Bonus Blog (BB); Inkpop went Pop! (My heart break over a website)

On Monday, 27^th Feburay I came home from school tired from not finding sleep the previous night due to one of my random periods of insomnia. I had intended to go straight to sleep, but my body decided it no longer demanded rest now my bed was there to occupy. So I was checking my Twitter (hm...@RachelVerna) to see if anything remotely interesting had happen. I saw one of Inkpop's rare important twits. So I click on it and its link. Then my heart broke a little bit.

My favourite writing site was going to disappear in 3 days time, on the same day I was most likely going to be failing my Higher English Prelim, 5 days before I would be getting my new laptop which I promised to write on. Crap!

HarperColin had sold Inkpop's community to Figment.com (or in their words: http://harpercollins.com/footer/release.aspx?id=990&b=&year=2012 ) All of the Inkpop accounts would be getting transferred to Figment on 1^st of March. Of learning of its doomed my first emotions were of shock and angry. Frankly, I told Inkpop to Fuck themselves on Twiter. Not my proudest moment.

I couldn't believe their would throw away Inkpop like that. The website had only been completely re-hauled less than a year ago. It had taken them a great deal of effect and time to do since they had encountered several problems with the update. This all equal money that HarperColins had spent on the website. While I could understand that HC didn't want to continue with the concept of Inkpop, it did seems as though they had wasted a lot.

The rough just of Inkpop that it is a writing site for teen writers and writers that write for them, but with the actual chance to have ones work read and critique by an Actual Editor of HarperColins. They could decided to publish it. Though, only those who reach the Top 5 rank, being picked by their fellow Inkpopers, get this reward. It is likely that HC have realise the benefit of reviewing hundreds(Well, 5 novels, 5 short-stories, and 5 poems) is not giving that many potential publishable projects as their hoped, only one book had been published from being discovered on Inkpop: Carrier of the Mark, by Leigh Fallon. Also the time scale which the Top Fiction authors were getting their Critiques, could be used as evidence they simply don't have the time to do them.

My angry mainly stemmed from my sleep deprivation and lack of warning. It takes time to organised the merger of two sites, they must have knew this was coming for a awhile. Less than a week, 3 days of warning was that all Inkpop was worth. A site that many had found a online home and made connections. I guess in a way lifeline. It was home of escapists, but now its escaping from them. Gone would be swap forms, random societies. .PiXiE. would be the last Inkpopper of the Week. How can there be a Inkpop sisterhood without an Inkpop. While I was never a member of any of these societies, I couldn't but notice their lovely banners on their members pages. These societies will most likely rebuild on Figment.com, doubt it will be the same strength. A lot of Inkpoppers will not be moving. So like the forced moves of the Council housing in the 70s (and before that), communities that have been made will not remained in track.

Okay, maybe I'm being a bit silly comparing the Inkpop-Figment merger to people being forced to move their homes, but I'm a writer and actress (amateur obviously); I have a knack for dramatising things. And I am truly going to miss Inkpop.

On the 28^th I couldn't get on Inkpop for one last look, I thought I would have had the chance two days before its destruction. Even if it came back on (which it did), I wouldn't have had time to do it again as I needed, still need to revise for my Prelims that had been declare months before for this week.

I was PhoenixAngel, I never in the Top 5 Picks, or a Trendsetter, but briefly I was in the top 10 short story critics and you will find me on Figment.com because I have no where better to go.

Farewell, Inkpop and her Inkpoppers.

I'm so very different from them More like Walking Cliché

This may be a weird notion, but the thought came to me this week, while I was laying about. Am I cliché? I strive so much to be different, be weird and consider odd by the outside world. Does this in fact make me a cliché?

I'm a "Torment Soul" (according to most people I must think my parents don't love as much as my sick siblings or give me enough attention. They love me fine, thank you very much and I don't want them playing enough attention to notice the bodies) with a difficult and complex background who escapes into the world of art, music and books. I want, have wanted to be a writer from a young age and always associated myself as being a goth with my love of horror and the macabre. I have few, almost seemly non-existent at school friends. Frankly, I can be quite the loner and go happy for days without any proper human contract.  Black is my main colour choice in most style choices with the usual splash of red or purple. I consider Midnight blue to be one of my favourite colours.

But does this all not make me the cliché odd girl sitting in the corner with a book? Sure, I'm only person in my school that matches all the above description, however, my school, my town, my contract with the world outside -unreachable from- my room is very, very small. Within the context of my family, six siblings and all; including my extended family I'm the weird one with my ever-changing-multicolour hair that goes well past my shoulders (actually it slightly goes past my bellybutton). Does that really make special, unique?

 Am I just a big hypocrite?

I do just want to be me, I don't try to be different from everyone. I've just always accept my own weirdness, I've basically been like since I was four years old, before I even known social norms. I don't believe in, refuse to change for anyone. Its just been bugging me recently. Does it really matter anyway?

What's normal anyho?

Typewriter fun - My Dedication of Love to the Past of Writing

Haló, I'm now the proud owner of a Olympia SM9 typewriter. 

Isn't she beautiful?

I've got to say that while I love having this machine, the amount I'll actually use it is to be determined. Its in complete working order and I've have so far used to write nonsenical letters and the opening of a story idea, that is frankly quite confusing so far. I plan to write a horror story and see if it comes true. You know like in that Goosebumps book/episode "The Blob That Ate Everyone", I guess the boy is exactly like me. I love writing horror stories and I have a working computer and going to be getting my own laptop soon which was confirmed the same day as I got the typewriter. I actually brought the typewriter out of a charity shop, Caring for Carers, which money goes partly to the same charity thats giving me money towards a laptop. £15 to help others. 
I've wanted a typewriter for a while, for sentimental reasons really. All those great works that have been typed out on a typewriter, basically since the late 19th century. Also think I'm less likely to get distracted typing on a typewriter than if I was using a laptop/computer. It also might improve my typing as I won't have room to make mistakes. I actually seem to making more typing mistakes on my keyboard than I do on my typewriter as writing this.
I think I would like to at less write one chapter of every book I ever write on a typewriter, though I need to write a book first. 


Also why would a typewriter made in 1971 need a "at" symbol? Is two letter word too long to write every time, its not like "at" is used in most sentences. @?

Odd Reading Habits a.k.a I'm off patrolling the Streets of Chorley with a book in hand

Me, My Best Friend & of Course Brain Cox -Pict added 23.2.12

This was actually wrote on the 5th February, but as I will be visiting my Best Friend, Rose in England; to keep to the Saturday Update schedule, I've had to write it before. While England is not some far off land lacking connection to the outside world; her Internet is not that great and I would also like to spend as much time as possible with her whilst dress as Batwomen. She having, I mean had a Fancy dress party for 16th last night. Cult TV was the theme and the costumes were all wonderful *Nods straight faced*. I've decided I will keep wearing my Batman gear all day. Seriously, I'm taking my Batman pyjamas , my hoodie and Batgirl top. My purse/bag is Batman as well.  Yeah, kinda obsessed.
When this hits the wide web, I'll probably be slapping or trying to scar Rose using my nails. Its how I show affection. *smirks*

So back to the point of the blog:
  My reading habits which some might describe as odd or unusual are the following:

•  When I get I bored with the story of book or just a little bit restless I read out the words to keep focus. Thats not the odd part. I also sometimes sing it out or purposely read out the words in the wrong tone e.g. a random innocent part as though they were out of breath and sweaty *Suggestively waggles eyebrows* or sad/serious/action packed parts in overly happy high-pitched voice, so on. My family can probably hear me doing this, but they must just take it as me making more nonsensical noise. Like I've said before I'm Dyslexic and reading out the words does help me in someway. The odd way I do is just to amuse myself.
• I am somewhat restless at time and will randomly stand up, move about the room and then sit back down when I was. Often, forgetting if I've stood up for a reason. So I move about the room while reading, usually I read lying on my bed or move to my desk when I start to cramp. Though, I can ended up lying on the cold floor of my room, on the stairs with the steps sticking in my back. In all bizarre positions on the bed, even once tried reading with head hanging off the bed. 
• Most Dangerous of all I try to read while walking about. Pacing about my room while my dog follows my every move or all over the house and in the large Garden/farm land. I go for walks while reading all over the place. I even jump on my trampoline while trying to read. When I'm really engrossed in a book, I walk around school with my nose in between the pages between classes. The most stupidness part of this is, that even at the best of times I am as clumsy as hell: I walked into walls; lose my footing on steps; fall over furniture thats been in the same position for years and I am always coved in unexplained bruise as I'm so use to hurting myself that I don't really noticed anymore. I am actually quite good at recovery, I haven't actually hit the ground in over a year and that was because of the ice.

The Love of Books a.k.a avoiding the bitching

I was planing on writing about First Aid training I had on Wednesday, but I think I'd be better writing about that once I've competed the course. A lot of crap has happen since I posted my last blog; frankly I couldn't write about that without being bitchy. Let just say my school's House/Support Teachers should find other employment, because they centrally not suited to a caring role of any kind.

So for all the above reasons I figured I would write something about my love of books. I've always had a fascination over them and the written word. I know this goes all the way back to when I was toddler even. There's film of me excitingly flicking through the pages of a Winnie-Pool book what I'm told is my second Birthday, maybe Third. I learned to read early on. I know I could read when I was 3/4 years old, I know because I can remember it: I read my sister's school books. Some point during that year or when I got there I stopped being able to read those same pages. At 4 I could read, at 5 I couldn't, not even a tiny bit it seemed.

I have dyslexia (as said previous blog), though it doesn't explain what triggered me to take 10 steps back and recovery for 6 years.They such a thing as Alexia (acquired Dyslexia) where you stop being able to read due the brain being damaged. Though, that really only happens in adults. I don't remember any head injuries and I doubt my parents would hide something like that from me so I guess thats not what happen.  Maybe it was just the stress of school that built the wall. That way I use to visuallise why I couldn't read. There was wall blocking me from the words I needed, wanted so bad. The words would slowly climb over the wall and into my grasp until the wall began to crumble and now no longer sands.

The way I see my mind now is very badly organised, giant library. Full of information and fiction, it justs takes a while to find it some times. Some sections are better arranged than others.

Growing up all I wanted to do to be able to read and become a writer. I want to be able to write my own stories down so much. I've always been a story teller, when I couldn't write, I drew the story. I come up a million ideas a day for stories, though not all them a good. I hope to be a published writer someday. I would get so frustrated not being able to write or read. It was what I always wanted as kid. I would wish on stars to learn to read. A day I don't read or write is a wasted wish, I suppose. I have started to take reading for granted now, spelling still causes many a problem. I still appreciated it so much.

I relearned to read at 11, right before High School start. The First book I properly read after the six year gap was about a sick baby sheep. I read it all by myself, it must have been 15 pages long with pictures. I can now read over 600 pages in day if I have the time. That can be a whole book. I've been reading now for 6, 7 years I'm still doing my best to make up for wasted time. I will read all books, aimed all ages. Even the humble picture book are still a joy for me. 

The thing I think regret most about not being able to read, is that no one introduce me to comic books. Sure, I had came across the Beano but you can't really get the full joke from not being to read. Looking at the pictures of adult. The first comic I read was W.I.T.C.H, loved it. Hated the American Voices on the animation and the books redundant. Currently getting Batman Legends and recently DC Universe. My Graphic novel collection is mostly, okay completely made up of Batman, but he wonderful.

Next week my Odd Reading Habits (includes singing Murder scenes)