About me...hmmm, where to start.

Well I'm in my mid-40's and a old-fashioned geek. My wife calls me the "Fount of Useless Trivia" because I had to memorize all that stuff prior to Wikipedia and Google. So when you are reading my fics be warned one of the things I like to do is try to explain a lot of what just sort of happens in the HP universe. So if things seem off or different than canon, there is almost certainly a reason which I will explain in the story.

Current stories: While the pulling of stories seems to have stopped, if any of my works get pulled, you can find them on my Yahoo group. On that topic...

My Yahoo Group = http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zArkhams_fics/ - Be sure to say why you want to join or I'll think your a bot! Also, right now the amount of original content is mostly story ideas, my musings, polls and obviously the message forum where I broach ideas to the group. I do intend to write original content just for there. Currently I have two stories I'm working on. Edmund Blackadder: Wizard for Hire and Harry Potter and the Magical Blue Box. However I also post a lot of story notes. If you like the idea, telling me will increase the chance I write it eventually.

Writing Style: I'm an adult writing for adults using Harry Potter as the sandbox to tell such stories. Also it is important to know of a certain writing style I use. When a character says something and I put a single quotes then it means either the word was said with a sarcastic emphasis or the person made air quotes and I don't want to interrupt the flow of the narrative by writing that bit out. Here are to examples.

"So then Ginny sits down and 'accidentally' bumps into Harry" --> Here the word accidentally is said sarcastically.
"Oh so are you can Hermione going to go 'study' now?" Katie said with a smirk. --> Here the word study is probably accompanied by air quotes even as it is emphasized.

In either case, it is intended to show emphasis of some kind and probably means the word isn't to be taken in its usual connotation.

Fair warning: I don't like Ronald Weasley...or Molly Weasley for that matter.

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Even though I'm a bit of a broken combat vet, I do like romantic stories. And by that it doesn't have to be 'romantic' in the sense of romance but 'romantic' in the 18th century sort of way. I grew up watching Star Blazers and got to see a lot of Japanese anime before it became main stream. So I'm all about last charges of the Light Brigade and billowing capes and nature philosophy.

Also, as a follower of the Norse trad Asatru, I do hope to integrate that into some of my future stories. However for the most part right now that is limited to my HP and the Ruins of Asgard story idea.

Non-HP Fic Related Peeves:

1. People who leave reviews but have their account set to where I can't reply to them. Honestly people, if you going to leave a comment let me respond to your comments, questions or complaints.

2. People on forums who are so lazy they can't do a Google search and therefore are always cluttering up HP forums with, "Link Please!" In the time it took to write that, you could have found it yourself! Do you want us to wipe your bum while we're looking up something for you? Sheesh!

3. People who leave non-constructive criticism. Telling me you like or dislike a chapter doesn't give me much to work with. What didn't you like or dislike? I am not an ogre and I've changed certain elements due to reviewer feedback and have come up with some really great ideas writing back and forth with reviewers.

4. People who expect their ships right up front. I'm sure these people speed date at well. =[

5. People who write their reviews in "text-speak" - While on one hand I appreciate taking your time to write a review presumably on a device without a keyboard, I am an old school, dinosaur type of guy. In other words, "ur txt speak makes u sound dumb 2 me" - I often feel like not responding to those types of reviews. However my wife has pointed out many people outside of the U.S. use it when English is not their primary language. Doesn't mean I have to like it though.

Pet Peeves in Fics: In no certain order and sometimes no reason why

1. "Just call me Harry": Maybe it is my early SCA influence but I HATE THIS! There is a time an place for informality. Harry is ENGLISH. I 'm not saying this makes him a stuck up prig but the English are somewhat famous for being up on protocol. While Harry might not feel special, he probably also wouldn't want to go against the grain by protesting. If someone important like Director Ragnok calls him Lord Potter, I just can't see him saying, "Oh just call me Harry!" - This strikes me as a American sort of thing; tearing down of the caste system and all that. I can see Harry potentially doing this, but in most situations it comes across all wrong.

2. Names: I hate when people try to be cute like having 'Lois Lane' be a reporter for the Daily Prophet. That and I dislike it when fics seem to use a random name generator for their fics. It comes out sounding wrong. JKR had a certain type of names she used so it comes out sounding off when that format isn't used.

3. "Hi, you don't know me...": Harry's year has about 40-45 students in it. They live in a castle for nine months out of the year. They have shared classes with every other house. So even with the House system, I cannot stand the idea that someone like Susan Bones can introduce herself like Harry has NEVER met her before. While I may not have been on great terms with most people in my class in school (which was around 35 students) I certainly knew who they were. It's like in canon where Luna suddenly appears like Athena out of Zeus' head. I seriously doubt someone like Luna wouldn't be the talk/gossip around Hogwarts with the way she acts. Of course except for people in Quidditch and Percy and the Twins, HP and Co never seem to interact with anyone higher than their year; it's like they don't exist.

4. "Oh are you infested with (insert weird animal here): As a HP/LL shipper (mostly) I have a soft spot for Luna. However so many fics cannot have her open her mouth without spouting off about some weird critter. It's almost as bad with Neville. He's like Aquaman, invisible unless there is water around...or in Neville's case something to do with Herbology. JKR made her characters enough of stereotypical caricatures without all of us going one step further. Hell, just like Star Trek she color coded everyone so we knew what stereotype was which.

On Writing: I've stressed a lot of late because I find myself wandering from one story to another. After discussing it with my wife (also a writer) I've gotten to the point where I'm not going to worry about it. I will finish all my stories. I just find that my style of writing is such that I need to write what I'm excited about. I put off writing on my first fic, Order of the Stag, for more than a year. Now I'm writing on it again. So yes, for you the reader, I understand your pain because I have favorite authors who I wish would quit working on stories when the story I want is left untouched. However, since no money is being made off this, I have to do what is the most enjoyable to me.