The Liebster Award is a way of bloggers supporting other bloggers.

The voices stop. lol This is a tough question. I don’t really know how to answer it, mostly because I’ve always been a writer, it just took me a while to feel comfortable calling myself that. I love written and spoken word. I love the way it allows us humans to connect to one another.

Dre’s sense of self. He is confident in what he knows, what he doesn’t know and how he feels. He’s a bit brash but he’s always 100% true to himself.

Sure, why not? I don’t particularly think my stuff would translate will onto the screen but the worse that could happen is that it bombed. Whatever. (I would curl up and cry.) I would tighten up my plot throughout all the generations. I didn’t have a plan for this in the beginning so a lot of the connections happened by the sheer grace of God.

I used to and I kind of try to tone it down but it’s getting worse every generation! I do try to keep in mind who my readers are and what their comfort levels are.

Yes and no. Everyone who is important to me knows there is a story. I don’t even particularly try to hide it. But I would be incredibly uncomfortable if they wanted to discuss it with me. My blog is a bit risque but so are my friends. It’s the Sims part that gets to me. I don’t think they would understand.

Aaliyah (post Rae coming back). She had it good. Living the life. And she had Antonio. Duh!

I’ve always been a writer. I’ve always written. Whether prose or poetry.

Read. Watch TV. Hang out with family and friends.

The latter. I don’t want to put that kind of pressure on myself. It’s a story about a family. Nothing heroic or fantastical. They just are.

No. It’s still too early for that. I need to hone my craft a lot more before I can say that.

Evolved… I think I’m more confident in my ability to tell a story beginning to end. I think my range in characterization has improved and my plots are better. I think my writing and my outlook on life are divorced from each other. I can write happy or sad or angry and not be in real life.

---

1] In everyday life, how often do you find yourself thinking about your story or your characters (when you’re not working on it)?

Oh, all the time! When I’m on my way to work, especially. I guess I write best in the mornings when my brain is still half-asleep!

2] How did you come up with your idea to start your story/legacy? Was it something you wanted to do for a while, or did it just come to you out of the blue?

Very out of the blue. A friend made Antonio for me and I thought I’d write her a little love story. Didn’t even know there was a whole community until later. Much later.

3] What’s your process in bringing in new characters? How do you choose their traits and their personality?

Most of my characters are random CAS experiments. I do most of my characterizations in CAS. Take Matias King for example. I had no idea he was going to be important later on. I just created his family for random gameplay. Then his dad’s traits were iffy at best (random roll) and his lifetime wish was to be a criminal mastermind. I created a little bio for him and his wife. Once I started Gen 3, his family popped into my head and I thought… ah-ha!

4] What’s your favorite view to write? First, Second, or Third person?

Third. Mostly because it allows me to shift in and out very easily. I can do first person pretty well, but only in short bursts.

5] What are your favorite worlds to play in?

hmmm, I like Moonlight Falls because of the mountains but I default a lot to Sunlit Tides. Mostly for gameplay saves. It’s just more relaxing and calm. For family creation (siblings, grandparents, aunt, uncles – I like Evansdale.

6] What are your favorite types of stories to read? What interests you the most?

I like one-off stories. They can go on forever because you’re not required to move on to other generations. I tend towards the darker stories as well. The ones that ask me to root for the bad guy, even if he/she doesn’t deserve it.

7] Which character in your story can you say you relate to the most?

Rae. That feeling of being unable to trust someone completely because of past experiences but nevertheless allowing someone to hold your heart because you know the best things in life are worth fighting for.

8] What are the five traits that worst describe you?

Neat, Green Thumb, Rebellious, Genius, Natural Cook (is that one of the traits?)

9] If you could go back and change how you wrote your story, so that it would’ve gone in a completely different direction, would you? Why/Why not?

No. I can’t imagine my characters letting me get away with something like that. I’d never be able to pick up a pen again. Pure silence.

10] Does your style of clothing ever come through in your characters? Or do you dress them how you think they themselves would dress?

My Sims always end up looking preppy. I don’t know why, I certainly don’t dress that way. I do try to dress them as themselves though. Aaliyah is understated but classy. Dre is very minimal and casual, Tony is buttoned up and dark. Eva loves color. I don’t know. I try.

11] What is something in game that your Sim does to others that you wish you could do in real life? No consequences or repercussions?

Tony is very blunt. He just can’t see the need for pretense and hates small talk. I wish I could be more like that. But part of my job is customer service. I couldn’t get away with something like that. Nope!

---

LegendofSims’s questions:

“Daddy, fix it!” Gracie said, holding on to Kieran’s hand tightly.

“I’m trying, Gracie. Just give me a minute.” Tony and Riley were bent over the elevator’s fuse box, working on the wiring.

“Please, please fix it. I don’t like it in here.”

Gracie’s sobs grew louder and Kieran bent down to whisper in the little girl’s ear. “It will be alright, Gracie. Your daddy is trying but we need you to calm down.”

“No! I want to get out. Now!”

Riley stood up and walked over to her. “Grace, stop crying, sweetheart. It will be okay.” He reached for her but she pulled back, holding on tighter to Kieran’s hand. Sighing, Riley went back to the fuse box.

Gracie’s sobs continued and Kieran could do nothing but hold her and let her cry. He thought Lorde was coming over to do the same thing but was shocked when she instead smack his cousin.

“Stop whining. You are not helping the situation. You are not a small child anymore.”

All three men stared at her in shock. But Riley was the first to recover.

“Don’t you ever lay a hand on my children again!” He pushed past her and scooped Gracie up into his arms.

Kieran grabbed Lorde and pulled her to a corner. “What the hell were you thinking?”

“The little brat stopped crying didn’t she?” Her lips pressed into a grime line as his hands tightened on her wrist. “You can let go of me now. And for your information, I’m claustrophobic. Something you would have known if you’d bothered to ask me how I was doing.”

Before Kieran could say anything, there was a slight ping and the elevator lurched back into motion. Pulling away from him, Lorde went to stand by the doors. Ready to make her escape as soon as possible.

Jazen’s Questions:

1. How would you achieve world peace? (yes I’m laughing as I type that LOL)

0.o iono… Umm, start all over.

2. Vanilla game or CC user? Why?

CC user. I’ve been shifting over ever since EA stopped adding new content. It’s more stable now.

3. Do you prefer to make your own sims for your stories or use sims made by friends?

I tend to make my own but none of my heirs are really just mine. Antonio was made for me by someone else. So really, she and I co-founded everyone!

4. Do you ever think you’ll stop writing sim stories, or playing the game?

Probably. Once my computer can’t handle the game anymore or I lose my inspiration. Hopefully, that won’t happen for a while yet.

5. Have you ever had your story veer off course from what you originally planned?

Oh yes. From Gen 1! Supernatural came out and all of a sudden, it went from a simple Legacy Story to this weird Supernatural/thriller/crime thing. I just go with the flow.

6. If you were a sim, what would be your traits?

Bookworm, socially awkward, artistic (for my mad writing skills), dramatic, nerd

7. What is your favorite sims EP?

Generations. Love family-centric stuff

8. What is your least favorite EP?

Showtime. I have yet to really use that EP.

9. If you were stranded on an island, what (or who) would you want with you?

The Castle from Beauty and the Beast. Including all the talking appliances. Sans Belle and the Beast.

10. How long do you spend writing or rewriting a chapter before you publish it?

Anywhere from 2 days to a month. I’m either really inspired or it takes forever.

11. What is the 1 store set that EA created that you can’t do without? 

The compilation that had the kids bedrooms. Love that set!

---

I’m inspired everyday by things I read. Simmers are the most creative group of people I’ve ever met and they share that creativity freely. I guess I’m more in awe than anything!

I take a step back. I’ve learned that forcing the issue only leads to bad (or worse, in my case lol) writing. I do other things, like fill in the family tree with extended members or write drabbles or scroll through tumblr (current obsession).

3. Are there other types of stories you’re interested in writing? Some other genre that you’d like to try writing for?

No. The beauty about legacy writing is that it gives you the freedom to do whatever you want with each new generation. If I want more action, then I can add that. A bit of murder mystery? Sure, why not! It’s very versatile.

4. Do you do any character development before you start writing for a character or do you figure the character out as you write for them?

Mostly during CAS if I am building the Sim or during gameplay if it’s a born-in-game Sim. Their traits, skills and wishes all help to define who they become as adults.

5. How much editing do you do for your story? Is it an ongoing process? Do you have many drafts for your chapters?

It’s definitely an ongoing process. I don’t save drafts, I edit one document until it’s the finished version on MS, then add pictures (or add them as I go), then I copy/paste into wordpress. I do one or two more editing sweeps and then hit or schedule a time to publish.

6. Where is the weirdest place you’ve ever gotten inspiration for a scene for your story? 

Mostly on the subway while listening to spotify. Song lyrics… they are chock full of inspiration!

7. If you could live with any one of your characters who would you choose, where would you live, and why?

Tony. Wherever he wanted. Gadgets! Lots and lots of toys and crazy things to play with. Plus, he’s not big on small talk so he would leave me alone, I would leave him and Riley alone (pssht, how could there be no Riley?? I’m not a monster!) and we would be happy.

8. What was the thing that sparked your interest and pushed you to start writing your story?

My friend made me a Sim. She made me Anthony and I wrote a story as a thank you. That was Gen 1. LOL

9. If you write a legacy, which is your favorite generation and why? If you write a story that isn’t a legacy, what is your favorite chapter and why?

I really liked Gen 3. I liked the three viewpoints. I loved Tony and Riley, who were happy accidents really. I loved the plots I came up with. I feel like my story exploded in Gen 3.

10. What is your favorite line in your story? Why?

Oh gosh. I don’t know! Ummmmm…

I never thought it would be so long lasting. I figured a quick short story and then I’d be done. Before The Torres Legacy, I’d only ever finished one story. I didn’t know I had all these endings in me.

---

 DandyLion240’s Questions: (Answers to come. I need sustenance!)

1) Where do you get inspiration for your stories?
2) Do you use the sims as a basis for your stories or do you use it to illustrate the story?
3) Do you ever base your characters off of real people you know?
4) Do you plot out your stories from start to finish? or are you a seat of the pants writer? Writing what comes to mind without any plot?
5) What is your favorite character you have ever written?
6) Which sims game do you like best? 1,2,3 or 4?
7) Do you have a favorite town you like to use for your stories?
8) Which POV do you prefer to write in?
9) Do you write out character profiles? If you do, do you do it before or after you’ve started writing for that character?
10) Where do you come up with the names you use for your characters?
11) Do you have a set schedule to write?

---

1) The scene you love the most from your story and why it’s your favorite.

2) A character you wish you’d never created.

3) How did your story come to pass? Did you write it on purpose or was it a happy accident?

4) Would you ever think about publishing your story?

5) How does your writing process begin? Do you have a routine, a schedule or does it just flow whenever?

6) What is the weirdest plot idea you’ve ever had?

7) Does your family/friends support your writing?

8) Did you always want to write?

9) Happily-ever-after or no?

10) Name a character from another story you would like to make an appearance in your own.

11) If you had to start all over again, would you change anything about your story? If so, what?