like you did once more
When I look into your eyes
I can breathe in water
Like you

When you say goodbye
My lungs ache filled with water
'Cause I will always love you

It's certainly about drowning, anyway.

Also, re: other songs, what did you think about the various ones I shoved at you suggested for this and Tuesday Skyline?

[lady-moriel.livejournal.com]

(Am I being helpful here or just annoying? I never know. *bites nails*)

Er, I was doing rather a lot of lyrics-reading today for other purposes, and I think "Fisherman's Woman" might also do decently well--parts of it are right, anyway, even if the exact situation isn't the same. Also, there's this one I just stumbled across--I've no idea how it sounds, because I haven't got it, but the lyrics (http://artists.letssingit.com/into-the-ocean-calling-you-lyrics-into-the-ocean-calling-you-55998vh) aren't bad.

[faeriemaiden.livejournal.com]

Nope, you're not annoying; I'm just horrifically lazy and forgetful. (How long have I been meaning to reply to your tuesday_skyline comments? Hang that: how long have I been meaning to do just what you suggested? ...Er. Rather a while before you suggested it. Er. *shuffle*)

I ♥ 'Fisherman's Woman', but I'm not--quite--sure about it. (Is it bad that I just said 'I and-hearts' in my head when I typed that? My mind is going; I need to let the cat in and go to bed.)

[lady-moriel.livejournal.com]

I just finally--as in, last week--looked up online how to make the little hearts. Had to find it on some Unicode site. >_<

How long have I been meaning to reply to your tuesday_skyline comments? Hang that: how long have I been meaning to do just what you suggested? ...Er. Rather a while before you suggested it. Er. *shuffle*

Well, I just uploaded them all for you on my fast (as in, much faster than my cable modem at home, for some reason) work connection, and you now have NO EXCUSE, so HA (yes, they're out of order. Deal.):
Here Comes the Sun (http://www.mediafire.com/?0ayntj1yjby)
The Coconut Dog / The Morning Dew (http://www.mediafire.com/?9junmmumywh)
Mystery (http://www.mediafire.com/?cdfm3rdicoo)
Devils & Dust (http://www.mediafire.com/?9ewdwmijent)
Darkness, Darkness (http://www.mediafire.com/?bdznniego2g)
God Put a Smile on Your Face (http://www.mediafire.com/?0dzhnnwntom)
Paralyzed (http://www.mediafire.com/?60zgdnzgnmy)
Boston (http://www.mediafire.com/?ezdmbllxzzn)
We Have Forgotten (http://www.mediafire.com/?5mmoiutfiwt)
Boats & Birds (http://www.mediafire.com/?5izzmy4laen)
Everything's Not Lost (http://www.mediafire.com/?5gmmry1ngze)
Suddenly I See (http://www.mediafire.com/?btj0yddgihn)
A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall (http://www.mediafire.com/?bknjkynjdgx)
Plenty of Paper (http://www.mediafire.com/?9yydkonk3yn)
Be My Hero (http://www.mediafire.com/?9jvyekhylod)

AND I even uploaded you a zip (http://www.mediafire.com/?7mnerrjjzuf)! (Here's hoping it works on Windows. Supposedly it does, but as I zipped it on a Mac, I've no idea, really.) Am I not awesome? :p So, now you can just use all those links instead of the old Sendspace links on the original post, and we will all be happy.

[faeriemaiden.livejournal.com]

Oh Lord Kyra, I feel horrible. I'm so sorry I didn't respond to this or put the links up and I really don't have any good excuses. I mean, I was going to write a panicky reply consisting of "BUT BEFORE I POST A MIX I HAVE TO DECIEVE PEOPLE INTO THINKING STUFF IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING: MUST WRITE VIGNETTE NOW OMG", and then I got distracted, or something--I honestly can't remember. And then I realised that the links must've expired by now, and...AAGH. *emo* I will upload you any mess of stuff you want to make up for it, and if you can't make the links downloadable again with a little click here and there and not re-uploading then I will feel a bit more rotten, but there you go. D: (Bad lazy Banui.)

(And yes, of course you are awesome, vampire dearest. And, um, I learnt to make the little hearts by watching other people do it wrong(ly?). Heh. I think this is my usual way of figuring stuff out, actually. I think it was when <lj user="faequeene" wrote them in caps and discovered that it didn't work, and I was all, "ooh, CODE! now I don't have to look like an idiot n00b with asking about it".) &hearts;

[lady-moriel.livejournal.com]

Well, Mediafire scared me for two or three days a minute there, because some of the files still seemed to be there and some weren't, except sometimes they'd show up in my list of files and sometimes they wouldn't but the link was still good, and sometimes they'd be in the list but the link was bad, and it didn't make any sense because their FAQ says they won't delete your files unless they're old and they're running out of server space, and even then they'll notify you. Which they didn't. But, it's all good because they were doing upgrades and maintenance for the last few days which messed everything up, and now that they're finally done, the files are all still there and the links are just fine.

So, yes. As for making people think something's going on--well, just give them a plot description (er. Well, just premise description, then...) and say you haven't been doing much with it lately but you will and people can still read the vignettes that are already up. I mean, I'm sort of not working on a Thieves' Honor fanmix, and there's almost nothing coherent or recent around for people to read, so...

[lady-moriel.livejournal.com]

Re: steampunk--Treasure Planet is sort of...well, I guess it's really not steampunk. It's more like...sailpunk? I don't know. :p I did just find Airborne by Kenneth Oppel, which might or might not be semi-steampunk; I haven't read it yet.