Public Service Announcement

Hey all ...

I just want to give you a heads up. My schedule is going to be crazy the next three weeks. I'm starting the final two tech weeks for my production of Miracle on 34th Street. I'll be working sixteen hour work days from now until November 19th. So, here's the plan ...

No updates during the next three weeks, also no writing time either (which kind of sucks since it's NaNoWriMo). Updates will resume on Friday AFTER Thanksgiving, with Shaky Ground. I will also be working on Married to the Mob and The Magic Within. I hate taking any time off, but lack of time makes it impossible to write and not being home makes it difficult to post updates.

Thank you for your understanding, everyone!

Updates will resume on November 24th!

Public Service Announcement

So, with the arrival of August, school is just around the corner. In less than two weeks, I'll be back to school with a new and challenging position as a choral director. It's been six years since I've last had a choir and this is the first time, ever, that I will have an entire schedule for JUST choir and have my own room (I'm stoked about that! I don't have to travel!)

As a result of the new year, things will be changing with updates and such. I want to keep the rigorous update schedule that I have, but until I can get a read of how I'm able to handle this, updates may slow down. And I will probably just focus my attention to ONE story at a time in order to make the most out of my time.

So, here's the plan. I'm hoping to finish Buying Love before the end of summer break. It's getting close to the end of the story with a few things to wrap up. I'll keep the Monday/Friday updating schedule. So You Think You Can Dance is also close to its finish as well, perhaps another ten chapters besides the ones I have written (through chapter 17). That will update on every other Thursday, but it's all dependent on how much surplus I can build. La Musica del Cuore has a long way to go and I have a plan, but it will take time. This is the question mark ... can I maintain the every other week updating schedule with this? I don't know. The One That Got Away has a surplus and the chapters come together quickly, but I may reduce the update schedule to once a week, mainly on Sundays.

I need to make things easier for me since I'm stressing out about my new position and how it will impact everything I do. I'm excited about teaching choir since that's what I went to school for, but I'm anxious about the logistics. How do I fit 300 students on a set risers? Who can accompany me? Should I break up my concerts by grade? So, therein lies the problems.

I hope you are patient with me and I'll keep you posted.

Also, I have a couple of things on the back burner. I just came up with a plot bunny (the post previous to this one) along with a one-shot/futuretake for Star Crossed called Fractured Dreams for Fandoms Against Domestic Violence, and my fallen angel story, Out of the Darkness. I need to finish what's in front of me before I can address these things, with the exception of the one-shot. I've got a deadline for that, but we'll see what happens. And let's not forget Picking up the Pieces. I do plan on finishing that one, but I am still not in the right spot, mentally to attack that. *Sigh*

Thanks for reading and I'll see you on the flip side!

Hugs,

Josie 'Tufano79'

Plan of Attack

I can't believe that I can put Star Crossed in the complete column of my computer. It truly pushed me in ways I never thought possible. It was such an amazing story to write. Epic, almost, but not quite. I'm proud of it and happy how it ended. I've already got more brewing. You know? 

I'm still working on Buying Love, trying desperately to build a surplus of chapters but my brain is NOT cooperating. Damn. It. I'm currently working on chapter twenty-four. I'd like to get to chapter thirty before reaching a stopping point so I can work on my next project, So You Think You Can Dance. I wrote the first three chapters for the Fandom 4 Autism. I'm working, focusing on that next. An extended summary will be posted on December 3rd on all of my blogs. The story itself will be posting on December 17th. 

Under Construction has about five more chapters left, with some AMAZING lemons coming up. That should be finished by mid-December. Restoration is complete (with twenty-eight chapters) and will begin posting on Christmas Eve. 

However, I've been struggling with RL issues. Yesterday and today have been rough. It was the first Thanksgiving without my mom and it was tense to say the least. I don't know how to handle it. The two people I care most for in the world can't handle being in the same room with each other. I don't know what to do. Perhaps, if I lose myself in my writing, the stress of RL will go away. I'd appreciate some prayers and virtual loving ... 

Hugs,

Josie “Tufano79”

Regarding Picking up the Pieces

Regarding Picking up the Pieces

This is not a chapter. I apologize. I know many of you are anxious to hear more about these two. However, this story hits way to close to home, to be honest. Bella lost her husband to pancreatic cancer and Edward’s mother is fighting breast cancer.

This past May, I lost mother to lung cancer and I don’t think that I can write this story, at least not now, without sobbing hysterically. Yes, it could be cathartic to get those emotions out, but I just can’t. Not right now. The story, I promise you, will not be abandoned. It is on hiatus, though. For how long? I’m not sure. I’d like to start working on it over the summer, but I can’t put a timeline on grief.

My heart and mind miss my mother TOO much for me to address this story which deals with cancer, the cruel vindictive bitch who took my mother away too soon. I’m seeing a therapist and trying, desperately, to not go back on antidepressants. With time, I hope I can come back to this, but for now …

Please be patient and hug your loved ones for me, especially your mothers. I’d give anything for one more hug from mine.

Thank you for reading and much love to all of you.

~ Tufano79

Sad News ...

The past few months have been incredibly tough. It all came to a head today, unfortunately. Early this morning, my mom, who had been diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer in March, started to fade away while she was at the hospital. When arrived at the hospital, my mom had passed away five minutes previous.

She had been in pain for so long. It started with a compression fracture in her back. She had that addressed with a verteboplasty. For about two weeks, she was great. Smiling, happy, loving and wanting to fight her cancer diagnosis. Then, we got bad news from the radiation oncologist (who had initially said that we'd have her back to normal in five to eight radiation treatments). The cancer had spread, become too diffuse.

So, she went in for chemotherapy.

That shit is worse than the cancer. It's freaking poison.

After she started the chemo, she got so weak and she deteriorated so quickly. Within three weeks of her starting chemo, she had developed a rash on her backside and was in constant pain. Early Saturday morning (like at 4:30), my dad called me to help me get her up from a fall. We couldn't do it since she was so weak. We called the ambulance and she was admitted to the hospital.

I won't bore you with the details, but she's no longer in pain. I'm relieved that she is at peace. Okay, 10% relieved and 90% devastated. My mom was my best friend, the person I turned to when I needed advice, reinforcement and love. I don't know who to turn to now.

My dad is a great man, but he's distant and not nurturing like my mom.

My aunt, my mom's sister, is wonderful, but she's not my mom. Never will be, either.

I want to remember my mom as she was. Vivacious, happy, laughing, spitfire. I want to celebrate her life. I want to remember her voice, her smell, her smile. I want to remember her like this ...

Now, what does this mean for my stories and future updates? I honestly don't know when I'll feel up to writing. I tried to work on a story today, but my mind kept going to her. I love my mom and I want to honor her. 

Thank you for your prayers, condolences and words of kindness. They mean more to me than words can say. I wish I could have her back, but hearing how much she was loved reminds me of how she impacted and touched so many people's lives. However, it was my life that she touched the most and I will miss her for the rest of my life. 

I love you, Mommy. I hope that you are having a scotch with Uncle Mario, hugging Papa and kissing Grandma. They missed you and I'll see you soon. 

Public Service Announcement

Hey all...

I hope you are all doing well. Things are starting to pick up on my end, though. I mean, really, really, REALLY pick up. In real life, that is.

Anyhow, in addition to my job as a teacher, I've also been asked by 30 students to accompany them for solo/ensemble contest. The students play their instruments or sing while I play the piano underneath. That means I have 30 pieces of music that I need to have learned by the last weekend in February.

Can I get a drink yet? HA!

PLUS, I've been asked by one of the high school choral directors to be one of the assistant musical directors for their production of Singing in the Rain. I'm over the moon excited about this but slightly stressed at the sheer amount of work that's entailed. As far as I've been told, I'm responsible for teaching all of the vocal parts, obtaining props and writing the program. I think? It's good money, but a ton of work and a lot of extra time at school.

I've got those two things. On top of that, I'm moving on March 25th into a condo. (Go me! I'm a homeowner! WOOT! WOOT!) Zero time to pack though.

Long story short, my time will be at  premium until the end of April. I am still planning on updating my stories but you won't get as many updates as you're accustomed to from me. I'm hoping I'll have updates for you every two weeks. If I'm lucky...

Yeah...this picture kind of describes how I'm feeling right now...

Public Service Announcement

Hey all --

I want to apologize for my recent absence in updates and posting on here. Life has been, how should I put it?

Absolutely fucking nuts. And not it a good way.

I'm dealing with some drama at work. I'm a teacher and I had a parent get up in my face on Tuesday. Did not need to deal with that. In the grand scheme of things, his beef with me and with school is small potatoes compared to what my best friend is dealing with right now. (There was a clerical error and his daughter was left off a list for a field trip. He got very pissed off at me and yeah, wrote me the great American novel of ALL emails listing the inadequacies of this school, the district and me as a teacher. I. Made. A. Mistake. Sue me.)

Anyhow, my best friend, whom I've worked with for over ten years, lost her husband to his battle with Pancreatic Cancer. It's an evil disease, I tell you. He was diagnosed in late July and passed away on December 1st. He was fifty-two. Seeing my friend fight this horrific disease and lose it is absolutely heartbreaking. He lost fifty pounds, looked like a walking skeleton and was in so much pain at the end. What's even sadder is that when he died, he left his wife (my best friend) and two young children.

I'm not the most religious person, but I'm begging for prayers for my best friend, her children and her family. They need all of the strength they can get in this horrible time.

I'm hoping to getting back to updating soon. However, in light of this news, I haven't been very motivated to write since I've been broken up about my friend's husband.

Thank you for your patience and I appreciate the prayers for my friend.

Much love,

Josie

A Few Things...

Okay, folks...the time of being spoiled with almost daily updates and tons of teasers is coming to an end. The school year is starting up come Monday and I have to go back and teach the future musicians of the world. (HA!) Anyhow, my updates won't be daily as they were over the summer but I will still be updating. Just not as quickly as I used to.

In addition to that, here's my plan of attack:
1. Finish up Finding Love Through Music. We've got one more chapter and the epilogue.
2. Research 18th century colonial living in the Caribbean Islands for High Seas and continue that story.
3. Obviously, have fun with A Prescription for Love (gotta love Dr. Sexward Tattward)
4. Create an outline for ANSOL/TGGTP sequel. I'm still looking for title ideas. I would like to incorporate the word 'dork' in it. If you've got an idea. Please, send it my way. I'm desperate.
5. And let's not forget Angels and Monsters (they need to get their freak on) and Starlet (Slutella needs to find her way in the world.)
6. I cannot forget the epilogue for Figure Eight. I'll probably move that towards the top.

So, yeah!

I hope you stick with me and I'll see at Christmas Break (just kidding...I'll update before then).

Hugs!

Public Service Announcement...

Hey all...

I just want to put this out there for everyone. I'm going on vacation this weekend. I'm leaving tomorrow and coming back late on Monday. I'm so excited! This is my FIRST vacation without my ex-husband and I feel like it's a turning point in my life. Granted, I'm going to Florida to visit a friend, but I feel a sense of empowerment in doing this. On. My. Own. *go me!* Plus, the only cost to me is my plane ticket and spending money. I don't have to rent a car or arrange for a hotel. Best. Vacation. Ever.

Anyhow, subsequently, I am NOT bringing my laptop. That means no updates for a few days. Y'all have gotten spoiled with my massive updates so I hope you understand. It doesn't mean I'm NOT going to be writing. I will be. I'll be working on my one shot for the Fandom for Leukemia/Lymphoma Society (See here for information and other contributing authors). It will be an outtake from A Prescription for Love. I'm hoping to at least provide a teaser by the time I get back from my vacay.

Thanks for reading and following me!

And for your viewing pleasure, pictures of WHERE I'm going...tee hee!

Author's Note

Author’s Note: To all of my faithful readers, I’m going to be leaving this site, fanfiction.net. I’m planning on leaving up the first chapters of my stories but the remainder of them and future updates will be on The Writer’s Coffee Shop Library and Archive of our Own.

I am hopeful that I can come back to the site once things calm down. But for now, I’m heading to my new home at The Writer’s Coffee Shop under the same author name. Please follow me there if you want to hear more about the following characters:

SGD and Nerdella
Skateward and Bladella
Professor and Marian
VampBella (Angel) and Edward
Dolcezza and Bodyguardward
Dr. McFuckme and Mrs. McFuckme (aka Beautiful Girl
And many more plot bunnies to come…

Thank you!

Here is my new home on The Writer's Coffee Shop. There is a registration to read but it's free! All of my stories are currently here and up to date. 

Secondly her's my new home on AO3. No registration required to read. I only have five stories up here and slowly working on adding more. 

Hells yeah!!!

Public Service Announcement

Author's Note: To all of my faithful readers, I'm going to be leaving this site. I'm planning on leaving up the first chapters of my stories but the remainder of them and future updates will be on The Writer's Coffee Shop Library.

Tufano79 on TWCS

I am hopeful that I can come back to the site once things calm down. But for now, I'm heading to my new home at The Writer's Coffee Shop under the same author name. Please follow me there if you want to hear more about the following characters:

SGD and Nerdella
Skateward and Bladella
Professor and Marian
VampBella (Angel) and Edward
Dolcezza and Bodyguardward
Dr. McFuckme and Mrs. McFuckme (aka Beautiful Girl
And many more plot bunnies to come…

Thank you!

Love

I love Twilight. 
I love the Twilight Fandom.
I love my fellow authors!
I love my fabulous readers, who travel with me through my ramblings.

I originally started reading fanfiction when I was heavily in love with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. (I have all seven seasons on DVD. Dr. Bashir? Yeah, he's hot). I didn't get back into fanfiction until I found Twilight. I started on Twilighted.net and then moved to Fanfiction.net. While I was reading these stories, I was intrigued. Could I write? Could I put myself out there like these brave men and women have?

I figured that I would try it. Hence, La Cantante was born. After that, there was no turning back.

Like many others, I write and read fanfiction to escape the harsh realities of my job, family and personal life. It's also a way for me to work through my own personal issues. Each story that I write is a different facet of my personality.

La Cantante - Love of music
A Fresh Start - Working through my own dramas of my divorce
Witch Way - Channeling my own inner power
Edward Cullen: A Work in Progress - my anger management
A Nerd Story of Love - A romantic fairy tale that I want to happen to me
Finding Love Through Music - Again, the love of music and also of teaching
Figure Eight - Discovering my own voice and standing up for myself
The Geek's Guide to Parenthood - My hopes for children of my own
Starlet - Overcoming my insecurities and becoming comfortable in my own skin
Angels and Monsters - Putting myself out there in the dating scene (yes, I'm not a vamp, but Bella's insecurities are a lot like mine right now)

Through this journey, I've made so many friends. Cried over wonderful stories. Laughed out loud over the antics of the characters. Bonded with my fellow authors and readers over our shared obsession of Twilight.

This shall pass but we need to remember, that we are in this together. This fandom is so tight knit and I love all of you!

Alice Cooper-Schools out

I'm done for the summer! WOO HOO! Three whole months of writing and relaxation.

Public Service Announcement

Hey all --

I just wanted to let you know that my updating schedule for my stories is going on hiatus until the beginning of the week after next. (April 23rd). I'm one of the assistant directors for high school musical How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and we're having tech week starting tomorrow and it goes until the performances. Those are on April 20th, 21st and 22nd.

Until my week of tech week hell is over, I will just be reading and relaxing when I get home from work (like at ten in the evening.) I'm hoping to have at least one more update before the end of the weekend for Finding Love Through Music but we'll have to see.

Until then, I bid you all adieu! Thanks for reading and supporting my stories/addiction to Twilight. You all are amazing and yeah, I'm rambling.

LATERS!

A Funny Thing Happened in my Music Classroom...

Me: If you could eliminate a musical performer from the planet, who would it be and why?

Student: Justin Bieber. I find his voice very pitchy and annoying. Plus, his voice is very autotuned. Other artists actually are talented but JB is not. Many people admire him but I think here's nothing to admire beside a no-talent, auto-tuned chipmunk! The only actual reason he's famous is because Usher made him into a junior 'Usher-bot,' who is only able to say the word, baby People should only pay attention to talented artists, not Justin Bieber...

I love the statement: 'no-talent, auto-tuned chipmunk!' I fell out of my chair laughing!

Found this on Tumblr...Too funny! Had to share

Why being a girl isn't working out for me:

• Body: Oh, guess what time of the month it is!
• Me: Please, god, no--
• Ovaries: ALL SYSTEMS GO0O0O0OO0OO0O0O0
• Brain: I quit. i quit. kittens and cupcakes and no one loves me. oh my god salty snacks i am furius
• Me: Please, guys, calm down--
• Face: TIME TO RUIN EVERYTHING YOU HAVE EVER LIKED ABOUT ME. I'M GROWING MOUNTAINS, BITCHES.
• Brain: And now I'm ugly! shbdksdnksbn
• Torso: Time to practice labor. cramp this bitch up. GO GO GO GO GO GO
• Me: STOP IT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!
• Stomach: lol clothes cant fit you anymore. you are bloated. you are now a balloooooooon!
• Me: I hate you all
• Brain: I KNOW EVERYONE HATES ME I AM SO DEPRESSED. we need to procreate.
• Face: Lol, i'm not done yet.
• Uterus: what did i ever do to deserve this?
• Brain: you just wait uterus. they're going to make you hold a baby for like 10 months straight.
• Uterus: You mother fuckers.
• Torso: CONTRACT!
• Me: I quit being female, I am now a llama.
• Brain: Me gusta.

Silent Monks Singing Halleluia

I know it's not Twilight related but I sang The Messiah earlier this year and this is so appropriate. LOL

Rambling...

I’m cute in the face, and I’m thick in the waist. I look good whether I’m in cotton, leather, or lace. I’m beautiful, vibrant and above all, smart! And there's more to me than my weight,... I also have a heart. Yes my clothes maybe a bigger size, that just means you have access to a bigger prize. We all are not self-conscious about our weight, and we never have a problem getting a date. So don’t think your small frame gives you more pull, I’m a hot, sexy, curvy woman with a figure that's full. :) Copy and re-post if you think big is beautiful ♥

Commentary on Online Dating...

Okay, so one of the guys that I was chatting with on one of those websites (dating site) turned out to be a total stalker. He told me his entire life story back in late September and was planning our wedding. I told him to back off and he did. For a few weeks. Then he texted relentlessly.

One day, while i was at work, he texted me nine times. 'Where are you?' 'Why won't you talk to me?' and all that jazz. I showed that to my friend (who happens to be a guy) and he said that i should block his number. I held off, hopefully thinking that he would stop bothering me on his own.

Not so much...

 He still texted me. Even after I told him that I wasn't interested and that he was pushing me too hard. I hadn't spoken with him for six weeks and he sends me this text: 'I'm thinking about you and miss you. Can we get together?'

We'd never met before...haven't spoken in six weeks and he misses me? What the hell?

Anyhow, I buckled and got his number blocked from my cell phone. Had to pay a small fee but that is worth my piece of mind.

If this is what I get to look forward to back in the dating world, then I'm going to stay single forever, damn it.