Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas!!! and New Trials updates...

First off, many apologies for being MIA for the past month. Those of you who have stuck by New Trials for years probably know that Christmastime is usually eventful for New Trials updates. The only thing that can keep me from writing New Trials besides dire emergency in real life is exams or being stranded on a tropical island without internet access. This time, surprisingly, it was the latter. I took an unexpectedly early vacation trip to a tropical island in the Pacific ocean, hence the delay in Chapter 67 of New Trials. I have not been able to check emails, blog or anything. So, I start off Christmas with the apology. >.< I estimated the chapter to be done by end of November, but I forgot how crazy end of the year is with various events and whatnot, so I am feeling very sheepish and humble right now and don't want to give any false dates for when the chapter will be ready. But one thing I came to know for sure is, I'm not going to finish the chapter by today (my original goal). Lol. I've been writing like crazy for the past week ever since I came back from the trip, (I have been sitting on the beach, stressing about Chapter 67 even there) but the problem is, I am knit-picky and there's an aspect towards the end of the chapter that needs reworking and I can't release a chapter that I am not satisfied with. Either way, the chapter is 98% done and shall enter final editing stage soon. It's a long chapter, and it's getting longer if that is any solace. Sorry for the wait! I'll try my best so that Chapter 67 doesn't disappoint.

There is something very jarring sitting on a beach, soaking in the sunlight, listening to Christmas carols being belted out from the hotel. Sort of like being in a twilight zone. The place I was staying at was full of Japanese tourists and lots of cute, young couples, newlyweds and adorable children. I also saw for the first time what was presumably a gravure photoshoot. There were two Japanese models (very pretty) and they were posing on the beach all day long. You can't really make them out in the picture above, but it's the models, staff and cameraman. It's tough work, being a model, posing all day long in the same spot. The sunset was beautiful though. There were also lots of wedding photoshoots happening there as well. There was a poor bride that was doing a photoshoot by the beach side when it suddenly began to pour. She had to crouch underneath a parasol in her wedding dress and veil and wait for the rain to pass. But there was a huge rainbow after the rain passed. I saw it because the cutest little kid cried out, "Papa... Niji da yo! Niji!" The adults on the beach were to busy doing whatever day were doing, flirting, drinking beer, sunbathing, to look up at the sky, but the little boy pointed it out first. Children can see the world better than adults sometimes.

Here is a little preview of the New Trials of Card Captor Sakura Chapter 67: The Sacrifice:


******

“Kaijou, you’re going to be late for school!” Kinomoto Touya pounded on the door. Very graciously, he stated, “I’ll drive you and the Brat to school on my way to work.”

There was not answer. Touya glared at Li Syaoran, currently a guest at his house, as if it was his fault. “What’s wrong with her?”

Li Syaoran, hands shoveled in his sky-blue uniform jacket, loathing the fact that he had to be the news bearer, grimaced and mumbled, “Chang Eron broke up with her, it seems.” Yesterday, he had found Sakura in King Penguin Park, in tears because things had ended with Eron. Maybe he was too optimistic in thinking that Sakura would have been cheered up by today. And he felt an ugly resentment whelming within his stomach.

“You mean she’s hung up over some guy?” Touya scowled with renewed viciousness. “Why are we Kinomoto’s so unlucky when it comes to relationships?” He pounded on the door again. “Kaijou, you come out this second or else I’m going to come in and drag you out of bed.”

“I’m not going to school!” retorted Sakura, voice muffled by her pillow.

“That’s it. Where is this Chang Eron?” Touya growled, rolling up his sleeve.

“Stop it, ‘nii-chan. Just go away and leave me alone!” Sakura exclaimed from under her blankets.

Touya’s jaw dropped. His precious little sister had just called him a nuisance. Again he glared at Syaoran then smacked him on the head.

“Ow! What did you do that for?” demanded Syaoran, clasping the back of his skull. “Don’t you have the wrong guy here?”

“I don’t know. I just felt like hitting you for some reason,” said Touya. “Ugh, just looking at you makes my stomach curdle.”

“It’s not my fault!” exclaimed Syaoran.

“Yeah, sure.” Touya whacked Syaoran on the head one more time. “If Sakura is not out of her room, smiling and brightly calling out ‘onii-chan’ by the time I come home again, you’re getting more than a whack on the head. Understand?”

21 comments:

  1. Merry Christmass! I hope you had a good time on vacation & I can't wait for your next chapter, xoxoxo.

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  2. Merry Christmas Wish-chan! Peace and blessings! :D

    I'm kind of jealous you went on vacation on a tropical island. I'm tired of the cold weather.

    I really enjoyed the teaser for Chapter 67. ^____^ I shall practice patience and wish you the best as you finish it.

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  3. Merry Christmas!

    Wow, don't we ALL wish we'd been on a Tropical Island! Lucky, lucky you! (Although not even a tropical paradise would make me give up internet access...I would be crawling the walls within a day!)

    Don't feel bad about not updating. We all appreciate your story no matter when it gets updated. And of course you shouldn't release a chapter you aren't happy with.

    We all get much more enjoyment out of this story knowing that you've enjoyed writing it.

    As for the teaser, poor Syaoran...he's not the one who broke her heart (this time, anyway ^.^;) and he's still getting beat up on by Touya! I get the feeling that Sakura isn't going to give him a better time of it, either!

    I hope you have a lovely Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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  4. Thanks everyone for the X-mas wishes... Sniffles. I'm still wallowing in guilt. I added a new fanart. Felt sorry for Syao-chan, it being Christmas and all, so put him up for adoption. Any bids? http://wishluv.deviantart.com/art/Sakura-s-Christmas-Gift-190857282

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  5. Wish-chan, there you are ! OMG, so you were on a tropical island! I am so so jealous - *glares at all the snow outside*.. THANK YOU for giving us a little status update though. ^_^ Oooo, the excerpt is so teasing - I will be so ecstatic to read the chapter whenever it's out. Don't worry, you didn't miss your deadline - it says "Coming November." You mean November 2011, ne? ^_~ Cheer up, don't feel bad - I'll post a little present for you up on the group.

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  6. @Kirei-chan
    Lol... November 2011... Or November in the Lunar calendar. :P But I do feel bad for never being able keep my own deadlines. :(

    Now I got curious for the present. ^_^ Merry Christmas after all these years, Kirei-chan!!!

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  7. Lol, Merry Christmas Wish-chan. Also like everyone don't feel bad for updating we appreciate that your trying to finish it. :D

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  8. YAAAAAYY! this was such a good christmas preset! i was seriously wondering if you would update this morning while i was unwrapping presents and thought that it would be like getting another present if you did!!
    Katherine

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  9. *Laughs* I love the teaser for Chapter 67 =D I think that my need for the new chapter has been satiated a little now... Don't worry about not sticking to your personal deadline- you shouldn't be subject to anyone's expectations but your own =D Take your time, but not too long...

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  10. @Anonymous,
    This--> "Take your time, but not too long."
    Lol...

    @Cavetta and Katherine, thanks for your understanding words... ^_^

    @Selenity... I forgot to mention... Yeah, I would die without internet too. But the upside is, when there isn't internet connection, I focus better on my other tasks, ie. writing, reading. Then again, when I write New Trials, I'm always googling background information and referencing previous chapters, hence I need the internet. Such a paradox. ^^

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  11. Hope you had a Merry Christmas Wish-chan! I was stuck at work and most of the state's flooded in. It's been raining non-stop for 2weeks now, so I'm pretty jealous of your vacation.

    And don't feel too guilty about not updating, we all know it's well worth the wait. And I'm sure we definitely rather your full effort that you're happy with than a rushed job just to please us ;)

    I'll always look forward to the next chapter, no longer how it takes :D

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  12. Happy holidays Wish-san~! <3 I really appreciate the update and the excerpt from the new chapter--i'm excited since hopefully that means that Syaoran and Sakura will get to talk to and hopefully understand each other more =D
    Also, I hope you had a nice vacation~! ^^
    As everyone else says, don't worry about not getting the chapter out by the deadline, because we all love and support you <3 Thank you so much for bringing us this wonderful fanfiction~ <3

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  13. Loved the Preview. : ) I absolutely can't wait for the rest. The tropical island sounds awesome. I hope you had a good time.

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  14. Hope you had a great holiday, Wish-chan-san <3. The exerpt was awesome =D I just hope that Syaoran and Sakura reconcile from this, and that Syaoran doesn't get whacked by Touya again for failing to cheer Sakura up (I mean, it wasn't his fault anyway. Yeah, he did kinda break Sakura and Eron up, but you know?) Oh well- don't rush everything trying to finish this chapter (though you probably already know that) and thank you for writing this story in the first place <3 It's AWESOME! Oh yeah- btw, can you give us a little indication around when it will be released? January? February?

    Once again, hope you had a great holiday, a merry Christmas, and a (future) happy new year!

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  15. Hi Wish-chan! I don't know if you remember me, but we used to correspond years ago. (I was the one who told you that you should submit NT to the college admissions committees, if that's a helpful reminder.) It's been about three years since I last read your work (I was doing my undergrad...and got very little time for anything else), and I'm so so so glad to see you're still at it! I remember discovering it about 10 years ago, and NT has only gotten better with time. How many more chapters do you estimate there are left? It seems the plots are coming together, such as with Miho being reunited with her family.
    I got a Nook for Christmas, and I'm looking forward to reading your work on it. Hope you had a lovely Christmas, and that you'll have a wonderful New Year!

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  16. @Divya
    Hi, of course I remember you. ^_^ And the funny thing is, I remember that exact email. Lol. I wish I can use New Trials for my resume at one point in life. Maybe if I ever do get to publish a book, then I can say I got my start in fanfiction but that might be my fanciful dreaming.

    I completely understand how undergrad just consumes you... NT had a year and a half hiatus while I was at school as well. But thanks for checking in again after all these years. Awesome you got a Nook for X-mas. You've got to let me know how this fanfic ends up formatting on it... I do really see you a new era for digital publishing and I like the idea that fanfics are sort of the forerunners of this. ^_^ Happy New Year!

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  17. @December 26, 2010 7:06 PM anon
    I hate giving dates then breaking it but it's definitely going to be before February. ^_^

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  18. late merry chrismas wish-chan and every one here!! (i'm not a christian anyway!)
    its really hard to wait for the chapters to come out but i think i can wait for it< so dont worry wish-chan, no matter when you post we'll enjoy it to the same extent....

    anyway, wish-chan, how is the new trials cd drama progressing??? can u tell me anything about it?

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  19. Merry (Late) Christmas Wish-chan.
    Good to hear that you're still alive and kicking out the new chapter to New Trials. I can't wait to hear how Syaoran may or may not take Sakura out of her(what's the word) sadness. I'll have you know that I have been waiting in anticapation for the next chapter. I know how procaustination works now that I am in 9th grade.(coughHomeworkcough) Wow it seems so long since I came to start reading this particualr fanfiction. I was in 5th grade when I started. WOW. Time is passing more quickly then before. Well have a happy new year and can't wait for chapter 67!! Au revior!
    P.S. I'm taking French.
    P.P.S. I know we haven't corresponded in forever but it's the thought that counts I suppose.

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  21. Late merry christmas Wish-chan!
    I hope you continue on the next chapter, you write so good!
    It is really hard to be waiting for the next chapter but I will wait.
    I am sure it's worth it. ( ^_^ )

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