kryptaria

 We're now at 32,105 words in beta! Have a sneak preview, because it's fun writing Merlin and Morgana as friends, not enemies:

Hope you all had a safe, fun new year! We took Bucky and Xena on a hike to the beach, where Bucky learned waves are not to be trusted and Xena learned sand is awesome for digging. They also got muddy. So muddy. You have no idea how muddy*.

I also wrote a bit about what I carry in my day-to-day go-bag, as a service dog handler. Read about it on Twitter. https://twitter.com/JordanSBrock/status/1080282948744687616

On the fandom front, A Midwinter Prince is over 25,000 words! I'm working on chapter 9 now, and I'm probably 1/3 of the way through the story. It's a modern paranormal royal AU (Merlin/Arthur) based on Netflix's A Christmas Prince.

Wish me luck getting through the next paragraph! Once I can get this scene kicked off, I'll hopefully be able to wrap chapter 9 (tomorrow?) and get started on chapter 10. I really want to get this finished ASAP so I can get back to the giant, still-untitled, still-needs-a-britpick epic crossover.

What are you all up to these days?

* This is only the first coat of mud, which he got on the way to the beach. The hike back to the parking lot added a full second layer, halfway up his body.

Fic: Untitled series, currently over 150,000 words
Rating: Mature for language, possibly explicit
Primary fandoms: Merlin, James Bond
Pairings for part 1 of the series: James Bond/Q (new relationship, Q is asexual), Merlin/Arthur (eventually, assuming Merlin doesn't turn Arthur into a sheep in a fit of pique)


Beta/Britpick info:

• I work in Google docs, so a gmail address is a must
• Specifically seeking feedback in regional language
  • Merlin is from South Wales
  • James is from Scotland, but he code-switches as needed
  • Most other characters are from London and various locations throughout England
  • A few characters are from the Netherlands (not Britpick, I know, but I figured I'd throw it in here)
• Also seeking feedback in class/education-based language
  • Several characters are part of the Royal Family of the UK or the Netherlands
  • City vs. small town/country differences
  • Others are significantly lower class
• Royal protocol in the UK (though there will be some differences since this is an AU) and the Netherlands
  • Titles, forms of address, and protocol with the Royal Family
  • Ceremonies (coronation, funeral, recognition/knighting)
  • Peerage
• Royal Household (roles, hierarchy, etc.)

Other beta needs:

• Sheep expertise (Merlin is actually a veterinary geneticist studying sheep genetics and working to preserve endangered breeds)
• Farm expertise in general (specifically livestock/farm management)
• Security policies and procedures, everything from law enforcement (Royal and Specialty Protection in the UK) to physical security (Buckingham Palace entry, security checkpoints, etc.) to network security (hacking, social media, etc.)
• Paganism in the British Isles (historical, traditional, neopaganism, new age)
• The Church of England (history, beliefs, traditions vs. modernization)
• Cheerleading in general, bouncing ideas/brainstorming

This has been a WIP for several months now. I'd prefer not to post it until the entire series is done, though that may change. I'm going to be using Aeon Timeline to track the story's flow, since there are so many plot threads and points where history has diverged from reality. This is a HUGE project.