I must be mad.

[blamebrampton]

I've signed up for hd_erised.

Now, the fest itself is MAGNIFICENT! The mods are excellent, the particpants gems, the works produced splendid. But I feel it may be cursed for me.

I can't quite remember everything that went wrong last year, but I know it inncluded being ghastly ill and breaking my wrist. I'm afraid to reread the journal entries.

However, this year, I've had Mr B out of work for months, brilliant friends unfairly and unreasonably ill or dealing with very hard crap, work being run by chaos demons, two friends dead long before their time, a stomach ulcer from stress and the flu (which I at least got over quickly due to living in a light airy house now). So I may have actually used up all the available bad luck.

If you hear of me being snatched by aliens, you will know that I have an erised curse!

And worse – I have just read literally the most perfect promp for me in the history of all time, and now I will be aggravating my stomach ulcer for AGES until assignments go out worrying that I may not get it because it doesn't say 'I would like political comedy, please.' (It's OK, mods who have ever given me those assignments in the past, I absolutely would have done the same in your place.)

Off to join the dozens of participants in exactly the same boat!

Comments

[bk7brokemybrain.livejournal.com]

It sounds like you are more than ready for the healing balm of joy that is getting deep into the Potter writing zone. Have a marvelous trip! I can't wait to read what you produce.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

This may well be true. I've been rereading all the Discworld books sinceSir Terry died and he is probably the only reason I have not run around screaming of late. I think I can probably sneak another quick Potter reread in once I finish Raising Steam!

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

I'm soooo excited you signed up I can't stand it!! ♥

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I can learn, Sassy: before I signed up I cleared out all but one of the obligations I had in Spetember and rescheduled them for the next two weeks or October. I'm going to hit that baby running as soon as it comes in, none of this letting ideas percolate bullshit! That's how you end up with pages of handscrawled notes, a broken wrist and a deadline zipping past!

(I'm super excited about the signupped names, too! MORE ARTISTS! Lazy sluggards knowing they can stroll by any time. Oh, how I envy them!)

[piratesmile331.livejournal.com]

Perhaps hd_erised will bring your good luck back...
*hugs*

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

That would be lovely! I'm probably just going to have to make a bit of my own and jump careers into something more boring but less stressful and better paid. I'm thinking political speechwriter ;-)

[piratesmile331.livejournal.com]

Not sure if you're being facetious or not, but you would be amazing at that!!!

[khalulu]

So sorry to hear of the loss of your friends.

Indeed, may erised bring you luck or at least respite.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

They both went peacefully at least. But I would have much preferred them to go in the distant eventuality. Thank you for your kindness, it is a balm.

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Writing is always salve for the soul.

[valkyrie17.livejournal.com]

So sorry for the loss of your friends. That's hard.

Glad to see you will be writing new fic…I always love your writing:)
(Good luck getting the prompt you desire)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Thanks, valkyrie. One of them I am sort of 'Well, he was always a bit self destructive, so his body probably wasn't going to last ...' But the other wasn't just the loveliest woman, she was alwasys fit and healthy, all but vegetarian her whole life, barely touched alcohol, and just so fundamentally decent.

I'm glad I'm an atheist, because her death in her mid-40s would otherwise have me convinced that any god was an utterly malevolent bastard. As it is, stupid bloody biology!

The Cursed

[karinmollberg.livejournal.com]

Welcome to the band! I'm the Boring Blonde Bassista. Must now vacuum.

[glorafin.livejournal.com]

Come on mods. Political comedy is always a good thing!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I was hoping for drama, alas. The most perfect slightly dark but not OTT plot ... and no.

Still, writing for someone utterly lovely and if I squint at the prompt, I can do something very cool with it! Happily it contains that magical phrase, 'Happy with what I get!', which I always take as an excuse. It's mostly worked out in the past ;-) (I include it, too -- like my promptee with a few limits, which seems sensible. It's worked a treat with gifts I receive: 'I know you said you would like some sort of crime fiction, but here is a masterpiece of art on auror training instead. Ta-dah!')