Hello!  Welcome to my "writing journal."  It's not actually a writing journal as in a journal for writing... well I suppose it kind of is, seeing as all sorts of communication is made by writing.  What I meant was that this isn't a journal where I will post my various writing projects (those will remain on Fictionpress), but instead I will use this as a journal of sorts to keep track of my ideas and various musings on aforementioned writing projects.  Hopefully it won't be too incredibly boring, as I tend to ramble on about all sorts (such as now... it just takes me a long time to get to a point, unfortunately), but if you stick around then maybe it might get a tad more interesting!

Oh, and you might be wondering why this journal is called "jstaples" while my pen-name is Alex J. Finn.  Jstaples stands for Jennifer Staples, who is a character in one of my stories titled "Don't You Know, I'd Die For You," and she's starting to insist on becoming a prominent character in a yet-to-be-determined writing endeavour.  All my characters are starting to have lives of their own, nowadays.  I suppose it should be a good thing.

If anyone reads this, I'm really sorry that I haven't updated Krugers and Ashes in so long.  I really don't know how to tackle the next plot-thread, because there are so many ways to do it and I'm not satisfied with either one.  I need it to fall into place in the long run and none of them fit in just precisely.  I'm also tackling a few ficathons (NEVER AGAIN) so that's taking priority as well.

Next chapter should be around sometime this month; I'm hoping so anyway.

My hands are very cold and I'm sitting on the left one, so I'm only typing this with one hand.  Which means that I'm typing much slower.  So slow, in fact, that  I may lose many trains of thought.  So I'm not gonna think too much.  Thank goodness this chapter was rather straightforward.

Mel seems to have done some thinking about Kevin when she went on her run.  I'm not completely satisfied with the way I handled that this chapter -- it seemed way too skimmy.  At any rate, Kevin wasn't meant to be a very big factor -- the last two chapters are setting up another conflict.  I can safely tell you guys right now that Kevin/Mel aren't going to be canon per se, but Mel/Kevin is definitely going to get some people riled up.  You'll find out what I mean.

So, chapter 23.  I think the main crisis was quite obvious -- if you hadn't figured it out, it will be explicitly clear next chapter.  I think Mel and Steph are going to have a heck of a time dealing with the consequences of this.

Also, I think Kerwyn is going to make an appearance again! 

Holy crap I just realised the hugest ever plotline for Mel's glasses to be taken off.  I've been stressing about how she's going to do it... It's not like she's going to take them off for Steph as soon as whenever; also, I can almost see the end and Mel is nowhere near ready for the "big reveal."  I'm a bit worried that this new plot may be slightly disingenuous but I think it'll fly much better than what I originally intended.  I can't wait to see where I can take it.

Instead of studying, I've decided to try something new.  So after I've uploaded each new chapter (and hopefully the next one won't be TOO long), I thought I'd post thoughts and motives regarding the stuff that happened in that chapter.  I think you'll see what I mean soon enough :)

So, what better chapter to start off with than chapter 21, where we see Mel and Steph about a month into their new relationship.

[I still can't believe I made them play tennis in winter, btw.  I think I'll start putting more tennis in as the year progresses... Yearly tennis!  What could be better?]

Anyway, I think it's interesting that we seem to have constant changeover in terms of stereotypical adult-teenager roles; in chapter 20 it was Steph who was eager to push for the relationship, but she's careful to make sure they don't get caught, and initially Mel was a bit more restrained and cautious (and seemed almost reluctant to enter the relationship), but she's the one who initiates the kissing (and subsequently sex).  I think that Mel has Steph unconsciously wrapped around her finger; Steph doesn't try to resist all that much (although who could!) and even tries to "return the favour" even though she has to go in a few.

A few things to think about:
+  What's Mel's "disability"?  I'm aiming to hint quite strongly at it in forthcoming chapters, and all will be revealed in good time!

+  Kevin/Mel?  I think Kevin's a very important part of this story, and their previous bandmate friendship will be quite different after this.  What's Dom going to say (what's happened to Dom, anyway)?

+  I still have reveal more about Mel's past... Still no mention from Steph about Mel's sexual abuse at the hands of Traylor Trash.  Is Steph going to be psychologist or girlfriend in this instance?  Can she be both?

So much for having the next chapter up on time.  This is madness!  I'm devoting, almost literally, all my spare time to studying for exams and stuff like that.  I was saying to my family yesterday that I really use my room for the bed nowadays... everything else is done at uni.  Sometimes even three meals at uni...

Anyway, I'm still coaxing that plot bunny to grow for the latest chapter of K&A.  To be honest, I'll be hecked if I can remember what number I'm up to.  I know it's early-20s, but that's about it.  I have a good idea of where the next few chapters are going to head; it's just a matter of setting everything up properly so it can all fall into place (but not TOO easily).

Bear with me, if anyone actually reads this!  No story is dead yet :)

Wow, I haven't updated this in a while.  I don't think there's much to say, really... RL has been catching up with an even more hectic second-year which requires me to actually study for stuff :( and I'm not keeping up very well.

In regards to K&A, I think I'm at a bit of a rut.  Yeah, I think.  I mean, I don't know how to get to my next landmark, which is ages away.  I know exactly what I want to happen, but I can't make it happen right now unless I want it to be completely random and "Where the fuck did that come from?"  I guess RL work is also keeping me from thinking about it -- I never seem to think about plots and tangents during classes or between them nowadays.

There's still a ways to go with K&A.  I think I'm about 2/3 of the way through.  I was aiming for a weekly update, but time just flies so quickly!   It's been almost three weeks since the last update and I didn't even realise.  I'll definitely try to start a new chapter tonight, after I finish some lab homework.

I came up with a last name for Terence just before, today, and I've forgotten it.  I knew I should've written it down... Ah well.  I'm sure I can come up with some symbolical thing about not revealing her last name.

Oh!  Percy!  It was Percy.  Terence Percy.  Which sounds a bit ridiculous and I probably won't stick with it, but it's nice to know that it's there if I ever want it.  I also had Terence Parker as a frontrunner (there isn't any other kind of runner right now, actually).  Neither one has a "Yes!  That's the one!" feel to it, though, not like Erica Blair which I simply love (and Terence loves, too).




I would like to rec this author to any folk who actually read this LJ:

ColdCoffeeEyes25

She's (I'm pretty sure it's a female) got a really mature style, really fluent and skilled.  One of those writers who makes me not really want to write any more.  Check it out!

So much for posting the chapter tonight.  I'm getting there, though!  I'm missing my unofficial monthly deadline, but I'm getting there!

If you say it’s hard, you’re raising yourself up because you can do something that’s really hard.  If you say it’s easy, you’re also raising yourself up because you’re so good you can make something really hard look/seem easy.   Damn it.