Blast, a Meme! (But an interesting one.)

I'm not a big fan of these meme things, but this one seemed interesting. Well, to me, at least. And I couldn't let HBA and Dio down!

1. What's the last thing you wrote? What's the first thing you wrote that you still have?

"A Caledon Christmas." Nothing like Mad Science and gunplay to get in the
holiday spirit! I'm sure I have my high school-era manuscripts around, but I'm
afraid to read them. I recall a novella involving two teenage detectives, a girl
and a boy - like a crossover episode of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, set in
suburbia. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

2. Write poetry?

Yes. Well, except that it always comes out as song lyrics. I hate lazy songwriters who view lyrics as an afterthought.

3. Angsty poetry?

Um. Guilty. At times.

4. Favorite genre of writing?

I've always loved mysteries, as they combine puzzle-solving with exploring the dark side of the human condition. Since I discovered Steampunk, I've been focusing on mysteries set in the Steamlands.

5. Most evil character you've ever created?

Rhianon's Uncle Eamon Malafleur (and his equally odious wife, Hippolita). They in the running for worst child rearers ever. Entirely fictional, fortunately.

6. Best plot you've ever created?

Probably "Smoking Can be Deadly", though I'm always fond of whatever I'm working on at the moment.

7. Coolest plot twist you've ever created?

Maybe the end of "Smoking." I know I didn't see that coming, even if everyone else did.

8. How often do you get writer's bloc?

All the time. Except that it's more like worker's block. Laziness sets in, and I find endless ways to waste time, like playing with new software to make writing more efficient. (Ha!)

9. Write fan fiction?

Nope. I can't remember the canon of anything well enough to try.

10. Do you type or write by hand?

Mostly type, though I'll outline or sketch out some scenes by hand. I love fountain pens and the way they glide across the page, but they're too slow and too messy for long writing sessions. My handwriting has always been lousy, and has deteriorated with age, also leading to the decision to head to the keyboard.

11. Do you save everything you write?

Yes. I secretly hope that some day someone will want all the crap for the Rhianon Jameson archives at a major university.

12. Do you ever go back to an idea after you've abandoned it?

Rarely. I edit as I go and hate going back to something.

13. What's your favorite thing you've ever written?

Hard to say. I'm happy with pieces of everything, and dissatisfied with the entirety of everything.

14. What's everyone else's favorite story you've written?

I dunno, you'll have to ask them. :)

15. Ever written romance or angsty teen drama?

Not really. My sense of the absurd usually kicks in and makes it funny. Well, funny to me, at least.

16. What's your favorite setting for your characters?

The Steamlands.

17. How many projects are you working on now?

Two or three. I'm bad at finishing.

18. Have you ever won an award for your writing?

Back in high school. Even then, it surprised the heck out of me. I dragged my father to the opposite end of the state for a certificate.

19. What are your five favorite words?

Steamlands. Revolver. Airship. Indeed. Snuggle. (Alternatively: "Here's a royalty check, Rhianon.")

20. What character have you created that is most like yourself?

Rhianon. Except for the outgoing, resourceful bit. Well, and the ability to fly an airship.

21. Where do you get your ideas from your characters?

Lord knows! Most are amalgamations of people I've met.

22. Do you ever write based on your dreams?

Rarely. It's hard to remember them. When I do, they usually make no sense.

23. Do you favor happy endings?

I suppose so. Bodies pile up, so any resolution can't be entirely happy, but the world tends to be set aright. As a reader, I'm drawn to endings where the resolution is achieved only through substantial sacrifice, so I try to incorporate some of that, but too much of my own writing is silly and plays up the absurd, so it's harder to do that.

24. Are you concerned with spelling and grammar as you write?

Very much so, as I hate to go back and edit.

25. Does music help you write?

No. I need quiet. Music is what I turn to most often to procrastinate.

26. Quote something you've written. Whatever pops into your head.

"I knew from the start this would end badly."

27. Now, who should I tag?

Emilly Orr and Magdalena Kamenev, who have alluded to fiction writing outside the Steamlands and SL. And the talented people who write for the Primgraph.