(no subject)

[kennahijja]

There was a minor earthquake last night around 3am, which shook the computer and scared the cat quite a bit.

My Niffler term is at an end, which is a good thing because it's been quite a bit of work, and a bad thing because it was great fun. Although I was slow at the beginning, I managed to finish with 16 recs for four months, one per week, *phew*.
Did a table with a breakdown according to characters and genres and so on, should anybody be interested:

Title -- Author -- Rating -- Protagonist(s) -- Genre

The Five Steps -- ari -- PG -- Harry, Remus -- gen
Blood Will Tell -- Harloprillalar -- R -- Sirius/Lucius -- slash
A Half a Conquest -- Arkady -- R -- Tom/Albus -- slash
Fantastic Beasts: a Book Review -- Mary Borsellino -- PG -- Sirius -- gen
Fractured Triangle -- Fyre -- R -- Hermione/Lucius, trio -- het
Over Tea -- Dementordelta -- R -- Harry/Snape, Minerva -- slash
Take Up Serpents -- Rusalka -- PG-13 -- Tom -- gen
Welcome to the Dollhouse -- Lilith Morgana -- R -- Snape -- gen
Surprise -- Xandria -- R -- Harry/Lucius -- slash
Blood Magic -- GatewayGirl -- -- R -- Harry, Snape -- gen/het/slash
Midnight Conversations -- Thistlerose -- R -- MWPP, Lily -- slash/het
Out of the Bag -- Bernice Russell -- G -- Snape, Minerva -- gen
Once Upon a Time, in Egypt -- Josan -- PG-13 -- Snape, Bill -- gen
Fidelius/Secret Keeper -- tradescant -- R -- Harry/Snape -- slash
World's End -- bruno -- PG-13 -- Voldemort, Snape -- gen
To Serve a Purpose -- Dark Twin -- R -- Remus/Sirius -- slash

I knew three of the authors I niffled, got to know three more after stumbling over the fic niffled, exchanged a review with another, and don't know the other nine.
Seven Snapefics out of 16 was *definitely* too much, but there suddenly seemed to be far too many good ones floating around...
Nine angst fics and ten R-Ratings is a lot, too, but heck, that's my kind of thing.
I'm proud of reccing as many gen as slash fics, and really should have looked into more het!
And I feel kind of guilty for not Niffling even one H/D fic, and nothing at all Draco-centric, but that's perhaps only fair after doing a H/D overkill in my first Niffler term...


Oh, and there were two stories that broke my heart because I could *not* Niffle them:

Stealing Harry by Sam Vimes (copperbadge) [Sirius/Remus bringing up young Harry, R]
--> Sam Vimes has been Niffled three times already, which is the limit.

The Best Revenge by Scattered Logic (scatteredlogic) [Lucius/Hermione, NC-17]
--> NC-17 rating (while I agree with that restriction, the story itself is less racy than a lot I've seen under a R-Rating, which made it painful to pass up...

Comments

[the-dark-twin.livejournal.com]

Oooh! Check your e-mail. :)

I win!

[lazy-neutrino.livejournal.com]

OK. the_dark_twin, you have said that you are an alter ego. You and kennahijja are one and the same and I claim my prize.

Same good taste. Same good writing. same liking for dark fics. Same geographical location.

I rest my case!

Re: I win!

[the-dark-twin.livejournal.com]

LOL! Sorry, LN, but that case still remains to be solved. I think Hijja and I are as astonished about the many parallels as you are! (Maybe it's the climate in our corner of the world, or something.)

And honestly: How sad would it be to Niffle your own fic??? Thank you for suggesting that I'd do something like that. ;)

But really, this is odd - how can we make you believe we're not the same person?

OK, Hijja has a cat. And I have a cat hair allergy. *sneeze* See? Doesn't fit. Umm... what else... Hijja sometimes writes HP/DM, which is a concept that irritates me... besides, Hijja is probably a really cool person altogether, so there's something else that doesn't fit.

Convinced?

Re: I win!

[chthonya]

But isn't the_dark_twin's alter ego supposed to write family-friendly fic? If Hijja's writing falls into that category, your family is rather less censorous than mine! ;)

*amused and trying not to be too curious*

Re: I win!

[lazy-neutrino.livejournal.com]

... and possibly rather less friendly, too, if Hijja's writing is family-friendly :) (But there's always The Art of Wool!)

Hmm. Yes. If you were a superhero, your secret mutant power would definitely be faultless logic! (Or maybe it's a double bluff by the hijja/dark_twin entity??)

I agree with you about the trying not to be too curious bit, as well - don't really want to pry into someone's secrets. My only regret is that, since I don't seem to read much family friendly fic (!), I know I've probably missed a very good author somewhere. Or maybe I haven't and just don't know it, which is a nice thought.

Re: I win!

[the-dark-twin.livejournal.com]

(Or maybe it's a double bluff by the hijja/dark_twin entity??)

Meaning we're actually secretly chthonya, too? Argh. Too much honour! Where would a single entity get the time to produce so much fanfic?


I don't seem to read much family friendly fic (!)

Well that's your problem, not mine.

DT falls over laughing about the whole affair.


Ahem. Seriously,

Or maybe I haven't and just don't know it, which is a nice thought.

Maybe one day I'll be brave enough to tell you.

Re: I win!

[chthonya]

LOL

Last time I looked, kennahijja and I were definitely not the same person. How could a single entity consume so much Magenbrot?

Re: I win!

[lazy-neutrino.livejournal.com]

Ok, can I ask? What's Magenbrot? I get the 'brot' bit!

Re: I win!

[chthonya]

I'm probably not the best person to answer this, but there's a picture of some here (top picture). Wikipedia describes it as 'a form of soft gingerbread'. I describe it as moreish!
The only place I've seen it on sale in the UK is at LIDL, though our local LIDL doesn't seem to have any this year. Guess they learnt from last year when they were selling it off in January at 20p a bag. ;)

Re: I win!

[chthonya]

(Or maybe it's a double bluff by the hijja/dark_twin entity??)

So, we've both been betaing for the same person?


I agree with you about the trying not to be too curious bit, as well - don't really want to pry into someone's secrets. My only regret is that, since I don't seem to read much family friendly fic (!), I know I've probably missed a very good author somewhere.

Likewise. :)

Re: I win!

[the-dark-twin.livejournal.com]

So, we've both been betaing for the same person?

Writing style, that's the only hint you get. :) I don't change my writing style, no matter under what name I write. I wouldn't know how.


And by the way, Chthonia, if I remember correctly you have no reason for that sort of regret. ;)

(Now I *am* driving you crazy, aren't I? *g*)

Re: I win!

[chthonya]

Hmmm. So all we have to do is find everyone who I've reviewed (and LN hasn't?), eliminate the really dark stuff, and compare writing styles? Hmmm...

More curious than crazy, but happy to restrain that in the interested of respecting privacy.

Ah. Actually, I do have an idea. But I'm paranoid about guessing games so I'll refrain from sharing it. ;)

Re: I win!

[the-dark-twin.livejournal.com]

So all we have to do is find everyone who I've reviewed (and LN hasn't?), eliminate the really dark stuff, and compare writing styles?

Yep, that would basically get you there.


Ah. Actually, I do have an idea. But I'm paranoid about guessing games so I'll refrain from sharing it. ;)

Clever move, Chthonia. Clever move. Now you're driving me crazy, and you know you are. *g*

OK, let's play a game of Truth or Dare instead. I dare you to e-mail your guess to me, and I swear I'll answer you truthfully. Deal?

Re: I win!

[chthonya]

*grin*

Hmmm. Let me think about that. You can't expect me to make a decision at this time of night, surely?

(As proof of lack of current decision-making ability: In another window I am agonising over one line of a fic that's been on 'final edit' for a fortnight, which is why I've been playing with the balloon debate and not e-mailing the person I was supposed to be e-mailing, and not.... anyhow. What are you doing up at this hour? It must be even later for you than for me, and it's way past my bedtime!)

For the time being, I'll just ask you if your alter ago's name has a similar significance to your, erm, this ego's?

Re: I win!

[the-dark-twin.livejournal.com]

And while you're thinking, do you mind if I friend you, too? :)

Re: I win!

[chthonya]

*grin*
I was just about to run off and friend you as this comment came up! So no, of course not!

Re: I win!

[the-dark-twin.livejournal.com]

But isn't the_dark_twin's alter ego supposed to write family-friendly fic?

I was just going to point that out. Does that convince?

Re: I win!

[chthonya]

Of course, we only have your word for that. ;)

Now you've got me wondering what a fluffy!Hijja alter ego would look like.
*ducks*

Re: I win!

[the-dark-twin.livejournal.com]

I didn't say FLUFFY, did I!!!

*growl*

Re: I win!

[lazy-neutrino.livejournal.com]

Oh, fluffy Hijja! What a wondeful idea... actually, I can't imagine it at all, you know. It wouldn't be right. (Although there is The Art of Wool and The Cat and the Star, both of which are rather nice, and I don't remember anyone betraying and/or killing someone in either of them. Maybe I wasn't reading closely enough?

When other authors take their characters to the top of the Astronomy Tower, I expect a little sweetness and fluff. When Hijja does it, I know someone's going to die.

Re: I win!

[lazy-neutrino.livejournal.com]

and here's the other part of the bracket pair...)

Oops.

Re: I win!

[the-dark-twin.livejournal.com]

When other authors take their characters to the top of the Astronomy Tower, I expect a little sweetness and fluff. When Hijja does it, I know someone's going to die.

LOL, if I still needed a proper incentive to finally settle down and read Hijja's fics (:o!), this is it. Although, I started reading "Blood Will Tell", one of your Niffles, Hijja, and I had to stop. :o Which of your own fics is the best to start when a reader is not good with too much blood? ;)

Re: I win!

[chthonya]

Had to grin at this. "Blood Will Tell" has to be one of the more... extreme fics on the entire Niffle list. :) But IMO its true brilliance comes towards the end, should you be able to face it again.

Anyhow, I know you were asking Hijja and not me, but what the heck, you're free to ignore this! When you say you're not into 'too much blood' are you referring to explicit descriptions or general character torture? Assuming the former (and trying to avoid too much of the latter) my suggested starting points would be:

So you want to go to Hogwarts?
The Art of War
Tales From the Brute Squad
To Serve in Hell
Go Gentle
Somewhat Lighter Sympathy

Not because these are the 'best' (I wouldn't presume to make such a judgement) or even my favourites, but because there's a mix of old and new there, and I think that taken together they represent a range of Hijja's subject matter, PoV, inventiveness, attention to detail and writing style. If you want to jump right in at the dark end, try 'Trinity'; I'll leave you the pleasure of discovering the other gems of genius for yourself. :)

Oh, and Hijja (once you rejoin the party ;) - please feel free to jump on me if you think my suggestions are out of order (in any sense). I just thought that sometimes it's easier to come up with a list (especially of one's own fics) when one has something to disagree with. ;)

Re: I win!

[kennahijja.livejournal.com]

Although, I started reading "Blood Will Tell", one of your Niffles, Hijja, and I had to stop. :o

Me too, several times. And I really had to brace myself for re-reading it when I set out to write the Niffle (the same for bruno's 'World's End', to be honest). But I admire fics that manage to punch me in the gut *intelligently*, and I just can't help wanting to share that experience :).

Re: I win!

[kennahijja.livejournal.com]

Oh, fluffy Hijja! What a wondeful idea...

Argh!
*flails*

When other authors take their characters to the top of the Astronomy Tower, I expect a little sweetness and fluff. When Hijja does it, I know someone's going to die.

I think I love you! That must have been the most complimentary comment I've received, ever!