Yuletide News: High and Low
Nov. 1st, 2025 09:26 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
przedThe high: For the first time ever, someone asked if they could podfic one of my stories!
The lovely speakwithmagic reached out about recording my 2010 Yuletide story, Down a Dark Desert Highway, my crazy crossover of A Knight's Tale and Hotel California. Yes, the song. It's one of the stories I'm most proud of, quite possibly because it was such a nutty idea, so I was very chuffed by the request.
The podfic is now up here, and it's wonderful, bookended with two different versions of the song. So, if you've got 12 minutes to spare, give it a listen!
The low: after nominating fandoms and mulling and debating, I decided not to sign up for Yuletide this year. I've been doing the challenge since 2009, have only ever missed one year before, and even in years where I haven't been writing much, I've managed to get my assignment done.
But this year felt different.
I think it might be partly that I'm still dealing with the grief of my mother's death (still miss you, Mom), and partly because I've got several big projects at work, writing a ton of not-at-all interesting technical manuals that have burned out my writing brain. Whatever it is, at the last minute I decided to give myself the grace of not landing that kind of pressure on myself.
I have, however, looked at the tag set and read a few Yuletide letters, and I'm hoping I have the energy to at least do a little treat or two. Fingers crossed!
The lovely speakwithmagic reached out about recording my 2010 Yuletide story, Down a Dark Desert Highway, my crazy crossover of A Knight's Tale and Hotel California. Yes, the song. It's one of the stories I'm most proud of, quite possibly because it was such a nutty idea, so I was very chuffed by the request.
The podfic is now up here, and it's wonderful, bookended with two different versions of the song. So, if you've got 12 minutes to spare, give it a listen!
The low: after nominating fandoms and mulling and debating, I decided not to sign up for Yuletide this year. I've been doing the challenge since 2009, have only ever missed one year before, and even in years where I haven't been writing much, I've managed to get my assignment done.
But this year felt different.
I think it might be partly that I'm still dealing with the grief of my mother's death (still miss you, Mom), and partly because I've got several big projects at work, writing a ton of not-at-all interesting technical manuals that have burned out my writing brain. Whatever it is, at the last minute I decided to give myself the grace of not landing that kind of pressure on myself.
I have, however, looked at the tag set and read a few Yuletide letters, and I'm hoping I have the energy to at least do a little treat or two. Fingers crossed!
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Date: 2025-11-01 09:22 pm (UTC)It's always hardest to cut ourselves grace so well done you. ♥
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Date: 2025-11-02 06:45 pm (UTC)I tend to push through and do things when I shouldn't, but I'm trying to listen to myself and not do that anymore. <3
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Date: 2025-11-01 11:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-11-02 06:47 pm (UTC)As for Yuletide, it was always more about writing than receiving a story for me, so if I manage to write a treat or two, that'll be fine. And if I don't manage that, no harm, no foul.