Something exciting is coming up at The Office of Light and Letters, the people who gave us November’s National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). For the month of April, they’re sponsoring a script writing challenge called Script Frenzy.

Starting on April 1st, people all over the world will be writing 100 page scripts. Screenplays, television scripts, stage plays, novel adaptations, comic book, and graphic novel scripts are just some of the creations that will come out of this event. Whether writing alone or with a partner, produce that 100 pages in the 30 days of April, and you’re a winner!

Like NaNoWriMo, there is a website, which is key to success with the event. On the homepage, a countdown calendar will start at 12:00:01 a.m. on April 1st and stop at 11:59:59 p.m. on April 30th. There are pages of “how to” advice, as well as links to formatting software, and the ever-popular participant icons and widgets. A number of screenwriters and playwrights are making “cameo” appearances, offering their wisdom, and weekly pep talks are delivered to all who participate. The site also offers a special, kid-friendly section for aspiring script writers ages 12 and under.

In real life, municipal liaisons around the world will be setting up meetings where writers can meet others who are sharing the Frenzy experience. In cyberspace, each locale that has a liaison will have its own forum, as well as the combined resources of their fellow participants worldwide to draw upon while writing. And, like NaNoWriMo, Script Frenzy is part of a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that accepts tax-deductible donations to function.

So, do you have a screenplay that’s begging to be written? Sign up with Script Frenzy and bring it to life! And if you’re a FanLib member who is participating, give a shout out on the FanLib forums to find who else is in the Frenzy mode!

Tikatu

And another month bites the dust!  But fear not, spring brings many good things, including the return of many of our favorite TV shows and lots of fan conventions!  I was at the Los Angeles Supernatural con this weekend, and there’s nothing like spending a whole weekend with folks who are passionate about the same TV show.  It’s something everyone has to do at least once!  (Did I mention that Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles were there live and in person. . . and now she tries to concentrate on her work. . . )

Let’s do lunch!  Yes, it sounds like a random non sequitur, but it’s actually the theme for this week’s carousel.  From House’s unusual sandwich to breaking bread with the brothers of Yu-Gi-Oh, these are perfect stories to read while you’re chowing down at noontime.

On the contest front, Painkiller Jane is in Finals mode. You have until Thursday, April 3 to choose your top three stories.  Entries for the Wake contest are due by tomorrow, Tuesday, April 1 at 3:00 PM PT.  Fabulous prizes there, so don’t miss out. 

And that about does it for now.  Keep submitting, keep reviewing, and keep visiting FanLib.com.  We couldn’t do it without you.

They’re back… or almost… the Cylons, silly.  That’s right, those frakkin’ skin jobs are back in action next week, April 4th, and to get you psyched up for the show Scifi, DVice, and Make Magazine are hosting a "Make Your Own Cylon" contest.  You can modify an existing thing or make something from scratch, and the coolest part is, cast members Tricia Helfer and Grace Park are the judges and the best ones will be featured on SciFi Channel. How to enter and rule details can be found HERE.  Now go make a toaster!

Feeling blue? Got the flu? Try this prescription from Dr. Fanfic aka skirbo: Read two stories of schmoop and one tale of angst. Repeat as needed until cured.

Seven years ago, I discovered fan fiction. I remember it clearly — I was searching the internet for information on where I could get TOFOG’s music in America after listening to their CD, "Bastard Life or Clarity."  Their front man is actor Russell Crowe. I stumbled across some "real person fiction," which was mostly Mary Sue-esque, but then I found some Gladiator fan fiction. That was good. Things snowballed out of control from there. Today I read more fandoms than I have the space to list here.

Over the last seven years, I have experienced some very high highs and some pretty low lows — as if the Powers That Be thought my life was one giant amusement park, complete with some award-winning roller coasters. Forget "Six Flags Over Whatever," all the ups and downs were at my house. I’ve consumed enough chocolate to give diabetes not only to myself but to an entire third world country. Lately I’ve become aware of a pattern: I read the most fanfic when things are hardest for me, and I’m feeling my lowest. I frequently read  fanfic as therapy, when I need a good laugh, a good cry, or the equivalent of a pound of Dove milk chocolate promises.

If I’ve had a really bad day at work, or life in general is pretty tough, I enjoy reading about my favorite characters overcoming difficult challenges. For instance, Snape gets one over on Harry, Carl manages to save Van Helsing with a lucky shot, or anytime that Xander Harris, my favorite everyman, does something extraordinary. My day may have sucked, but if Xander and Neville Longbottom both managed to beat some supernatural baddie and save their friends from certain death, I ought to be able to manage another day of the ol’ grind.

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From a popular series of books to a movie in the works, Tracyexplosion takes you into the world of Twilight.

“I can do this, I lied to myself feebly. No one was going to bite me.” – Bella Swan, “Twilight”

The Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer is comprised of three books: “Twilight,” “New Moon,” and “Eclipse.”

Let’s start with a quick introduction to the main characters:
Bella: pale, short, clumsy damsel in distress.
Edward: gorgeous, brilliant, and undead.
Jacob: tall, handsome furball.

The basis of “Twilight,” the first story of the series, introduces the readers to Bella. Bella moves to Forks, Washington (an actual city, the rainiest in the U.S.) to live with her father. While attending school there, she meets Edward, a mysteriously gorgeous young man who says he’s only 17, when in reality, he’s over a hundred years old. Edward is from a small coven of vampires that masquerade as a family made up of five adopted children and two young parents. All seven members of the family partake in a “vegetarian” lifestyle. Instead of taking human lives, the family takes camping trips almost weekly in order to feed off animals. Against his better judgment, Edward begins a relationship with Bella.

The other books in the series set up a love triangle between Bella, Edward, and Jacob, a local Quileute boy. The Quileutes have a history that lies within wolf lineage. They protect the land from people like Edward and his family. Hence, the Quileutes often take the form of werewolves. They were enemies from the beginning.

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It’s springtime (here in LA) and a young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of love.  It’s also Thursday and my thoughts turn to Member Contests.  As always there’s plenty to enter and plenty to judge.  So whip out your glasses, pull up a chair, maybe have a sandwich, and check these competitions out. 

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Today’s word comes to us, once again, from Japan: Otaku. Otaku literally translates to mean "in the house," but in Japan it has a negative connotation, meaning nerd or geek.  In the US though, Otaku has come to mean a fan of Japanese culture. 

The use of Otaku as today’s Word Wednesday is really just an excuse to introduce you all to the world of Kaiju Big Battel!  In Kaiju Big Battel real live monsters fight for world domination.  There are the Heroes: Club Sandwich, Silver Potato, American Beetle, and Dusto Bunny; the Villains: Team Space Bug and the evil Dr. Cube; and the Rogues, who know no alliance: DW Cycloptopuss III, Kung Fu Chicken Noodle, and Call-Me-Kevin, to name but a few.  The fights are an odd mixture of art and cage match.

The website not only has info on upcoming events - the next battle is this Saturday, March 29th in Providence, RI - but also Kaiju manga, fan art, and photos of fans as Kaiju monsters.

Sounds right up our alley, huh?

Liliedove joined us back in November and quickly rose in the ranks with more than 50 submissions and hundreds of forums posts.

What character in your favorite fandom do you most identify with?

I can relate to Hinata Hyuga from the Naruto series. Hinata is a shy girl who is told by her cousin Neji that she is weak and will never be a true shinobi. Then, she never really had the courage to talk to her crush, Naruto Uzimaki, since she’s so shy.  To relate to my story, I’m shy, and I’ve never been brave enough to talk to my crush. I’m also put down by my siblings many times, so I can relate there too.

Who is your favorite creator?

My favorite creator is Masashi Kishimoto, who is the author of the Naruto series.

What was YOUR first fannish creation?

My first fan creation is my story series here, starting with the story, A Petal of Hope.

What talent would you like to have that you don’t have?

I would like to have the talent of the brains ^_^
I do well in most subjects, except for math and English.  I really want to get a better understanding in the ELA area, since I wish to become a manga author when I grow up.

What’s something people would never guess about you?

Well, in my personal life, most people would be surprised that I’m a chatter box, since I’m so shy. Online on the other hand, people don’t usually expect me to be the quiet type either.

I don’t watch Letterman too often, but I’ve been sharing the Top Ten Reasons to Watch "Battlestar Galactica" with other BSG fans:

Why do you watch the show? 

In totally unrelated news, the LA Times’ Steve Lopez is inviting you to help him write a novel as part of a new contest.  The catch is that you have to be a California resident over the age of 18.  If you decide to enter, let us know here!

It’s officially spring, so our carousel is themed with stories of that time of year when a young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of love.  No, wait.  Actually, our carousel is themed with stories of that time of year when all of our fancies turn to thoughts of SUGAR!  It’s an ode to the Marshmallow Peep.  Could it be that you have never sampled this tasty (and sticky) treat?  Fear not, this week’s authors will help you become one with the fluff.

Once you have your sugar rush on, head to the keyboard because there’s only one day left to enter the Painkiller Jane contest.  The grand prize winner will have part of his or her story illustrated by a professional comic book artist.  How cool is that?

If that deadline is a little too tight for you, you still have a whole ‘nother week to enter our Wake contest,  where your dreams could earn you a Wake-themed Nintendo Wii.

If that’s not enough to keep you busy, there are plenty of new stories, videos, and art submissions to check out at FanLib.com.  Heading out somewhere?  Remember there’s a "print" button on every story that will format it neatly so you can take your favorite stories with you when you go.

Sorry.  I just wanted to remind you that the submission period for the Painkiller Jane contest is about to end.  Not only are there DVDs to be won, but the three (yes, three) Grand Prize winners will receive professional illustrations based on their winning entries.  Your mission is to write how a new Neuro crosses paths with Painkiller Jane and the Painkiller Unit, in story or screenplay format.  Hurry up, you only have until Tuesday, March 25th at 3PM PST to enter.  Good luck to all and sundry.

Now I’m getting off you.  Here’s a band aid.  Quit yer whining.

Congratulations to Tay Zonday, writer and singer of "Chocolate Rain," for winning the YouTube Video Award for best music video.  The 25-year-old, who looks 17, took the Internet by storm (no pun intended) last year with the catchy, if slightly repetitive, song.  He went on to perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and star in a Dr. Pepper ad for the launch of a cherry chocolate soda.

If you haven’t seen the video, catch it here:

And of course, I must plug my RPF featuring Tay himself:

Marphlets reports for duty with this Fandom 411 on NCIS! 

NCIS is the pseudo-spinoff of the hit lawyer series JAG, and Donald P. Bellisario’s brainchild. It features such acting talents as Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly (Dark Angel), Lauren Holly, Pauley Perrette, and David McCallum.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is responsible for the investigation of crimes inside the Navy or Marine Corps. The show centers around a single NCIS team headed by the almost legendary Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Harmon). Their story begins in “Yankee White,” where a young naval officer in charge of the “football” is killed on Air Force One. The team,  including Tony DiNozzo (Weatherly) and medical examiner “Ducky” (McCallum), soon find themselves joined by Secret Service Agent Kate Todd (Sasha Alexander) on the trail of terrorist plots and good, old-fashioned murder.

NCIS plays smart and funny, with one of the best ensemble casts on television, and has become nearly infamous for its “Elevator Moments” — those tasty moments most shows leave out when the heroes are traveling to a destination (elevator, car, cargo plane, etc.), allowing for humor between characters.

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Right this way, right this way. Step right up ladies and gentlemen.  Pay no attention to the dog boy, he’s merely a distraction, but over here, beneath the big top, is a sight unlike any other - Member Contests.

These contests are only open for submissions another week, are looking for homes, and don’t bite:

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I’ve been thinking about the concept of Author Insert and how I feel about it (can you believe this is how I spend my time?).  Our Glossary defines the term as: an original character that is a stand-in for the author in the story.  Now Gary/Mary aside, here’s my issue: As an author, almost every character is a stand in for some aspect of me; do I really need to walk into the story as myself?  For example, a friend of mine started dating someone new, and I rarely see him any longer, so to deal with my annoyance, I wrote an Uglies piece where Shay deals with her ambivalence towards Tally and her relationship with David.  I can’t imagine having me, Schinders, walk into a story; it  seems so incongruous.  Fiction is a place where I get to not be me, hooray!

But then again, I’d love to use a holodeck… What do you think?

And I know, it’s two words… don’t be so pedantic.