December 10, 2005
The final episode of the series, DWU #22: "Tomorrow Never Knows" is now complete, and has finished a multi-part run on the Paperpusher Board. I have added it to the Driven Wild Universe page and the DWU Primer page. The fan art by SRA for "Tomorrow Never Knows" has been added to the DWU Artwork page, and older drafts and cut scenes have been added to the Apocrypha page.
I will complete the end notes for "Into the Fire" and "Tomorrow Never Knows" within the next month or two, then distribute the fics to other websites. Sometime later, I will create HTML copies of these fics (since C.L. Basso has left the board, I will probably need to hand-code the stories myself).
September 5, 2005
DWU #21: "Into the Fire" has finally been added to the Driven Wild Universe page and the DWU Primer. DWU #22: "Tomorrow Never Knows" has been written and is in the beta reading process. This one might take another month or longer to come out, since it's much longer than any of my other DWUs (six acts) and I want it to be everything it can be.
June 1, 2005
Some big news: It's a bit of a long story, but Michelle Klein-Haas posted a copy of the Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith shooting script on her blog, and upon reading it, I suddenly knew how to work out a plot issue that had been preventing me for three years from finishing the final DWU's, #21 and #22. (I was also, and still am, very busy, but that's for another time.) Once I worked that out, the scenes for DWU #21 came flying out, and it took me just a little over two weeks to complete it. I'm sure I was helped greatly by the fact that the Wildfeed already outlined some of the scenes. So DWU #21 officially exists -- it is called "Into the Fire," which sounds a bit over-dramatic, but really just refers to the fact that things are getting more tense. I would like to wait to release it until after I'm comfortable with the plotline for #22, which I suspect will rival "Memory Road" both in length and difficulty. However, if it turns out that several months have passed and I am far from completing #22, I will release #21.
For those who read my series a long time ago and need to refresh their memories, I created a Driven Wild Universe Primer containing facts about the series, character info, and summaries for each installment. Newbies may find it helpful, too, but beware of spoilers in the summaries.
February 20, 2005
Not much new -- just the addition of an Outtakes section to the DWU "Apocrypha" page. I was cleaning out my closet a few weeks ago and found not only a really early draft of "Memory Road", but the original hand-written draft of "In Her Own Words," which was so different from the final version that it was called "Idol Warship." If I ever have the time, I will transcribe some of it for online reading.
May 16, 2004
Here is a link to my "B-movie" fanfic They Came From Planet Xulfanex. It started as a response to a fanfic challenge issued on the Paperpusher Board and grew into a 20-chapter story. At some point, I'll have to create a separate page for my non-DWU fics. While this is set in the Driven Wild Universe (though note: in the DWU, Amy was pregnant before Helen came to visit the weekend of "Memory Road"), it is not a DWU story.
November 23, 2003
Not much in this update. I put up commentary for "Breaking the Mold." Also, I thought I would direct people to the fact that the text versions of the first eight or so episodes have been cleaned up and are newer than the HTML versions. I know people tend to have a preference for the prettier HTML, but if you want to read a copy of one of the first 8 episodes (barring "Rose-Colored Lenses," which I haven't gotten to yet), I would advise reading the text. I have cleaned up some of the clunky scene direction, and many of those awful Beats that slow down the action, and (I've found) aren't really necessary, have been removed. I focused on the early fics because I hadn't yet settled on the right scene-moving techniques, so there are more clunkers in those scripts than in the later ones. Eventually, I plan to extend my changes to the HTML versions and go through the rest of the fics to weed out any errors. None of the dialogue or basic interaction has changed -- it's just that everything flows a bit smoother.
August 19, 2003
Here is the link to another partially-written fic, "Working Girl." Like the last one, I spurted out pages when I was suffering from writer's block on another script. It's one of the few stories I've got in prose, and in some ways I think it's the best. I'm not sure how long it will be when I get around to finish it, but what I've written barely scratches the surface.
Background: this story precedes the "Mother's Milk" one, which took place in the winter. Quinn spends six weeks of her summer living on her own in the city while she interns at Joel's engineering firm. No problems there, right? Be warned, there are some mild spoilers about the outcome of DWU #21 and #22.
Since this is a draft, as usual there are several gaps and probably a few things that I overlooked. Still, I hope you like what's there. Since it's a partial fic, you can send me partial reviews. "Wow, that's so..." "That was the biggest piece of..." Etc.
August 3, 2003
Wanted to post a few images and a couple of story links.
Ryan Howard Barksdale Silverman
What's this for? you ask. These are images inspired by scenes I wrote for the post-DWU several months ago, but also by Roger's recent outrageous and funny fanfic based on developments post-DWU. I would have to say that the baby is 5-6 months in the first pic, 6-7 months in the second pic, and maybe 4 months in the third.
For more clarity, read these Driven Wild Universe future scenes, most of which I wrote in June 2002, not long after finishing "Memory Road." Many of them are a little rough and spotty, and I still plan to add to them, but they give you an idea of what happens after the twenty-second episode of the DWU. The whole thing is about a third as long as a typical DWU fic, so it won't take too much out of your day to read.
I will also soon be posting Working Girl a partially-written prose fic focused on Quinn on a summer internship in the big city, before her senior year. Also some of the more polished scenes from the same fic that "Mother's Milk" came from. I don't intend to finish any of these, however, until I've completed the Wildfeed. Yes, I vow to finish it!
Here is the link to Roger's The Thong Remains the Same, but I think you should read the future scenes first, because not only do they provide context, but they are more understated and serious, and therefore less likely to resonate if you read a rip-roaring farce first. And thanks to Roger for this fic... it made my week. ; >
June 18, 2003
Another quicky update to add the link to my pic of Charles Howard Barksdale Jr., otherwise known as "Grandpa." When I get Adobe Photoshop installed, I'll colorize these images.
June 14, 2003
The milk story finally compelled me to draw a picture of Joel Silverman that I felt satisfied with. Soon, hopefully, Grandpa Barksdale, Damien Crawley, and a new one of Mr. Phelps (I lost the old drawing) will follow.
June 1, 2003
A confession: while it's true that Real Life is what mostly keeps me from finishing the Wildfeed, there's another reason -- when I have time for fanfic, I spend it playing with visions of the post-Driven Wild Universe.
To you, the conclusion of the DWU is still a question mark, but to me, the conclusion has long been settled and my mind has moved on to the Morgendorffers' future. Ever since completing "Memory Road," I've dashed off rough scenes here and there for stories that follow the twenty-two episodes. None of the stories is anywhere near completion (I wouldn't finish a story before the Wildfeed) but they do shed some light on where I see the story going. The scenes fall into roughly three groups:
One thing worth noting: most of the scenes I've written are in prose. Not because I've realized its inherent superiority to script, but rather because, while the DWU episodes had a lot of action and significant moments, the post-DWU stories are slower and more reflective. "Stuff" happens that is compelling, but it wouldn't work as well for dialogue to bring it out.
One such scene is for a chapter called Mother's Milk in a Daria/Amy story. I showed it to Roger E. Moore, as he has a very keen interest in the Driven Wild Universe, and he urged me to post it, since it was one of my more complete scenes and practically a mini-fic by itself. So I thought "Why not?" I tinkered with it a little, formatted it, and put it online, with links to PPMB and Scorched Remnants. I'll post the link below.
I'd been debating whether to put a post-DWU scene online periodically, to whet the appetite of anyone (sounds of crickets chirping) who might be eagerly awaiting the conclusion of the Driven Wild Universe while I complete the Wildfeed. Roger's enthusiasm just might have provided the push I needed.
Roger created some slightly twisted screencaps to go with it.
May 17, 2003
Just wanted to let you guys know that the Wildfeed is creeping along. Interestingly enough, I know quite well how it will end, and have already written it in. It's the middle that needs work. Enjoy two more preview segments:
Quinn comes over to Stacy's house, knocks on the door. Stacy answers, looking surprised to see her. Quinn apologizes for being a stranger, and Stacy lets her in, looking happy, but almost like she's afraid to be too happy or Quinn will leave. Quinn notices a sash lying on the bed and Stacy confesses that it's her martial arts sash. "You're taking karate?" asks Quinn. "No! You know, I've just thought about it," Stacy stammers, before adding quickly, "Not that I would ever give up the Fashion Club." "It's a purple belt," says Quinn. "I've been thinking about it for a while. I guess," concedes Stacy. Quinn tells her it's okay; it's not like she can't have something else going on. Stacy asks Quinn if there still is a Fashion Club. "Have I been away that much?" Quinn wonders. Stacy says yes: they went so long without a meeting that they even tried making Tiffany acting president again, which was a disaster. "Why didn't you take over?" Quinn asks. Looking stunned, Stacy replies that she wouldn't know where to begin (but the idea obviously holds some appeal). Quinn then asks Stacy if she's talked to Sandi. Stacy says that she hasn't, and Quinn wonders if Sandi is all right.
At school the following week, Daria is at her locker when she sees Andrea walking out of Ms. Li's office. Daria makes a deadpan comment, and Andrea comes over to her and tells her that she's been suspended. She looks unsurprised; this has happened before. Yet this time it's because of her activity on the underground. Li got tipped off about who was writing articles criticizing the school. "You don't think I told her," says Daria. "No one told her," Andrea replies. She believes that Li found out herself, because the staffers under Damien's lead were getting too careless. "I should have left when you did," says Andrea, sounding more regretful about the state of the underground than her suspension. "I thought about it." She walks away, Daria looking on with concern.
February 22, 2003
First off, I added commentary for "Outvoted" and "Of Absolute Value."
Second, good news: I have part of the Wildfeed finished! Bad news: the whole thing probably won't be done until June because good news! I have some promising stuff happening in May and I need to get cracking on another spec script or two.
To clear up some confusion, the term "Wildfeed" did not originate with me. As Leoff, a "Buffy" spoiler "ho" explains at his site Leoff Online, Wild feeds are "unannounced, free (not scrambled, no subscription required) satellite transmissions of sporting events, news and syndicated shows. They are found on C-band satellite systems. Satellite TV and radio channels are transmitted back to earth via a transponder on a satellite." Very few people have C-band technology, even with a satellite, so a Wildfeed is a rare and precious thing... and the people who transcibe events from a Wildfeed to appease the spoiler-dependent are saints.
I chose the term "Wildfeed" for my wrap-up summaries of DWU #21 and #22 because first, the name obviously fit, and second, because what Leoff and others do with their Wildfeed transcriptions fits what I plan to do. I plan to be as detailed as possible with the episodes wrap-up, which means the whole thing will probably be fairly long for a summary.
In any case, here is a tidbit to tide you over until the entire Wildfeed is done. It will give you an idea of what I'm doing...
Friday evening. Daria and Quinn are walking through the courtyard of Jake's apartment complex, a standard three-level beige building that surrounds a swimming pool. Neither seems particularly thrilled to be there, but Daria takes it better than Quinn. Quinn moans over the "cheap, tacky" swimming pool furniture and says she would die if she had to live this close to the freeway. Once at the apartment, Jake greets them with an abundance of warmth and enthusiasm, and announces that he's making Mexican. Daria and Quinn look at each other skeptically.
The apartment is bachelor spare. Not bad looking, but with dull, generic furniture, few wall hangings, and a large-screen TV. "I've always wanted one of those big ones!" says Jake. "It gets over five hundred channels, too!" "Most of which are foreign language or home shopping," replies Daria. "I learned tonight's recipe from one of those Spanish language channels," says Jake. Again, his daughters look worried.
As Jake cooks in the kitchen, Daria and Quinn remain seated in the living room. Quinn looks at pieces of cloth and other things that seem out of place, and surmises that the "other woman" left it there. Daria tells her she has no proof, but Quinn silences her with a detailed analysis of what men and women like, wear, etc. Daria rolls her eyes as Quinn stands and goes into the other rooms in Jake's apartment. She returns frightened. Apparently the "other woman" keeps toiletries in the bathroom (a coral-colored toothbrush) and likes sheep (a pillow with a sheep picture on Jake's bed). Again, Daria tells her it's nothing, but she sounds less certain. Quinn surmises that it could mean the "other woman" is sleeping over. Jake comes in to announce dinner and finds them melancholy.
At dinner, Jake probes them gently about their lives, and tries not-so-discreetly to ask about Helen. How is she? Is she seeing anyone else? Neither daughter offers much. That is, until a still upset-looking Quinn asks Jake how long he thinks things will be like this. Jake cautiously says that he doesn't know.
Meanwhile, this whole time Helen has been home alone. She sits at the kitchen table, trying to lose herself in another clay sculpture. But the inspiration isn't there. Helen turns and looks at the empty living room in the empty house. She lays down the fork she was using, then stands and heads over to the couches. There, her work papers are scattered about in another futile attempt to get busy. Helen stares, looking depressed and tired. Finally she sits down, picks up her cell phone from the couch cushion, and dials. After several rings, Helen's face falls. "I thought she was going to change that recording," Helen murmurs.
Later that night, Daria and Quinn head toward their car. "He kept saying he needed something for the couch," frets Quinn, "He wants a cat, doesn't he?! Mom would never let him have a cat!" "Or even a goldfish," says Daria, looking worried. In spite of the lack of evidence, the possibility seems all too likely. "If it's one of those sweet ones with the long white fur..." Quinn says dreamily, before snapping back to the colder reality. "It means he could be staying for a while," finishes Daria. They absorb the news soberly. "At least I still have you," says Quinn, or something to the effect. Daria looks touched, but the situation with Mr. Phelps weighs on her mind. She walks a few paces behind her sister.
January 6, 2003
I'm finally going to start the Driven Wild Universe Wildfeed this week. I was busy working on Real Life things so naturally the wrap-up of the final two episodes had to get pushed back a few months. I intend to make it as detailed as possible, revealing all of the plot twists with Phelps and the fall-out from "Memory Road."
I finally moved the episode Commentary to a separate page for easier uploading, and will eventually do the same for the DWU updates so I can form an archive. Reading the commentary I have, I realized that I don't know when I wrote it. Some of the comments already seem out-of-date.
