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Tishaia's Contest (and free stuff giveaway)!
Contest deadline: August 10th, 2012
Contest summary: Design your own piece of jewelry. It can be a drawning, painting or a photo of something you created (potato sculpture, etc), any means to show off your idea. Bear in mind that I would have to be able to recreate it with polymer clay, so there are restriction based on this material (and my skill

). Not always more complicated things are better

. It can be a pendant, pair of earrings or a bracelet (see my gallery for reference). You can design something with zirconias, or/and a quote (if there is a text on the design, please name the font used).
Contest entries: I will accept max of two entries per person and only on deviantart. Please send me a link of your deviation in the PM and don't forget to add information that it was created for this contest in the description

.
Entries will be judged by me based on the creativity, idea, concept and subject. Any description te

School... work... GAH!First of all, HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!

Secondly, This week has been seriously crazy! I started school for the fourth time this year

Ok, that sounds weird, but since we FINALLY decided we're staying here... I didn't want to waste the whole school year so now, I'm going to one of those schools they set for Syrians... so nothing really changed-- Actually, It's very different from what I'm used to but I guess I should adapt. At least we're studying the same books so no biggie

But unfortunately, I'm on shortage and I have a lot of subjects to catch up to; Physics, Chemistry, Science, Maths... well, just that

but BEFORE any thinks that I'm making excuses... I HAVE FINISHED THE 5th CHAPTER OF NMF A WEEK AGO! I'm just waiting to hear from beta's since they seem a little bit busy and aren't replying :iconcryforeverplz: What I wanted to say was that I'm going to disappear for a while due to studying. So, I apologize if I take longer than usual to respond to your me

Website Critique for Member Anthro7Welcome to our new members:
:iconzazzoomagoo: :iconchriswillar: :iconqiaros: :iconevilpixiea: :iconvardinator: :iconthe-brat-05: :iconwriterwithoutapencil: :iconkendersonn: :iconeigokyoukan: :iconweekendhunters: :iconartoffredskov: :iconmetarex12: :iconrevolutionist261: :iconeroticgeek:
And our new watchers:
:icondarkleliel: :icontheoutlawwitch: :iconestrellacorazon: :iconartesox: :iconsidequestpubs: :iconvelilein: :iconhaniajedi:
We can thank co-founder :iconmothbanquet: for posting one of our deviations in the :iconwriters--club: journal and bringing all of these excellent people to the conversation. They are joining us in our plans for WORLD DOMINATION with our art. Hell yeah!
News
I'm catching up on my task list and next up is the first website critique for this group. I've been a content strategist and problogger for five years now and I'm happy to off

Making Babies!***Warning: Long article Ahead***
So I was surprised in two forms this morning.
First and foremost I learned that the original character I created a while ago called Axios has won first place in :iconezri-Krios: 's competition and will feature in her wonderful work (Absolutely recommend it to any Mass Effect fan-fic fans out there – it is amazing as is her alternative companion piece 'Fighting the Good Fight'

.
I am totally flattered, especially considering when I made Axios I was, and still am really, a fledgling on here totally intimidated by all the amazing stuff around me. I still feel like a very small fish in a very large pond!
But equally as surprising I logged into both DeviantART and FF.net to find I had personal messages from people asking for advice on how to create characters that people will love as much, if not more so in some cases, than the canon originals in fanfiction. Well, I was a bit stumped because it is something I don't really think about – or fe

Another Second Skin UpdateSimplicity is definitely key when you're writing intrigue. Making it too complicated makes it really hard to write, and if it's hard to write it's probably pretty hard for readers to follow. I'm not going to pretend that my particular little intrigue story is well thought out or anything, even though I've spent weeks agonizing over it. I've just finally decided it comes down to some very basic details.
Something bad happened. There's a bad guy who did it. The protagonist needs to find the bad guy.
The elements of intrigue are in the convoluted way the protagonist has to go about figuring out whodunit... sneaking around and lying to loved ones and generally learning how to be a shadowy character himself (maybe feeling a little icky about all that, depending on how much of a conscience he has). The elements of the story come out in all the different ways the protagonist can react to the information he (or she) ends up finding.
I think it's a little more complicated in the case of this st

This is ALL Pestomonkey's fault.There's a Google demo where you can 'collaborate' with great writers 'past their prime'
So here's my collaboration with Dickens, Poe, and Freidrich Neitzsche. Guess where the 'expert advice' came in.
He tied Crowbait to the rail outside The Jackal's Claw and drew his pistol, any humor from the debate with his new horse evaporated as a puddle in the noon sun. Quique slammed his fist against the bat-wing door and strode through; shouting, "Barkeep! You meagerly attempted to bilk me!"
""Kill him, Hunter!"" replied Oliver, "I intensely desire some more" One of the patrons snarled. "Then maybe we'll have decent ravenously quaffs here."
The barkeeper started to reach below the counter, but Quique fired over the proprietor's shoulder; showering him in glass from the shattered mirror behind. The patrons scrambled for refuge behind their tables as the Hunter reached across the bar gloomy tavern and grabbed the server by the collar.
""Now that I have your" said she, in the same hurried passionat

The Great ExperimentWelcome to our new members:
:iconmylochka: :iconmistertrece: :iconhairywookiee:
Like all of us, they want to know more about filling their growling stomachs by doing what they do best: their art! We are writers, artists, and many other creative professionals and wannabees... let's make this sh*t happen already!
News
I've helped others publish. I've seen every step of the process, but abstractly, through someone else's work. Now it's my turn.
I've gone and done it. I've created the email list to update readers about upcoming stories that I intend (drumroll, please) to publish! I'm taking a short break from my ambitious fanfic opus to write out one of the short story ideas I have saved up. If you're interested in watching this potential train wreck of my dearest held ambitions (or rather, I sincerely hope, to cheer me on) sign up for my email list.
But there's more!
We're taking a look at a few other members as they are going thro

Sometimes You Get What You NeedFan fiction exists because we don't want the story of our beloved hero to end. I can't tell you the number of fan fic writers I've come across that just keep adding on and adding on to their story, with no ending in sight, because they're so attached to the characters they can't let go. I understand the need to do that - and certainly there are popular published writers out there who have the same disease. In real life, the story never really ends. We know after "The End" pops up at the end of a movie's happy (or maybe tragic) ending that life goes on.
In one of my favorite books of all time, Barbara Kingsolver's "Prodigal Summer" there are three interweaving lives whose stories she tells, but she doesn't finish the stories, not in the grand scope of those people's lives. But in the scope of a specific journey each person has made, they come full circle. They do get a "happy ending" of sorts, but what constitutes their happy ending might not be the ideal for us as readers. The hero doe

Updates and ThingsFirst off - I want to give a humongous thank you to my friend *pestomonkey for creating this fantastic journal skin to go along with our group #Zaeeds-Trophy-Case. I think she did an amazing job on this skin and I was doing a bit of a fangirl squeal when I saw it - I won't lie.
Having mentioned the group - for those of you who haven't seen it, voting for the group icon is up and ends this Saturday at midnight EST. You can find the poll here: http://dragonwyrd316.deviantart.com/journal/poll/3503731/
So far, while the group is still a bit small yet, we've got art and literature already submitted that blows my mind at how well the people have captured our favorite merc. Please stop by and take a look at the gallery and maybe join up if you're of a mind and share with us the love of this man and help us pay our respects in a way to his voice actor, Robin Sachs, who is now gone from this world.
Secondly - there is yet another new group out there :iconB

In's gonna be easy. Out's gonna be a bitch.A few days ago :iconDragonwyrd316: pointed out that the only other group dedicated solely to our beloved mercenary, Zaeed Massani, was woefully inactive. She proposed to create a new group and do it right. Coming right after news of the tragic demise of Zaeed's voice actor, Robin Sachs, it seemed like a fitting tribute and I jumped on board, along with :iconDinky-Mew: to make sure we do the man's memory justice and to make sure Zaeed himself lives on through the wonderful artwork and fics of the Mass Effect community on dA.
The new group is here: #Zaeeds-Trophy-Case. Please come on over! Join up, submit art or literature of your own or your favorites. We'll be planning contests as we go, but right now there's a quick little contest to design an icon for the group. If you're interested in designing something for us, submit it to the contest folder by February 16. There will be prizes (check out =Dragonwyrd316's journal for more details).
Also, if any of you are adept at creating

A Call to Conversation (1)--with =abstract1106Welcome to my first article focusing on getting to know the deviants behind the artwork! This will be posted every Wednesday. If you have a deviant you'd like to see included, please send =TwilightPoetess a note with the subject "Call to Conversation"--make sure to include the deviant's name as well as a reason you think they'd make a good interview subject! Also, feel free to send along a question or two you'd like to have answered by them!
This week's featured deviant is *abstract1106. I took a small biography from her deviantID to use here as a sort of mini-introduction-- I'm a problogger and online content consultant. I interview people for podcasts, create websites and consult for tech startups and nonprofits. When I'm done with my work day, I write tons of fiction.
So, you're a problogger. What exactly does that entail?
I get paid to write blogs for myself and others, and having multiple streams of income coming in from various blogs via information products

Status UpdateWell, my loyal watchers and fantastic friends, it looks as if I'm going to be absent yet again.
Got a call from my mom around 10 this morning letting me know that my cousin finally told her when her surgery is going to be. Surgery is on the 11th so I'll be flying out on the 9th which is a week from today. This means that most of my time this upcoming week will be spent packing my stuff up, doing a crap ton of laundry to make sure everything is fresh when I either pack it up in my suitcase or box it away for shipping later on, as well as transferring a crap ton of files from my computer to my external hard drive so I can take that along with and still have access to my stuff from my laptop.
When I have the time, I will try to finish up Ch. 23 of Lost and Found and hopefully post it before I leave next Saturday. Thing is, I don't know if my cousin has internet. Please keep your fingers, toes, eyeballs - anything that you can cross, crossed, that I will have access

Tadshi-Station: A True Talent.:icontadashi-station: is one of the most amazing artist here on DA. He's so awesome and very approachable. You guys really have to check his gallery http://tadashi-station.deviantart.com/gallery/ .
He was chosen to be :iconsci-fan-horror:'s featured artist of the month. And I had a lovely interview with him.
here >>>>

If anyone of you wants to be featured/interviewed. Feel free to send Me, *Ezri-Krios or even #Sci-Fan-Horror a note.
Peace!

Second Skin UpdateThe latest chapter was much longer in coming than previous ones, but I hope the next few won't be quite so difficult to get done. It's been kind of a weird month, writing-wise.
Either way, the writing has slowed down mostly because I decided around Chapter 16 or so that I wanted to draw things out more, spend more time delving into the characters and their relationships rather than just jumping from one major action scene to the next, which had been my original plan. I figured out that I'm much better at writing the details and stresses of relationships and not as good at action, of course every type of scene has its own challenges and it's still easy to get hung up on some detail or other.
The latest chapter hung me up mostly because I was approaching the whole idea of bringing Jazz into it all wrong. I actually rewrote the entire thing from start to (almost) finish when I realized I had shifted the focus way too much onto the kid and Sam was getting completely sidelined. As much as I

Bioware... y u kill my soul?So I was nosing around for news on the Mass Effect 4 game this morning - and I found some interesting stuff if it is to be believed (I always take these articles with a pinch of salt). Firstly these pictures are supposedly of ME4 from an xbox 720 / PS4: http://www.examiner.com/article/mass-effect-4-photos-from-what-could-be-xbox-720-and-ps4 and then Gamespot.com has announced ME4 is due to be released in 2014 early 2015 - which is... well yay! http://uk.gamespot.com/news/mass-effect-4-in-2014-or-2015-report-6401530
But what really broke my heart was the new information leaked about the upcoming DLC 'The Reckoning'.
http://www.latinospost.com/articles/11035/20130201/mass-effect-3-dlc-news-reckoning-expansion.htm and http://www.oxm.co.uk/49839/mass-effect-3-dlc-the-reckoning-leaked-adds-new-story-driven-co-op-modes/ both hint that the new DLC is somehow combining your single player games with the multiplayer and introducing co-op play - as well as a host of new weapons / maps and packs f

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Submitted: September 17, 2012

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WINNERS: BFC Challenge: Steampunk Reinvention

Journal Entry: Mon Sep 17, 2012, 7:52 AM

It's been an amazing challenge! Kudos to all of the creative, wonderful artists and writers who bravely put forth their creations and let their imaginations be tested in the boiling waters of fandom. From the steamy throes of competition have arisen our champions for this round. But let it not be said that these works won single-handedly without dispute. For there were many grand and amazing entries submitted. In the end, it's the members who benefit from the thrilling and beautiful creations by our competitors.

So a big applause for everyone who contributed!

ART:

FIRST PLACE:

SECOND PLACE:

THIRD PLACE:

FICTION

FIRST PLACE:

Mass Effect: the sky so wide and darkTitle: sky so wide and dark
Author: Nemonus
Game: Mass Effect
characters: Jack, Kasumi, mShep
Disclaimer: Copyright Bioware

FREE for ONE NIGHT ONLY. A viewing of the FERAL AND DISTRACTED inmates of PURGATORY PRISON ENGINE. Not suited for the FAINT OF HEART or WOMEN WITH CHILD, this night will prove all the DANGERS and ODDITIES of the ORGANIC RACES.

Your GENEROUS DONATION will be set toward the worthy cause of Purgatory's GOING AWAY.

The train pulled into the station at night, its black iron body miles long and lit with evenly burning yellow lamps. The rods that turned the wheels slowed as men stood up from their hunch over the piles a by

SECOND PLACE:

Lyrium Outlaws: Steampunk ReinventionTitle: Lyrium Outlaws: Steampunk Reinvention
Author: blackcherryangel
Game:  Dragon Age II
Characters:  Amber Hawke, Cullen, Varric, Merrill
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these wonderful characters. All are the property of © Bioware. I just have fun playing around in their universe.

"He shouldn’t be here." Merrill shook her bloody hands in Cullen's direction. "Why is he here?" Amber noticed there were broken shards of the glass in her hand. No. not glass. That damn mirror.
"Merrill I told you let this obssession be. Now, look what has happen. It Didn’t bring Tamlen back."   Isabela still caused all sorts of trouble even though she was gone. She was part of the reason they were in this mess. She must have told Merrill not to listen to her when it came to the mirror.
"Don’t be hard on her." Varric said. Amber soften her stance somewhat although sh by

THIRD PLACE:

(Steampunk Reinvention) Minsc and Boo Stand ReadyTitle: Minsc and Boo Stand Ready
Author: Banshee56
Game: Baldurs Gate 1
Characters/pairing: Some of the Badlurs Gate 1 Cast and my own OC Paige.
Disclaimer: The characters and Nashkel belong to Bioware, Paige is mine :)

Why did she always seem to attract the weirdos? Paige thought to herself as she stood on Nashkel's main thoroughfare, boots clicking on the cobbles, hand reassuringly stroking her clockwork pistol. Due to a mix of principles, laziness, irrational fears and extreme levels of pessimism, she'd entered the town without her party, Jaheira's words about how factories were sinful following her. She couldn't even have brought Im by

Note: Winners, you will get a Note in the next few days regarding delivery of your prize. Congratulations on the win!

It is a time of great excitement in the world. Science has made astounding breakthroughs in the fields of medicine, steam technology, and mechanics. Explorers this very moment are embarking upon magnificent adventures, and charting grand new courses of human history as they discover new life and new cultures across the globe.

Into this alternate history world of steampunk, where the dominant technology is steam and mechanical-powered devices, we challenge our members: recreate a BioWare game in a steampunk setting!

What is Steampunk?

Steampunk is a stylistic aesthetic, a fictional universe, an alternate history, and a subcategory of science fiction. It’s really a lot of things, and a basic version boils down to this: if the world had developed along the lines of steam technology and mechanical devices instead of electricity, what would an advanced steam technology universe look like? Most steampunk creations take for inspiration the Victorian period of British history, which coincides with the first major modern day industrialization period. References for steampunk works can be found through searches all across the web as well as on deviantArt itself.

Art

For Art, we will be looking for redesigned versions of the characters, vehicles, animals, monsters, or settings to fit inside a steampunk environment.

Entries

Fiction

For Fiction, we want to see how you retell the relationship of the characters if they were transported to a steampunk world. Whether they are native to a steampunk universe or unfortunate victims of a pan-dimensional cock-up is entirely up to you.

Entries

How to Participate

To enter, please submit your deviant to the club and post a comment to THIS ENTRY including the following information:

Your Name:
Pairing/Subject:
BioWare Game:
Link to Your Deviation:

Deadline

All entries must be submitted by Sunday, November 4th, at 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time.

Submission Standards

Deviations should be tasteful and within the boundaries of what is rated PG-13. That means that the suggestion of violence, sex, and some drugs are acceptable, but please no hardcore or excessively inappropriate material.

What is a Club Challenge?

Challenges are basically writing or drawing “prompts.” The idea is to create something directly in response to the challenge idea, and then submit it to a competition based on this theme. Artwork and fiction created and submitted before the challenge date are not eligible to compete. Entries must all be submitted into the DeviantArt #BiowareFanClub in order to be eligible to win. You do not have to be a club member to submit.

Judging and Prizes aka “How do I win” / "What do I get"?

Entries will be judged via a poll vote after final submissions are turned in. We generally have a category for art, and if there are enough submissions, then fiction as well.

For this month’s competition…

We've upgraded the prizes to include a digital copy of the upcoming Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition thanks to the generous donation of community member,

If you haven't seen 's amazing gallery of Mass Effect references, then you definitely need to take a look.

The winning 1st place ART and FICTION entries will each earn a 3 month dA membership. In addition, both can request a custom journal skin to go with their new subscription + Baldur's Gate Enhanced  Edition digital download.

The winning 2nd place challengers in both ART and FICTION will each receive a 1 month dA membership + Baldur's Gate Enhanced  Edition digital download.

The winning 3rd place challengers in both ART and FICTION will each receive their choice of a Mass Effect or Dragon Age patch  + Baldur's Gate Enhanced  Edition digital download.

Many thanks to the generous and AMAZING =Troodon80 for the prize donation!

Previous Challenges

March 2012: Then and Now
December 2011: Gifts
August 2011: Unlikely Pair
May 2011: Kissathon
March 2011: Sidequests
November 2010: Endorsements
August 2010: Beach Party
June 2010: The Female of the Species
May 2010: Love
March 2010: Crack Shepard

105 Comments

WINNERS: BFC Challenge: Steampunk Reinventionby #BiowareFanClub

Journals / Personal

love 1 1

joy 3 3

~~wow 0 0~~

~~mad 0 0~~

~~sad 0 0~~

~~fear 0 0~~

~~neutral 0 0~~

*emedeme Nov 20, 2012 Student Digital Artist

dsjfdksjfgdk thank you everyone and congratulations to all participants. I really loved this contest and all the entries

~Banshee56 Nov 19, 2012 Student General Artist

Hah! Commiseration drinks any-one?

Congrats every-one *drags you down to the pub*

*AbsoluteApril Nov 19, 2012

I'm thrilled to have placed, thank you so much! Congratulations to all the winners! So many great pieces here!

*Nemonus Nov 19, 2012

Thanks! Congrats to everybody else. ^_^

*ADL-art Nov 19, 2012 Professional General Artist

Congratulations to all the winners!

*Lweeling Nov 19, 2012 Hobbyist Traditional Artist

Hey congrats to everyone and thanks for the fantastics participations we had!

*blackcherryangel Nov 10, 2012 Hobbyist Writer

My entry I hope it's in time.

Your Name: blackcherryangel
Pairing/Subject: Amber Hawke, Cullen, Varric, Merill
BioWare Game: Dragon Age II
Link to Your Deviation: [link]

*InverseReality-2 Nov 11, 2012

We'll take it!

*emedeme Nov 9, 2012 Student Digital Artist

Hello! My entry

Your Name: emedeme
Pairing/Subject: Carth Onasi, Bastila Shan, Revan
BioWare Game: Knights of the Old Republic
Link to Your Deviation: [link]

*InverseReality-2 Nov 11, 2012

Hurray!

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WINNERS: BFC Challenge: Steampunk Reinvention

ART:

FICTION

What is Steampunk?

Art

Fiction

How to Participate

Deadline

Submission Standards

What is a Club Challenge?

Judging and Prizes aka “How do I win” / "What do I get"?

We've upgraded the prizes to include a digital copy of the upcoming Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition thanks to the generous donation of community member,

If you haven't seen 's amazing gallery of Mass Effect references, then you definitely need to take a look.

Previous Challenges

WINNERS: BFC Challenge: Steampunk Reinventionby #BiowareFanClub

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