A lot of pictures of Sterling Knight

Chapter 16
I don't really have much to say about Chapter 16, it was really more of a transition chapter and a recovery chapter to tie up the ends left by Rocket's chapter. Chapter 16 and the next few chapters are going to be Part III. I know it all seems random and pants-y now, but trust me I'm getting somewhere.

Also, I have to say it's really, really hard to write dialogue for a toddler. They do a lot of random babbling and pronounce words wrong so, a lot of what Mason says is just how it sounds to Juliana ears because she understands what he is saying because...you, know mom super powers.

Picspiration
Not that she is going to show up in this chapter or anything, but Rocket's picspiration and general aesthetic is Carrie Brownstein:





I also have a picspiration for West Sullivan, Rhett's cousin who is marrying Savannah. I imagine him as the 23 year old version of Sterling Knight, who was the love interest in Sunny with A Chance

Also, those lines around his mouth when he smiles  ? I totally imagined Rhett with those, but I could never think of how to describe them.

Also he apparently looks like this now:

And the internet is not pleased....

You guys, I'm not sure how this blog post devolved into talk about an late oughts teen hearthrob.
 
Chapter 17
Recap
Rhett has graduated from A-School and is working on the New Orleans base as a rescue swimmer doing three day shifts. Juliana is going to cosmetology school and back on her medication. Things seem to be going well, but when Rhett is getting ready to go home he gets an alert from Deacon about the following comment comment left on an article about Rhett and Juliana's photo that Rocket Olsen took:

AnonymousBitchSlap

Lol, that blonde bitch is totally a porn star. Check out this link.

CHAPTER 17

PLAYLIST

-1- Catalog and Classify by Mark Robinson

-2-  Smother by Daughter

-3- It's Alright by The Fractures

 

Is the RLA Better in AG-VCTE or AG-V or the AG-VCTE AU ?

Literally Me:

I've been doing a lot of writing/editing/re-writing

Chapter 15
I can't believe I posted that chapter, I'd been working with it for so long. It was pretty much the culmination of all of my Katrina research I've been doing off and on for the past two years.

Basically, most of what Rocket says in the last chapter is true. I think we forget that back in 2005 the name Mike Brown was associated with FEMA's terrible efforts. When I started reading about how The Admiral of Coast Guard literally took over FEMA (incidentally enough, a few years later this guy was in charge of the oil spill too) it all came together. The Coast Guard Oral History project is real and I really wanted to work that in. I did read some of the Oral History Project (and some nonbiased news reports to make sure I wasn't get biased info) to put together what the work would have looked like for the Coast Guard during those days.

 The only information I fudge is some of the timelines...because we have to get back to the prologue....I did not think that one through. Honestly, my timelines are giving me the most stress right now so I may just stop worrying about them.

APR
The APR bit was obviously inspired by QC. Rocket was always going to be a character, but I was having trouble fitting her perspective in and then I read QC and a light went on.  I also liked the format change because it allowed me to move time quickly. It was really fun to do, but I don't think I could do it in any serious way ever again.

Although, If I am ever hard up for content I may do the Adventures of An Alternate Universe Time Jumping Public Radio Show Host....

Comment Comment Corner
So, I ended up re-reading some of my TDOSH's because I was looking for when I mention who created the trenches...you know, for prosperity since Lile and I were talking about it in the comments. I couldn't find the reference but I did find some comments that I wanted to comment on and this may become a regular segment.

These comments were left on the En Moritas post--which came after Vice was finished. If you don't remember En Moritas was something I wrote after Veritas that showed how I thought Haley, Minnow and Alan died.

I chose this comment because I I just kind of loled at all the convoluted acronyming. That said I do have a soft spot for the NA AU, QC.

This comment really got me. This is from when I posted a novella called The Truth About Bridges where Blythe visits Abigail at rehab. I mean seriously, when did 2016 stop being the future ? I think I actually ended up doing this fluff in 2015 but if only I could go back and warn this Shawna of the year that would be 2016.

Chapter 16
Let's do a recap:
Hurricane Katrina hits and Rhett and Juliana loos etheir apartment and Rocket Olsen, a Coast Guardsmen Public Affairs Officer turned journalist begins following them around for an APR story based on a photo she took of them in the storm aftermath. Juliana and Mason move in with Joceyln and Juliana and Mason are both baptised. Rhett is stuck working round the clock shifts before going back to A-School. Because of his work schedule he hasn't gotten to spend much time with his family.

Now, It's been a little over a year since Katrina, Rhett has just graduated from A-school and they are making plans to move into his paternal grandparents abandoned house to start  their lives over and finally be together.

Also, when Rhett goes to work in the Katrina aftermath he gives Juliana his wedding ring for safekeeping. This isn't important, but it comes up in this chapter.

Rocket Olsens' radio story ends a few minutes after the graduation ceremony where she sees them joking and being affectionate. We are going to pick up a few hours after that:

CHAPTER 16
PLAYLIST
-1- Let Me Love You by Mario (This is a popular song title...)
-2- Walking on Sunshine by  Katrina and The Waves
-3- Maybelle by Ida

This is Going To Be Different.....

Welcome to Part II 

To Lile and The Old Days
I have to admit, I was jonesing so much for a QC update that  I pounced on the new chapter and  didn't really take in what Lile had written in her blog post about writer's block. Seeing as I invented the trenches I am in no place to give advice on writer's block, but I'm going to do it anyway.

I had hit a wall myself right around this chapter and so the best advice I can give is to break your own rules, try something crazy, let some parts go and also to just put in whatever you want. I started this chapter 3 times before I figured it out.

I've also been thinking about The Good Old Days (which...is crazy we have those, right). I too canont imagine going back to writing chapter by chapter even though I'm sure it would probably be a good experiment. I'm writing chapter 22 right now and I feel  if I let the gap between chapters close I'd be a nervous wreck.

But I do think one thing that made S&A so immersive was how Lile gradually came into the world and brought us in. A few novellas, a few one-shots, a few AUs and then finally something longer. It wasn't traditional, but it worked. I honestly say we should just keep building AUs on top of AUs

But also Lile, keep in mind you are kinda my muse. With each thing you do you push me farther and as you will see in a few mouse clicks, I wouldn't have this chapter without you.



Chapter 15
This chapter is going to be a little...different so I just want to get into it. There is going to be a heavy dose of Shawna Is Unoriginal in this chapter.

Just to get us on the same page I want to recap what happened in Part I.

After the trial in United Light 2 Juliana goes to jail for 3 years. When she gets out she reconnects with Rhett, they get married and have a baby but it's not exactly an HEA. Juliana has severe anxiety and a hard time finding work because of her felony record.Rhett moves to North Carolina to become a rescue swimmer, leaving her in Freeport, LA. Not to mention her Dad doesn't support their marriage.

The new strains on their marriage causes fights, but that is all put on hold when Katrina hits. They loose their home and   Juliana and Mason have moved in with Rhett's Mom while  Rhett has been called into to work with the relief effort.

Also they meet a woman from the Coast Guard Public Affairs Office  named Olsen...

CHAPTER 15
PLAYLIST

-1- Metamorphosis by Aleck Karis
-2- Shatter by Liz Fair
-3- Oceans by Bethel Musi
-4- Still Dre by Dr. Dre
-5- One Call Away by Piana-pella
-6- The Chase by Portastic 
-7- Begin Again by The Piano Guys
-8- Ole Man Trouble by Otis Redding

Thinking About Sequels

For October S.

So, you're comment of that dog doing a handstand made me think of this:

Picspirations
I found a picspiration for Bethany Whitlow, not that she shows up that much. This is Kate Mara, but Whitlow's hair is probably a little bit shorter.

 















Also, have I shared this GIF ? This is Dane Dehaan looking almost exactly how I imagine Cody.



New Music
I don't know how I did any of this music stuff pre- Spotify or Pandora. It's probably why it was all terrible. I just noticed that Spotify had this new feature where with one click of a button you can create a similar playlist passed on another playlist. So my UL playlist has ~150 songs and now I have another playlist that has the same amount of songs.

Update: Hmmm, this feature isn't great. It picked a lot of really weird songs. But I've found a new favorite playlist that I'll share in a few chapters.

Sequel Bait
So reading QC has got me thinking about Vice again and I have an idea for two sequel novellas but I really have more ideas for characters than for plots. For some reason the only plots I can think of involve solving a murder...although I feel like I could make it work for one of them.
Cyberpunk Noir ? I know it sounds bizzare, but I really picture Maxwell and Haley solving a crime.

Chapter 14 (another BIG ONE)
The honeymoon stage is over as Rhett and Juliana start picking fights with each other. They go to Connecticut where Rhett comes to blows with her Dad (again), but Rhett is still there to bring her home when she needs him. Rhett goes back to A-school where he is training to be a rescue swimmer (and getting close to Bethany Whitlow, a 29-year-old cohort). But this day of training starts of differently because they've been called into duty as a Category 5 storm heads into the Gulf Cost.

And when Rhett tries to call Juliana to warn her the line is dead.

CHAPTER 14
Playlist

- 1- Stay Alive by Jose Gonzalez (when in doubt go Jose Gonzalez)
-2-  All Eyes on You by Alice Boman
-3-  Captain by Hillsong United
-4- 4:35 AM by Gemma Hayes 
-5- Hurt Me by Lapsley
-6- What is Love by V. Bozeman (I've been wanting to use this song in something since Empire premiered)

S&A Send Up ?

You: Shawna, this serial is almost at 20 chapters, do you know when it will end ?

Me:

I have been having the weirdest time with this serial. I have a "ten thousand foot view" outline that I've been using so far.  I'll be writing a chapter, going with the outline  and then suddenly I'll see something else I could write about and then I'll find something in my research and it's just like:

 

When I think about a chapter in UL3 (and pretty much all my serials)  I have this great, grand plan for what I want the chapter to be and it's almost never plays out as awesome as it sounds in my head

So, as I'm working on the next few chapters I'm finding myself between deleting and retooling and just saying :

Or just kind of sitting on it

( I love how Jonah Hill is checking on Leo in the Gif to make sure he's alright)

Anyway (and I 100% mean this) I'm not sharing this to fish for compliments or anything. I just wanted to open up with what is going on with me. This shouldn't surprise you all, because as you know the trenches were developed because of UL. Seriously, Lile and I need out own Wiki.

Hi Tomas and Sofia !

So, I was re-reading Nightmare on Lile's website (no reason)serials, and I typically like to also re-read by going blog post by blog post. I was reading along, blog post by blog post when I was suddenly (rudely (;) interrupted by Lile posting ABWG.

So, I clicked on it and I realized that in some ways UL3 is a send up to S&A.  It's nowhere near as angsty and all of the angst in here is fun angst...it will make sense later...I hope.

Update
So, I wrote all of that about a month ago and I am currently on Chapter 21 of this serial and I see an ending in the distance. I will say the serial will seem like it's getting out of hand, but I ( at least I think ) I know where I'm going.

Also, my outlines are so crazy right now. I have two outlines that are about 16 pages each. 

Chapter 12
So, this chapter was one that got cut up and reused in another chapter so it's a little shorter than I originally had it.

Recap
Rhett is accepted into A-School and goes away to Elizabeth City, North Carolina to train to become a Coast Guard Rescue swimmer leaving Juliana in Freeport where she gives birth to their son Mason ! When Rhett comes to visit his son for the first time they get all fluffy and then decide to go out. While at a restaurant Juliana discovers Rhett has basically hooked up with all of his female friends.

They get into a fight and leave the night early. Juliana tells him she wants her Dad to meet the baby.

PLAYLIST
-1- Cool Kids Instrumental by Steve Petrunak
-2- Maybe, Maybe by Cam Nacson 
-3- So Cold by Ben Cocks

PLAYLIST
CHAPTER 13