HASA Announcement: New Quickie Challenge

BIRTHDAY DRABBLES

The thread for January Birthday drabbles is up. If you have a January birthday and haven't done so already, post your request here.

Imhiriel has a birthday this upcoming week. She requested,"I'd like to get drabbles from the PoV of something that normally has no voice - a tree, a building, an heirloom, a landscape, a constellation etc. - time or place don't matter, but the more unusual the PoV, the better."

The following drabbles were posted this week:

--- "Waiting" by Vilwarin for Imhiriel
--- "The Kindly Airs" by Dwimordene for Imhiriel

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FUNDING UPDATE

HASA is currently only funded through the end of January. If you would like to donate money toward future months' site fees, you can do so here.

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QUICKIE CHALLENGE

This Sunday is the fifth Sunday of December, which means it's time for another quickie challenge. In honor of New Year's Eve, this challenge focuses on remembrances. Write a story, drabble, or poem about a character remembering a past event. When you post the story, make sure you enter it in the challenge here and comment in the forum here.

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REVIEWS

There are currently nine stories in review. If you have been a member of HASA for thirty days, you are welcome (and encouraged!) to become a reviewer. Here are three sample summaries to pique your interest:

----- "As he leads Tuor to Gondolin, Voronwë learns of love, of fate, of fear... and most importantly, of hope. Contains mild slash, but is ultimately true to canon."

----- "What is seen of the Ringbearer from four different points of view."

----- "The War of the Ring is over, but memories remain. A vignette about life, death, and a date's irony."

HASA members, to see if there's a story you'd be interested in reviewing, check it out. (You'll need to be logged in.)

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And that's it! Have a good week.

Marta
(HASA Admin.)

PS - If you have an announcement you'd like included for next week, please email me.

New Forum Posts

BIRTHDAY DRABBLES

There haven't been any birthday requests for December yet. If you have a December birthday, you still have some time to make a request:

Birthday Drabble Forum

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This week's focus:

FORUMS

One of the best ways to get involved at HASA is through our forums.
People are discussing research questions and stories as well as having fannish squees regularly there.

Some useful forum links:


"On Our Minds" displays the ten most recent posts in forums open to all HASA members. It's a good way to catch up on what you've missed, though the page can move quickly when lots of forums are active at once.

If you've been out of touch for longer than a few days you might want to use the "One Month of Posts" page. This page has just what it sounds like: a list of forums that have been posted to in the last month, beginning with the most recently updated.

Workshops are specialized writing communities. They allow you to share stories you aren't ready to post to the whole site, and many have interesting forums attached to them. Explore workshops to find a group of members interested in similar topics. (You must be logged in to see this link.)

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Here's hoping this week finds you having many interesting discussion about all things Tolkien. Because, really, you were trying to cut back on sleep anyway, right?

Until next time,
Arandil

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email
HASANews(AT)henneth-annun(DOT)net.

Recently-Updated Stories

BIRTHDAY DRABBLE REQUESTS

Still no December birthday requests! If you have a birthday birthday and would like a drabble, why not post a request at

http://henneth-annun.net/forums/messages.cfm?confId=0&forumId=482&messageId=51332

If you're unsure how it all works, send up a red flag at that same forum, and Imhiriel the Challenges Assistant who works with birthday drabbles will be glad to help you.

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This week's focus:

RECENTLY UPDATED STORIES

All of us writers love feedback. It is the lembas and miruvor that sustains us as we write our story, and leaving a few words about a story is always a nice thing to do, whether the story is new or old.

Every fifteen minutes HASA hilights a story chosen at random from the Reviewed and General stories in the archive. The current story is

"A Creature of Fire by daw
[Summary]

Why not go to http://www.henneth-annun.net/ and check out the currently featured story?

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Many talented writers are publishing every day. Check out these stories just added to HASA:

Reviewed Stories --- http://www.henneth-annun.net/stories/story_reviewed.cfm
Of Like Passion by Adaneth
The fiends have been slain, and the Men and Dwarves of Dûnhebaid are hoping for peace and prosperity. Yet monstrous foes make other irritations seem trifling. Out of that shade, quarrels are like to bloom . . . and Lindon takes steps to deal with the interlopers. The Dûnhebaid Cycle, Part III.

My Oaths Will I Keep by Encaitariel
A story of Gildor Inglorion, following In This Far Land. Beren, son of Barahir, comes to Nargothrond.

~*~

General Stories --- http://www.henneth-annun.net/stories/story_general.cfm
West of the Moon, East of the Sun by Armariel
A sequel to "Light from the West"...the story of the reunion of Sam and Frodo in the Undying Lands. (WIP)

Unto the Ending of the World by Nath
Dark AU, diverging from the end of the Two Towers: Sauron regains his Ring in Ithilien, and a very bleak world emerges. (WIP)

~*~

Beta Stories --- http://www.henneth-annun.net/stories/story_beta.cfm
(Please note, you need to be logged in to view these stories.)

A Reason for Hope by Lady Donalwen
A-U. Arwen and her firend Doni are returning home to Rivendell from Lothlorien when they are attacked by a band of orcs. The attack leaves them both unconscious and when they wake up in Rivendell, they find that they have been switched; Arwen is mistaken for Doni and sent to Dale as a lady's maid while an unconscious Doni, mistaken for a dead Arwen, is laid to rest and later rescued. (WIP)

The Sins of the Fathers: Tirion by Mirefinwe
Three Ages in the life of a city.

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For your mid-month nuzgul, I'd like to point you to the drabble challenge currently going on at the there_n_back LiveJournal community. Lots of HASA-ites are participating. Every day, an illustration from a Tolkien calendar is posted to the community, and members respond with drabbles about the illustration. It's a good way to write if you don't have a lot of time.

The illustration is posted each day at

http://there-n-back.livejournal.com/

If you don't feel the tickle of little fangs in your ankle yet, there are many more potential stories just waiting to be written. Read all of HASA's many story prompts in our Nuzgul hutch.

Do you have a suggestion you'd like to see added to the hutch? Submit it using the "Submit a Story Suggestion" form.

Happy reviewing!
Marta
PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email HASANews(at)henneth-annun(dot)not.

Updates to Resources

Birthday Drabbles

The following members have birthday this week. If you're in the drabbling mood, why not write them 100 words as a birthday card?

No birthday drabbles for December have been requested. If you have a December birthday please request it here.

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This week's focus:

RESOURCES

The HASA Research Library is a very useful resource for writers as well as for online discussions on book canon. You can find entries on characters, settings, events, and items, containing cited quotes about the item you are trying to find more information on. This portion of the site is available to both members and non-members at http://www.henneth-annun.net/resources/index.cfm.

Would you like to get involved with Resources? If you like researching and want to help develop this section of HASA you can contact the Resources & Research Library through the contact form at http://www.henneth-annun.net/about/contact.cfm.

What's new in Resources:

Timeline Events:
History of Gondor: Overview
Azaghal and the Dwarves of Belegost defeat Glaurung in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad

Character Biographies
Amdir
Beruthiel

Places
Dunharrow
Dome of Stars

Things
Laurelin
Telperion

Good luck researching your story! If you enjoy this section of the site please feel free to thank the researchers, listed at the bottom of every entry.

And always remember, grasshopper: the path of wisdom leads through proper citations. *grins*

Marta

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email HASANews@henneth-annun.net.

HASA FUNDING UPDATE

No website is truly free. HASA does not display ads or charge for memberships, but there are still costs associated with running the website. The website depends on member donations to pay its monthly hosting fee of $150.00.

Currently available funding: $372.83
To provide funding through: February 2008

If anyone would like to make a donation, you may do so at

http://www.henneth-annun.net/about/donate.cfm

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BIRTHDAY CARDS

No members with a December birthday have requested a birthday drabble yet.

Post your request at the Birthday Cards Forum

http://www.hennethannun.net/members/challenge/threads.cfm?confid=5&forumid=482.

Please create your story and add it to the birthday card workshop. This lets others put drabbles they write in an easily accessible location. Enter your story in the challenge for DECEMBER drabbles. All birthday stories will also now be listed in a master playlist. There are instructions on how to do all this at the top of each thread in the Birthday Cards Forum; if you need help with the workshop, just ask the Workshop Manager, Gwynnyd.

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New Challenges

Make a suggestion in the prospective Challenges thread. When five people
accept, you have created a new Challenge

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Old Challenges

X takes the Ring - AU Challenge March 25 2008
I have seen a few stories over the years where for instance Galadriel takes the Ring when Frodo offers it to her. But what would happen if others were to take it, for any reason, good or evil? Aragorn? Boromir, Gandalf, or Pippin perhaps? Or Sam abandons Frodo at Cirith Ungol and goes on alone to try to destroy the Ring...

It wouldn't have to be a member of the Fellowship; maybe Barliman Butterbur finds a golden ring in the room the Hobbits used… or Bilbo loses it on one of his walking trips in the Shire…

These could be anything, serious, funny, dark; from drabbles to multi-chapter AUs, and anything in between.

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'Tis the Season to Be Filking....

Every year several HASA members try to write Arda-themed filks of Christmas carols and other winter holiday-themed songs. It's great fun. If you do this feel free to post them at HASA so we can all admire your work. If enough people write these we'll start a challenge for them.

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Happy (Yule) writing!

Fangedly yours,
]:-E Marta

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email HASANews@henneth-annun.net.

BIRTHDAY DRABBLES

The following members have birthday this week. If you're in the drabbling mood, why not write them 100 words as a birthday card?

Aranel Took requested "some Dwarven romance, because Dwarves need love too! Any era, any pairing, OCs are welcome."

Also, the December forum is up. If your birthday is in December, please request a birthday drabble here.

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This week's focus:

FORUMS

One of the best ways to get involved at HASA is through our forums. People are discussing research questions and stories as well as having fannish squees regularly there.

Some useful forum links:

"On Our Minds" displays the ten most recent posts in forums open to all HASA members. It's a good way to catch up on what you've missed, though the page can move quickly when lots of forums are active at once.

If you've been out of touch for longer than a few days you might want to use the "One Month of Posts" page. This page has just what it sounds like: a list of forums that have been posted to in the last month, beginning with the most recently updated.

Workshops are specialized writing communities. They allow you to share stories you aren't ready to post to the whole site, and many have interesting forums attached to them. Explore workshops to find a group of members interested in similar topics. (You must be logged in to see this link.

Now, here are some of the most recently-updated threads in HASA forum. Don't be shy. If any interest you, why not jump in?

HASA Birthday Cards Forum
Subject: November 2007 Birthdays

Prospective Challenges
Subject: Lord of the Rings/Harry Potter Crossover Challenge

Prospective Challenges
Subject: Naked Yule Fic Challenge

Here's hoping this week finds you having many interesting discussion about all things Tolkien. Because, really, you were trying to cut back on sleep anyway, right?

Until next time,
Marta

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email me.

Birthday Drabble Requests

The following members have birthday this week. If you're in the drabbling mood, why not write them 100 words as a birthday card?

Nieriel Raina requested anything with Glorfindel and Ecthelion prior to the Fall of Gondolin, Thranduil as the Elvenking, or serious Legolas and Gimli. No slash please. Or to really make my day how about something het with Erestor?

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This week's focus:

RECENTLY UPDATED STORIES

All of us writers love feedback. It is the lembas and miruvor that sustains us as we write our story, and leaving a few words about a story is always a nice thing to do, whether the story is new or old.

Every fifteen minutes HASA hilights a story chosen at random from the Reviewed and General stories in the archive. The current story is

Erin's 2005 Birthday Prezzies by various authors
Erin's 2005 Birthday Drabbles: gifts from the kind muses of others. My B-day drabble request is: I would like to see any interaction between any Rohirrim, canon or oc, and any Dunedain. Wherever your imagination places you!

Why not go to http://www.henneth-annun.net/ and check out the currently featured story?

Many talented writers are publishing every day. Check out these stories just added to HASA:

Reviewed Stories
The Wink of an Eye by Linda Hoyland
Everyone has a need for fun, even fallen Maiar. See what Sauron does for kicks in the late Third Age.... 100 Words as counted in MS Word. With thanks to Raksha.

Tying Notes by Imhiriel
Faramir at a reception of the Ambassador of Harad. Drabble.

~*~

General Stories
The Reluctant Warrior by Aiwendiel
Gandalf, thirteen Dwarves and one hobbit are about to depart from Rivendell on their adventure. But Gandalf’s sense of ominous foreboding is strong. Serious doubt has awakened in the wizard after hearing Elrond translate the runes carved on a very old sword, causing him to question his claim on it. Two Elf Lords help an Istari face up to and overcome his hidden fear.

The Lion and His Lady by Lialathuveril
How did Éomer, King of Rohan, meet his wife? This is a series of oneshots describing different scenarios, some long some short, some serious some less so. No connection with each other or any of my other stories.

~*~

Beta Stories
(Please note, you need to be logged in to view these stories.)

Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair by Marta
Five moments in the lives of Denethor and Aragorn. Slash. (WIP) (Adult)

Finding Arwen by Lady Donalwen
A-U if Arwen went missing for a couple of years and Aragorn meets and marries someone else. Arwen is found, but Aragorn is engaged to another woman and Arwen and firends must break the engagment before its too late. (WIP)

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And now for your mid-month nuzgul. Because the only way to get stories to read is for someone to write them, and that requires our fangy little friends.

Lord of the Rings/Harry Potter Crossover
There's a potential challenge to write Tolkien/Potter crossovers, set in the world of Middle-earth. The prompt:

"The challenge is asking for cross-over stories no longer than 30.000 characters (approx. 20 pages). The stories should feature the characters, settings, and major story line of The Lord of the Rings as their main setting. I'd love for the stories to stick as close as possible to canon, thus please no OCs. Slash stories are welcome."

If you don't feel the tickle of little fangs in your ankle yet, there are many more potential stories just waiting to be written. Read all of HASA's many story prompts in our Nuzgul hutch.

Do you have a suggestion you'd like to see added to the hutch? Submit it using the "Submit a Story Suggestion" form at http://www.henneth-annun.net/members/challenge/suggest.cfm.

Happy reviewing!

Marta

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email HASANews@henneth-annun.net.

Birthday Drabbles

The following members have birthday this week. If you're in the drabbling mood, why not write them 100 words as a birthday card?

Elfethiria Baggins (November 13) requested "My birthday is on the thirteenth and for my request I would love anything with angst for Frodo. I don't mind other characters popping in too though. No slash."

Nieriel Raina (November 18) requested "anything with Glorfindel and Ecthelion prior to the Fall of Gondolin, Thranduil as the Elvenking, or serious Legolas and Gimli. No slash please. Or to really make my day how about something het with Erestor? "

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HASA Reviews

There are several stories in HASA Review that have been in there for a few weeks. Also, a lo of stories were submitted last weekend, so there are also several *new* stories you may not have seen yet if you try to review stories regularly.

Why not review one of these stories? Your opinion matters. Members can find stories currently in review here.

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This week's focus:

RESOURCES.

The HASA Research Library is a very useful resource for writers as well as for online discussions on book canon. You can find entries on characters, settings, events, and items, containing cited quotes about the item you are trying to find more information on. This portion of the site is available to both members and non-members here.

Would you like to get involved with Resources? If you like researching and want to help develop this section of HASA you can contact the Resources & Research Library through the contact form.

What's new in Resources:

Timeline Events:
Faramir sets out on an errand across the Anduin, March 1 3019 T.A.
Masters of Buckland established by Gorhendad Oldbuck, 2340 T.A.

Character Biographies
Miriel Serinde
Silmarien

Places
Ea
Barrowfield

Things
Great Music
Stone of Erech

Good luck researching your story! If you enjoy this section of the site please feel free to thank the researchers, listed at the bottom of every entry.

And always remember, grasshopper: the path of wisdom leads through proper citations. *grins*

Marta

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email me.

BIRTHDAY CARDS

November birthday babies: the thread to request drabbles for your birthday is up. If you have a birthday this month, please visit the below link and post a request.

http://www.henneth-annun.net/forums/messages.cfm?confId=0&forumId=482&messageId=51215

And don't forget to set up a story for any stories written for your birthday. If you have questions about how to do this, just post at the above forum.

There are no drabble requests for this week. To see requests for later this month, just go to the above forum.

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NEW VOLUNTEER

Imhiriel has agreed to manage the birthday drabbles forum and the associated challenges and workshop. Feel free to ask her if you have any questions about anything connected to birthday drabbles.

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This Week's Focus:

CHALLENGES

Birthdays!

November 13 - Eleftheria Baggins: My birthday is on the thirteenth and for my request I would love anything with angst for Frodo. I don't mind other characters popping in too though. No slash.

November 27 - Aranel Took: I'd like some Dwarven romance, because Dwarves need love too! Any era, any pairing, OCs are welcome.

Post your request at the Birthday Cards Forum

Please create your story and add it to the birthday card workshop. This lets others put drabbles they write in an easily accessible location. Enter your story in the challenge for NOVEMBER drabbles. All birthday stories will also now be listed in a master playlist. There are instructions on how to do all this at the top of each thread in the Birthday Cards Forum; if you need help with the workshop, just ask the Workshop Manager, Gwynnyd.

New Challenges
Make a suggestion in the prospective Challenges thread. When five people accept, you have created a new Challenge.

Suggest a new challenge here.

Old Challenges
New Members 2006 - 2007 October 29 2007
This is a challenge for new members. By definition, a new member is any member who has been a member for fewer than four months or who, at the time of reading this, has written three (3) or fewer Tolkien fanfics.

Choose one of the following - there are choices from any Age, from "The Hobbit," from "Lord of the Rings," from "The Silmarillion", from "Unfinished Tales", and three choices from the Peter Jackson "Lord of the Rings" - movies.

Write a story on any of these prompts. There are no page limits.

X takes the Ring - AU Challenge March 25 2008
I have seen a few stories over the years where for instance Galadriel takes the Ring when Frodo offers it to her. But what would happen if others were to take it, for any reason, good or evil? Aragorn? Boromir, Gandalf, or Pippin perhaps? Or Sam abandons Frodo at Cirith Ungol and goes on alone to try to destroy the Ring...

It wouldn't have to be a member of the Fellowship; maybe Barliman Butterbur finds a golden ring in the room the Hobbits usedŠ or Bilbo loses it on one of his walking trips in the Shire.

These could be anything, serious, funny, dark; from drabbles to multi-chapter AUs, and anything in between.

Keep a New Year's resolution.

Wander over to the Nuzgul pen and adopt one today.

Review one story weekly.

Browse the Resources.

Leave a comment monthly.

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Happy writing!

Fangedly yours,
>:-E Marta

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email me.

BIRTHDAY DRABBLES

The following members have birthday this week. If you're in the drabbling mood, why not write them 100 words as a birthday card?

Raksha the Demon requested "I'd particularly like something about the relationship of Faramir and Gandalf, but anything Faramir will do (except slash, no thanks)." (October 31)

The November thread is up. If you have a November birthday please request a drabble here.

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This week's focus:

FORUMS

One of the best ways to get involved at HASA is through our forums. People are discussing research questions and stories as well as having fannish squees regularly there.

Some useful forum links (you must be logged in for all of these):

"On Our Minds" displays the ten most recent posts in forums open to all HASA members. It's a good way to catch up on what you've missed, though the page can move quickly when lots of forums are active at once.

If you've been out of touch for longer than a few days you might want to use the "One Month of Posts" page. This page has just what it sounds like: a list of forums that have been posted to in the last month, beginning with the most recently updated.

Workshops are specialized writing communities. They allow you to share stories you aren't ready to post to the whole site, and many have interesting forums attached to them. Explore workshops to find a group of members interested in similar topics.

Now, here are some of the most recently-updated threads in HASA forum. Don't be shy. If any interest you, why not jump in?

HASA Birthday Cards Forum
Subject: October 2007 Birthdays

Aliana's fics (and occasional randomness)
Subject: Fallen, the Fourth

HASA Birthday Cards Forum
Subject: New Birthday Drabbles Volunteer

Here's hoping this week finds you having many interesting discussion about all things Tolkien. Because, really, you were trying to cut back on sleep anyway, right?

Until next time,
Marta

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email HASANews@henneth-annun.net.

Announcement: Recently-Updated Stories

BIRTHDAY CARD DRABBLES

The following members have birthday this week. If you're in the drabbling mood, why not write them 100 words as a birthday card?

RAKSHA THE DEMON (October 31) requested "I'd particularly like something about the relationship of Faramir and Gandalf, but anything Faramir will do (except slash, no thanks)."

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PARTY TIME! QUICKIE CHALLENGE

The challenge to write a story in a pub or at a party is now closed. As there were less than five entries, it here.

The following stories were written for it.

"Orc-Men Treacherous and Vile" by Afriendman (Warning: Adult)
The story of the Squint-Eyed Southerner, servant of Saruman. Rated Adult for profanity, gore, and the eating of human flesh (so far). Black humor, some satire of modern life.

"Brotherly Love" by Jay of Lasgalen
A series of five drabbles for the HASA Quickie Challenge for a story set in an inn or at a party. This is both.

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RECENTLY UPDATED STORIES

All of us writers love feedback. It is the lembas and miruvor that sustains us as we write our story, and leaving a few words about a story is always a nice thing to do, whether the story is new or old.

Every fifteen minutes HASA hilights a story chosen at random from the Reviewed and General stories in the archive. The current story is

No Living Man by Elana
In which the Witch King learns that, for an inhabitant of Middle Earth, the knowledge that no living man can harm you is no reason to get cocky. AU. Humor.

Why not go to http://www.henneth-annun.net/ and check out the currently featured story?

Many talented writers are publishing every day. Check out these stories just added to HASA:

Reviewed Stories

Valour Without Renown by Forodwaith
The War of the Ring cost Hama's daughter everything she holds dear. Can she find the necessary strength to rebuild her life? An attempt to write of the War from the perspective of a very ordinary inhabitant of Middle-Earth. No explicit violence, but scenes dealing with the aftermath of war.

Glimpse of Glory by Linda Hoyland
All she has to do is ask, and the Ring will be hers, by the Ring-bearer's own will. What thoughts coursed through the mind of the greatest Elf in Middle-earth when Frodo made his offer? 100 words as counted in MS Word. Written for a challenge.

~*~

General Stories

Wild Roses by Nieriel Raina
GREENWOOD PRINCE SERIES: They have always been friends, despite the pranks he pulled on her. Nearing adulthood, Celin decides she can't take it any more, and ends their friendship. Will Legolas realize that he loves her? Can Celin ever love him back. (Work-in-Progress.)

Light From the West by Armariel
Companion piece to "Bear Me Away!" and "Anemone" which recount Frodo's adventures in the West. In "Bear Me Away" he speaks of reading letters to Sam through his star-glass. Here are excerpts from those letters. (Work-in-progress)

~*~

Beta Stories
(Please note, you need to be logged in to view these stories.)

Amid the Powers and Chances of the World by Azalais
A mortal woman is brought to Rivendell for healing in the summer of 3018, and thus becomes entangled with both Men and Elves in the events of the War of the Ring. How will destiny and choice shape the lives of the two Kindreds? October 2007 update: The Dead watch the road that leads to the sea, and Legolas watches them. (Work-in-progress)

What Enemy is This? by Agape4Gondor
Haldir and Legolas - will their friendship stand the test of an elleth? Turned from drabbles into a full fledged tale. All sorts of adult themes throughout. Slash and HET. (Work-in-progress, Adult.)

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MID-MONTH NUZGUL

Because the only way to get stories to read is for someone to write them, and that requires our fangy little friends.

The Only Thing to Fear....

Fear of flying. Fear of heights. Fear of spiders, snakes or other less savory creatures. Fear of the dark. Fear of small places. Those are all silly fears, of things that are really nothing to be afraid of.

Right?

Right! Still, most people suffer from one or another such irrational phobia. Would the heroes of Middle-earth be any different from us? I don't think so. But what secret fears might they be hiding?

The Challenge: give them fear! Maybe Boromir is truly creeped out when he finds ants in his bedroll. Or Aragorn has sweaty palms and a heart thudding in his throat when he is forced to venture once more into the darkness of Moria. Perhaps Pippin was secretly nearly wetting his pants when sitting high on Treebeard's shoulders. Or...

You get the idea.

This nuzgul is just in time for Halloween. Why not give us a drabble (or three) about your favorite character getting completely weirded out by his private tormentor? Could be fun, right? And with one more entry, this nuzgul becomes a full-out challenge and so it will be viewable from the public side of the site. Which is always nice.

If you don't feel the tickle of little fangs in your ankle yet, there are many more potential stories just waiting to be written. Read all of HASA's many story prompts in our Nuzgul hutch.

Do you have a suggestion you'd like to see added to the hutch? Submit it using the "Submit a Story Suggestion" form.

Happy reviewing!
Marta
PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email HASANews@henneth-annun.net.

BIRTHDAY DRABBLES

The following members have birthday this week. If you're in the drabbling mood, why not write them 100 words as a birthday card?

Peregrin Ionad (October 8) said "I'd love any thing about the Sons of Elrond, Legolas and Aragorn, but I'm not adverse to the hobbits, Faramir, Glorfindel or Thranduil either!"

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REVIEW MYTHS DEBUNKED

The volunteer team has put together a series of common myths about the HASA Review Process. Check it out today, and feel free to comment if you'd like to discuss any of these points, or just have a question.

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This week's focus:

RESOURCES

The HASA Research Library is a very useful resource for writers as well as for online discussions on book canon. You can find entries on characters, settings, events, and items, containing cited quotes about the item you are trying to find more information on. This portion of the site is available to both members and non-members here.

Would you like to get involved with Resources? If you like researching and want to help develop this section of HASA you can contact the Resources & Research Library through the contact form.

What's new in Resources:

Timeline Events:
Theoden adopts Eomer and Eowyn and raises them in Edoras.
Saruman attempts to kill Frodo at Bag End.

Character Biographies
Leod
Belladonna Took

Places
Dome of Stars
The Sammath Naur

Things
Bilbo's Mithril Coat
Aeglos (weapon)

Good luck researching your story! If you enjoy this section of the site please feel free to thank the researchers, listed at the bottom of every entry.

And always remember, grasshopper: the path of wisdom leads through proper citations. *grins*

Marta

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email me.

HASA Announcements for October 6-13

HASA FUNDING UPDATE

HASA is fully funded through the end of the year. Thank you for your generous donations! If you would like to support HASA, Challenges is still looking for a volunteer to help run the Birthday Cards forum.

If anyone would like to make a donation toward next year's site expenses, you may do so at

http://www.henneth-annun.net/about/donate.cfm

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BIRTHDAY CARDS

No members with birthdays this week have requested drabbles, though some have requested drabbles for later in the month. If you have an October birthday, feel free to request a drabble at the Birthday Card Forum.

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This Week's Focus:

CHALLENGES

OCTOBER CHALLENGES BULLETIN

Birthdays!
The following members have requested birthday drabbles for October.

31, Rasha the Demon: : I'd particularly like something about the relationship of Faramir and Gandalf, but anything Faramir will do (except slash, no thanks).

Peregrin Ionad: I'd love any thing about the Son's of Elrond, Legolas and Aragorn, but I'm not adverse to the hobbits, Faramir, Glorfindel or Thranduil either!!

Post your request at the Birthday Cards Forum.

Please create your story and add it to the birthday card workshop. This lets others put drabbles they write in an easily accessible location. Enter your story in the challenge for OCTOBER drabbles. All birthday stories will also now be listed in a master playlist. There are instructions on how to do all this at the top of each thread in the Birthday Cards Forum; if you need help with the workshop, just ask the Workshop Manager, Gwynnyd.

A Quickie Challenge: Party Time
September 22 is the date of Bilbo's and Frodo's famous birthday party. And September 29-30 is the night that Frodo, Merry, Pippin, and Sam spent in Bree. In honor of these two events, write a story that involves either a bar/pub/common room of some sort, or a party. Or both. Whatever else you want to include is up to you.

The catch? This is a "quickie" challenge, so it will only run for two weeks. Drabble, poems, one-shots, anything like that. (Challenge closes October 17, 2007.)

New Challenges
Make a suggestion in the prospective Challenges thread. When five people
accept, you have created a new Challenge

Old Challenges
New Members 2006 - 2007 October 29 2007
This is a challenge for new members. By definition, a new member is any member who has been a member for fewer than four months or who, at the time of reading this, has written three (3) or fewer Tolkien fanfics.

Choose one of the following - there are choices from any Age, from "The Hobbit," from "Lord of the Rings," from "The Silmarillion", from "Unfinished Tales", and three choices from the Peter Jackson "Lord of the Rings" - movies. Write a story on any of these prompts. There are no page limits.

Keep a New Year’s resolution.
Wander over to the Nuzgul pen and adopt one today.
Review one story weekly.
Browse the Resources.
Leave a comment monthly.
Celebrate Bilbo’s and Frodo’s birthday by giving a mathom to HASA.

HASA Challenges Team

*******

Happy writing!

Fangedly yours,
>:-E Marta

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email HASANews@henneth-annun.net.

Announcements for September 31-October 6

BIRTHDAY DRABBLES

The October birthday drabble thread is up! If you have an October birthday, please add your request to the Birthday Drabble Forum.

By the way – we’re looking for someone to help manage the birthday drabbles. You’d set up the monthly thread, add people’s requests to the top post of the thread, and setting up and closing a challenge each month. If you’re interested in helping out, please email HASANews@henneth-annun.net.

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From now on, every month that has five Sundays, for the fifth Sunday we’ll have a quick challenge. Quickie challenges are different from normal challenges in that you don't have to promise to write a story idea; you just write it, and if five stories are written the challenge will be made public.

The big difference is that, as the name suggests, QC's don't last for months. In fact they'll only run two weeks. Write drabbles, poems, one-shots, or anything else you have time to come up with in the time frame. I find it quite fun and liberating not to have to perfect something for months. And it's exciting to know other people are writing at the same time.

This month’s challenge is: Party Time!

September 22 is the date of Bilbo's and Frodo's famous birthday party. And September 29-30 is the night that Frodo, Merry, Pippin, and Sam spent in Bree. In honor of these two events, write a story that involves either a bar/pub/common room of some sort, or a party. Or both. Whatever else you want to include is up to you.

Enter this challenge @ here.
Deadline: October 17

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That’s it until next week!

Marta


PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email me.

Announcements for September 23-30

BIRTHDAY DRABBLES

The following members have birthday this week. If you're in the drabbling mood, why not write them 100 words as a birthday card?

Alassante (September 24) said, "I'm a Feanorian fanatic and Noldork. I like Drama, Humor, and smut but not really slash."

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CHALLENGES - HELP NEEDED

There aren't very many active challenges these days. Do you have an idea you think others would enjoy? If so, please propose it in the Prospective Challenges Forum.

Also, we're still looking for someone to manage the birthday drabbles thread. I am handling it this month, but I really can't do it forever, so if you'd like to see this continue, we need someone to manage it. The Challenges Manager will tell you how. If you're interested in learning more please email me at HASANews(at)henneth-annun(dot)net.

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This week's focus:

FORUMS

.

One of the best ways to get involved at HASA is through our forums. People are discussing research questions and stories as well as having fannish squees regularly there.

Some useful forum links (you must be logged in for all of these):

"On Our Minds" displays the ten most recent posts in forums open to all HASA members. It's a good way to catch up on what you've missed, though the page can move quickly when lots of forums are active at once.

If you've been out of touch for longer than a few days you might want to use the "One Month of Posts" page. This page has just what it sounds like: a list of forums that have been posted to in the last month, beginning with the most recently updated.

Workshops are specialized writing communities. They allow you to share stories you aren't ready to post to the whole site, and many have interesting forums attached to them. Explore workshops to find a group of members interested in similar topics.

Now, here are some of the most recently-updated threads in HASA forum. Don't be shy. If any interest you, why not jump in?

HASA Birthday Cards Forum
Subject: September 2007 Birthdays

Elena Tiriel - Star Gazings
Subject: Fell and Fair Drabble Series (Current)

Beta: Try Before You Buy
Subject: An Exercise in Futility (Working Title)

Here's hoping this week finds you having many interesting discussion about all things Tolkien. Because, really, you were trying to cut back on sleep anyway, right?

Until next time,
Marta

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email HASANews(at)henneth-annun(dot)net.

Announcements for September 16-23

UPCOMING BIRTHDAYS

The following members have birthday this week. If you're in the drabbling mood, why not write them 100 words as a birthday card?

Linda Hoyuland (September 22) requested "Aragorn is my favourite character,especially as King. My other favourite characters are Arwen, Faramir and Eomer. I like drama or humour, but dislike smut and slash."

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REVIEWS

If you have been a member of HASA for thirty days or more you are eligible to review a story. Currently there are five stories, involving characters as diverse as Frodo and Eomer. Why not review one today?

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This week's focus: RECENTLY UPDATED STORIES

All of us writers love feedback. It is the lembas and miruvor that sustains us as we write our story, and leaving a few words about a story is always a nice thing to do, whether the story is new or old.

Every fifteen minutes HASA hilights a story chosen at random from the Reviewed and General stories in the archive. The current story is

C - like certain circumstances in the Citadel by HASA Workshop
Write a drabble, a drouble, a tribble, a quabble or a quibble! Write 100, 200, 300, 400 or 500 words! No matter if it's serious or silly, anything goes. And here is already the next cue: C - like certain circumstances in the Citadel.

Why not go to http://www.henneth-annun.net/ and check out the currently featured story?

Many talented writers are publishing every day. Check out these stories just added to HASA:

Reviewed Stories

The Return by Lady Bluejay
‘Both Duilin of Morthond and his brother were trampled to death when they assailed the mûmakil, leading their bowmen close to shoot at the eyes of the monsters.’ Duinhir had to return to his wife without his sons. * Angst.*

Vocabulary Lessons by Larner
A young heir to a lesser lord of the realm must learn new definitions to words he'd not formerly paid attention to as he presents his father's correspondence before the new King.

~*~

General Stories

Stuff 'n Nonsense by Armariel
A place for silly stuff. Anyone taking it seriously will be forced to attend Ent poetry recitals for two weeks! (Ongoing Serial)

Light From the West by Armariel
Companion piece to "Bear Me Away!" and "Anemone" which recount Frodo's adventures in the West. In "Bear Me Away" he speaks of reading letters to Sam through his star-glass. Here are excerpts from those letters.

~*~

Beta Stories
(Please note, you need to be logged in to view these stories.)

Holding Onto Hope by Alassante
Celebrimbor comes to the aid of his uncle in his greatest time of need.

Beyond the Veil by Lady Donalwen
Harry Potter/Lord of the Rings A-U. Sirius falls through the veil and ends up in Middle-Earth where he is mistaken for one of the Isatari, tricked into helping a greedy landowner, the object of affection for his picky daughter, and finding himself in love with the half-elf Castillia. (WIP)

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And now for your mid-month nuzgul. Because the only way to get stories to read is for someone to write them, and that requires our fangy little friends.

Beware the Ides of March
"Beware the Ides of March" is one of the most famous prophecies in history. Write a story or drabble about a prophecy in Middle-earth. It can be any Age, any character, any people, and the prophecy could be one that Tolkien wrote about, or one that you make up for Tolkien's world. Seriousness not necessary.

If you don't feel the tickle of little fangs in your ankle yet, there are many more potential stories just waiting to be written. Read all of HASA's many story prompts in our Nuzgul hutch.

Do you have a suggestion you'd like to see added to the hutch? Submit it using the "Submit a Story Suggestion" form.

Happy reviewing!
Marta
PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email HASANews@henneth-annun.net.

Announcements for September 9-16

BIRTHDAY DRABBLES

The following members have birthday this week. If you're in the drabbling mood, why not write them 100 words as a birthday card?

Linda Hoyland requested "Aragorn is my favourite character,especially as King. My other favourite characters are Arwen,Faramir and Eomer. I like drama or humour, but dislike smut and slash."

If you have a September birthday and haven't yet done so, you can request it at the Birthday Drabble Forum.

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SITE FUNDING UPDATE

Thanks to generous HASA-ites, HASA is funded through the end of 2007. Thanks, guys!

There are still lots of ways to make HASA a better site, through the donation of your time. Review a story, either one already published or one of the several currently in the review pool. Enter or suggest a challenge. Challenges is currently looking for a volunteer to help out with the birthday drabbles thread. And you can always add to the resources knowledge base, or link to it where you see Tolkien canon being discussed. Speaking of....

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This week's focus: RESOURCES.

The HASA Research Library is a very useful resource for writers as well as for online discussions on book canon. You can find entries on characters, settings, events, and items, containing cited quotes about the item you are trying to find more information on. This portion of the site is available to both members and non-members at http://www.henneth-annun.net/resources/index.cfm.

Would you like to get involved with Resources? If you like researching and want to help develop this section of HASA you can contact the Resources & Research Library through the contact form at the contact form..

What's new in Resources:

Timeline Events:
Theoden adopts Eomer and Eowyn and raises them in Edoras
Theoden reinstates Eomer as Marshal of the Mark

Character Biographies
Leod
Meneldil

Places
Barad Nimras
The Door of the Dead

Things
The Elven-Cloaks
Stewards of Gondor

Good luck researching your story! If you enjoy this section of the site please feel free to thank the researchers, listed at the bottom of every entry.

And always remember, grasshopper: the path of wisdom leads through proper citations. *grins*

Marta

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email me.

Announcements for September 2-9

HASA FUNDING UPDATE

No website is truly free. HASA does not display ads or charge for memberships, but there are still costs associated with running the website. The website depends on member donations to pay its monthly hosting fee of $150.00.

Currently available funding: 581.43
To provide funding through: November 2007.

If anyone would like to make a donation, you may do so at the Donations page.

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PUBLICLY-VIEWABLE FORUMS

As I mentioned last week, many HASA forums are now visible to all site visitors, not just members. If you would like a forum that you created to be visible to site visitors, please do the following:

1. Log in to HASA.
2. Go to http://www.henneth-annun.net/mine/forums.cfm .
3. Click the "Manage" link beside the story you would like to make public.
4. Click the "Edit Discussion" link.
5. Scroll down to the bottom of the page. Beside "Who may read? Choose your reading audience", change the selection to "Open to all HASA Members, General Public may read".
6. Click the "Edit Forums" button.
7. Click the "My Forums" link.

That will make that forum visible to the public. Just repeat steps 3-7 for any other forum you'd like to make publicly visible. If you have any problems please email HASANews@henneth-annun.net.

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NEW VOLUNTEER NEEDED

HASA Challenges needs a new challenges assistant to help out with the Birthday Cards forums. This challenges assistant would do the following:

--- start a thread in the birthday drabbles forum (link below under BIRTHDAY DRABBLES) a few days before the first of the month
--- create a challenge for the drabbles written for birthday requests
--- as birthday babies make drabble requests in the birthday drabbles forum, edit the first post in the thread to include their request
--- close the birthday challenge a few days after the last day of the month. Make public if enough drabbles have been written
--- add stories containing drabbles to playlist.

This takes a little bit of time at the beginning of the month (maybe an hour or two once a month, if that much). You'd also need to be available to answer any questions people have about the drabble-writing. Mainly, we just need someone who can reliably get things set up on time and who can reply to any questions reasonably quickly.

If you're interested in helping out with this please email HASANews@henneth-annun.net.

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BIRTHDAY DRABBLES

The HASA forum where HASA members can request birthday drabbles is now set up. If you have a September birthday, please request a drabble at the Birthday Drabbles forum.

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CHALLENGES BULLETIN UP

This month's challenge bulletin has just been posted. You can find it here.

We're running low on challenges that are currently going on, so if you have an idea you think would make a good challenge, feel free to do it at the Prospective Challenges forum.

---

Happy writing!

Fangedly yours,
>:-E Marta

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email HASANews@henneth-annun.net.

September Challenge Bulletin

NOTE: Please be sure you are logged in when clicking on the links.

Challenge Forums!

Our Challenge forums have been brought out of the cellar and are now easily available for general reading: Challenge Forums. The Story Discussions, Birthday Cards, Prospective Challenges and Writing Mary Sue forums are open to the public for reading (only site members may post) and all the rest are instantly available to members after logging in.

Birthdays!

September 22nd - Calanthe would love to read a birthday story, no matter how long or short, about what the fall equinox (which incidentally takes place on Frodo's and Bilbo's birthday) does mean to Frodo and Bilbo personally and/or its importance within Shire culture. I am happy, too, about any story about Frodo or Bilbo star-gazing in their birthday night.

Post your request at the Birthday Cards Forum

Also, don't forget to create a story for the birthday card workshop. This lets others put drabbles they write in an easily accessible location. Enter your story in the challenge for SEPTEMBER drabbles. All birthday stories will also now be listed in a master playlist. There are instructions on how to do all this at the top of each thread in the Birthday Cards Forum; if you need help just ask the Workshop Manager, Gwynnyd.

New Challenges

No new challenge this month so far. Make a suggestion in the prospective Challenges thread, located here. When five people accept, you have created a new Challenge!

Open Challenges

1. New Members 2006 - 2007
   Closes October 29, 2007
   This is a challenge for new members. By definition, a new member is any member who has been a member for fewer than four months or who, at the time of reading this, has written three (3) or fewer Tolkien fanfics.
   Choose one of the following - there are choices from any Age, from "The Hobbit," from "Lord of the Rings," from "The Silmarillion", from "Unfinished Tales", and three choices from the Peter Jackson "Lord of the Rings" - movies.

Keep a New Year's Resolution

• Wander over to the Nugzul pen and adopt one today.
• Review one story weekly.
• Browse the Resources section - the Research Library and more!.
• Leave a comment monthly.

HASA Challenges Team

Announcements for August 26-September 2

No one with a birthday this week has requested a birthday drabble. If you have a birthday and would like HASA members to write you a birthday drabble, request one at the HASA Birthday Card Forum.

---

Also: there are currently several stories submitted to the HASA review process that are waiting for someone to vote to approve or reject them. If you have been a member of HASA for thirty days, then you're eligible to review. Why not review one today? You can find HASA Reviews here.

---

This week's focus: Forums.

One of the best ways to get involved at HASA is through our forums. People are discussing research questions and stories as well as having fannish squees regularly there.

HASA forums are about to get even better. Right now, forums are only available when you're logged in. However, starting next Sunday you will be able to see many forums whether you are logged in or not. Click on "Sections" and then select "Forums" and you will see the ten most recent posts to these forums. Use the links on the left side of the page to reach older posts in these forums.

If you log in, you'll see a link letting you reply. Otherwise you will be able to see discussions other members have had. Enjoy the interesting little tidbits and links shared by HASA members, and share them with your friends.

This change will go into affect next Sunday. Until then, logged-in members will be able to find forums at their current location, from the "Sections" menu under "Writers Workshop Links".

Here are some useful forum links (you must be logged in for all of these):

"On Our Minds" displays the ten most recent posts in forums open to all HASA members. It's a good way to catch up on what you've missed, though the page can move quickly when lots of forums are active at once.

If you've been out of touch for longer than a few days you might want to use the "One Month of Posts" page. This page has just what it sounds like: a list of forums that have been posted to in the last month, beginning with the most recently updated.

Workshops are specialized writing communities. They allow you to share stories you aren't ready to post to the whole site, and many have interesting forums attached to them. Explore workshops to find a group of members interested in similar topics.

Now, here are some of the most recently-updated threads in HASA forum. Don't be shy. If any interest you, why not jump in?

HASA Birthday Card Forum
Subject: August 2007 Birthdays

Hands of the King
Subject: Ch. 72: Due

Bug Fixes and Code Updates
Subject: Update: Server Patches, Restart

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Here's hoping this week finds you having many interesting discussion about all things Tolkien. Because, really, you were trying to cut back on sleep anyway, right?

Until next time,
Marta

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email me.

HASA Announcements for August 19-26

---Announcement for the Week August 19 to August 26 ---

There are no birthday drabble requests for this week. If you have a birthday this week, please feel free to request a drabble at the Birthday Card Form.

*******

This week's focus: RECENTLY UPDATED STORIES

All of us writers love feedback. It is the lembas and miruvor that sustains us as we write our story, and leaving a few words about a story is always a nice thing to do, whether the story is new or old.

Every fifteen minutes HASA hilights a story chosen at random from the Reviewed and General stories in the archive. The current story is

Legacy by Acacea
Memories of a rainy day in Minas Tirith - Faramir, Boromir, Denethor, Imrahil, Elboron and a blue mantle.

Why not go to http://www.henneth-annun.net/ and check out the currently featured story?

Many talented writers are publishing every day. Check out these stories just added to HASA:

Reviewed Stories
Bear Me Away by Armariel
How Frodo and Bilbo found peace and happiness in the Blessed Realm.

Winds of Change by Lady Bluejay
In the eight days between Aragorn being crowned King and the Rohirrim departing from Minas Tirith, Éomer has to come to terms with, not only his new status, but also the realisation that his sister will be relocation to Gondor. If that wasn't enough, he has to deal with the discovery that he is becoming more and more attracted to a woman who is promised to another.

~*~

General Stories

Light From the West by Armariel
Companion piece to "Bear Me Away!" and "Anemone" which recount Frodo's adventures in the West. In "Bear Me Away" he speaks of reading letters to Sam through his star-glass. Here are excerpts from those letters. (WIP)

It Gives a Lovely Light by Oshun
A series of drabbles/ficlets: seeds of stories or chapters based upon characters and events from the Silmarillion (and consistent with my own canon in a story cycle I have begun on the sons of Fëanor and their cousins). Latest added: "Slient Blessing." (WIP) (Adult)

~*~

Beta Stories
(Please note, you need to be logged in to view these stories.)

From Drabbles to Novels by Eleftherina Baggins
A place for all of my works based on the Middle Earth Express Prompts. New: My Final Battle for prompt 42 Peace and My Final Testing for prompt 30 Rest. (Ongoing Serial)

Stirring Rings by Larner
Five were sent to teach and cajole, but one thought to rule, causing contention amongst the Istari. The making (and breaking) of Wizards. (WIP) (Adult)

********

And now for your mid-month nuzgul. Because the only way to get stories to read is for someone to write them, and that requires our fangy little friends.

With One Voice
"Denethor told Gandalf, "I will not step down to be the dotard chamberlain of an upstart.... last of a ragged house long bereft of lordship and dignity." Was he really the only Gondorian Lord to think that? Did the inhabitants of Arnor have their concerns? How did the Dunedain of the North feel about their Chieftain spending most of his time in the South? Were the inhabitants of Bree and of the Shire happy to find themselves part of a restored and re-united Kingdom?

"Write a story, set any time after Aragorn's coronation, about characters who are less than delighted by the return of the King. Tell us their reasons, what they do about them, and what happens to them."



If you don't feel the tickle of little fangs in your ankle yet, there are many more potential stories just waiting to be written. Read all of HASA's many story prompts in our Nuzgul hutch.

Do you have a suggestion you'd like to see added to the hutch? Submit it using the "Submit a Story Suggestion" form at http://www.henneth-annun.net/members/challenge/suggest.cfm.

Happy reviewing!
Marta

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email HASANews@henneth-annun.net.

Announcements for August 12-19

No members have requested birthday drabbles for this week. If you have a birthday this week and would like a birthday drabble, why not post a request for one at the Birthday Cards Forum?

*******

This week's focus: RESOURCES

The HASA Research Library is a very useful resource for writers as well as for online discussions on book canon. You can find entries on characters, settings, events, and items, containing cited quotes about the item you are trying to find more information on. This portion of the site is available to both members and non-members at http://www.henneth-annun.net/resources/index.cfm.

Would you like to get involved with Resources? If you like researching and want to help develop this section of HASA you can contact the Resources & Research Library through the contact form.

What's new in Resources:

Timeline Events:
Boromir, Steward of Gondor Dies (III 2489)
Boromir becomes Steward of Gondor (III 2475)
Mordor renews attacks of Gondor (III 2475)

Character Biographies
Boromir, Steward of Gondor (III 2410-III 2489)
Elrond (I 532-?)

Places
The Angle
The Hill Road

Things
Orc-draughts
Shirriffs

Good luck researching your story! If you enjoy this section of the site please feel free to thank the researchers, listed at the bottom of every entry.

And always remember, grasshopper: the path of wisdom leads through proper citations. *grins*

Marta

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email me.

Announcements for August 5-12

HASA FUNDING UPDATE

No website is truly free. HASA does not display ads or charge for memberships, but there are still costs associated with running the website. The website depends on member donations to pay its monthly hosting fee of $150.00.

Currently available funding: $538.64
To provide funding through: November 2007

If anyone would like to make a donation, you may do so here.

*******

BIRTHDAY DRABBLES

The following members have birthday this week. If you're in the drabbling mood, why not write them 100 words as a birthday card?

Anglachel (August 4) requested "My husband and I bought an 80+ year old house earlier this year and are in the middle of renovating it, so buildings are on my mind. Big ones and small ones. Grand capitals on high hills and humble Hobbit holes beneath. Places that are new and places that are old. Write something about a place, preferably a single building. It can be in any era, any location, and told from any perspective. Tell me something about that place - a start, an end, a swift event, the slow passage of time. Bring that place to life."

If you have a birthday in August and would like a drabble about your favorite character or topic, you can request it here.

*******

MONTHLY CHALLENGES BULLETIN

The monthly challenge bulletin, listing challenges closing this month and new ones that were set up in July, was posted earlier this week. Check it out here.

*******

LAST WEEK'S QUICKIE CHALLENGE

So far, last week's "Hide and Seek" challenge has had two responses.

"Seek for the Sword" by Linaewen
Boromir seeks answers while searching for the road to Rivendell.

"Hidden City" by Nath
His Master had told him to find it. So he did.

All responses to this challenge can be seen here.

*******

Happy writing!

Fangedly yours,
>:-E Marta

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email HASANews@henneth-annun.net

August 2007 Challenge Bulletin

NOTE: Please be sure you are logged in when clicking on the links.

Birthdays!

August 4 - Anglachel wrote: My husband and I bought an 80+ year old house earlier this year and are in the middle of renovating it, so buildings are on my mind. Big ones and small ones. Grand capitals on high hills and humble Hobbit holes beneath. Places that are new and places that are old. Write something about a place, preferably a single building. It can be in any era, any location, and told from any perspective. Tell me something about that place - a start, an end, a swift event, the slow passage of time. Bring that place to life.

Post your request at the Birthday Cards Forum

Also, don't forget to create a story for the birthday card workshop. This lets others put drabbles they write in an easily accessible location. Enter your story in the challenge for AUGUST drabbles. All birthday stories will also now be listed in a master playlist. There are instructions on how to do all this at the top of each thread in the Birthday Cards Forum; if you need help just ask the Workshop Manager, Gwynnyd.

New Challenges

A Quickie

• Hide and Seek
  Write a story, drabble, or poem, about a character trying to find something or someone (or keep it hidden). The thing in question can be an actual object or person, or it can be a secret that some characters might want to expose. You can write a drabble, poem, or story, up to 1,000 words.
  
  The challenge closes on August 6th.

Open Challenges

Two for two kingdoms in exile [Gondor and Arnor]

1. When Brothers Are Not So Close
   Closes September 1, 2007
   There are four options:
   
   1. Write the brothers as cool or distant
   2. An argument that needs to be resolved
   3. An AU with an outside force separating the brothers and how it might effect canon
   4. Explore the relationship outside of canon.
   You could include cousins or other people who share a brotherly bond.
   
   
2. New Members 2006 - 2007
   Closes October 29, 2007
   This is a challenge for new members. By definition, a new member is any member who has been a member for fewer than four months or who, at the time of reading this, has written three (3) or fewer Tolkien fanfics.
   Choose one of the following - there are choices from any Age, from "The Hobbit," from "Lord of the Rings," from "The Silmarillion", from "Unfinished Tales", and three choices from the Peter Jackson "Lord of the Rings" - movies.

Keep a New Year's Resolution

• Wander over to the Nugzul pen and adopt one today.
• Review one story weekly.
• Browse the Resources section - the Research Library and more!.
• Leave a comment monthly.

HASA Challenges Team

Announcement for July 29-August 4

No members have requested birhtday drabbles for this week. But: August babies, the thread for you to request a birthday drabble is up! If you'd like people to write you a 100-word story on a topic of your choosing, hurry on over to the HASA Birthday Cards Forum.

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This Week's Focus: "Quickie" Challenge.

A while back, HASA had something called the "on-list challenge." Some of you may remember them; basically they are like normal challenges, only they have shorter time limits and are intended to be answerable in a shorter number of words.

So, in that finest tradition of nuzgul-flinging, HASA will be having these challenges from time to time. And this week is one of those times. >:-E

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HIDE AND SEEK

Middle-earth is full of stories of capture and escape. Sometimes they are seeking a lost relic or heirloom, or a bit of lore. (The Feanorians' quest for the silmarils, anyone? Or Boromir's search for Rivendell's location?) Other times, the story lies with the people trying to escape capture, or keep some relic safe. Much of Frodo's and Sam's story in The Lord of the Rings is about this type of escape.

Your challenge is to write a story, drabble, or poem, about a character trying to find something or someone (or keep it hidden). The thing in question can be an actual object or person, or it can be a secret that some characters might want to expose. You can write a drabble, poem, or story, up to 1,000 words.
-------

Enter your answers to this challenge in the Hide and Seek Challenge, and be sure to tell us about your story at the Prospective Challenges forum.

CHALLENGE ENDS: August 6.

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Happy writing, and see you all next week!

Marta

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email melayton@gmail.com.

As many of you know, I make announcements about HASA not just at this blog but at a LiveJournal blog: HASALJ. While basic LJ accounts are free, there are some nice features you get with a paid account. Some anonymous donor recently bought a year's worth of paid subscription for the HASA LJ blog.

Thank you, anonymous! And thank you, everyone who has given to HASA over the years. Even if you haven't donated financially, if you're reading this post, odds are you have given HASA your time and creative energies.

*blows kisses* Thanks for all your support!

Marta
(HASA Reporter)

Announcements for July 22-28

The following members have birthday this week. If you're in the drabbling mood, why not write them 100 words as a birthday card?

VILWARIN (b-day: July 25) requested "Aragorn in a state of emotion. Preferably with halbarad in their earlier years, but I'm open for others as well. Rating can be anything, and I'd read het as well as slash."

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This week's focus: FORUMS

One of the best ways to get involved at HASA is through our forums. People are discussing research questions and stories as well as having fannish squees regularly there.

Some useful forum links (you must be logged in for all of these):

http://www.henneth-annun.net/members/forums/index.cfm
"On Our Minds" displays the ten most recent posts in forums open to all HASA members. It's a good way to catch up on what you've missed, though the page can move quickly when lots of forums are active at once.

http://www.henneth-annun.net/members/forums/latest.cfm
If you've been out of touch for longer than a few days you might want to use the "One Month of Posts" page. This page has just what it sounds like: a list of forums that have been posted to in the last month, beginning with the most recently updated.

http://www.henneth-annun.net/members/workshop/workshop_list.cfm
Workshops are specialized writing communities. They allow you to share stories you aren't ready to post to the whole site, and many have interesting forums attached to them. Explore workshops to find a group of members interested in similar topics.

Now, here are some of the most recently-updated threads in HASA forum. Don't be shy. If any interest you, why not jump in?

Allee's Fics
Subject: To Dwell Among Strangers

HASA Birthday Cards Forum
Subject: July 2007 Birthdays

MEFA – The Middle-earth Fanfiction Awards
Subject: Final List of Hard-to-Reach Authors: Urgent

Elena Tiriel – Star Gazings
Subject: Fell and Fair Drabble Series (Current)

Here's hoping this week finds you having many interesting discussion about all things Tolkien. Because, really, you were trying to cut back on sleep anyway, right?

Until next time,
Marta

PS- Do you have something in particular you would like included in next week's announcement? If so, please email melayton@gmail.com.

New Stories at HASA

*waves* My name is Marta and I am a new HASA volunteer who will be posting here about areas of the site that have been recently updated. Every week I will focus on a new area of the site. I hope you will find this useful.

---Announcement for the Week July 15 to July 22.---

The following members have birthday this week. If you're in the drabbling mood, why not write them 100 words as a birthday card?

Cheryl (Bday: July 18) requested: "I would be very appreciative (and I'm sure quite a number of kindred spirits out there *ahem eruwestial... dawn... arandil...ahem*) if someone would write me a drabble entitled 'WET ELVES'. Any genre, rating, etc is fine. Mwaheheh. 'Twould be a truly capital birthday gift indeed."

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This week's focus: RECENTLY UPDATED STORIES

All of us writers love feedback. It is the lembas and miruvor that sustains us as we write our story, and leaving a few words about a story is always a nice thing to do, whether the story is new or old.

Every fifteen minutes HASA hilights a story chosen at random from the Reviewed and General stories in the archive. The current story is

Gimcrackery by Nienna --- http://henneth-annun.net/stories/chapter.cfm?stid=1178

Gimcrack' is a rather odd word, isn't it? Ever wonder how it came to be? Probably not. Well, for those of you who have, here is the explanation...

Why not go to http://www.henneth-annun.net/ and check out the currently featured story?

Many talented writers are publishing every day. Check out these stories just added to HASA:

Reviewed Stories --- http://www.henneth-annun.net/stories/story_reviewed.cfm

Hands of the King by Anglachel --- http://henneth-annun.net/stories/chapter.cfm?stid=1073

Finduilas of Dol Amroth married Denethor, future Lord Steward of Gondor, for some very specific reasons. A different take on their marriage. (Rating: Adult)

Measures of Time by Raksha the Demon --- http://henneth-annun.net/stories/chapter.cfm?stid=7044

The passage of time is a dance in which all mortals move at different paces; but the Princess of Ithilien rages against the changing rhythm. (Rating: General)

~*~

General Stories --- http://www.henneth-annun.net/stories/story_general.cfm

A New Day by Oshun --- http://henneth-annun.net/stories/chapter.cfm?stid=6757

After Thangorodrim, Fingon and Maedhros resolve to heal the divisions among the Noldor. Slash. (Rating: Adult)

"Journeys" by Aria --- http://henneth-annun.net/stories/chapter.cfm?stid=7026

One of our favourite minstrels goes wandering in the south during the Fourth Age, and finds something strangely familiar. A story of hope unlooked for. (Rating: General)

~*~

Beta Stories --- http://www.henneth-annun.net/stories/story_beta.cfm

(Please note, you need to be logged in to view these stories.)

"The Tenant From Stradle" by Larner --- http://henneth-annun.net/stories/chapter.cfm?stid=6419

When Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee were ennobled on the Field of Cormallen, Gondor and Arnor granted them lands held in the King's name for their maintenance in keeping with the customs of the lands. And now a farmer formerly from Staddle learns he must have permission from the Lord Iorhael in order to remain where he has begun excavating a new smial and setting up a farm for himself and his family. (Rating: General)

"The Pillar Perished Is" by Imhiriel --- http://henneth-annun.net/stories/chapter.cfm?stid=7027

On the passage to Middle-earth, Fëanor’s thoughts are no less turbulent than the Sea. (Rating: General)

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And now for your mid-month nuzgul. Because the only way to get stories to read is for someone to write them, and that requires our fangy little friends.

Of the Finding of the Silmaril --- http://henneth-annun.net/members/challenge/challenge_detail.cfm?NGID=56

What might happen if Maglor's Silmaril was found? During the Ring War, after the Ring War, during human history, in modern times? Who might want it, what might they do with it, how might it change the course of history?

If you don't feel the tickle of little fangs in your ankle yet, there are many more potential stories just waiting to be written. Read all of HASA's many story prompts in our Nuzgul hutch @ http://www.henneth-annun.net/members/challenge/nuzgul.cfm.

Do you have a suggestion you'd like to see added to the hutch? Submit it using the "Submit a Story Suggestion" form at http://www.henneth-annun.net/members/challenge/suggest.cfm.

Happy reviewing!

Marta