FFA entries, and a review that's bugging me.

[mhalachai]

Five entries in FFA today:
Over Tea (Giles/Ginny)
Over Champagne (The Mayor/Bruce Wayne)
Over the Phone (Harmony/Bert Vaughn)
Over Books (Tara/Frost)
Over Bodies (Dawn/Frank Kohanek)

I gave myself two hours for FFAs, and these are what I got. Not bad, if I do say so myself.

I've got 72 reviews so far on Mind the Gap. Of those, only two are negative. One, from early on, mentioned that I didn't seem to have a grasp on the chracters. I've since gotten other nice reivews from that same person, so I think I can say I've dealt with that concern as the story progressed.

Today's review, though, said that the crossover is forced, but that I'm doing a good job with it. I'm not sure what to make of that. I emailed the person and asked if there's anything she can point me to, that demonstrates what she's talking about, but nothing back yet. I thought about this while I was at the gym. Yes, I have a much better handle on the Anita Blake in general than Buffy, but I don't think it's forced. Do you?

Then there are the 70 other reviews that say I'm doing a great job, some by repeat visitors, but am I listening to them? *headdesk* Repeat after me: You're overthinking on this. Just get back to what you want to write, do it as best you can, and that's the best you can do. Lather, rinse, repeat.

It's just that this is my first foray into fic in a few years (not MtG, but everything I posted since I joined TTH in September) and I want everyone to like me.

God, I'm being maudlin. I blame the weather.
ETA: I'm insane. She was talking about the intrinsic perils of crossing Buffy and Anita Blake. Never mind me.

Comments

[lizey.livejournal.com]

*I* like you. In fact, I actually went through your list of stories, read them all and then went to your LJ because I particularly like the way you write. MtG is one of my favourite five WIPs (how do I know? I'm trying to read less fanfic. MtG is on the list of must check for updates).
But crossovers are tricky like that. In a sense they are always forced, because every 'verse has its own rules, and in order to cross them over, you have to mess with them a little. For that reason, a lot of people dislike crossovers on principle or when reading them, feel that the story is a let down a bit by the crossed-ness.
Reviewer in question might have been like the above, referring to the way you have to reclassify the Sunnydale demons and such.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for your kind words. I hadn't actually thought of that 'verse mush problem as being "forced" in this situtation, but you're absolutley right. I've found that Anita Blake and Buffy are two of the hardest to cross, because the rules for vampires as so bloody strict in both worlds. No one's ever happy when you try and explain the differences away, so I'm not really bothering in this story. It won't impact the story at all, luckily, but only because there are no Buffyverse vamps to contend with.

The Sunnydale demon thing I did, back in the first chapter (?) was so I could introduce Bolverk, as I did, and still be able to call it a demon. When AB is also so strict about its demons being of biblical proportions, what do you do? I guess the answer is never explain anything unless you have to, right? To quote Pepe Le Pew, Le sigh.

I'm glad you are enjoying MtG. I should have another update by tomorrow, in which Anita does what she does best: mess things up :P

[lizey.livejournal.com]

Ooh, goody. I have to admit that I was disappointed to find the latest all dream-sequency, but it was needed and chapters can only be so long. I'm getting into fangirl territory, but I also love your plot. It exists (have been reading too many romances), it's interesting, as several others have said, it's the kind of writing that Incubus Dreams should've been, and it's fast-paced. I'm really getting sick of all this high drama in fanfic.
And icon love.
I think I should perhaps go find something to dislike about you, in the interest of balance...

I heart the David Bowie Icons

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

These dream sequency parts were needed, but I can guarentee there will be no more. Can't have Dawn story and ignore Dawn, eh? The next time we see Dawn, she'll be living in the real world (although her real world involves teh creepy Isaac, so I'm not sure that's an improvement).

I'm glad you are enjoying the plot, and it makes me happy that other people see it working out. If you have any comments at all, I'd love to hear them, as it involves my favourite topic: Me. (j/k...)

Regarding ID... You know, I see why LKH had those, like, 800 pages of sex scenes, because if you take the end result of each, they moved the plot forward (even the Nathaniel sex, if only to get her more centred on the whole concept of him as her boyfriend. But the plot did fit in a paper bag, and I have a suspicion I know why. So, at the beginning, we had Marianne calling her and telling Anita that an old teacher will come back into her life, right? So Edward. But then all this sex plot happens, and no room for Edward. So he's shoved to the next book. My prediction is that Edward will come in to help her solve that Brown case, the one with the mutilated teenagers? And you know why? Because I think Olaf was the killer in that case. Anyway, so there's the whole buildup to the Edward entrance, and then no room left.

As to things you can dislike about me... I hate to hang my clothes up and I'm scared of mice? :P

Re: I heart the David Bowie Icons

[lizey.livejournal.com]

But I share those things, damnit. My drawers are overstuffed because of it.

I see what you mean about ID, and I do think that Nathaniel's character was developed well, but I think it should've been done differently.
Do you read her blog? I read a few entries and stumbled across some comments on Edward/Olaf (and if that doesn't look wrong). If you haven't read her blog, she actually said that the book got too long and that while Edward and Olaf were supposed to come into this book, it would be the next one. Hope that wasn't really a spoiler.

Re: I heart the David Bowie Icons

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

I do read her blog, actually, and I did read that part. (I think that anyone slashed with Olaf is so. very. wrong.)

As I mentioned yesterday, the next part of MtG is ready, but TTH is doing its usual mid-day breakdown, so I can't log in to upload. *pouts*. You'd think with the number of people hiting the site, there'd be more more stories for upload.

Oh, there it is. Off to upload MtG 7.1.