Sunday, January 27, 2008

BIRTHDAY CARD FORUMS



No members have requested birthday drabbles for this week, and no new drabbles have been written this week. HOWEVER - the thread to request birthday drabbles for February is up. If you have a February birthday, please put your request up here.




This week's focus:

FORUMS



One of the best ways to get involved at HASA is through our forums. People are discussing research questions and stories as well as having fannish squees regularly there.

Some useful forum links:

"On Our Minds" displays the ten most recent posts in forums open to all HASA members. It's a good way to catch up on what you've missed, though the page can move quickly when lots of forums are active at once.

If you've been out of touch for longer than a few days you might want to use the "One Month of Posts" page. This page has just what it sounds like: a list of forums that have been posted to in the last month, beginning with the most recently updated.

Workshops are specialized writing communities. They allow you to share stories you aren't ready to post to the whole site, and many have interesting forums attached to them. Explore workshops to find a group of members interested in similar topics. (You must be logged in to see this link.)

Now, here are some of the most recently-updated threads in HASA forum. Don't be shy. If any interest you, why not jump in?

HASA Birthday Cards Forum
Subject: February 2008 Birthdays

The Heart is Highland
Subject: Trading Pledges

Imhiriel's Imaginings
Subject: The Heart of a Knight

Here's hoping this week finds you having many interesting discussion about all things Tolkien. Because, really, you were trying to cut back on sleep anyway, right?

Until next time,
Marta

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email me.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Recently-Updated Stories

BIRTHDAY DRABBLES



No drabble requests for this week! But it's not too late to write a drabble for one of the earlier requests this month. Those requests are:

The following members have birthday this week. If you're in the drabbling mood, why not write them 100 words as a birthday card?

January 3 – Imhiriel: I'd like to get drabbles from the PoV of something that normally has no voice - a tree, a building, an heirloom, a landscape, a constellation etc. - time or place don't matter, but the more unusual the PoV, the better.

January 7 - Jay of Lasgalen: As most people know, my favourites are Elladan and Elrohir - but I'd like a drabble about one of the twins, alone. I'll leave you to decide why, and where the other might be.

You can post a drabble for either of these requests here.

Also, February babies, start thinking about what you'd like for your drabbles. It will be time to request a birthday drabble soon.

There was one drabble written this week:

Reflection by Ignoble Bard for Imhiriel

Feel free to read it, and leave IgnobleBard a review.




This week's focus:

RECENTLY UPDATED STORIES



All of us writers love feedback. It is the lembas and miruvor that sustains us as we write our story, and leaving a few words about a story is always a nice thing to do, whether the story is new or old.

Every fifteen minutes HASA hilights a story chosen at random from the Reviewed and General stories in the archive. The current story is

Ai Elbereth by Tehta
A Glorfindel/Ecthelion PWP, full of dodgy humour, neurosis, and blasphemy. (Adult)

Why not go to http://www.henneth-annun.net/ and check out the currently featured story?

Many talented writers are publishing every day. Check out these stories just added to HASA:

Reviewed Stories
Coming Home to Crickhollow by Calanthe
Back in the Shire, Merry has to confront how much the experiences of their journey changed both Pippin and himself. (Adult)

Blue Book of Melleth: Different Skills by Elen Kortirion
A young Boromir has one of 'those' conversations with his 12 year-old brother.... telling him a few things not so much about the 'birds and bees'.... more about the preferences between 'snails and oysters'. (Adult)

~*~

General Stories
Outmatched by Tiana Luthien
Eomer & Faramir have a few matches on the training field. Set during Faramir's visit to Rohan at the end of ROTK.

Journeys by Aria
One of our favourite minstrels goes wandering in the south during the Fourth Age, and finds something strangely familiar. A story of hope unlooked for. (WIP)

~*~

Beta Stories
(Please note, you need to be logged in to view these stories.)

Beyond the Storm Clouds by Windfola
First steps towards an exploration of the childhood of Aragorn at Rivendell from the age of ten. (WIP)

The Tenant From Staddle by Larner
When Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee was ennobled on the Field of Cormallen, Gondor and Arnor granted them lands held in the King's name for their maintenance in keeping with the customs of the lands. And now a farmer formerly from Staddle learns he must have permission from the Lord Iorhael in order to remain where he has begun excavating a new smial and setting up a farm for himself and his family.




And now for your mid-month nuzgul. Because the only way to get stories to read is for someone to write them, and that requires our fangy little friends.

Wanderers Speak

Write a story about a character overcome with wanderlust. Write about rangers trying to settle down or elves exploring in the early days. Maybe a hobbit has itchy feet? Or a dwarf leaves to search out new metals and discovers he loves to travel. Write about what is just over the horizon and the character who yearns to see it.

If you don't feel the tickle of little fangs in your ankle yet, there are many more potential stories just waiting to be written. Read all of HASA's many story prompts in our Nuzgul hutch @ http://www.henneth-annun.net/members/challenge/nuzgul.cfm.

Do you have a suggestion you'd like to see added to the hutch? Submit it using the "Submit a Story Suggestion" form.

Happy reviewing!
Marta
PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email HASANews(at)henneth-annun(dot)net.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Calling all Reviewers!



There are currently twenty stories awaiting reviewers, with five more about to be released. If you've been a member of HASA for thirty days you're welcome to become a reviewer. Here are just a few of the summaries for stories currently available:

--- "As he leads Tuor to Gondolin, Voronwe learns of love, of fate, of fear... and most importantly, of hope. Contains mild slash, but is ultimately true to canon."
--- "Bad weather blues, past shadows and the hope of light; old traditions become new ones on a rainy night in Emyn Arnen."
--- "When 9-year-old Samwise Gamgee's older sisters develop a crush on a certain newcomer, guess whose help they enlist?"

To review these or any of the other many stories, log in to HASA and go to http://henneth-annun.net/members/review/index.cfm.




Birthday Drabbles



No members have requested birthday drabbles for this week. If you have a birthday in the upcoming week and would like a drabble, you can request one at http://henneth-annun.net/forums/messages.cfm?confId=0&forumId=482&messageId=51422.

The following drabbles have been written in the last week.

"Renewal" by Elena Tiriel for Imhiriel




The Remembrances Challenge closes tomorrow, January 14. One more entry or placeholder, and it will be a successful challenge. So if you'd like to write about your favorite character looking back at something that happened in the past, join in!

So far, the following members have written stories:

A Wind from the West by Aiwendil
Gandalf reflects on his relationship with Saruman on the afternoon of November 3, 3019.

The Remembrance of Trees by Imhiriel
Moments in the lives of the White Trees and their ancestors. Drabble series.

A Different Road by Nath
Ten years after the destruction of the One Ring, the Steward of Gondor looks back and remembers the war. AU, darkish.

(You must be logged in for these links to work.)




This week's focus:

RESOURCES



The HASA Research Library is a very useful resource for writers as well as for online discussions on book canon. You can find entries on characters, settings, events, and items, containing cited quotes about the item you are trying to find more information on. This portion of the site is available to both members and non-members here.

Would you like to get involved with Resources? If you like researching and want to help develop this section of HASA you can contact the Resources & Research Library through the contact form.

What's new in Resources:

Timeline Events:
Celebrimbor forges the three Elven Rings of Power.
Rivendell established.

Character Biographies
Estelmo
Azaghal

Places
Minas Tirith (Gondor)
Minas Tirith (Beleriand)

Things
Elven sheath for Anduril
Three Elven Rings of Power




Good luck researching your story! If you enjoy this section of the site please feel free to thank the researchers, listed at the bottom of every entry.

And always remember, grasshopper: the path of wisdom leads through proper citations. *grins*

Marta

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email HASANews(at)henneth-annun(dot)net.

Monday, January 7, 2008

Hey guys,

A day late and a dollar short :-), but here is your weekly HASA update.

HASA FUNDING UPDATE



No website is truly free. HASA does not display ads or charge for memberships, but there are still costs associated with running the website. The website depends on member donations to pay its monthly hosting fee of $150.00.

Currently available funding: $193.45
To provide funding through: February

If anyone would like to make a donation, you may do so here.




BIRTHDAY CARDS



The following members have birthday this week. If you're in the drabbling mood, why not write them 100 words as a birthday card?

Jay of Lasgalen requested, "As most people know, my favourites are Elladan and Elrohir - but I'd like a drabble about one of the twins, alone. I'll leave you to decide why, and where the other might be."

The following drabbles and ficlets have been written this week:

--- "I Stand No Longer Alone" by Larner for Imhiriel
--- several additions to "Fell and Fair" by Elena Tiriel for Jay of Lasgalen
--- "Forged in Fire" by Jay of Lasgalen for Imhiriel
--- "Renewal" by Elena Tiriel for Imhiriel

Read all of these drabbles here.

If you have a birthday in January and would like a drabble about your favorite character or topic, you can request it here.




QUICKIE CHALLENGE



The quickie challenge "Remembrances" has another week to run. Write a story, poem, drabble, etc. about any character looking back on something happening in the past. This is in honor of New Year's Eve last week.

The following story has been entered:

--- Solstice by Vilwarin

Get these nuzgul while they're hot! And when you write that story you know is already weaseling its way into your brain, be sure to tell us all about it here.




This Week's Focus:

CHALLENGES



Birthdays!
3th - Imhiriel
: I'd like to get drabbles from the PoV of something that normally has no voice - a tree, a building, an heirloom, a landscape, a constellation etc. - time or place don't matter, but the more unusual the PoV, the better.

7th - Jay of Lasgalen: As most people know, my favourites are Elladan and Elrohir - but I'd like a drabble about one of the twins, alone. I'll leave you to decide why, and where the other might be.

Post your request at the Birthday Card Forum.

Please create your story and add it to the birthday card workshop. This lets others put drabbles they write in an easily accessible location. Enter your story in the challenge for JANUARY drabbles. All birthday stories will also now be listed in a master playlist. There are instructions on how to do all this at the top of each thread in the Birthday Cards Forum; if you need help with the workshop, just ask the Workshop Manager, Gwynnyd.

New Challenges
Remembrances January 14 2008

Write a story, poem, or drabble about any character (original or canonical) looking back on a past event. A short-term challenge for New Year's Eve, 2007.
(Note, you must be logged in to HASA to visit this link.)

Make a suggestion in the prospective Challenges thread. When five people accept, you have created a new Challenge

Old Challenges
X takes the Ring - AU Challenge March 25 2008

I have seen a few stories over the years where for instance Galadriel takes the Ring when Frodo offers it to her. But what would happen if others were to take it, for any reason, good or evil? Aragorn? Boromir, Gandalf, or Pippin perhaps? Or Sam abandons Frodo at Cirith Ungol and goes on alone to try to destroy the Ring...

It wouldn't have to be a member of the Fellowship; maybe Barliman Butterbur finds a golden ring in the room the Hobbits used, or Bilbo loses it on one of his walking trips in the Shire.

These could be anything, serious, funny, dark; from drabbles to multi-chapter AUs, and anything in between.




Happy writing!

Fangedly yours,
>:-E Marta

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email me.