the journal of r. cooper

Look! I remembered to post a reminder!

I still haven't heard back from the auction people (??) but I'm going to assume it's all going as planned.


October 11, there will be a silent auction with all sorts of things from various authors, with all benefits going to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance.


Here is a link to the auction's Facebook page. Authors, Bloggers, and Readers Raise Awareness


I am will be offering to either a) write a series of letters or emails (at least two) between any two of my characters (your choice) OR you can get another short story set in the alternate universe version of Play It Again, Charlie in which Charlie is the reluctant host of an online cooking show and Will is a fan. (You can find that here). (and um, okay so a friend and I have a whole thing about the first time Charlie mentions Will on the show... and also a show Will hosts with Jeanine, in which he imbibes a bit and maaaybe says things he shouldn't, and then worries about what Charlie will think when he sees it. Ahem.)

Hopefully it all goes well and everything gets bid on and donations are huge.

In the meantime, here is the last prompt fill I promised to post. The *other* Will/Charlie AU, in which the prompt was "meet at a masquerade ball"



( tale as old as time )

I promised better links once I had covers. To what? Some might ask. Well to a pair of steampunk stories I wrote a while ago that didn't know what to do with, so I put them up on Smashwords.

And I Am Happy

My steampunk Alternate Universe story for Will and Charlie from Play It Again, Charlie

Description: Will is a terrible valet. Until he came to the house of war hero and respected MP Charles Howard, he was more of a rich man's convenience than a valet. No one predicts he will keep the position for long but Charles Howard is not at all what Will expects. A reserved, insecure man who hides his pain from the public, Charlie--as Will secretly thinks of him--believes that no one, especially his pretty valet, would want him. Will longs to convince him otherwise but even if Charlie were the type to dally with a servant, Will is a valet, a man, with a scandalous past, and Charlie is a famous figure.

In a late Victorian England where cars exist, if only for the rich, and telephones are a symbol of wealth, a progressive spirit has led to the appearance of acceptance. But though certain laws have been repealed it doesn't mean people's attitudes have changed or that class differences don't still exist. Will is content to serve his gentleman with no expectations of anything more. He only wants his master to be happy. Will makes Charlie smile but master and servant is all they can ever be, or is it?

Price: FREE. Everyone's favorite word! But if you like it and are curious about this Peter and Sebastian that Will mentions, then skip on over to


With Everything I Have


Description: Sebastian has a problem. He's in love with his best friend Peter and has been since their schooldays when they were outcasts together. His pining is so obvious that all of London knows, even his frustrated mother who just wants him to be happy. The only person who doesn't know is Peter. An abusive childhood with a controlling father left Peter emotionally detached and socially anxious and now he mostly hides himself away in his house where he designs the unique, fast cars that are status symbols among the town's elite. People would kill to own a single one of Peter's cars. Sebastian owns four. The meaning in that is obvious to everyone but Peter.

In a late Victorian England where cars exist, even though they aren't exactly comfortable, and computers allow the shy to avoid human contact , a progressive spirit has led to a begrudging acceptance of the sexuality of certain members of society. The sodomy laws have been repealed so that two men might spend the rest of their lives together, but that is no guarantee of happiness. Peter risks his neck driving at dangerous speeds for fun but sees passion as something to be frightened of. Sebastian has been struggling to get Peter to realize his own feelings for years but he is starting to worry that it may never happen. Peter seems to want no part of the future that Sebastian is offering him, on the surface at least. But a future without Sebastian might be something that not even a mind like Peter's can imagine.

Price: $1.99 But um, there's feelings! And smut! And suspenders... which... okay thanks to Selenographics and Wicklow, I have kind of a kink for now. hmmm Peter and Sebastian need some more smut. Maybe I will commentfic that with Selenographics when I get bored.

Some things:

Plainapple doodled some Cal and Ray Ray for me.

Ray is nicely glowering and annoyed. Anyone that sexually frustrated is bound to be.


Also hey, just for funsies (and practice) I wrote a sort of-steampunk/Victorian but historically inaccurate AU for Will and Charlie. Lots of angst and feelings and master/servant vibes. I don't know how long I am going to leave it up, so read soon if the mood strikes you.

And I Am Happy

Gah. I have written three steampunk shorts for myself now, and I don't think any of them really even count as steampunk. One probably needs to be longer. Bah! Humbug! Back to Firebirds!

A couple of things. (Oh hey anyone new who might be reading this. Hey! I just met you, this is crazy, but here's my number...)

First things first, ( LOOKIT IT'S A BOOK!!!! )

I know it's expensive and a big purchase and maybe I'm no one's favorite author, but OMG! It's a book! I'm having a moment. I'm getting all verklempt!


In other news it's Dreamspinner's Fifth Anniversary, so they are having sales all month, but I guess they are surprise! bonus extra special sales and other deals and treats that you have to watch their FB or Twitter feed to find out about. Just letting people know. Sales! Sales are always good.


In *other* other news, I seriously might be no one's favorite author (as far as I can tell anyway) but screw it, I'm going to go ahead with my charity thing. What I am most likely going to do is set up a post with a starting bid price (something low, like $5) and offer to write a new story of at least 5000 words based on a prompt from the person with the highest bid (if I have a bidder. If not I might write something anyway, but charity would get no money. Boo). I am still considering the details, but the charity will most likely be for this place or someplace like it The San Francisco Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center. But again, I'm still working out the details... with myself really, and my schedule and moods. (Damn moods!)

Anyway, BOOK! It's pretty to hold I must say. Now back to work for me... or sleep. I might sleep now. Work tomorrow.

I can't help myself. That nervous energy has to go somewhere.

I'm feeling fine and you?

Does anyone do this like Irene Dunne? We need a new version of her.

(I just post these things out of love... and to shame dlasta for not having seen them yet).

Judy Holliday in Born Yesterday The "dumb" blonde done to perfection.

The Lady Eve Don't think Will wouldn't do this. (Until the end anyway, when he wouldn't be able to stop smiling)

Okay, I will stop now. :):):)

I am supposed to be going over my galley proof today, only I keep getting embarrassed at seeing it in print and looking away.

The front is lovely though. Old-fashioned and pretty.

Etiquette question...are you supposed to comment when you friend or follow someone you don't really know? Similarly, are you supposed to comment when they friend or follow you if you don't know them that well/at all?

I suppose it's one of those things where you can do whatever, but one is seen as slightly more or less bitchy than the other.

And then the dilemma, start working on the synopsis for the dragon thing (which I hate doing) or waste time writing long fanfic insane thing that's eaten my brain? Dammit. *Or* brainstorm online with someone this original thing that would be awesome but which will likely never get written? ARGH.

Also I am still thinking on the charity thing. Would people bid on me if I offered a short story or something? A free book? hmmm

You don't understand, I have this thing where I love old movies but I have a hard time with silent movies. I don't know if it's the music or how *long* they focus on the title cards...maybe it's the casual racism...something I just can't watch them.

So despite knowing "Wings" is the first Oscar winner for Best Picture I have never watched it. Then Jane Davitt (who is awesome) went and linked to this--> First Same Sex Kiss in Cinema

and I watched it and wibbled and now I need to see this movie. Will* and I can watch it together and cry.


*Yes, Will is fictional. I know this.