Updated: 6/26/08

Whoa, it's been awhile since I updated this bio, huh?

Well, here's an update on what's been going on, for those who haven't been following my LJ. I'm still around, I swear. 'The Goblin King and I' suffered a terrible setback, in which the next chapter was entirely deleted... my flashdrive ate it. Don't ask. Anyway, the rewrite is taking it's time. I struggle at rewrites.

Meanwhile, to keep my writing skills from getting too rusty, I've been working on two new fictions. The first, you should see the first chapter of soon, is tentatively called 'Taking Chances', and is in a new genre - Escaflowne! Exciting, huh? If you know nothing about Escaflowne, that's okay... neither does my main character. So, you can both learn. Heh.

The other new fic is actually a joint effort. It's called 'Fwd: Fwd: FaeMail' - it's located under the joint account I have with Danika, which is in my favorites. This is a bold new fic from the two of us... it's very easy to update, but also pretty demanding. It's like creating a play as you go along and bringing in new characters as you go and just... I don't know. In a way, it feels like running with scissors... only not so deadly. If you are waiting for an update from me, I suggest you check it out, it's a load of fun!

Later

Marti

A special thanks to Danika for the Avatar Image - it's from a comic she drew of us, me being a superhero named Moral Marti. I swear, it's my favorite picture of myself! I hope she doesn't mind me using it here - I just adore it!

Here's a little bit about me:

Name: Marti Owlsten, or Owlery FYI, this is just my name for FanFictions... in that dull and dreary realm that I sometimes dabble in, called Reality, I have a different name. Dumb reality...

Age: 23

Location: the great state of Arizona, USA. (Only state in US to be home to the Saguaro Cactus! Not that that's always a good thing... And we're home to the mystical and mythical Superstition Mountains... I love those mountains...)

Occupation: Oh, you wouldn't want to hear about it... it's boring... pays fairly well, but is still boring... or go and read 'the Goblin King and I' and you'll learn all you want to...

Obsessions: Harry Potter, Phantom of the Opera, Firefly, Narnia, Labyrinth (love it! for always!), Farscape, Twilight and now Hellsing.

Favorite things to do:

Bowling (love it! I stink at it, but I still love it!)

Reading (everything I can get my hands on...)

Writing

Drawing

Playing my Violin and Singing (no, not together, like that odd chick that performed with Josh Groban on PBS. She was just creepy. After seeing her, I swear never to sing and play at the same time)

Listening to music - oh, I love music. Currently, that would be David Bowie music, but I love all kinds (except rap and death metal, which makes me go brain dead). If only I hadn't melted my stereo... -sniff!-... it was a complete accident! Now, I am only armed with DJ, my MP3.

Favorite Sayings:

"We are luminous beings of Light; that light shines most brightly in those bound together in Love, forever, without end" - Michael Stackpole

"Beautiful, gorgeous, wish you were here!" - Meg Ryan, French Kiss

"I've been non-sensical!" - Elizabeth Bennett, Pride and Prejudice

"Girls! Girls!... Your BOTH pretty!" - Jordan Cavannah (said to Woody Hoight and his really hot brother, while they were fighting), Crossing Jordan (TV)

"You remind me of the babe"..."What babe?"..."The babe with the power"..."What power?"..."The power of voodoo"..."Who do?"..."You do"..."do what?"..."Remind me of the babe!" - Jareth (David Bowie) and various goblins in Labyrinth (song: Magic Dance)

"Nothing is final, until you're dead... and even then, I'm sure God negotiates." - Baroness Vaudmila D'Ghent (Angelica Houstin), Ever After

"I would rather die a thousand deaths than seemy MOTHER's dress on that SPOILED, SELFISH COW!" Danielle, Ever After

"One Mipipippi, two Mipipippi, three Mipipippi, four... Mipipippi..." D'argo, from Farscape, Season One

"You fart Helium?" John Crichton (to Rigel), from Farscape, pilot episode.

"You want to make this about food? Fine. Where's my Ice cream?... I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream... You know, Baskin Robbins, Ben and Jerry's, GOOD HUMOR? What's your favorite? CREAMCICLE OR FUDGECICLE!" John Crichton (to Aeryn and Rigel), from Farscape, Season Two, Crackers Don't Matter

Conversationsfrom work:

Kay:"Wow, pretty ring! Can I see it?"

Me: "Sure, here ya go, Kay."

Kay: "Oh, gosh, this was for your birthday! Gosh... is it... is it REAL?

Me:"Well, you're holding it, so it's not imaginary, Kay."

Kay: "THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!"

(through emails, playing the pants game... long story)

Allie: Gondor has no pants... Gondor needs no pants!

Me: Grand Moff Tarking... I recognized your foul pants the moment I was brought on board.

Allie: She is seriously starting to damage my pants!

Me: I am a leaf in the pants!

Allie: Dangerous pants lie ahead, Harry.

Me: Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have made my way here to the castle beyond the goblin city to take back the pants you have stolen!

Allie: My will is as strong and my pants as great!

Me: Pants, magic Pants!

Allie: You remind me of the pants!

(at a team meeting)

Kay: It was a turtle, but now it's a duck.

(and from the insanity that is Bill...)

Bill: You're smoking cockroaches.

(More fun from Bill... Each on a separate occasion...)

Bill: THUNDERMELLON HOOOO!

Bill: She's after my noggen - I'm gonna get denoggenated!

(when I left some honey mustard in a dish on my desk, while out to lunch)

Dan: I smell vinegar... does anyone else smell vinegar? I swear I smell vinegar... does that mean something? Hey! What does smelling vinegar mean? Like, does randomly smelling vinegar mean I have a brain tumor? Do I have a brain tumor? Am I going to die? Someone tell me they can smell that, too! Come on! Oh... mustard. And to think I could have died...

Kay: Marti? I'm craving a doughnut. You wouldn't happen to have a doughnut in your pocket, would you?

Me: Sorry, Kay, I left my doughnut in my other pants.

Kay: DANG!

Donna: Emergency cat fries? Are you fricken kidding me?

Favorite Movies:

This is a very long list... I love Movies, you see. This is not everything, but here's a bunch: Pride and Prejudice, Phantom of the Opera, The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Harry Potter (all, but I think 4 is my most fav), Return to Me, Better-Off Dead, Pirates of the Carribean, Star Wars (original 3),Sleeping Beauty, Calamity Jane, Finding Nemo, McKlintock, the Quiet Man, It's a Wonderful Life, The Dark Crystal, A series of Unfortunate Events, North to Alaska, Donnovan's Reef, She's the Man, Dreamer, Last Holiday, Labyrinth, V for Vendetta, The Prestige, Stranger than Fiction... a whole bunch more... I'll probably think of more later...

Worst Movie of all Time:

The Brother's Grimm - I know I'll make some enemies with that, but whatever. Horrible, horrible, horrible, never see this movie even if your life depends on it, rotton, absurd film... Why? Many reasons. Mainly, two words: mud baby. It's a friggin mud baby, not a ginger bread man, and it would not eat it's own thumb and say it tastes good. IT'S A MUD BABY! (durring which point in the theater was nearly hauled out because had to throw shoe at screen in frustration)

Runner ups:

Wedding Date: Urgh, please, does she have to wear that ugly fushia lipstick all through the film, no matter what color she has on?

War of the Worlds: no one likes films where people can't win... great special effects, crappy story.

Anything by Stephen Sommers (Mummy Returns, not first Mummy, VanHelsing, etc): Hm, shall we use the old bad guy, or a new one? I know! Let's use both! And completely crowd the story, throw in some major OOCness, not to mention ruin the chances of future sequels, just for good measure! Fsh! Moron... I seriously wondered if Sommers gave tips to the people who made 'the Brothers Grimm' just because it was so his style...

Hm, want to know where I come up with the drabble for my fics? Wondering why I torture Marti, make Lynn sad and use a strange, little known Celine Dion song for a Ron/Hermione one shot?What about my current Firefly addiction, or my very first Narnia fic? And what is up with my new Goblin King obsession? Well, then read on! This section is for you!

Story Backgrounds:

A Piece of Cake: Urgh, where do I begin? This is my first Sarah/Jareth fic. At the rate I'm going at, it will be my only, though... sure, fine, that could change. This was a challenge from my best-writing-buddy, Danika. I have nothing against JxS fics, in fact I read them frequently, but when it comes to writing... I can't do it. PM me, if you REALLY want to know more as to why I can't - but do so at your own risk. Heh. Anyway, Danika and I have had endless debates on my aversion to writing Sarah, and (probably in an attempt to turn me into a JxS writer) she challenged me to write a JxS One-shot between 1 and 5000 words. I am sorry to all those who loved it, but I hated writing it. I finally buckled down and wrote it, proving that, hey, I can, but aside from the cakes (I confess, very fun cake ideas - it is worth reading, just for those, all of which ARE possible, I swear) I couldn't stand it. I still can't. And then, to add to the problems with this one, there was one review that really ticked me off. (If you can accurately guess which one it was, hey, I will bake and send you the best brownies of your life -no foolin'). I felt that the review slammed me as a writer, it hurt my feelings (especially since I have so much fun writing GK&I) and it literally ruined this entire experience for me, almost to the point of prodding my contrary-side and tempting me to flatly refuse to ever do another JxS again. I am not fond of this story - it is, and will most likely remain, a sore spot for me. True, I got some nice reviews on it, but I hated writing it and one rude reviewer tipped my anger off the edge, and now... the only thing that keeps me from deleting this and pretending it never existed (out of sheer spite!) is the fact that people favorited it, and I know that I would hate for one of the stories I love to disappear from my favorites.

Oh, how I wish I could like this one-shot more. I really do. Sadly, I am thoroughly bitter over it, and doubt I can ever fully recover. Pity me.

Ron's Battle: Dear me, this was a very wacky, yet sweet, one-shot idea that came to me while I was, ironically, in the shower. I really shouldn't say too much about how I thought this up, else I'll spoil it for those who haven't read it, but in short, I'll say that I saw something, and wondered, "Hm, how would Ron handle this?". Voila! Enjoy.

The Goblin King and I: Okay, where do I start? Growing up, I just never saw the movie, Labyrinth. Sad, I know. On my 22nd Birthday, my wonderful coworkers decorated my desk before I came in with streamers and a birthday sign and pictures of Fiona (from Shrek, as I was her at work for Halloween), Harry Potter, the Wizard of Oz (as I often wear a Tin Man necklace) and pictures of Sarah and David Bowie as Jareth. Those in particular came from one of my coworkers, who just loves the show, and said I looked like Sarah with a book... anyhow, sitting around staring at photos of Sarah and Jareth really got me going. I started reading about the film online and... well, yeah, I finally bought the DVD and now I am OBSESSED with it. David Bowie has never been hotter than he was as Jareth. Sorry all you Ziggy fans, the Goblin King (GK) takes the cake. So, after reading a new chapter from one of my favorite fics (or, should I say Phics), by the enormously talented WanderingTeen, I got an idea. Her story kinda prompted me to give this a try. And now, GK is taking over my life. I played a Labyrinth game online, where you make choices. I made it all the way to the end, and am finally offered by Jareth to either have my dreams or Toby. Hee. I choose my dreams, and the screen changes where Jareth and Sarah are kinda tango-ing or something and it says across it "YOU'RE MINE!" to which I found myself squealing and saying "YEAH BABY!" If only...sigh...

(Due to popular demand for this online game, which you all must know is just a picture-link kinda thing and nothing overly fancy, I will now post the link for it, here. It's the first game listed. Hmm... I may have to go play that again...)

(Also, for those who would like to see my official drawing of Wren and Jareth - I know you're all dying to see it - you can at my deviantart page, here. Feel free to also dig around my DA page and see my other works as well. Enjoy!)

Thoughts and Question - this is my Firefly fanfic, a Mal/River thingy that spawned from watching Serenity and then consequently having the horrible need (is it really horrible? nah...) to buy and watch the entire Firefly TV series. After seeing Serenity, I was kinda a Mal/Inara shipper, but after seeing the series, I decided that I don't like Inara. Sorry Inara fans. Mal is my favorite character (next to Wash, of course), and so after watching the series, it was clear that he needs someone who can give his life a little fun. SO I decided to create a one-shot based on the last scenes on Serenity with River and Mal on the bridge. There seemed to be something there... or perhaps there could be something there. So I helped. Originally, it was me thinking from River's point of view, with her blossoming mind thinking about the Captain, this rugged man who was suddenly giving her attention. Then, I realized that I had to put in Mal's thoughts on the matter, too. But, if there's a relationship of any kind with River, Simon would be involved. Then it kinda evolved into the whole crew. I couldn't leave anyone out! Just the way it worked. Then, I had to keep going and finish with the question, and the eternal problem of 'jail bait', know what I mean? Well it all worked out, and I'm pleased with it. Do give it a read.

The Blessings of a Second Chance - Well, this fic comes from my inner Narnian... Like so many others, I recenty bought the collection of all seven Narnia Chronicles. I've now read them all. After seeing the movie, but before I finished the final book, I just couldn't help but notice how adorable Mr. Tumnus was... and I started thinking, hm, he's cute... well, this is my way of bringing him and Lucy together. Lucy's not quite 'herself', I admitt, but no one is ever themself when they lose their true love... and if anyone is wondering, the name 'Holt' is old english for 'son of the unspoiled forest', so I liked that last name for him. If you read the fic, this explanation makes more sense. And, for those who have asked about it, yes, I do plan to write several one-shots that continue and fill in the story of Lucy and Thomas... but just not right away. I've got to finish at least two of these fictions that are already going before I start any new ones, even one-shots. This was an excellent breaker for writer's block, and so I'm saving the stories (which, I confess, I already have completed in my head) for when I can't write anything. But I swear it will come. I swear!

You smell! You stink! - Well, I've gotten a lot of messages wondering where I get my ideas for this story. To answer, I have a short answer and a long answer. The short answer is that I have a very twisted sense of humor. The long answer is that durring my first semester of community college, durring the long spaces between my classes, I spent my time on-line, checking out Harry Potter group sites. On two sites, I made several friends and we started these crazy stories - these friends and I have since become some of the best friends I've ever had -durring those times,Marti was my alter ego. I was bored, before I made those good friends, and created another character to have fun with, Andran. Then I met some awesome people, and we (through posts and our writing) wreaked havoc upon Hogwarts. Those times with them inspired this story. True, most of my chapters now are original, but my original idea was to publish our adventures. Well, that's how it started. I also wanted to try my hand at a story that was completely insane and without a plot. I wanted a total slapstick laugh-fest. Seriously. Uh-huh, and then it soon became clear that I am incapable of writing without a plot. I HAVE to have a plot. I am, sadly, addicted to plot. The rest of it, like torturing Marti and making her dance the hula, that's my twisted sense of humor. (Hm, now that I think about it, I am very much like Deanne on the outside, and Marti is more like me uninhibited. Odd.)

I Surrender this was inspired by one of my favorite songs, by Celine Dion, called I Surrender. I am such a hopeless romantic, this songinspires most all of my romantic moments in my writing. I was depressed one day, and so was absorbed in my music, finding songs that were bound to make me more miserable. You know, I was having one of those, 'no one will ever want to date me' days that all girls have now and then. Especially when they can't get a date. I digress. Well, I was listening to this song, and my mind started to wander... I wondered who in all my favorite stories, would be in this song's music video... or if it was a movie, who would be there when that song would be playing... Ron and Hermione came to mind. I totally lost my depression and wrote this really fluffy fic. It was great! I'm still very proud of this. I'm not one for one-shots, you see (as I've said before, I am addicted to plots, so I usually drag thingsWAY out)and here I totally did a love ballad... I've tried to do more like this with other songs and other characters, but they are never as good. I guess I just haven't been as depressed since that day...

Oh to Remember, but Never Forget - I don't have much of an idea where this one came from. I suppose it's my attempt to put myself in the HP books, although I'm so not as cool as Lynn. For the record, unlike other characters in other stories, I'm not very much like Lynn. It's the story between the lines, something I do with every book I read. This is an interesting story for me, mostly because it changes with every new book that comes out. I started writing this between books four and five, and then had to change the original direction it was heading inafter book five came out, and have since had to change directions all over again because of book six. My original thought was to make it that Lynn was Voldemort's biological daughter - no, not from a marriage. To me, he seemed like the kind of jerk that would have as many one-night stands as he wanted, thinking that as the greatest wizard ever (in his own mind, as we all know he's just crap) he could do what he wanted. In the first chapter, you can kind of feel this vibe going on, like she's guilt ridden that the man who is really her father murdered her best friends, and at the end of that chapter, she's petrified that he'll come after her... Then, somewhere, I read an interview with J.K.Rowling where she stated that he had no living relatives or children. So, that plot thread was thrown out. I don't like to write contrary to cannon - but since I figured that I never came out and stated any specific plot points in the first chapter, it would still work, with some tweaking, and I didn't change it. After some serious (or, if you prefer, sirius)rethinking, I was going to make her Sirius's girlfriend... and then came book five. Most recently, I was going to make her a love interest for Lupin, even though I always thought that Tonks would be better for him (honestly, I did!) and then came book six. Well, now, I have a new angle that can't be messed with, even by Jo. I'm excited... but I won't divulge it yet. Go listen to Kelly Clakson's Beautiful Distaster, and you might figure it out... so, we'll see where this one goes! It's still in the running, you just can't get rid of Lynn yet! Or me, for that matter...

Being that FFnet is all about Writing, I thought I would put up some stuff about my literary/artistic/music heroes.

My Heroes: Who, Why I adore them, and Why the affect me so much

1. Meg Cabot - Author of The Princess Diaries (and the subsequent series), Teen Idol, Avalon High, The Mediator Series, and a ton of others. Oh, I adore Meg Cabot. Her work has totally inspired me... well, really, she has inspired me. She's a real person, you know? I had the privilege of meeting Ms. Cabot a year or so ago, while she toured and promoted her newest Princess Diaries book. She was just... amazing. She was a girl, like so many of the rest of us, who was average and tortured as a child by bullies and wore the average clothes and was anything but popular. I just love her, she's amazing. Why I am affected by her writing? Well, we have similar styles, and to see a style that is like me (I write generally as I would speak, if you couldn't tell) go over so big really gives me hope in my own writing. Oh, I totally recommend going to her website and checking out her blog - which she updates at least once or twice a week. Every now and then, I get giddy when I think that I actually met her! EEE! I met Meg!

2. Michael A. Stackpole - Author of Once a Hero, A Hero Born, The Rogue Squadron Series, I Jedi, Fortress Draconis, and tons and tons of others. I JUST MET HIM! OMW, I am still in giddy-squeal mode... this weekend (9/24/06) he made an unscheduled appearance at the Phoenix Comicon 2006, and sat in with a panel about scripting that me, my sister, and one of my best friends attended. I LOVE his work... Seriously, I can't describe how huge a fan of his I am. Once a Hero is my all-time favorite book, I think. He is just amazing, and so kind to his fans. He was so informative on the panel, it was... unreal. Amazing. Fantastic. Dream come true. When he introduced himself, I kinda squeaked and Allie (my friend) looked at me as if to ask what was wrong, and I could barely make the words out, "He's my hero!" Oh... Why I am affected by him - I don't really know. I think perhaps that his work has such warmth and strength to it, I feel like I could never write like that, but would love to do so. It's... powerful. Something about it draws you in... and he, as a person, fascinates me. He's all about encouraging others to do well and go for their dreams. I CAN'T BELIEVE I MET THIS MAN! Oh, did I mention, he's had lunch at Skywalker Ranch? Yeah... 'nuff said. As a whole, he ranks right up there with the next on my list... If you ever want advice on writing, or just want to hear what he has to say, go to his website. It is SO worth it, I promise you!

3. J.K. Rowling - Author of Harry Potter. This woman... she floors me. Is there a better success story out there? She's an average person, just like us, and look what she's done. And, aside from that, look what she does. She uses her fame/fortune to help others - children, single mothers, struggling familes... she's out to help. She donates to charities and assists in fundraisers... such an amazing woman. And, she's a fabulous mother, too. Why I am affected by her - she is my ultimate idol. She came from humble beginnings, and has worked hard to get to where she is, and has not sold out, in the least. It's not about the money, it's about the work, the story, the original idea she created all those years ago. How amazing is that? Not that I want her to kill off anymore of my favorite characters (aaahhh!), but she hasn't let the fans sway her in her original plan. I would do nearly anything to meet her. Maybe someday... Who knows?

4. Sheri L. Dew - Author of many books, including If life were Easy, it wouldn't be Hard. Okay, this is a woman who totally inspires me, to no end. A religious author, for the most part, she's hysterically funny and amazingly down to earth and... she just cares. She is also, may I add, CEO of Deseret Book Co., and an amazing woman, all around. Last year I had the emmense honor of meeting her at a women's conference in Phoenix. She gave me a hug! Even if you are not a religious person, her books are worth a read. They say alot about being true to yourself, standing up for what is right, and sticking to your values. Plus... they're usually funny, too. Why I am affected by her - She is a huge business woman, an author, and successful despite the fact that she's not married. I dunno... something about a single, successful woman is inspiring to me. She's wonderful. I love her.

ATTENTION: Hey there everyone, especially those who have read my GK&I fic! Want to see some of my artwork? I'm always saying I'll put up my work... and now I have... Here. Enjoy!

I'll put up more later...

98 percent of teenagers do or has tried smoking pot. If you're one of the 2 percent who hasn't, copy & paste this in your profile.