The Annals of Astra M.

***FanFic Vital Stats***

Title: Overflow
Fandom: Naruto
Pairing: Shikamaru x Ino
Other Characters: Asuma, Choji
Format: One-shot
Genre: Romance, Humor
Rating: PG, mild language
Warnings: spoilers for manga chapter 328, 30Kisses Theme
Tag Line: Just like that, the world she knew was overturned: Team Ino was no more.

***FanFic History***

This was originally conceived quite a while back when I was making chapter outlines for my fanfic, Unparalleled Teamwork. At the time, I thought the story would cover the timeframe through the Sasuke retrieval arc. But I've since revised it to end at the Chuunin exams, so this scene had to be cut out. But I still wanted to write it, and as a result it became another one-shot for my Scent of Grass and Flowers collection.

***FanFic Vital Stats***

Title: Dash
Fandom: Naruto
Pairing: Shikamaru x Ino
Other Characters: Asuma, Choji, Sakura
Format: One-shot
Genre: Romance, Humor
Rating: PG, mild language
Warnings: Slightly AU, 30Kisses Theme
Tag Line: “Well, Billboard Brow, what about tweaking the challenge then? Instead of the winner kissing a winner... how about the loser kissing a loser?”

***FanFic History***

This idea had to sit around awhile, mostly because unlike my typical vignette, I knew this one would be a little longer and I just didn't want to invest the time. But I hadn't been writing for months and then when I finally got back around to it, this was the first one that I knew I could finish easily. I don't really remember what inspired the idea; I think it was a something that developed out of the ideas I had with two of my other longer fics (Bittersweet Sixteen for the Sakura x Ino challenge, and Unparalleled Teamwork for the race event - this is in an upcoming chapter that was partially written but as yet unreleased). Is it possible to plagiarize your own work?

I am presently in the midst of a job change, potential relocation, and a lot of other related issues. So "free time" is always questionable, but I'm trying to squeeze in some writing as I can. Keeps me sane. :)


Status of Works in Progress:

Bittersweet Sixteen - On to new chapter, "Turnabout," which will take some time to write and will likely be split into multiple parts when I finally start posting it. It has a lot of angst, so that always takes a lot out of me.

The Scent of Grass and Flowers - New installment, "Dash," in progress. I see from my notes that I've had this idea for over a year.

Unparalleled Teamwork - Rewrite of chapter one, "Asuma's New Team," in progress.

Morning Sickness - At work on second half of "Imagining Things" chapter.

Ginny Weasley and the Red Shoes - another dead stop in favor of other things.

Status of Works in Progress:

All works are currently "on hold" until some significant free time opens up in my personal life. Hopefully, that will be much sooner than later.

***FanFic Vital Stats***

Title: Perfect Blue
Fandom: Naruto
Pairing: Shikamaru x Ino
Other Characters: Shikaku
Format: Vignette
Genre: Romance, Humor
Rating: PG, very mild language
Warnings: none, 30Kisses Theme
Tag Line: “What?!? Poetry?!? Me?!?” he yelled incredulously. “Pop, are you out of your mind?”

***FanFic History***

I prefer writing prose to poetry myself, probably because all of my own (school enforced) exercises have resulted in scathing essay-length reviews, open mockery, and in one instance a mass case of stunned horror (that one wasn’t meant to be read aloud though). Given my past history, I had understandably mixed feelings about this story, and yet it made sense for Shikamaru. So because I’m a masochist, here’s a fic in honor of my old nemesis, April’s National Poetry Month. Yikes.

***FanFic Vital Stats***

Title: Ino's Secret Kissing Jutsu
Fandom: Naruto
Pairing: Shikamaru x Ino
Other Characters: Choji, nameless goons
Format: One-shot
Genre: Romance, Humor
Rating: PG-13, for language and sexuality
Warnings: Continues from Butt Out storyline. The term ‘kissing jutsu’ is duly credited to Persepolis130's fanfic “Operation: Genin Dance”
Summary: Is it possible for a normal teenage ninja in love to combine business with pleasure? Ino thinks she knows how to do it, provided she can just get Shikamaru to play along.

***FanFic History***

I had this story in mind for about a year with no real plans for writing it, but because of the problems I have had trying to rewrite a chapter of Bittersweet Sixteen, I really needed to work on other things for a little while. This one had new life breathed into it as a result. At the end of Butt Out, I wondered what challenges a secret affair between Ino and Shika might pose, and this is one of the ideas that popped out.

***FanFic Vital Stats***

Title: If Only I Could Make You Mine
Fandom: Naruto
Pairing: Shikamaru x Ino
Other Characters: Choji, Choza, Shikaku, Inoichi, Mrs. Yamanaka
Format: Vignette
Genre: Drama/Angst
Rating: PG-13, for teen sexuality
Warnings: none, 30Kisses Theme
Tag Line: “I thought you were a genius,” he said shortly. “So tell me what part of 'no' don’t you understand?”

***FanFic History***

This began as an idea for a longer, angstier storyline that I realized I don't really want to write. I also wanted to explore the type of scenario that might cause a real blow up among the Shika-Ino-Cho generations. True, while I personally think the fathers would be thrilled if their children got married, wouldn't it be interesting to know what might cause them not to be so gung-ho for it? But poor Inoichi, he comes out looking bad here and he only has Ino's best interests at heart...

Status of Works in Progress:

Bittersweet Sixteen: Since July (I think that was the last update), I've been bogged down in rewriting one particular scene. After the third rewrite I gave up in frustration for awhile. I finally seem to be getting it down (fourth time's the charm?) So progress finally resumes after a long break.

An Excessive Chain of Hugs: as stated before, it was a writing exercise to help me past the writer's fury with above. It is largely finished with only a few missing drabbles to wrap up. No biggie.

Scent of Grass and Flowers: a one shot idea for the theme "Dash" in progress, but it's trying to become too long a story and this won't do.

"Kissing Jutsu" (draft title): half written one shot that I'm not sure will ever see the light of day, but sometimes I poke at it.

***FanFic Vital Stats***

Title: An Excessive Chain of Hugs
Fandom: Naruto
Pairing: multiple, both romantic and platonic (or one-sided)
Characters: Akamaru, Asuma, Guy, Hinata, Ino, Kakashi, Kiba, Kurenai, Lee, Naruto, Neji, Sai, Sakura, Sasuke, Shikamaru, Tenten
Format: Drabbles
Genre: Angst, Humor, Slice of Life
Rating: Mostly G, but some scenarios may imply a slightly higher rating
Warnings: none, 15Hugs Theme
Tag Line: none

***FanFic History***

A strange exercise in writing drabbles and multiple pairings, using a common theme throughout with the goal that everything would come "full circle" as it were.