Now that I have a bit of time, I'm planing on redoing some scripts of the NCIS archive to fix some of the issues that the users have been pointing to me. Since this means an important internal overhaul, it is also the time of adding new features or tweaking the existing ones if needed. From a programmer's standpoint, it's not always easy to see the user's side of things. I know how things are supposed to work, but perhaps I'm not making them easy for you. So I'm asking for your feedback. What do you like about the archive? What you don't? What you'll change? What you'll add? I can't promise to add everything but I do want to make the archive better and easier to use for both writers and readers.

If you have any suggestion, please just leave a comment on this thread. You don't need a Livejournal account to post but, please, leave your archive username with your comment.

Thank you to all.

The feedback period will last until next Monday.

Known issues:
- Challenges pages is down.
- Auto email updates needs fixing.
- Some author names are not displayed in their stories.

Issues raised by users below:
- Fix lost password form.
- Fix search error when trying to sort by Date Added or Category.
- Fix formatting/encoding errors in some stories.
- Fix comment email.

New features requested:
- Add < u > to allowed tags.
- Allow < b >, < u >, < i > tags in author notes.
- Display all chapters in one page.
- Add series title when adding a new series.
- Easier story editing.
- Alternate subcategory listing.

One of the blogs I follow posted today the videoclip of (Everything I do) I do it for you by Bryan Adams from the Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves soundtrack. This is one of my favorite songs ever. I'm moved every time I listen to it, it's so moving and powerful. I've tried to write a fic inspired by it a couple of times, but I can't make it justice.

I have a slash links directory that, I must admit, haven't been updated in a really very long time. Now I'm facing two options: either delete the site or rework it using tags instead of categories. But in this era of King Google, I wonder if a directory site is still useful. The idea will be to allow the users to categorize sites using fandom and genre rags instead of the actual categories.

What do you think? Would a site like this be useful or I better use my time to spice up the NCIS archive?

Here is the master list of the Stargate Atlantis Urban Legend Slash Challenge Second Edition (website).

First of all, thanks to everyone who participated. You're all wonderful!

Second, this list is still incomplete. Some people has not yet published their story or have told me they will be late. I'll be updating it as new fics come.

Stargate Atlantis Urban Legend Slash Challenge Second Edition Master list

Enjoy!

Thanks to the generosity of Walter of http://www.squidge.org/ the NCIS Fanfiction Archive is up again, and now with a domain of its own!

You can find the archive now at http://www.ncisfiction.com/

We start exactly where we left, with all stories up. Everything should be working but if you find some problems, feel free to email me.

Thank you for all your support during these complicated weeks.

Sincerely,

Andromeda

Just to keep you up with the news. I'm negotiating with Walter of squidge.org a way to get the site up again. It's almost done, however it's not finished yet.

I hope to have more information for you in a few days.

I'm really sorry to say this, but this is the end of the NCIS Fanfiction Archive. The problems the archive has been having lately are due to the enormous quantity of visitors it has, which collapses the mysql server. To be able to keep going, the archive will need a dedicated server and, simply put, I don't have the money for it.

So, this is it. I'm going to leave it online for a couple of days so authors can download their stories and then it's over.

It's been a good ride. Thank you all for your participation.

I'm sorry, but I have no choice.

Sincerely,

Andromeda

It looks like something out of Ronon's personal arsenal, or perhaps the Hyborian Age, but in fact is a $150,000 pool cue, made of stainless steel and inlaid with 24K Gold (among other things) that houses a round-shaped obsidian stone in the butt cap.

I bet Ronon will love pool if he could play with a cue like that.

Characters and Viewpoint
Orson Scott Card
Writer's Digest Books: Elements of Fiction Writing
ISBN-10: 0898799279
ISBN-13: 978-0898799279

We may or we may not agree with Orson Scott Card's views (I don't) but the man knows his craft. This medium-sized book (184 pages) it's not only packed with good advice; it also helps you ask yourself the sometimes difficult questions you need to create believable characters. It's not an A to Z version. In a clear, to the point style, he gives the keypoints and framework that a writer needs to build characters upon. It makes you think about what you do and why you do it.

The book is divided in three parts. The first one, "Inventing Characters", has the basics of character building. Is in the second and longest part, "Constructing characters", that Card delves into the thick of character creation and evolution. These two part make the stronger and most useful part of the book.

The final part, "Performing characters", examines point of view. Personally, I think is the weakest part of the book. It's not bad; it does have good advice and covers the basics well, but I find his choices of terminology a bit difficult. In this regard, I liked Monica Wood's Description better. Other reviews I've read, however, disagree with me on this point.

CSI Exclusive: Sara Lives… But Jorja Leaves!
CSI's Jorja Fox Is Leaving the Show

Yes! But why she couldn't have left sooner? The big reason I stopped watching CSI was the Grissom-Sara story. It totally put me off the series. I wish the series gets better without her, but I know better than raise my hopes.