"....like she's setting herself up for disaster...."

I can't believe it's been two years since Chelsi and I wrote "Cannonball." That's a long time and so much has changed between then and now.

I just wanted to update you guys and let you know that we're working on a re-write of the "Cannonball" to let you all know. We're keeping the stories in tact, but we're working out the technicalities, the things that don't make sense, the things that are super unrealistic, all that. Two years later we can see the inconsistencies, and well, they scream at us. Haha. So they have to be fixed.

So we're working on it, and we hope to have the re-writing beginning on LS within the next month.

We hope you have a safe and happy New Year. Be careful kids.

....Ngi Ne Themba....

"Ngi Ne Themba" means, "I find hope" in Zulu.

"Great Divide" - by Hanson





See the E-Card, Watch The Video, Buy The Song

* All money goes to benefit the Perinatal HIV Unit at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, South Africa.*

",,,,watch the world around us live & die...."

Hey guys.

Geez, you have no idea how much I miss writing. (And I miss you all too!) I guess I'm not really telling you all anything substantial, other than I miss it, a lot. I mean, I've written some semi-out there, cryptic blogs on my myspace, and I write regularly for Girls Talkin' Smack and RyanStarFans.com , but it's not the same as writing hanfic. Not at all. Nope. Not.

Here's the thing, and I know you're tired of our crap excuses, dude, me too. Chelsi and I are both in school, which is keeping us pretty busy. Chelsi shares her computer with her brother, and so she's only on some nights, and it seems in those nights, we can't force inspiration. It sucks. But I swear, we're going to give it a serious go.

And, I know I said I wasn't going to write more solo hanfic, which is why I left my solo site....buttttttt.....I'm seriously, seriously considering it. What would you all think about that? No promises, it's something I'm batting around in my mind right now.... Comments on that idea?

Song of the moment: "We Might Fall" by Ryan Star

"maybe you and me are exactly what we need"

Hey guys! I just posted chapter three of Shed My Skin for you to read. I'm super excited about this story still, so I appreciate the feedback.

Also, in case you were wondering: yes, Tiffany and I are still working on the next story. I sort of feel like Hanson "we're working, and you'll get it soon" but it takes forever. I feel bad, but I think we finally found our track. And we got some recent inspiration, which is more than just a little awesome.

Also, Tiffany linked Shed My Skin on the main Last Stop page, so if you don't know the direct link, you can go there and get it.

So go read and be merry. =)

"don't be deceived, anything's possible if you just believe"

Chelsi here! I come bearing good (at least I hope you think it's good) news!

There is a new story being posted at Last Stop! Sadly, it's not a collaborative fic between Tiffany and I, though that is NOT being put aside. We are still trying to work on it. But time doesn't come cheap these days, and trying to get both of us together at the right time and feeling like writing is a feat in itself. So I'd been working on this story and the idea occured to me to post it on LS for you guys. I ran the idea by Tiffany, she liked it, and so I did it!

The story is called "Shed My Skin" and it features Zac, and right now I'm addicted to working on it and thinking about it and thinking about working on it. So, that is a good thing for you. Like I said on the site, feedback is what will keep me going. So if you like it, please let me know.

As of now, the story is not directly linked on the site. Tiffany uses pagebuilder, and I didn't want to mess with any of her pre-made pages. So, for now, you'll have to just go directly to the story from this link: www.geocities.com/fictionstop/sms/smsindex.html until I can get Tiffany to link it on the site.

I hope you guys enjoy it. I apologize for it taking this long to get something up, but hopefully you'll forgive us. =)

.:letters to ryan:.

Hey guys-

Tiffany and Chelsi here. Just wanting to let you guys know what happened to us.... We haven't died, we're still alive. We're still breathing, though slowly drowning under life and home work. At least one of us is. (Tiffany's in grad school, not drowning as quickly yet, haha.)

So what happened to us? You thought we had so many cool ideas that we were excited to share with you, didn't you? Well, when we finished Crash, we *were* so excited. We had all these ideas for upcoming stories and while we were a little sad by finishing with those characters, we had so much hope and ideas for future characters. But we guess (excuse the pun) we had a little crash of our own.

And somewhere along the way, we realized the story we were working on wasn't quite going like it was supposed to be going. And we got frustrated and started on a different story, which we'd also had in our minds for many months. So we started focusing on that instead of the original. And for a while, we were incredibly excited about that one too.

And then our inspiration dried up completely and our motivation pretty much ended. We wanted to write. We wanted to so bad. It just wasn't happening fast enough. Those two stories that we've worked on since we finished "Crash" have sat in folders, untouched, for weeks (maybe months) at a time. Sometimes they crossed our minds, but we could never bring ourselves to open them. And if we did open them, we couldn't find the right words, the right scenes, the right anything. We were drawing complete blanks.

The lack of inspiration killed us both. Right now (as in the past couple of weeks) we both started college again. And interestingly enough, it has spurred my [Chelsi's] inspiration. Procrastination always does, I suppose. But! That's not a bad thing, necessarily. Because that means that every free moment (aka - every moment I feel like ignoring that stack of homework) I will be working on something. We've recently got our minds set back on the second story that I told you about, but can't really tell you about (she would have my head). [That's right! Haha.] I don't want to tell you that we'll start posting it in a week, or a month, or even a year. Inspiration comes and goes. Motivation goes and comes. And life gets in the way sometimes.

But writing is what we are dying to do. It's what we always go back to in the end. So have no fear. We have not died, and we're not giving up. Like I said the other night, we just got stuck in a Grand Canyon sized rut.


That was Chelsi - Tiff here.

I feel bad that it's taken so long. The entire summer has gone by, but truth is, I wasn't on the computer very much this summer, and I got involved in so many different things, that I couldn't be. But now that school's back on, and I have a reason to be on the computer constantly, Chelsi and I are coming up with a plan. And I have to say one of the two stories we're working on is perhaps the most controversial hanfic I've ever seen (and no, there's no incest.) So we promise we're going to have some stuff for you all really soon [and not Hanson soon.] We hope you're still out there.


And, if you're on LJ, I have a new community I created called .:letters to ryan:. It's a music community, providing you with a soundtrack to your life, so feel free to join.






But we're writing, we promise. We hope you'll hang in there just a bit longer.

"...our two worlds collided late last night..."

Helllloooooo everybody! Chelsi here. Tiffany is on vacation for two weeks. Can we say lucky duck? LUCKY DUCK. Anyway, she put me in charge of updating you guys on what we've been doing/are doing/going to do.

Tiffany is (should be) on the beach right now, writing some more short stories. Hey, if that's where the inspiration comes from, then let it flow. So, when she gets back she'll (hopefully) have some of those she can post. I'm planning on writing more shorts too, if only I could get the motivation to work on those rather than other things. I digress.

More importantly are the long stories. We have two right now, and after a lot of deliberation, we decided to put one on the back burner, as the inspiration we had for it in the beginning, had pretty much disappeared. We're still really excited about it and the concept though. We just decided that it's a story for another season. =)

The other story that we're working on, we're really excited about. It's a story about survival, and doing all you can to make it. Tiffany is a butt and won't let me tell you much about it, but I will say that we have big ideas for it, and we know what's going to happen in the beginning, the middle, and the end. Which makes it a hell of a lot easier to write, if you know what I mean. So, we're working on that right now and, hopefully, we will be able to start posting that soon. Though, I feel like Hanson when I say that, because I honestly have no idea when 'soon' is. So I apologize.

So, that's where we're at. I hate to be all like "update!" and then have nothing to update. So, I may possibly write a short this week and send it through the yahoo group. So if you haven't signed up for that, you should go ahead and do it!

Oh, the one thing that she wanted me to tell you guys, I nearly forgot! This is why you don't leave me in charge of things. Becca is doing another season of the Feel What I Dream Awards. Those are here: http://fwid.aloneinthepretense.org./ Nominations begin on July 29....so go vote for your favorite stories. I know the hanfic world is a little dry right now, what with the current issues involving hanson.net, and other factors. So it's especially important now to show support for your favorite authors who keep on trucking.

For now, that's all I got. Stay tuned...I'll keep you in the know.

"....I've lost my mind waiting on you...."

Hey everyone.

Can you believe it's already July? That's insane! You probably noticed that the blog and Last Stop have a new look. Time for a change. Haha.

I just posted five new short hanfics by Chelsi, and one that we co-wrote. You'll recognize some of the characters, so check those out. There are more to come.

And, we're working on two long stories, so we hope you'll stick with us.

Remember to join the Yahoo group if you haven't already, and you'll get an e-mail when we update. We're not using Notify List anymore. It's too unpredictable.

Thanks so much for reading.

Rock on,
Tiff

The Future of Hanfic [RANT]

Warning: This is a rant.

So, I haven't actually posted on h.net in about a year, and I haven't frequented the site in over a year. I have logged on from time to time out of boredom, or to check things out, but it is no longer a place I regularly visit. That aside, Chelsi usually keeps me informed with the goings-on at the site. And, oddly enough, I still pay to be a member there.

Within the last few weeks, apparently there was a ban set on h.net against the mention or discussion of fanfiction.

Lord knows why someone thought this was a good idea. It goes along with the other threat that basically read that fans weren't to be in the same building as I, T, Z, or anyone connected to them, even if that's not what they did mean.

I'm not sure what they are thinking with these rules really, but I could care less. Because they aren't happy with the fiction doesn't mean I'm not going to write it. If they are paying my bills, we'll talk, but as long as I'm paying part of theirs, I'll do as I please.

Yes, some fanfic is weird, albeit, slightly psychotic. It's racy at times, and depicts situations which most wouldn't like to experience, but most authors are dilligent to point out that it is indeed fiction, is not true in any way, shape or form, etc. And, many times, the names are the only things in common with the real people in question. I know in my personal writing experiences, I don't think I, T, or Z necessarily act or behave in any way in which the characters do. I don't care about that, it's creative liberty, artistry, and it's a free country and that's allowed.

This just aggravated me, because fic has been around as long as they have. In fact, hanfic writers were pioneers in the fanfiction writing phenomenon. And, over the years, the number of people writing, particularly writing good fiction has declined significantly.

They are trying to control things of which they have no control, and it is laughable that they should even attempt to do it. In a time when they are recording a new album, their focus should be on positive relations with their existing fanbase rather than alienating more of them. Almost ten years in, if people haven't jumped on this wagon yet, it isn't likely they will with this new album.

Don't get me wrong, I still like the band, but these days, I'm only here for the music. And the disenchantment is setting in.

In other news..... Chelsi and I are still working on the upcoming story.

Would you all like some short stories in the mean time?

Comment with your thoughts, whatever.

Rock on,
Tiff

...do you still believe...?

Hello there, strangers.

Tiff here. I come bearing updates.....which include:

Loads of deleted scenes, the original ending of "Crash," and my final thoughts on the story. Once Chelsi decides to send me her final thoughts, I'll be posting those too, but it hasn't quite happened just yet.

And, we've moved from Notify List to Yahoo groups, which is how we'll be sending our updates from here on out, because like I said in the invite message, Notify List sucks eggs. If you were a member of the NL, you got an invite for the Yahoo group, so accept it. LOL. If you didn't get it, check your spam folders, kids.

Last but not least, voting for the spring "Feel What I Dream" awards is going on at Becca's site, (link to the right) - Chelsi and I are nommed for "Best Author Collaboration," among others, so be sure to check those out, and drop us a vote, or not....but we'd appreciate it if you did.

That's all for now. Behave yourselves.

ETA: Chelsi pointed out that we're also nominated for:

"Most likely to become a famous author" (*huge hugs on that!*)
"Story That Everyone Needs To Read"
and
"Best Hanfic Site" for Last Stop.

You guys rock. :) We appreciate votes if you like us. :)

Don't abandon the ship, you'll never know what it could've been....

Hey everyone.... I'm not sure what's up with the Notify List lately, but I've sent out two messages through NL in the past two weeks, and Chelsi and I didn't receive either. So I don't know if you all got them or not.

Just a heads up:

NOMINATIONS CLOSE SATURDAY, APRIL 22 for the "FEEL WHAT I DREAM AWARDS"
Spring edition.

So, if you liked "Crash" or any other stories. Hop over and nominate them.

http://fwid.aloneinthepretense.org

NL Members, please check your e-mail that you signed up with.

No one will ever compare, will ever be better than you....

Wow.

What a long and weird (but fun) trip it's been, kids.

Okay, before I go into a bunch of stuff, please read the story before you read the comments people leave, (because we know you will leave us comments, because you're awesome like that,) otherwise, lots of stuff is just going to be very confusing for you.

And, we'd also recommend checking out the uh, music, you know the drill.

That said, Tiff here. Your slave to the weekly updates for over a year now. A LONG time. LOL. Chelsi and I are really glad you all have taken this trip with us into the lives of these characters. So, as you might guess, the final two chapters, 14 & 15 of "Crash" are now up at Last Stop.

They're waiting on you, RIGHT now.

That's right. RIGHT NOW.

That's right, the "Cannonball" trilogy is complete. And oh yeah, after you check those out, be sure you read the final words too. *wink*

And please, if you feel inclined, go ahead and nominate us at the "Feel What I Dream Awards," the link is over there ---------> .

We also hope you'll comment, and take time to e-mail us a review of the story, to be posted.
*nods and grins*

Rock on,
Tiff

Chelsi says: Here it is. The end of a series. Is it everything you wanted? Is it everything you thought it would be? Tell us. We want to know your thoughts.

*Tiffany nods in agreement*

So let it fly.

"It's almost over...."

And once again, Tiff here, doing what we do best. That's right folks, update time. Before I get to that, a couple things.

Feel free to NOMINATE us for the FEEL WHAT I DREAM awards,
if you should feel so inclined, and you think "Crash" is good and all of that stuff.

Second, after today's update we have exactly 26 typed pages remaining to post. Eeeep. I had NO idea we were this close to finishing things up. Wow. That said, chances are, next week the story will end.

But...... Chelsi and I have both been lazy, and we haven't written our reflections, and I haven't gotten the extra stuff together yet. LOL. So, chances are, that won't happen for a couple weeks after the story ends.

And.....we're in a pause with our current project, which is mostly my fault, because I got stuck and held us up for nearly a week. LOL. So that's going to be a while coming too. But you guys are probably tired of us anyway, right?


And, one more thing. On a personal note, I've made a decision today. For now, I won't be continuing writing my personal hanfic (as in my solo stories, I'm still writing with Chelsi, don't panic.) I've worked on "Fatalistic" for a couple years now, and I've never had the time to actually get it going, and as of now, I don't have the energy, time, and I do feel I need to focus my creative energies elsewhere. I actually think I'll take my Last One Waiting site down, but I'll leave a redirect to Last Stop, with my solo stories. (That I think suck, LOL.) But I'll continue to do the blog, myspace, and livejournal.

Sometimes, change is a good thing, and I do totally appreciate those of you who have supported my solo stories for the past few years. I hope you'll continue to read my efforts with Chelsi. :)


All that mumbo jumbo, and now I get to what you care about. Chapters 12 and 13 of "Crash" are up on Last Stop.

PLEASE COMMENT PEOPLE. :)

....and c a n n o n b a l l into the water....

S U R P R I S E !

'Tis Monday, and Chelsi and I thought you guys might enjoy a SURPRISE update, that is NOT part of the two chapters I'll post later this week. That's right, this is a goody post. Yep.

Maybe I scared ya'll with my randomness in the last blog, because we've only received three comments, and we know at LEAST twelve of you read this story. LOL. That makes us sad....like maybe you decided you didn't love us anymore.

So please, please, please, please comment on this chapter and the two before it. We really like to know if you all think we're totally insane, if you hate what we did (our characters,) or love it. Because see, we're in the "Cannonball" bubble, so we think all of it's good, and that might not be true. So you've got to tell us!

And did fewer comment because they weren't chapters that focus around Taylor? I'm just wondering, because we thought maybe that was it..... His character is captivating, isn't it? And trust me when I say, as we wrote him, he did exactly as he wanted, we had no control. LOL.

Good times.

Okay so, now you have a surprise update,
chapter 11 of "Crash" is up at Last Stop.
PLEASE COMMENT.
*big grin*

We love you if you do. ;)

...and all those simple things you are....

First, before I do *ANYTHING* else..... I have to share something with y'all. (Southern talk. Haha.)

No, not that.

Our girl, Chelsi has made HCL for HNOTES @ h.net. WOOT. WOOT.

*does happy dance*

Send the girl some love, because she's an awesome writer and doesn't think she is.
(But she is, and don't argue with me Chelsi. I'm right. Haha.)

Oh yes, Tiff here. That's right. The one and only Tiffany, the insane, crazy chick that spends 98.9% of her life on the computer. Yep, that would be me. (I've been wired all day, can you tell? *insert huge dorky smile here* )

Well, as we speak, Chelsi dearest is at Morning After's CD release party, rocking her brains out. Haha. She's getting us new music to inspire new stories, indeed.


I promise you, I'm not on drugs, I'm really not. I'm just, well, weird, but good weird. Haha. And Chelsi's a lot like me, which is why we can write together. It meshes well, you know, the craziness. Now see, she's going to get on here to make sure I was a good girl and did this for you guys, and she's going to laugh hysterically and go, "Good lord." Yep, that's what she'll do.

All of that rambling mess and now you're probably rolling your eyes. Haha. I like to be random, my apologies. Okay, the real stuff. Yes, that stuff, the good stuff you came for. (Okay, at least I think it's good.... haha.)

TWO chapters of "Crash" this week on Last Stop.
YAY!

(And I double checked this week to make sure I didn't make any mistakes and leave any delusional Tay moments in that shouldn't be there. Hahaha.)

I'll be splitting them next week, posting eleven in the middle of the week and twelve on the weekend, but this week, you get nine and ten smooshed (what a cool word) together in one gigantic update. So don't you all check it out at once, it'll kill the bandwidth. Haha. Okay, well, if the bandwidth dies, just check back, because the site will work eventually. *wink*

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd. The awesome Becca's "Feel What I Dream Awards" nominations start

TODAY - APRIL 1st.

And no, I assure you, that is no April Fools'. So, you know, if you love us, and think we're crazy enough, show some love, alright? *cough* link to awards on right side of page *cough*

..... What? Haha.

There's one award in particular that we really want to be nommed for, so you might want to wait until later to nom us. Yeah, I just confused you all. Sorry. LOL.

Okay, I swear I'll stop now.

But comment, tell us what the weather's like where you are, what song you're listening to....

No, I'm kidding,

PLEASE tell us what you think of the chapters.

And show my girl Chelsi some love. *huge grin*

Rock on peoples.

Tiff out.

....uh-oh....take all your pills and divide them by color and size....

Believe it or not, I wasn't drunk last night. I actually don't drink, never have.... But I committed a serious error that likely confused the crapola out of some of you.

When I posted the update, at the end of chapter seven, there was a scene left in where Taylor comes out of the bathroom, and Andy's asleep in his bed. Well, as delusional as Taylor might be, we didn't want him to be THAT delusional....haha. He isn't seeing dead people ('Sixth Sense' anyone? LOL.)

And he's not stoned, hallucinating, or any of that stuff.

It was a simple error. Here's why. Originally, we got about 200 typed pages into 'Crash' we had Andy as a part of it, even though Em and Tay were split....then, I had a genius moment, and I was like, "Chelsi, what if Andy had died?" And she was all "NO!" LOL, then she realized it would make the plot much better, so we killed him. Then, we had to go back through everything we had already written, and change it to make it as though Andy had died.

That little paragraph, got overlooked, by me. LOL. So I'm really sorry about that. LOL. I goofed. (This is why it's not a good idea to do 10,000 things at once, kids.)

Other than that, someone posed this question:

Would I be posting two chapters every weekend, or will I do them one at the beginning/middle of the week, and another at the end?

What do you all want?


And yes, you can headbang to Michael Buble. LOL. I am, indeed.


Rock on,
Tiff

Subject Lyric: "Consequence Of Laughing" - Our Lady Peace

"this is me. this is who i've become."

Hello everyone, Tiff here. Another weekend, another update, yes?

Thank you all SO, SO very much for your comments last week, they made a world of difference to Chelsi and I. I'm going to respond to them as soon as I post this blog.

That being said, you now get your wish, due to overwhelming feedback, I'll now be posting two chapters a week, instead of one. :) I think you'll especially like chapter 8 this week, though chapter 7 is good too. Everything Chelsi and I do is good. (Totally kidding, some of our stuff sucks. Really. LOL.)

So, anyway, I have loads to do tonight....LOL.

BUT PLEASE DO COMMENT! We love you if you do! LOL.

Rock on,
Tiff


Edit:
haha, I think you're gonna start getting used to these edits by me (Chelsi). So, if you've already read chapter seven and get to the end and are thinking "wtf?" pretend you didn't read that part. We had originally taken the story in a different direction, and then ended up going back and changing things. And apparently Tiffany hadn't gotten that part out of her copy. Nor did she read over it before she posted. That's what you get when you try to post an update and do a million other things. Gotta give her credit...she does good most of the time.

So...if you hadn't read it, and have no clue what I'm talking about, good. If you know what I'm talking about, pretend it never happened. Capiche? *nods* Okay. Happy reading. =)

"I want you to hate me."

Hey everyone. Another week, another update, but, before we talk about that, I want to mention this.....

The awesome Becca is back with the spring edition of the "Feel What I Dream" hanfic awards. That's right, season two. If you all remember, "Cannonball" and "Broken Road" picked up several awards last season, thanks to you all, whom Chelsi and I adore. :) So, if you think "Crash" is award worthy, why not nominate it? Hehe.

And, question for you all..... what would you think about us speeding up the posting process? Posting two long chapters each week instead of one.... The thing about this is, after "Crash" ends, and we post all of the extras, there might be some down time before we start posting our next story, depending on how quickly we can finish it. Would you all be alright with that?

And, chapter six of "Crash" is now up on Last Stop.

Please comment on this, the chapter, and the awards! We'd really appreciate it, because it really DOES help (LOADS) when you comment for us. :) It inspires us, and we write faster.


Edit (Chelsi):

I decided to get creative, and make a poll! haha, genius me. So vote. What should we do?

I am retarded. The thing didn't work, and I forgot to delete this. haha Sorry.

.... you make make me stay when i should not....

Hey everyone -

Tiff here. (I couldn't think of a cool nickname for myself, so I'll just stick with Tiff. LOL.)

I hope you've all had a good week. I thought I'd post this week's update a tad earlier than I usually get to do it, because you guys have been so awesome with feedback. Thank you everyone who has left comments on our blog, and thanks to Krystal for your feedback on VA, and Fran for your feedback through e-mail. We do read every piece, and we discuss it, and appreciate that you take your time to tell us what you think. We hope you'll keep doing it. :)

Chelsi and I have pretty much been writing our new project, non-stop. We're thirteen chapters and 96 and a half pages right this very second.... and we're nowhere near done. We're excited about this story, because we've racked our brains, and we do believe we're covering several hanfic firsts with it. As I write this blog, she's harassing me. LOL. I'm kidding. She's trying to get this chapter wrapped up, and she's been writing it for a day. LOL. It's L O N G. She's hilarious though, and a lot of fun to work with. We've taken to calling one another nerd and dork, among many other names, as terms of endearment. Haha.

We decided to ask, do you guys think we're awesome? LMAO. We were wondering that yesterday.

And with "Crash," wow, it's going by fast. Haha. What do you all think about it so far? Good? Bad? Better than "Cannonball" and "Broken Road?" We're curious, so don't hesitate to be honest. LOL. Seriously, we wouldn't be mad. We like constructive criticism, and welcome it.

And just so you know.... there are curveballs to come. Hahaha.
(Do you have any idea how much I love telling you all that?)

With that said, I just posted chapter five of "Crash."

I'm particularly pleased with my song choice for this chapter. (I choose the songs, hehe.) It's like *wow* in relation to the story, so I hope you'll check it out.... it's "The Weakness In Me" by Melissa Etheridge, and I found it last week.... and when I was doing a last minute edit on the chapter before I posted it, I was listening to it, and my mouth dropped open. It's so perfect.

What do you guys think of the song choices, do they go well with the chapters so far?

And, what do you think of "Crash?" I know some of you want to see Riley with Taylor, others want her to stay with Zac. You all seem to want Lexie and Ike to have a baby, and you're genuinely confused about the Emily situation. Haha. That's the way we'd intended it. Chelsi is a Zac/Riley shipper. I'm a Riley/Taylor girl. Yes, that made writing interesting.

I think Chelsi's got a message for you all, so I'll leave her to it.

(Now you probably think we're on crack. We kind of are.... Chelsi says it's "Taylor" crack. He has fun in our heads, seriously. You all should be here....it's insane. Chelsi and I type the *same* things at the *same* time, then we crack up....Haha.)

Thanks for reading! Please comment!

Rock on,
Tiff


Message from Chelsi (the great): I'm currently working dilegently on the newest chapter of the newest creation from Tiffany and I. I've officially dubbed it the chapter that never ends. Tiffany is cool, isn't she? Updating early and all....yeah, she's cool. And uh....thanks for reading and commenting and stuff. It's really cool. You guys are the coolest. So...keep reading. We can't wait for you all to read the end of "Crash." We think it ended with quite a bang. So uh..why are you still reading this? Go read and leave us some love. We luff you all.

Chelsi

“But we’ve got something that you guys don’t.”

Hey everyone! Hope you're having a good week..... Tiff here.

Chelsi and I have been hard at work for the last few days on our *new* project, and we're really excited about it. It's something completely different from the "Cannonball" trilogy.... We've already titled it and everything.... We're seven or so chapters in at the moment.... So it looks like we'll have something for you all when we finish "Crash...." That is, if you all want to read something else of ours. LOL.

With that said, chapter four of "Crash" is now up at Last Stop.....

Please read and leave us a comment here on the blog, we really love reading your thoughts, good or bad! :)

Thanks everyone. Happy reading.

Rock on,
Tiff

....I'm lookin' for baggage that goes with mine.....('RENT')

Dropping you all a quick blog to let you all know.... the short fics, as well as a couple goodies (hehe,) are now up for you all at Last Stop....

So go check out "California" and "Criminal." (This way....)


And, thank you all so much for the comments on "Crash." Please, keep them coming!

Rock on,
Tiff

"Spendin' all my money on phone cards...."

"Somehow, somewhere, I'll see you again, but until then, I've got dreams, of loving you...."

Tee hee hee.... the ride begins, tonight. Buckle up. (Cheesy yes, but oh so appropriate.)

This chapter is going to give you the answers to a few questions you've asked us so far, but remember, all may not be as it seems. ;)

You all are just now beginning the ride, in Chapter 3 of "Crash," which is now up on Last Stop. So....check it out and come back and comment! We want to know what you all think. Seriously!

Oh, and I should mention, at some point this weekend, I'll be posting another short fiction piece by Chelsi, and a short fiction by me also. :) So check back for those.

Rock on,
Tiff

"....is anybody waiting at home for you....?"

Another week gone already? Haha. Tiff here once again. First of all, I want to thank you all for commenting on the blog last week, Chelsi and I really appreciate it, and it does impact our writing and future projects, so please, keep it coming. :)

Chapter 2 of "Crash" is now up on Last Stop. If I remember correctly, this chapter was very much a joint effort between Chelsi and I. However, I wrote the scene with Taylor @ Damien's, and I feel it's one of my strongest in terms of vividness. :) This chapter will explain a little bit as to why Taylor is in the situation he's in....

But we still have to keep you guessing some! :) Please read it and comment!

Thanks!

Rock on,
Tiff

"....And if I can say...I've had better days...."

Hey everyone - Tiff here.

Let me send a huge hug your way. :) Chelsi and I really appreciate that you all voted for us in the "FWID" awards! It was an awesome way to end the week.


And, good news..... We're now posting "Crash!" That's right, chapter one is up. I can't remember if it was Chelsi or me that had the idea for the opening scenes, but I remember we thought of them before we finished "Broken Road," and we got so excited that we hardly wanted to finish the other story before we started this one. Haha.

So, check it out, and then leave us a comment, alright?

//this is when the ink stops flowing, this is when my head starts going\\

WOOHOO! Chelsi here, by the way. Thanks to YOU guys, we won some stuff over at the Feel What I Dream Awards! Well, we two one awards, but we got a lot of runner ups. I think...I can't remember how many. But that's really cool. What an awesome way to end Crash with a bang.

Seriously, we finish writing it, and then the next day we win awards. That's awesome guys, really awesome. This is what we won:

Winner:
Best quote - "I would for you." -Zac
Best make up - Riley and Zac, Ch 15 of BR

Runner Up:
Best Dramatic Author
Best Character Overall non-Hanson (Riley)
Best Supporting Character Female (Alexis)
Best Supporting Isaac
Best Dramatic Story (Cannonball)
Best Sequel (Broken Road)
Voter's Choice (Cannonball)

So thank you guys for voting...you're really aweosme. Really, really awesome. So, go check out the FWID awards to see the other winners and runner ups. And stick around until this weekend...when we start posting Crash. http://fwid.aloneinthepretense.org./

See ya'll on the flip side. =)

"....the world still moves without you...."

Wow you all....Chelsi and I just finished writing "Crash." We thought it would be cool to write final thoughts of sorts....so here they are.

Tiffany:


It's 11:46 PM EST, and it's almost Thursday....it's February, and the air outside is cold and unforgiving. Night is well in progress, and I'm laying on my bed with my laptop, and a song on repeat.....and it's in this instance that I feel like I've just lost eight really good friends....Eight people whom I've known for over a year, and in some ways, they've been on my mind every other minute. It's that feeling, the one you have when driving away from a funeral, you're reflective, and in between sad and happy as your mind flows with memories of days passed.

Tonight is the night that Chelsi and I finished writing the lives of Taylor, Riley, Zac, Emily, Andy, Kaelin, Isaac, and Alexis. We've been writing them since December of 2004....we've lived their ups, their downs, and all their in betweens. We've lived through them on every single page, in every single word. We've laughed and nearly cried. We have been happy to the point of elation, and angered to the point we threatened never to write them again when certain characters seemed to take on lives of their own in our pages, through the words we typed.

This trilogy has turned out much better than I ever expected. The characters and storylines have grown so much, it's been an incredible experience. And Chelsi and I have become very close, as well as developing our skills as writers. As time has gone on, we're pretty much able to tell what the other is thinking, or where an idea is going before it's even finished. We've talked about everything under the moon, and back, and it's been many late nights of insanity, frustration, brilliance, and endless fun. So many priceless memories have now been made, forever cemented in our memories, at the expense of the eight characters we've made.

You never really think about how much a song can change your life....until it does. When I heard "Cannonball" back in 2004, I couldn't get it out of my mind, then I met Chelsi, and it had the same effect on her....when we started writing, we knew it was an integral part to the tale we were crafting, and it resonates through all three stories in various ways, however small. So many days we would come home and talk to each other, and we'd say things like, "I was in my car today, and I saw this sign, random, I know, but it made me think we should do this with Taylor...." And that simple idea would spawn a twenty page situation that we'd create and then dismantle.

By far, Taylor is the most complicated character of them all. He's moody and reckless, but he's also sweet and driven. He makes you love him one minute, and want to kill him the next....He's dynamic, and in writing him, we found that he liked to dig himself lots of holes....holes we had to fill. Surprisingly, Taylor is the one character we always agreed on in the writing process. Next, would be my personal favorite, Riley. That girl is always so.....fickle. She knows what she wants to do, but she can never decide to follow her head or her heart. She was my favorite to write, and Chelsi pretty much refused to write her when we got to "Crash." (Haha.) And Zac....he was a combination of both of our ideas of what he should be, and in the end, I think he turned out quite well. And Alexis was Chelsi's protege, and I really couldn't manage to write her that well....but she really was the balancing force in everything. And Isaac, he was the reasoner to his brothers, and the rock for Alexis, when she needed it. And Emily....in ways, she was the victim, yet some of it was self-inflicted. Then, the kids - the pawns in the games of their parents attempts at love.....or what they thought was love..... And no, I'm giving absolutely nothing away as you read this, wait, you'll see.

In closing....I feel empty. I feel like a huge part of my life is now missing. True, I'm already planning to finally start writing "Fatalistic," and Chelsi and I are well in the beginning phases of our next collaboration, and new characters that we're beginning to learn, but still, these characters linger in my mind....with all the "God yes," "Let go," "Just stay," and the "Say you want me's....." and everything in between. I think these characters brought out my true colors as a writer. In the nearly 900 typed pages, they challenged me in ways I never thought I'd be challenged.....and now, with their passing, I'm reluctant to say goodbye....reluctant to close the word document and watch the words disappear.....reluctant to think I'll never write them again, not in this time, this space, not ever this way.

I will say that I think "Crash" is incredible, and I can't wait for you all to read it.....it's a ride like no other. It's stronger than the other stories, and I really think it could stand well on it's own. "Cannonball" was about the concept, "Broken Road" was about developing the characters and their relationships, and "Crash" takes those things, and ties them together, in a chaotic little bow. I hope, that once you've read the last word to their story, that you're left speechless. I hope you're feeling a little empty, like maybe you've lost some good friends too.....Most of all, I hope you are affected by their lives as much as they've affected our lives.

Thank you for reading everything so far! I hope you'll stick with us for everything to come.

Rock on,
Tiff



Chelsi:

So, wow. Tiffany and I just finished “Crash” about an hour ago. While you should all be happy about this (because that means we’re going to start posting it), we are kind of in a bittersweet moment with it. We’ve been working on this series for a little more than a year.

It’s weird to think that, before “Crash,” before “Broken Road,” and even before “Cannonball,” Tiffany and I really didn’t know each other that well. We’d been talking for maybe a couple months by then. We met through her yahoo group after I’d read her other stories. You all know the story behind how “Cannonball” came to be, and if you don’t, read our reflections of “Cannonball” in the Extras section. The point is, this story was really our bonding point. Many, many, many late nighters, clicking away on the keyboard until our fingers felt like they were going to fall off. Lots of laughs, lots of frustration. Laughing too loud and staying up too late. So late, sometimes, that we’d fall asleep at the computer. I actually did that once…haha. Remember Tiff? Funny, funny.

I feel like our writing skills have grown dramatically. If you read “Cannonball,” and then you read, “Crash,” I think there’s an obvious difference. Together, we worked on our strengths, and learned from our weaknesses. All the while, creating this monumental piece of work. It may not be monumental for you. It may be just another story that you stumbled across on the internet once. Maybe one day you’ll be on a Hanson forum and say, “hey, does anyone remember this story where Taylor and this girl have dreams about each other, and then they meet, but she’s already fallen in love with Zac before she realizes it?” And maybe, Tiffany or I will see this post. And it will no doubt bring a smile to our face. Because this is our monument. This was our blood, sweat, and tears. And while it may be just a passing story to you, it’s so much more to us. And we appreciate everyone who takes the time to read it. Because it makes us feel good to know that we can share their story with you.

The characters have grown on us. I don’t think we’ll ever be totally rid of them. They’re in our veins now, as much a part of us as our best friends. They pop into our heads at random moments, during random events in our lives. They speak to us sometimes. (Does this make us crazy? Maybe, hehe. But remember, some of the best writers were a little crazy in their own way.) These characters are alive in us, and it’s sad that we’re finished with their story. This is the end of their story, but not the end of everything. We have so many more plans. So many more stories to tell, and people to introduce to your lives. Characters we don’t really know yet, but will eventually become part of our everyday lives. Just like Taylor and Emily. And just like Riley and Zac. And just like Isaac and Alexis.

This series is over, but we are not. We have future projects in the works. If you stick around, so will we. Hey, we’re stubborn, so even if you leave, we’d probably still stick around. ;)

Thanks for reading and for sticking around.

- Chelsi

Note from Tiff: I swear we didn't discuss these final thoughts as we wrote them, we didn't at all.... then I read hers and started laughing, again, because once again, we pretty much said the SAME thing. Hahaha. Do you all believe we think alike yet?

last stop.....are you all ready?

Hey everyone - Tiffany here. Chelsi and I finally got smart, haha. I was tired of not having a way for you all to leave comments on the updates, and whatever else, and the chatterbox just wasn't working, so I had this idea....'Why not make a blog?' And now, here we are.

We'll use this to keep you all informed on updates, as well as any and everything else story related.....and you can also let us know what you're thinking without having to go through the annoyance of sending an e-mail. When I am the one posting, I'll mention it's me, and she'll do the same.

Don't you love the information age?

With that said, we're going to start posting "Crash" really soon. I know you all are getting antsy - we understand. We're actually really looking forward to sharing it with you all....and we're almost ready to do that....we just have to work out some last character details and situations to make it even better for you all.

And, we've been talking very recently about re-writing "Cannonball." Don't worry, it wouldn't be loads different, but we would like to go back and fill in some of the holes that we feel like are there....to strengthen the story, and the characters. Considering we wrote the whole story in fourteen days, all 257 typed pages, I think it turned out pretty well. But, "Crash" is like OMG compared to "Cannonball."

Just wait and see.

Also: Updated today: new "Broken Road" reviews from readers, and a new "Cannonball" review from Krystal.