Soledad's Journal

So, I've finished the Never-Ending Translation(TM) this morning. Yay!

It's still just a first draft that will need some serious editing, but honestly, the mere fact that I'm done with it makes me feel seven feet tall.

Yesteday afternoon I've also put together the list of my original (insectoid) characters, listing them by names, writing down which of the six Castes (Swarm-leaders, Guardians, Researchers, Nurturers, Caretakers or the Honour Guard, aka warriors) and which of the six genders (fertile females aka Queens, fertile males, infertile females, infertile males, neuters with female chromosomes and neuters with male chromosomes) do they belong. I also made the decision of the official (English) names of the six Castes, their respective colours and their names, which depend on their Caste and their position within said Caste... It is a really complex thing, and I've made several continuity errors during the translation, which I'll have to weed out as I type up and re-read the whole stuff.

I did the same with the Andorian characters: I determined their names, the subspecies and the genders they belong to. The Andorians having four genders is semi-canon (established in the DS9 relaunch novels), based on Data's statement that Andorian marriage requires four partners. The Enterprise series contradict this, but I always cheerfully ignored the canon rape that is Enterpise, even though the show did grow on me after four or so attempts to re-watch it. Like fungus.

In any case, it is an enormous relief to have "The Sins of the Mothers" fully translated, despite the awful lots of work I'll still have with it before the rest can be posted to AO3 and the Pit of Voles. The first half of it that I've found acceptable for public consumption can be read here, in case anybody is interested. There will be small corrections in these chapters, too, but they'll stay basically the same.

What can I say? The new year started off well enough.


Unbelievable, but true: I actually won a MEFA with a Hobbit story! Go figure! In the offical wording: Elf-root received First Place in Races: Hobbits: Bilbo Baggins. Go figure. I've neve dreamed of winning with a Hobbit story, there are so many Hobbit-writers who're much better known and definitely more popular than I will ever be, and yet... Heh! I'm completely baffled. Especially as some of my best stuff was nominated last year and failed to win. Fandom is strange indeed.

In other news, I've finally finished The Child yesterday. It's the third installment of the "Lost Years" series, and it took me years to translate from the original Hungarian/Geman mishmash into English. Mostly Original Trek, with a few cameos of the original BSG characters who are now established part of this universe.

This is a series based on the unfilmed ideas of the never-realised Phase II of the Original Series. I've already written five novel-length stories years ago, and "The Child" is the third that has finally been translated... well, thoroughly rewritten, actually, some plotlines taken out, others heavily modified, so it's almost a new story now. Had much fun with the intricacies of Deltan culture.

Previous parts are:

LY Ep 00: Crossroads, which is the pilot episode of the entire series, and takes part shortly after the last episode of the Original Series.

LY Ep 01: The Joy Machine, which is the first adventure of the Enterprise's second five-year-mission.

To the same alternate universe belong:
The Lost Warrior, taking place shortly after "Crossroads", which concentrates on Starbuck's fate,

and Mission to Daleth IV, set before "Crossroads", during the 3rd year of the Original Series.

These two latter ones didn't belong the original concept and were written directly in English, which is why they are a) grammatically less insulting and b) finished long before of the older stuff.

The "Lost Years" series represent the very first pieces of fanfic I've ever finished, some of it written ten, twelve years ago. They might not be my best or most original stuff, but they are the dearest to me - it's a nostalgic thing.

Posted two new chapters to my original Trek/original Galactica x-over, The Joy Machine. Another two chapters and a short epilogue, and it's done. Go me!

Of to post them to FF.Net as well - not that anyone but Lisa would read it, but I don't want to leave any potential readers bereft of the pelasure. [/sarcasm]

Long and disjointed entry ahead. Various things that have absolute nothing to do with each other beyond the various tags. You've been warned. *g*

Sick leave over
( Read more... )

News from Nightmare City
( Read more... )

Books and TV
( Read more... )

Kitchen duty
( Read more... )

Writing
( Read more... )

Well, that's all for today. I told you it would be boring. But perhaps tomorrow I'll report in about the Big, Fat House Cleaning of Hell (TM). That will make you bite your nails, eh?

I added Chapter 4 to "The Joy Machine" and a half-finished Chapter 11 to "The Lost Warrior". The former can be found on FF.Net and otherworlds_lib, of the latter you can only get a sneak peek at the LJ community.

In other news, it's snowing, but I don't believe that would hinder our self-proclaimed patriots to ruin half the city centre again. Gosh, I hate this. I wish my groups in every fandom weren't dead, so that I could take my mind off what's happening around me and happily occupy it with things that really don't matter.

Is posted to FF.Net and otherworlds_lib.
FF.Net stats: 910 hits and 7 reviews.

What can I say? I'm really, really on a roll. Well, at least I was until know. We'll see if it lasts. I'd love to finish a story within an acceptable timeframe, just once.

Still coughing. Still scared shitless of tomorrow. *sighs*
I can't think of anything else to write, but I thought I'd make an entry as long as my computer screen is with me.