agilebrit: (Writer of Wrongs)
And now I'm finally getting off my tushie and doing it. What is "this?" you ask, as well you should. "This" is posting the BeagleFic here as a freebie with a tip jar. I'm of the firm opinion that authors should do stuff like this from time to time, on the Baen Free Library model of "If they like the free stuff, they might be induced to actually buy the other stuff."

This is the story of the intrepid captain of the Inquisitive Tamandua (see what I did there? It's a curious anteater! Only more flowery), Russell Fisk, and what happens to him when he takes on a rather unusual job smuggling a pack of hunting dogs to a guy in desperate need of them before the neighbors have his head because of the rabbit problem he's caused. Fair warning, this did appear many years ago in much altered form as a Firefly story, but I've cut down my crew and added aliens. And a subplot.

So, I will shut up and get out of the way of the story.


Illegal Beagles
by Julie Frost



Captain Russell Fisk slouched into the co-pilot's chair of his battered interplanetary tramp freighter, the Inquisitive Tamandua, running a hand through his graying hair. "Take us off-world, Mandy. We've got work, finally." He crossed an ankle over his leg and tapped his boot on the floor with a distracted air.

His twenty-two-year-old daughter flipped some switches and began her takeoff sequence. "Neat. It's been awhile, and I'd kind of like to eat sometime this week." She noticed Russell's expression. "Um, Dad, you usually look happier when we have a job. Something about this one making you itch?"

"Why, no. You know how much I enjoy smuggling animals," he said dryly, as they broke free of the planet's gravity well. "I'm thrilled, ecstatic even. Really. But, hey. Work."

"Animals?" She grinned, pushing a lock of long brown hair behind her ear. "What kind?"

Russ leaned his head back against the chair. "Beagles, of all things."

"We're smuggling Beagles?" Amanda lifted her eyebrows. "What for?"

"Some idiot--I mean, Ben Foster, our esteemed client on Epsilon Three, that border planet they've just opened up?" At her nod, he continued. "He decided he wanted a wild game hunting preserve for small predators. Wolves and groompahs and servals and critters like that." Russ tugged at his beard. "Well, those things eat rabbits, so he imported a bunch of them. He assured the locals that nothing would get through his fences, but I've never yet seen a fence that'll keep a rabbit from going where it wants to."

'So, some of the rabbits got out and started multiplying like...rabbits,' Amanda said. )
agilebrit: (Writer of Wrongs)
And now I'm finally getting off my tushie and doing it. What is "this?" you ask, as well you should. "This" is posting the BeagleFic here as a freebie with a tip jar. I'm of the firm opinion that authors should do stuff like this from time to time, on the Baen Free Library model of "If they like the free stuff, they might be induced to actually buy the other stuff."

This is the story of the intrepid captain of the Inquisitive Tamandua (see what I did there? It's a curious anteater! Only more flowery), Russell Fisk, and what happens to him when he takes on a rather unusual job smuggling a pack of hunting dogs to a guy in desperate need of them before the neighbors have his head because of the rabbit problem he's caused. Fair warning, this did appear many years ago in much altered form as a Firefly story, but I've cut down my crew and added aliens. And a subplot.

So, I will shut up and get out of the way of the story.


Illegal Beagles
by Julie Frost



Captain Russell Fisk slouched into the co-pilot's chair of his battered interplanetary tramp freighter, the Inquisitive Tamandua, running a hand through his graying hair. "Take us off-world, Mandy. We've got work, finally." He crossed an ankle over his leg and tapped his boot on the floor with a distracted air.

His twenty-two-year-old daughter flipped some switches and began her takeoff sequence. "Neat. It's been awhile, and I'd kind of like to eat sometime this week." She noticed Russell's expression. "Um, Dad, you usually look happier when we have a job. Something about this one making you itch?"

"Why, no. You know how much I enjoy smuggling animals," he said dryly, as they broke free of the planet's gravity well. "I'm thrilled, ecstatic even. Really. But, hey. Work."

"Animals?" She grinned, pushing a lock of long brown hair behind her ear. "What kind?"

Russ leaned his head back against the chair. "Beagles, of all things."

"We're smuggling Beagles?" Amanda lifted her eyebrows. "What for?"

"Some idiot--I mean, Ben Foster, our esteemed client on Epsilon Three, that border planet they've just opened up?" At her nod, he continued. "He decided he wanted a wild game hunting preserve for small predators. Wolves and groompahs and servals and critters like that." Russ tugged at his beard. "Well, those things eat rabbits, so he imported a bunch of them. He assured the locals that nothing would get through his fences, but I've never yet seen a fence that'll keep a rabbit from going where it wants to."

'So, some of the rabbits got out and started multiplying like...rabbits,' Amanda said. )
agilebrit: (harshing my squee)
I have this story. I refer to it as the BeagleFic. Some of you, perhaps, have read it. Perhaps. I don't remember.

Basically, it's a Firefly fanfic with the serial numbers scraped off. And aliens. Totally inspired by Wash saying "Maybe next time we should smuggle those black-market Beagles" in "Safe." I've been subbing it around for three and a half years. It's garnered fourteen rejections, although it managed to pass slush at Baen's.

And rather than continuing to beat my head against the wall, I'm thinking about sticking it up here as a freebie, with a Paypal tipjar.

So, I put it to you, oh mighty flist:

[Poll #1452368]
agilebrit: (harshing my squee)
I have this story. I refer to it as the BeagleFic. Some of you, perhaps, have read it. Perhaps. I don't remember.

Basically, it's a Firefly fanfic with the serial numbers scraped off. And aliens. Totally inspired by Wash saying "Maybe next time we should smuggle those black-market Beagles" in "Safe." I've been subbing it around for three and a half years. It's garnered fourteen rejections, although it managed to pass slush at Baen's.

And rather than continuing to beat my head against the wall, I'm thinking about sticking it up here as a freebie, with a Paypal tipjar.

So, I put it to you, oh mighty flist:

[Poll #1452368]
agilebrit: (Flaubert the Fluffy Muse)
This is to inform you that your story has been received and entered in the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest, quarter ending December 31st. Please allow 8 - 10 weeks after the close of the Contest quarter for judging to finalize. Good Luck! Judy, Contest Administrator

Wish me luck, flist. And good wishes from any other random people reading this who aren't on my flist will also be gratefully received. :)
agilebrit: (Flaubert the Fluffy Muse)
This is to inform you that your story has been received and entered in the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest, quarter ending December 31st. Please allow 8 - 10 weeks after the close of the Contest quarter for judging to finalize. Good Luck! Judy, Contest Administrator

Wish me luck, flist. And good wishes from any other random people reading this who aren't on my flist will also be gratefully received. :)

Well.

Dec. 5th, 2006 12:29 pm
agilebrit: (Zen Penguin Dance)
The BeagleFic...

appears to be done.

It came to about 5100 words. *boggles*

Now all I have to do is format it and send it to Writers of the Future.

Dude.

Well.

Dec. 5th, 2006 12:29 pm
agilebrit: (Zen Penguin Dance)
The BeagleFic...

appears to be done.

It came to about 5100 words. *boggles*

Now all I have to do is format it and send it to Writers of the Future.

Dude.
agilebrit: (Jayne/Zoe manip)
*cries* (Spoilers, obviously) )

In writing news, the gargoyle story is up to 4,332 words. I'm on the last two pages of this edit. After this, I'll run it by the Hubby again, and also my Writing Buddy and my (published) Mom.

Also, I just got an email from my Writing Buddy. He said, about the BeagleFic, and I quote:

That went from "Umm, this really needs some work" to "Wow, this is cool shit!" in a hurry.

He's still got suggestions for it, which is good, because I added a whole LOT of stuff to it, but it makes me feel much better.

*cracks knuckles and settles down to write*
agilebrit: (Jayne/Zoe manip)
*cries* (Spoilers, obviously) )

In writing news, the gargoyle story is up to 4,332 words. I'm on the last two pages of this edit. After this, I'll run it by the Hubby again, and also my Writing Buddy and my (published) Mom.

Also, I just got an email from my Writing Buddy. He said, about the BeagleFic, and I quote:

That went from "Umm, this really needs some work" to "Wow, this is cool shit!" in a hurry.

He's still got suggestions for it, which is good, because I added a whole LOT of stuff to it, but it makes me feel much better.

*cracks knuckles and settles down to write*
agilebrit: (Jayne/Zoe manip)
I scribbled 742 additional words on the BeagleFic last night. Adding dramatic tension while keeping the thing fairly light has been a hell of a tightrope walk. It'll be interesting to see what my Writing Buddy thinks of it. All I really need to do now is fix up the scene where Kaylee Mandy asks Mal Russ if she can keep one, and the very last thing where they drop off the dogs, and it'll be ready for beta. *shudders* Again.

And then I'll really have to buckle down on the [livejournal.com profile] cya_ficathon thing. Because, dude. Deadline.

Which, gyah. I want to write at least two of the other requests I got as well. And I need to work on the Horse Needs Clothes story. I've got two people saying "No, don't kill him, that's a cop-out. Besides, you need to continue this thing. So, rescue him already." Yeah, thanks, guys.

In other news, Da Boy told me this long involved story yesterday about dinosaurs, a dragon he got to ride on that had lost its mommy, and a lynx that had also lost its mommy. They were all in the SAME story, and as far as I could tell, he didn't get any elements of it from Thomas the Tank Engine or Bob the Builder. Five years old and already has the soul of a storyteller. Must be in the genes...
agilebrit: (Jayne/Zoe manip)
I scribbled 742 additional words on the BeagleFic last night. Adding dramatic tension while keeping the thing fairly light has been a hell of a tightrope walk. It'll be interesting to see what my Writing Buddy thinks of it. All I really need to do now is fix up the scene where Kaylee Mandy asks Mal Russ if she can keep one, and the very last thing where they drop off the dogs, and it'll be ready for beta. *shudders* Again.

And then I'll really have to buckle down on the [livejournal.com profile] cya_ficathon thing. Because, dude. Deadline.

Which, gyah. I want to write at least two of the other requests I got as well. And I need to work on the Horse Needs Clothes story. I've got two people saying "No, don't kill him, that's a cop-out. Besides, you need to continue this thing. So, rescue him already." Yeah, thanks, guys.

In other news, Da Boy told me this long involved story yesterday about dinosaurs, a dragon he got to ride on that had lost its mommy, and a lynx that had also lost its mommy. They were all in the SAME story, and as far as I could tell, he didn't get any elements of it from Thomas the Tank Engine or Bob the Builder. Five years old and already has the soul of a storyteller. Must be in the genes...
agilebrit: (Default)
So, I'm working on the rewrite of the BeagleFic. And I'm noticing that the frelling rewrite is taking longer than writing the original story did. The story practically wrote itself when I first did it. Right now? I'm pulling teeth. It's very frustrating.

In other news, Da Boy has been practically angelic today. Not sure what's gotten into him. *looks at him suspiciously*

And the Steelers are sucking today. Again. *cries* What happened to my team??? Yotz.

Also, you know you've been watching too much BtVS when a random stranger on an airport bus says he's going to Cleveland, and you have to bite your tongue to prevent yourself from saying, "Really? I hear they have a Hellmouth there."
agilebrit: (Default)
So, I'm working on the rewrite of the BeagleFic. And I'm noticing that the frelling rewrite is taking longer than writing the original story did. The story practically wrote itself when I first did it. Right now? I'm pulling teeth. It's very frustrating.

In other news, Da Boy has been practically angelic today. Not sure what's gotten into him. *looks at him suspiciously*

And the Steelers are sucking today. Again. *cries* What happened to my team??? Yotz.

Also, you know you've been watching too much BtVS when a random stranger on an airport bus says he's going to Cleveland, and you have to bite your tongue to prevent yourself from saying, "Really? I hear they have a Hellmouth there."

Omigawd.

Oct. 21st, 2006 07:02 pm
agilebrit: (Default)
I've added something like 700 words to the BeagleFic. The red has been stanched to a large extent, but I still have a long way to go. I think I should introduce the ship's doctor sooner than I do as well. But I've added the two main scenes I wanted to add, and most of the rest is just tweaking. I hope.

In other news, we may be heading to St Louis. The Hubby has 11 days off in a row after Tuesday, and we're thinking about taking the Cardinal on a trip. However, the weather looks...uncooperative, so we might head the other way, to San Diego or Phoenix, instead. Haven't decided yet. However, there's a whole boatload of stuff to do in St Louis; who knew? The zoo even has anteaters! With a BABY. *flails*

Decisions, decisions...

Omigawd.

Oct. 21st, 2006 07:02 pm
agilebrit: (Default)
I've added something like 700 words to the BeagleFic. The red has been stanched to a large extent, but I still have a long way to go. I think I should introduce the ship's doctor sooner than I do as well. But I've added the two main scenes I wanted to add, and most of the rest is just tweaking. I hope.

In other news, we may be heading to St Louis. The Hubby has 11 days off in a row after Tuesday, and we're thinking about taking the Cardinal on a trip. However, the weather looks...uncooperative, so we might head the other way, to San Diego or Phoenix, instead. Haven't decided yet. However, there's a whole boatload of stuff to do in St Louis; who knew? The zoo even has anteaters! With a BABY. *flails*

Decisions, decisions...
agilebrit: (Default)
*facepalms* Dude, I have so much to learn. My Writing Buddy gave me back the BeagleFic covered in red ink. Apparently when I think I'm showing, I'm actually telling. Those scenes I thought I could just gloss over to get to teh funneh? Can't, really. *cries*

However, that being said...I'm really hopeful that I can whip this thing into some sort of shape that will make publishers interested. I have a way of adding dramatic tension now, if I can just get the words to come out on my screen.

In other depressing writing news, I sent the HNC fic to my Mom. Who then said "Is this finished? You've left your protagonist in a pretty precarious position." Well, yes. Dead is, indeed, precarious. So...maybe I'll rescue him. Meh. Or maybe I'll make him a cattle rustler instead of just an ordinary cowboy. There's a notion...
agilebrit: (Default)
*facepalms* Dude, I have so much to learn. My Writing Buddy gave me back the BeagleFic covered in red ink. Apparently when I think I'm showing, I'm actually telling. Those scenes I thought I could just gloss over to get to teh funneh? Can't, really. *cries*

However, that being said...I'm really hopeful that I can whip this thing into some sort of shape that will make publishers interested. I have a way of adding dramatic tension now, if I can just get the words to come out on my screen.

In other depressing writing news, I sent the HNC fic to my Mom. Who then said "Is this finished? You've left your protagonist in a pretty precarious position." Well, yes. Dead is, indeed, precarious. So...maybe I'll rescue him. Meh. Or maybe I'll make him a cattle rustler instead of just an ordinary cowboy. There's a notion...
agilebrit: (Default)
The Firefly Meetup this month is at my house.

EEP.

Therefore, I need to:
  • Clean the small bathroom
  • Dust the dining room
  • Clean the kitchen
  • De-clutter the living room
  • Wash the back door window and the mirror in the front room
  • Dust the living room
  • Empty the trash cans
  • Pants. Pants are good.


Heh. They're supposed to be here at two. Better get on that...

ETA: Seven minutes to spare. Go, me.

In other news, I submitted the Beaglefic to another publisher last night and got the auto-response this morning. They've got about a month turnaround time. We'll see what happens.
agilebrit: (Default)
The Firefly Meetup this month is at my house.

EEP.

Therefore, I need to:
  • Clean the small bathroom
  • Dust the dining room
  • Clean the kitchen
  • De-clutter the living room
  • Wash the back door window and the mirror in the front room
  • Dust the living room
  • Empty the trash cans
  • Pants. Pants are good.


Heh. They're supposed to be here at two. Better get on that...

ETA: Seven minutes to spare. Go, me.

In other news, I submitted the Beaglefic to another publisher last night and got the auto-response this morning. They've got about a month turnaround time. We'll see what happens.

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