Sunday, August 26, 2007

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




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.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

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.

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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

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)

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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.

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.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

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?

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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.

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.

Sunday, August 5, 2007

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 HASANews@henneth-annun.net

Thursday, August 2, 2007

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

HASA Challenges Team