Hi guys, I had a three-page research paper due in English today (even though I wasn't there, LOL; my mom turned it in for me), and I thought I'd post it here if anybody was interested in reading it. It's obvious from the title of this post, but I wrote mine on Led Zeppelin and their influence on modern music. I hadn't know much before aside from the basics, so it was very fascinating. And I feel like a better fan now, lol.

( Under the cut to spare your f-lists )

Though it doesn't look like it, the paper actually slightly exceeded the three-page mark. Haha, I know, such a rebel am I. ^^

Hope you enjoyed! :)

<3 Sarah

This is just an excerpt I wrote a few days ago that will be included somewhere in the (currently nameless) sequel to my Outsiders fanfic, Don't Think Twice, It's All Right.

Right now it reads more like an original piece because it only features my two main OCs, Jack and Eleanor, but it's not very long -- close to a page and a half, typed on Word -- so obviously it'll be added on to as everything comes together. I'm trying not to work so on the sequel until I finish Don't Think Twice but this just came to me and I wanted to write it down before I forgot entirely.

The only warning I could give for this is that it deals with drugs, but it's very vague yet. I don't know why I bother giving warnings, most of you can deal with this stuff, lol.

( It had been no more accidental ... )

I would appreciate feedback even if you're not familiar with my fic. I like concrit so if something seems wrong or unrealistic or out of place, please let me know. Thanks. :)

<3 Sarah

If you're reading this, you were probably directed from the link in my FF.net profile, or the link that I provided to this entry from the latest entry in my personal journal.

This is a list that will detail all of the changes I have made while editing my fanfiction, Don't Think Twice, It's All Right.

If you are reading my fic, please take a moment to look over this list, as it will only help you to avoid confusion. Warning: if you are not reading the fic, but are planning to, there are a couple of spoilers, so just be wary of that.

xxx

Some minor changes include shortened author’s notes, as well as the chapter titles—in the drop-down box, they all include extra song lyrics from the song that precedes the chapter.

Other major changes (I changed a lot of the music because there were certain songs that, after listening to them, I felt fit a lot better with the story than the original songs):


Chapter One:
* Changed the chapter’s preceding song lyrics to “Girl,” by The Beatles.

Chapter Two:
* Changed the chapter’s preceding song lyrics to “Turn-Down Day,” by The Cyrkle.

Chapter Three:
* No major changes.

Chapter Four:
* Changed the chapter’s preceding song lyrics to “Friday on My Mind,” by The Easybeats.

Chapter Five:
* Changed the chapter’s preceding song lyrics to “No Expectations,” by The Rolling Stones.

Chapter Six:
* Changed the chapter’s preceding song lyrics to “Scarborough Fair/Canticle,” by Simon and Garfunkel.
* Changed Eleanor’s cat’s name to Inka, as paying my own personal homage to my aunt’s cat of the same name (I thought the story behind her name was adorable, and I could picture Eleanor having a cat with that name for the exact same reason; Chapter Six explains it, so if you want to go back and read that, it’s towards the end).
* Also took out the song Eleanor was listening to on the radio at the end—“Navy Blue,” by Diane Renay—because that song came out in 1964, so it probably would no longer have been played on the radio as Chapter Six exists in 1967. It just didn’t seem realistic to me, so I removed that.

Chapter Seven:
* Changed the song that Soda and Eleanor were listening to on the radio to “Carrie Anne,” by The Hollies. There was a stanza that I felt fit better with the situation.

Chapter Eight:
* No major changes.

Chapter Nine:
* No major changes.

Chapter Ten:
* Changed the chapter’s preceding song lyrics to “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters,” by Elton John.
* Made a few subtle wording/situation changes to avoid clichés, as well as a minor setting change for realism.

Chapter Eleven:
* Changed the chapter’s preceding song lyrics to “Tangerine,” by Led Zeppelin.

Chapter Twelve:
* Changed the chapter’s preceding song lyrics to “The Wind,” by Cat Stevens.
* Made a few minor wording changes. I also changed the suggestion of “Eleanor should start working at the gas station” to “Eleanor should just look for a job,” because it was brought to my attention via the Outsiders message board that girls working at gas stations in the Sixties was very unrealistic unless it was a family business. Thank God for that message board, lol.

Chapter Thirteen:
* No major changes.

Chapter Fourteen:
* Made a few minor wording changes, some of them to go along with the job thing.

Chapter Fifteen:
* Changed the chapter’s preceding song lyrics to “Twentieth Century Fox,” by The Doors.
* More wording changes to go along with the job thing.
* I included a bit of an explanation in the author’s note at the end; I felt I had to clarify something before anybody decided to jump down my throat.

Chapter Sixteen:
* Changed the chapter’s preceding song lyrics to “Slip Kid,” by The Who.
* A few more wording changes.
* I changed Eleanor’s co-worker’s name to Carla Lombardi. Antonela was too unrealistic for the time period, I realized, even if she was supposed to be Italian; Carla Lombardi sounded just as Italian to me, but much more fitting for the time period (sorry that sounded so redundant).
* I changed the end author’s note to explain why I mentioned every soldier’s name in Soda and Steve’s platoon—that author’s note now will explain it better than I can again, so I would suggest reading that.

Chapter Seventeen:
* Changed the chapter’s preceding song lyrics to “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown),” by The Beatles.
* Changed Jack’s last name to McLagan. I liked Pace, but this one was just more fitting—and it works better for the upcoming sequel I’ve got planned.

Chapter Eighteen:
* No major changes.

Chapter Nineteen:
* No major changes.

Chapter Twenty:
* No major changes.

Chapter Twenty-One:
* Changed the chapter’s preceding song lyrics to “Flaming,” by Pink Floyd. It fit better with the goings-on in that chapter, and I explained why in the end author’s note.
* Made a few wording changes in order to make Eleanor’s LSD experience seem more realistic.

Chapter Twenty-Two:
* Changed the chapter’s preceding song lyrics to “That’s the Way,” by Led Zeppelin.
* Made a few very subtle wording changes.

Chapter Twenty-Three:
* No major changes.

Chapter Twenty-Four:
* No major changes.

Chapter Twenty-Five:
* No major changes.

xxx

I recently realized that there are now a lot of songs from Almost Famous in this story, LOL. But, that's completely fine -- that is a wonderful movie with such great music, and it's actually been inspiring this story more, surprisingly.

Thanks for reading! Now go read Chapter Twenty-Six. :)

<3 Sarah

What I am posting in just a few short moments here is a future chapter for my Outsiders fanfic, Don't Think Twice, It's All Right. I wrote this mainly as an anniversary (as in, we've been friends for one year now anniversary) present for latch_22, but before that it had been a scene that was taking shape in my head and I wanted to write it anyway before I forgot it completely. The entire thing came out to be twelve pages long, so whenever I do get to this point in the story, it'll be its own individual chapter and not just a part of one. And I think it'll work out better that way, just because of what it is.

I know not a lot of people keep up with my fic, I'm guessing simply because it's a sister fic and I know how royally unappreciated those are, but if you are, you know what's happened thus far and I don't feel I have to detail all of that. But since this is a future chapter, I'll warn you of any potential spoilers here in a moment.

Even if you haven't read The Outsiders or my fanfic, feel free to read this anyway and give me any feedback -- I do appreciate the constructive criticsm, especially with this because I'm sure I'll be editing before I actually get to the point where I want to post it.

So, here is some general info on what you'll be reading, if you decide to do so:

Title: Secret Plan to Make Intarwebz Wifey Love Me Even More. :) (The shortened version is just Secret Plan, which you might recognize.)
Spoilers: I figured I'd do this sort of first in case it would be a huge problem for anybody. There aren't really any, except for references to a canon character death sprinkled throughout, since I've been following the post-book timeline. So if you haven't read the book or my fic, just watch out for that. Umm ... I don't want to say too much without giving away the rest of the story, so I'll just give you a one-word hint: Woodstock.
Characters Included: Steve Randle, and my OFC, Eleanor.
Summary: I don't really know how to summarize this. It's just basically Steve and Eleanor discussing (and, uh ... *cough* doing) drugs, as well as discussing their own lives and their own dilemmas. It's kind of -- or at least it will be -- a pivotal chapter, I think.
Warnings: Mainly drug use and discussion of drug use, as well as some course language.
Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one, except for Eleanor (and Barbara, but she only gets a very brief mention here), and I'm making no profit from this. Any relation or ties to real-life events, people, etc., is purely coincidental. There is a very subtle nod to the Nickelodeon sitcom Drake and Josh in here, but if you don't watch it religiously like I do, you won't catch it.

The chapter itself is under the cut. Obviously I wouldn't stretch your f-list with this.

( It's not my best writing ever, but it is fairly decent. Comments, constructive criticism, and this time ego boosts are all muchly appreciated. )

The drug references, by the way, were based purely upon research, and the only firsthand account present was from that of my brother, who has smoked pot before, and who has talked to me about the different effects, and things like that. I personally have not, currently do not, and most probably will not partake in drug use in the future.

Just wanted to make that clear.

Thanks for reading! :)

<3 Sarah

It's definitely been a while since I've posted here. I'm starting anew, though. I've deleted all of the past entries -- especially since In-Country is not only going to be receiving a complete makeover, but is also on hiatus, as well -- and am prepared to start fresh.

On that note, I am going to introduce an idea for a new original novel that I've been playing around with lately. I came up with this randomly while I was in the shower about two or three weeks ago.

I want to start writing a novel about a young American fashion model in the Sixties. I was thinking of writing it in epistolary form, mainly her diary entries, but possibly newspaper/magazine clippings and letters too, and it would basically be an account of her experiences as a model, her travels, her accomplishments and downfalls, etc. In my head, I have her working in London, thus a little more popular there (obviously, since London was the mecca of the 'Swinging Sixties'). I also have her going out with a member of a fictional English mod band who I've been calling The Shades (name is definitely subject to change; I don't really like it that much, but I thought of it off the top of my head), and whose fame is ... well. Let's just say they're known well internationally, but The Beatles and The Rolling Stones are in no danger of being knocked out of the top ten, lol.

I've been toying with this idea for a while and I think I definitely might want to write it. It's a big change from my usual Vietnam-centered pieces, but I think it could work.

So, while the fashion and cosmetic industry of the Sixties is a huge interest of mine, I'm still in the process of learning more about it. I've been to tons of sites about it, but I was wondering if any of you knew of any really helpful and/or historically accurate websites, books, etc. that would expand my knowledge of that aspect of pop culture back then, and make my story historically accurate, too. I would really, really appreciate it.

All of my Vietnam-centered pieces I seem to be taking a break from, because I haven't made any headway in months, and this is something new and fresh, and not only that, but it shows that, while I can't seem to shake the realm of the Sixties from my writing, I can write about something that doesn't significantly involve Vietnam, lol. So, this will be an interesting ride, to say the least.

I'm serious about this one, by the way. That's such a cliche phrase for me now, but I really am.

Anyway, any and/or all feedback would really be terrific. Like I said, I'd appreciate it very much. If you're planning on commenting just to say, "I like the idea," then don't bother. That doesn't help me. Perhaps it'll give me a little bit of an ego boost, but it obviously won't assist me with research, or making any type of progress with the story. Sorry if I sound like a bitch, but an ego inflation isn't really what I'm looking for -- not even a little one. Unless you're saying you like it in a helpful comment. Then it obviously won't bother me. ;)

Excuse the sentence fragments, as well.

Here are some examples of what I'm looking for with the research help and knowledge expansion, some more specific than others. Some of these I already know a little bit about, but am looking for more.

( Cut for some length )

I'm sure that all sounds like a lot to ask, but I really would appreciate any information that you have or have access to, especially if it answers any of those questions. But if it doesn't, that's okay, too. Any and all information would be in some way helpful to me. Websites, books, even movies if you know of any in particular, would be really fantastic.

Thanks very much in advance, and I'll keep you updated with my progress in this story. :)

<3 Sarah