I'm using firefox, version 1.5.0.3 suggest clearing your browser cache, clearing windows (if you use windows) temp files and rebooting your machine, then trying again.

doesn't lock up for me, but it is a long thread. how long have you let your browser it there working on it?

:) Thanks Dick. Compliment much appreciated. I'm really glad you liked it.

Kelly

:) Thanks Dee :) I appreciate the compliment

Kelly

Thanks Dee :) I get to feeling very silly when I'm not feeling well...and poems like Writer's Bane are usualy the result.

I appreciate the compliment.

Kelly

You're quite welcome, glad to assist :)

Kelly

Attached Link: Chapter One of Wizard's Bane

Second, there are very few real artists on there and so if you have an account where you can use images on your work, what you put up stands out brightly. You're likiely to only find a handful of other people doing art as good, or better, than you. On here just about everyone's a highly talented artists and it's easy for one pertson's art to get lost in the rest.

There are also a ton of things to do to spark creativity, and most of them do not require you have more than the free membership. They don't even require you have any items in your portfolio. And they're fun. Some are time wasters, some are more serious. I've got a set of activities, writing exercises, that will teach anyone that participates in all of them how to become a better writer.

As far as the gift points go, they're just tokens. Tokens you can use to reward someone if you really liked what they did, or maybe even pay for your own (or someone elses) membership. You're certainly not required to do anything with them, but they are a nice way to pat someone on the back for their effort and encourge others.

For those that have accounts which can use images, you can create what are called community notes. These are E-cards and WDC has just made it possible to send those to people with  non-wdc address's. So you could make a selection of cute cards, then either keep them for your use, or send them out, all featuring your artwork.

My c-notes can be found here:

http://www2.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1074688

Of course they cost gift points to send, but gps add up fast. Just go review a few people's work. The system will automaticaly pay you for any review of more than 250 words, and some people also pay for reviews.

There's a lot more about the site that I really like, but I've rambled enough I think. Just the amount of exposure alone is fantastic and the fact that I don't have to have my own webserver, take up my own space and can still set up a very professional portfolio to submit to people like publishers is nice.

Attached Link: Experience The Sojourn Chronicles!!!

I've got some other stuff that I'll post here every now and then to :)

Kelly

sounds like an online version of the old PPM (play by mails). They can be a lot of fun if people are active.

I personaly prefer Alexa over the Girl. They both have slight simularities, but Alexa's face and body is softer, more realistic while the Girl's is harsher...more doll like. Alexa also poses eaiser, without having to do any tweaking to the morph dials.

but couldn't you just do that in the material room without hacking the file?

Filler image? Oh come on, think of that as the image you'd put on your book's cover. That's no filler, that's what sells the book :)

Novel is 40,000 words and up? what is it when you have 164,000 words?

Suggestion to the membership for stories that are too long for the gallery. Post a teaser, then a link to the full thing. Need a place to put the full thing? set up a briefcase folder on yahoo (it's free) and put it in there then post the link for the file in the folder.

The smell of something cooking drifted from the house and Dale's stomach growled unexpectedly. He winced slightly, trying to forget the fact that he hadn't eaten in over two days, then followed Kheri into the kitchen. "Here's your eggs," Kheri said, handing the basket to his aunt. "Put 'em on the counter," she said over her shoulder from the sink. "You and your friend go wash up and then fill the water barrel. Bucket's by the pump. Get a move on or breakfast'll be cold 'for you're done." "Come on," Kheri said as he set the basket on the counter and headed back out the backdoor, running into Dale who had just stepped through the door. "OOOF!" Kheri grunted, and hit the floor, landing solidly on his backside on the tiles. His aunt glanced over her shoulder, shook her head and went back to peeling potatoes. "Clumsy, how many times I got to tell you to open your eyes and look where you going?" she grumbled. Dale winced from the impact as Kheri ran into him then reached down, hauled the younger man to his feet and stepped back outside. Kheri followed, rubbing his head. "You know," Dale commented, "Walking through solid objects is a skill I don't think you've had much practice with." Kheri frowned at him silently then walked over to the pump. "Yeah well," he began as he picked up the bucket and set it under the pump, "You weren't so slow coming into the house you wouldn't have been in the door." "No," Dale agreed, "but if you were more observant it wouldn't have mattered where I was." Kheri glowered into the bucket as he worked the pump handle. "Lay off already ok? I've never been very good at this farm stuff, that's why I don't live out here." "Which is why you're trying to make a living stealing from drunks?" Kheri jerked his head up, a furious retort ready and froze, staring past him. Dale whirled then ran for the house. Black smoke was billowing out of the kitchen window and he could hear the crackling of flames. He jerked the door open then leaped aside as smoke billowed out, filling the air. Kheri still hadn't moved, his gaze fixed on the house. Dale slapped a control on his belt and sighed with relief as the force field shimmered into place. "Small favors gratefully accepted," he said to no one in particular then stepped inside the kitchen. The iron cook stove had flames shooting out it's top, and part of the wall had started to burn. Kheri's aunt was crumpled on the floor, overcome with smoke. Dale scooped her up in his arms and carried her back outside. "Kheri, water!" he commanded, laying the unconscious woman on the ground. "Now!" Kheri blinked, then hefted the pail and lugged it as rapidly as possible over to where Dale was kneeling beside his aunt, spilling about 1/3 of it in the process. Setting the bucket down he stood there looking lost. Dale stood up. "Get her away from the house. How close is the nearest neighbor?", he asked, picking up the bucket. "Next farm, about 1/2 mile," Kheri said, trying to get his aunt to wake up. "Carry her out of the way, " Dale commanded, "then go get help." He turned, carrying the bucket, and plunged back into the kitchen. The curtains over the sink were burning, flames still shot up out of the stove and streams of fire were working their way along the countertop. Dale dumped the water into one of the holes on the cook top, drowning the wood inside and headed back out to the pump. Kheri's aunt was laying on the ground, unconscious but breathing, right where Dale had left her and Kheri was no where to be found. Dale dropped the bucket, lifted her up and carried her to the barn then went back to the pump. It took him a few seconds to figure out how to work the thing but finally a stream of water gushed out of it into the bucket. He put all other concerns aside, focusing only on the job of getting bucket after bucket of water into the house and onto the fire as rapidly as possible. He was so absorbed that it took him several seconds to fully comprehend it when the fire was finally out. Gasping for breath he stood in the middle of the drenched and blackened kitchen and looked around. It was a mess but most of it was still intact, though the cleanup wasn't going to be easy. His arms ached, his legs felt like rubber and now as the adrenaline stopped running he started to shake. He stumbled back out of the kitchen and flopped down on the top step, dropping the bucket beside himself and just barely managing the strength to hit the button on his belt to turn off the force field.

"School is such a tragedy, especially during the summer." The little old lady murmured to her self as she read over the headlines then reached for a cup of tea. Sipping it, she glanced over the story.

"The local fire chief was quoted today", she mumbled, "as stating that because the summer is so hot right now, his crew had more trouble than usual with the blaze and they were unable to save any of the school buildings. No one was hurt however because school is not in session due to the summer recess."

"Tisk," she said, putting the paper down and sipping her tea. "Imagine those poor firemen in that sweltering heat. What a terrible thing to happen. I do hope they will be alright. And those poor children. Their school is all gone. I what they'll do in the fall?"

She finished her tea, set the cup neatly on the saucer then stood up. Reaching down, she picked up a bag full of explosives from the floor beside her chair.
"Well," she said, adjusting her hat, "I'd better be on my way." She left the apartment, closing the door quietly behind her, on her way to find another deserted school to play with.

The sun burst over the mountains a few minutes later, filling the air with golden shafts and painting the landscape with all the colors of morning. Clouds sailed overhead tinged with golds and pinks and the birds broke into a riotous chorus of welcome as it's first shafts began to warm their nests. Dale found himself smiling and shook his head slightly.
"I might actually enjoy this," he thought. "If I can get past the hurdles of no clothes, no money, no food and no idea when my powers will return, if ever."
The thought was sobering and dulled the promise of the new day to a degree.

They walked along in silence, each wrapped in their own thoughts for the better part of 3/4 of an hour. Dale kept a sharp eye out for any approaching traffic but the road remained deserted and finally the farm they were making for came into sight. It was a fairly small place, with a tidy yellow farm house not too far back from the road and a chicken yard nestled against the back fence. Tall rows of corn stood neatly to one side. A large swatch of tilled earth ran right up to the fence next to the road and the tiny tips of plants could be see poking up out of it in places. A low mooing sound drifted towards them accompanied by the jangle of cowbells. Dale grinned at the sound and looked around for the barn.

"She's probably out there milking the cow," Kheri commented. "It's about that time of day."
"And your uncle?" Dale asked.
"Dead," Kheri stated flatly.
"oh." Dale paused, taken by surprise.
Kheri shrugged.
"Been dead for nearly 30 years," he said. "Got drunk one night, thought he could fly, climbed a tree to try it. Didn't survive the fall. No loss."
Dale lifted an eyebrow at Kheris back.
"My aunt says life got 300 percent easier after he died, dunno though, I didn't know him." Kheri explained, rambling slightly. "He was already gone when I came out here to live after my parents died when I was 6."
"Right," Dale thought and glanced around the farm again.
"So your aunt lives here all alone then?" he asked as they neared the front gate.
"Yeah," came the response. "Just her and the animals."
Kheri paused and glanced up at him, his hand on the gate.
"Don't do nothing to her, ok?" He was half pleading, his eyes locked on Dales face. Dale returned the gaze levelly.
"Is there a reason I should?" he asked in a neutral tone.
"I hope not," Kheri muttered, then shook his head and opened the gate.

They made their way up to the house and walked around to the
back. Kheri's aunt stepped out of the barn just then, a heavy metal pail in one hand and a basket in the other. She stopped at the sight of them for a second then set the pail down.
"Well now, I suppose you got something you want," she said. "Well it can wait. I've got eggs to fetch and breakfast to cook and chores to do."
"We just want," Kheri began and Dale interrupted him.
"It can wait till later," he said. "And we'd be happy to help you with your chores."
The aunt looked Dale over silently.
"You sure are dressed outlandishly, where're you from boy?" she asked.
"A fairly long way off mam," he replied.
"Must be. You ever hoed weeds before?" she asked then nodded at the blank look on his face in reaction.
"Didn't think so," she stated. "Kheri, take this basket and go get the eggs. Take your friend with you. I'll be in the house."
She held out the basket and stood there waiting.
Kheri bit his lip to keep from laughing at Dale's confusion over his aunt's question and walked over to take the basket.
"Come on, the hen house's this way," he said.
His aunt watched them for a minute, shook her head and picked up the pail of milk.
"City folk," she grumbled. "Ain't never done a useful lick o' work in his life most likely. Well the hens'll give 'em some exercise."
She lugged the milk into the house, the screen door slamming
behind her.

The hen house and chicken yard were completely enclosed in a wire fence and Kheri paused before he opened the gate.
"Chickens are kind of funny," he said. "They can't fly but they'll try to run out the gate. Don't let them or we'll be chasing them all day.
Also, the hens don't like it when we take their eggs, so they get kind of nasty and watch out for the rooster."
Dale glanced at the chickens milling around inside the chicken yard.
"Alright, what's a rooster?"
Kheri looked at him incredulously.
"You don't know..", he began, stopped himself and pointed to a rather large imposing chicken. "That's the rooster. The only male in there and he thinks it all belongs to him. He'll think we're invading his property once we go in there. He likes to pick fights and that beak's sharp. So watch out for him."
"Great," Dale thought to himself studying the rooster. "One more thing to add to the list...no clothes, no money, no food, no access to my powers and now I'm about to be a sparring partner for a bird with a bad attitude. I can't wait to see what else is lurking in the wings!"
He looked over at Kheri and nodded.
"Alright, let's get this over with."
Kheri nodded, opened the gate and slipped inside, shutting the gate quickly behind himself. Dale frowned slightly in the roosters direction then followed suit.

The chickens scattered squawking as Kheri walked toward them, swinging the basket and the rooster gave a loud angry crow. Flapping his wings, he drew himself up to his full height, stretched out his neck and attacked. Kheri fended him off with the basket and made for the hen house, then disappeared inside, the rooster in hot pursuit. Dale stood there speechless. The chickens eyed him suspiciously for a moment then went back to pecking for bugs. A few seconds later Kheri came running out of the hen house, the rooster still in hot pursuit, the basket over his head. He vaulted
over the fence, caught his foot on it and landed in a heap on the ground. Dale bit his tongue and swallowed the laugh that threatened to explode out of him. The rooster, satisfied now that the intruder was gone, strutted off to take up his sentry duty among the hens.
"I see what you mean," Dale commented, looking over the fence at the pile on the ground. "Did you get any eggs?"
A muffled sound came out from under the basket and Kheri pushed himself up on one arm.
"No I didn't get any eggs. Here!" He tore the basket off his head and flung it in Dales general direction. "Let's see you do any better," he growled, his temper frayed beyond controlling for the moment.
Dale caught the basket and shrugged. He glanced over at the
rooster who was eyeing him with suspicion and then looked at the hens who had scattered once more as Kheri came flying back across the chicken yard. Moving slowly, he made his way across the chicken yard, trying to avoid scaring them as Kheri had and paused at the hen house door. The rooster was still watching him but he seemed content not to do anything since his hens still appeared unruffled.
Dale opened the door quietly and slipped inside, shutting the door behind him.
The hen house was small, and rather dark with the door shut. He blinked a couple times the waited for his eyes to adjust, wondering just where the eggs were.
Boards with nests on them ran around the hen house wall and
several chickens were nestled happily down on top of them. Peering curiously into one without a chicken he noticed a couple round white objects.
"Ah, alright," he said to himself and carefully retrieved the eggs from the nest, setting them gently into the basket. Working quickly, he removed the rest of the eggs from the other empty nests, then stood back considering the chickens. There were only 4 settled on the nests and the basket was nearly full. The possibility of raising a squawk and having to dodge flying rooster out weighed however much good the eggs in the remaining nests would do. He opened the door quietly, and looked around for the rooster.

The rooster was busily worrying a bug in the grass on the far side of the chicken yard so Dale stepped outside the hen house, shut the door softly behind himself and made his way out of the chicken yard with as much stealth as he had used a couple hours before to sneak up on Kheri.
He'd half expected to find Kheri fled while he was occupied with the chickens, and was pleasantly surprised to find him waiting for him at the gate. He opened the gate, stepped through it and handed Kheri the egg basket with a slight grin.
"What was so hard about that?" he asked innocently. Kheri frowned at the eggs, glared at the rooster and stalked off toward the house carrying the basket, carefully avoiding replying to the question.

(to be continued.)