Hello to all the members of our Nine Lives family! Whether you've been around for the past year and a half or you just signed up today, we're so glad you decided to enter our little Caryl madhouse. There are crazy levels of talent happening here. It is so awesome!

There are a few housekeeping items that I feel needed to be addressed. For once, I'm gonna try to keep things short and sweet... It probably won't work, but the intent is there.

• GREAT NEWS! The Writers Chats have become so popular that, in addition to hosting them twice a month now, we've added 2 people to our staff. Sweettooth7 and jaibhagwan are joining our team as Chat Moderators. They will assist meeshie and the admin team in running the Writers Chats starting in May. Welcome to the team, ladies!
  
  


• Our very own subvservivegrrl has been hard at work revamping the Beta 101 page. She's off to a great start and will be adding even more tips and resources for those looking for a beta and those of you looking to BE a beta. (Something we highly encourage!)
  
  


• The Summer Survival Series is returning! Round 2 of our popular fanfiction challenges will start in May, so get ready for a summer of fun!
  
  


• Speaking of fun... stay tuned for a super-special announcement to occur within the hour! DUN DUN DUUUUUUN...
  
  


• We've updated the FAQ page to be the primary one-stop source for answers. It's absolutely necessary, especially for our newer members, to review this page. It has the information the admin team gets asked about most. If for some reason, you don't find what you're looking for on the FAQ or things don't seem clear, please feel free to PM an admin or even just ask in question in the shoutbox!
  
  


• Speaking of the shoutbox, everyone please take a minute to review the Shoutbox Code of Conduct. Seriously. I'm begging you.
  
  


• We will be utilizing our Twitter account a lot more starting in May. If you're not following us already, do so! @NineLivesCaryl


• 
  

  I just wanted to point out a couple of helpful hints to our authors, and to any of our members who haven't posted their fics yet:

  
  
  
  
  • Chapter Notes: I notice a lot of people using this section to place their authors notes or disclaimers. This actually is the summary post for each chapter that ends up in the index/table of contents page of each story. I'd suggest placing any author's notes in the actual story text or at the 'End Notes' section.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Copy/Pasting: If you're copy/pasting your story text from a program like Word or even Google Docs, click the button on the Story Text box that looks like a clipboard with a W on it. It will keep any special formatting (paragraph spacing, bold, italics, etc) that you have already done. It's a bit faster than copying and then reformatting within the system.
  
  
  
  

This site exists for you. We work as hard as we can to keep NL a haven for all Caryl/McReedus fans alike. The fact that you're here and you're enjoying the site means everything. Thank you. Thank you for making Nine Lives a wonderful home for all Caryl fans!

Now stay tuned for something amazing... 

What does that mean, "Welcome?" We've been here for months!

In fact, we're instituting a new feature that is something we've felt for a while was needed - a sort of orientation to the site.

From here out, new members will receive a "welcome letter" at the email address they used to sign up. Our hope is that it will give them a way to quickly become more familiar with what the site offers.

Take a look HERE - you may find features you weren't even aware were offered!

Hi everyone! It's that time again: time to celebrate in honor of our Members of the Month! Your April Author of the Month is EnglishPoet18 and your Reviewer of the Month is krissyg927! 

EnglishPoet18 (Author)

What draws you to the Caryl ship?
I have to be honest here and say that I haven't always shipped Caryl. I was late to the game (Hey it happens!). I remember visiting a friend out of town and we ordered dinner in and decided to watch Netflix. We were surfing the channels for something good when I just stumbled on The Walking Dead. The whole first season was already out, but from the first episode I was hooked. What started out as a slow crawl almost immediately transpired into me completely submerging myself into the world of TWD. 

I think it was in season 2 that I started to notice something there between Daryl and Carol. The way those two interacted intrigued me and I began to want to see more of them. Then one day a fellow Caryl shipper introduced me to the world of Fanfiction and I was lost. Yes, my first story ever was not Caryl (Can I say that here?), BUT I had no idea of ships nor did I know too much about the characters at the time. 

Then it happened. I stumbled across Haitus80's story, 'Saints and Sinners'. I binged like no one has ever binged before. I literally could NOT stop until I had read every single bit. I was hooked. That's when I attempted my first Caryl fic, 'Fallen Angels' and from there as they say, the rest was history. 

There's so much history and such a rich friendship between these two that it's almost impossible not to ship them. You would have to be blind not to see it. It is, perhaps, one of the most beautiful love stories without actually being a love story that I've ever witnessed. I'm almost afraid for the writer's to take it any farther just for the simple fact that I'm scared they will screw it up. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that Caryl is my baby and although I may branch out a little, a mother never abandons her babies. 

Did I answer the question? I feel like I danced all around it. I suck at this writing thing. 

Who are your writing influences?
Wow. Good question and there are so many ways to answer it.

E.L. James. HA! Just kidding! 

Stephen King, Dean Koontz, VC Andrews...my husband and my fellow fanfiction writers as well. I have met so many wonderful people here and they influence me every day. However at the end of the day - you are your own person and we shouldn't let anyone else influence us too much or then we wouldn't be the unique individuals that we are, now would we? 

How do you handle writer’s block?
Sigh. I loathe these two words. I've suffered through so many bouts of writer's block that I should have a surefire solution to it by now, but sadly I don't. 

Music helps. Spotify is my friend and sometimes all it takes is the right song for the moment and everything else can click right into place. 

If music fails then I'll try my hand at a oneshot or simply start writing whatever comes to mind and see where it takes me. This is how 'Soulmates' came into effect and I'm actually pretty proud of that piece. 

Sometimes I've found that simply stepping away from the laptop and digging up the ancient tools known as a pen and paper do wonders for my creativity. It forces my brain to focus on what I'm working and surprisingly does help. (Try it!) 

If all of those fail then I usually find myself on Pinterest or Youtube. If I've resorted to these methods then 9 times out of 10, I usually don't end up producing anything of value because I'm a great procrastinator.

Really...ask anyone. 

Anything you want to say to your readers? ;)
What are you all thinking reading my stuff?!? Do you not have better ways to spend your time? 

LOL...Seriously though - THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. 

I've been through a lot of ups and downs, had my share of trolls, and waited eons to update some stories *cough* Playing for Keeps *cough*, but even through all of that my readers have stuck by me. You all are some incredible people. Even when I manage to produce a crappy chapter they always make me feel cherished. I can't express enough what you all mean to me, but please know that I see and hear you all and you're much appreciated. 

I'm not sure how I managed to make author of the month, but I am honored. I think someone just got my name mixed up with someone elses, but I'll take it anyway. I'm easy like that (Don't think about that too much) 

krissyg927 (Reviewer)

Ok what draws me to the Caryl ship?
Carol first, from the moment she pulled that grenade out of her purse at the CDC I was blown away by her guts. She had it in her purse! She is my hero and I relate to her on a personal level. She has overcome a horrible marriage and tragedy. She is strong. Daryl is in my opinion her soulmate and I believe in soulmates in real life, too. That we meet who we are supposed to meet in life and learn the things we need to learn. So seeing it played out on the show and in wonderful fiction here makes my heart sing, for real. They both had such hard, awful lives. Then they met by some wonderful twist of fate. He showed her that all men weren't out to hurt her and she showed him he has worth. They helped each other grow and change and we get to watch. I could go on and on about this forever, total acceptance, no matter what, no jugement, complete trust, its just so beautiful. The actors, Melissa McBride and Norman Reedus, have created the perfect pair in my opinion. I don't think any other two actors would have done what they did. So what draws me is the soulmate/destiny factor I see in the relationship. It could have gone so different for them had they NOT met. I see them as two halves equaling one whole. They make each other better. Sappy but true for me.

What do you look for in a story to keep reading?
This is hard to answer because I love Caryl in all genres. As long as they are together I will read it. I actually haven't read any other books in over a year! I have read wonderful ZA, AU, Fluff, Smutt, I love all of it. I guess I just need a good story with lots of details. I am a detail person. I also like to know what the charecters are feeling in the moment. I need to know that for some reason. I also love when there's lots of other WD characters in the story. It can be angsty and emotional as long as they end up together. But I truly love everything I read.

What are your top five favorite stories?
Only five? This is not gonna be easy. I love everything I read.

• 1) Embers by Equuleus86- I totally got everything about it. I love it Big.


• 2) Of a Certain Age by Ramblinrose- I love Alice!!!, I also Loves Road Dogs :)


• 3)Fixes by The Walking Carol- I loved her Daryl, I always love him tho.


• 4) Landslide by Lamport- her portrayal of Carol making plans to escape touched me.


• 5)Safe Haven by Darylsdiva1- This is an awesome story read it if you havent.

I also really really love Fallen Angels, Atlanta PD, Contrapposto, To Never Get To Know You, Mad City, and every other story I have read here.

Anything you want to shout out to the authors out there?
What I want to say to the authors here is THANK YOU. I never know such a site existed, so thank you to the admin also. I work and go to school, have a family and a little stress in life, This is my escape and sanity sometimes.I love the stories I read and truly appreciate all the hard work everyone does. From the prespective of someone who doesn't write at all I have to say I am in awe of the talent here. Thank you so much.

Congratulations, ladies! Thank you to everyone who voted last month. Show these lovely gals some love and Caryl on!

Hello and welcome to all of our Nine Lives family, both old and new members, readers and authors alike! With the season 5 finale coming closer by the day, tensions are high and we could all use some relief. A few members have made similar suggestions to us over the past couple of weeks, so we decided it's time to bring some cheer back into the Caryl fandom.

IT'S FLUFF-A-PALOOZA TIME, Y'ALL! Bring us your happy, your sweet, your overly sugary fluffbombs of silliness and joy. We want them all! Here's how this is gonna work:

• THE PROMPT: Happiness. Silliness. Fluff. Comedy gold. Sweet tenderness. From slipping on a banana peel to first kisses (or first sexy times), drunken shenanigans to Hallmark-worthy marriage proposals. Caryl. McReedus. BRING IT ON! We want it all!


• It must be at least 25 words - that's a change from our usual 100 word limit. This is a drabble challenge, so they can be a little shorter. There is no maximum limit! If one of your submissions turns out to be a 4-chapter monster, then rock on! We won't stop you!


• You can submit as many drabbles as you want! No limit.


• THE DEADLINE: All entries are due on March 27, 11pm MST. Everything will be posted on March 28 - to give us all a day before the season finale to enjoy ourselves! (Extensions can be granted - talk to FM if that becomes an issue)


• THE RULES: Here is how you enter the challenge:
  
  




• Send a PM to Fairies Masquerade, Ikkleosu or subversivegrrl stating that you’re going to enter the challenge. This is very important! If we don’t get a PM, you won’t be on the list. 


• Write! As many seperate entries as you want!


• DO NOT UPLOAD IT YET!! Wait until March 27 to upload your fic – we will be suspending automatic validation for that day for all authors who enter the challenge.


• Submission Day is March 27 - post your drabbles. They will not appear on the website, but will enter our validation queue. Make sure you submit it under the Nine Lives Challenge category!


• Posting Day is March 28 – We will post the Master List and post all of the challenge entries so everything shows up at once. That way, we’re all surprised by what we get to read! Any challenge fics that are posted before March 28 will be deleted.

That's it, folks! This is the perfect opportunity for those of you who have been thinking about trying your hand at writing for the first time to come join in the fun! Drabbles are a great way to break into something and find your writing voice. Any questions, just comment here on PM an admin. Happy writing!

Greetings and salutations, Nine Lives family! It's that time again, to honor those lucky winners of our Members of the Month contest. The winners for March: PixieGrunger for Author and Buttercup for Reviewer! Woot woot!

PixieGrunger: Author of the Month

 1. What draws you to the good ship Caryl?
Good grief! There's a possibility I could be here all day. For starters the chemistry plays a huge part as to why I love Caryl. From those first major interactions between them, I was hooked. Completely awestruck at how Melissa and Norman were able to bring Carol and Daryl to life, make me feel what they were feeling, make me care about them, not only as individual characters but as a couple too. They're just incredible at what they do.

The infamous Caryl bond is another reason. Their wordless understanding. They just know each other. They've been through so much, even before the ZA, they've come out stronger and have found that connection with one another. It's undeniable. It's beautiful. Long may it continue into new, romantic pastures. 

2. Who are your writing influences?
I remember buying my mum a book for her birthday one year. It was Shadows by Shaun Hutson. It sat gathering dust for a few good months before I said screw it and read it myself. I realised then how much I enjoyed the horror/thriller genre. So every now and then, I'd buy my mum another one of his books and end up reading it myself.

The last few years though, I've been reading work from some home grown talent. Irish authors, Declan Hughes and Tana French. I highly recommend them if you prefer the mystery/thriller style.

3. How do you handle writers block?
It depends on the situation really. Sometimes a lack of Caryl on the show prevents me from getting my head in the game but it's usually rectified by rewatching previous Caryl scenes and I'm good to go. Other times it takes more of a push. Anyone who knows me on social media, knows how much I love music. Sometimes I'll be listening to a random song and it suddenly reminds me of Caryl and it gives me the urge to make some Caryl edits or write. On occasions when you hit that wall, all you can do it wait. If that means starting a new story to help that process, then so be it.

4. Anything you want to say to your readers?
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! From the bottom of my heart. It just wouldn't be possible without the readers. The encouragement has been immense. The passionate reviews are truly overwhelming. If I can get a range of emotions in those reviews, I know I'm doing something right. I'm stoked that I can share something special with the readers through my stories. I'm so very grateful. So again, thank you!

Buttercup: Reviewer of the Month

1. What drew you to the Caryl ship?
I am not a zombie fan or horror fan. But that Halloween night so long ago, I decided to watch this new show because I knew Andrew Lincoln. I loved it and kept watching the next week. Then I saw this mousey woman with no hair and I didn't notice her too much. Then the pick axe showed up with the red neck and I went "hmmmm?" After Cherokee Rose, I was invested. The fact that this woman who was so sad, damaged and coming out of grief and terror could get stronger inspired me. The added value of a man from just as bad a life being drawn to her was impossible to resist. I love Caryl and have infinite hopes for them but I have even bigger hopes for Carol. She is what drew me to the Caryl ship.

2. What do you look for in a story to keep reading?
I look for a knowledge, by the author, of the heart and soul of Carol and to a lesser extent, Daryl. I know who Carol is in my heart and it is very personal. I want the author to find that and put it into all sorts of scenarios. Daryl, to me, is slightly less complicated and there is a Daryl I know but his character has a little more leeway in what I enjoy reading. I like happiness in a story because I don't like to be sad. Sadness is okay if it ends happy. Yes, I know that is asking a lot but I like happy endings. But the most important thing is to be true to the character of Carol and Daryl.

3.  What are my top five favorite stories?
I almost didn't answer this because I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings by leaving them out. So I went through my reviews, starting at the beginning 52 pages back. After 30 pages, I was so tired. Please don't take offense if I leave you out. 

I like everything. Ramblin Rose was the first writer I read. I love everything she writes but especially Of a Certain Age and All The King's Men and Sweet Junction. Those are epic. All AU but they touched me.

I love sexy stories - smut, if you will, even though that sounds so cheap. Anything by Little Cinch (Cellar Door), Bonnyblonde (Unchained Hearts, A Clean Start, Keep the Home Fires Burning), Emerald Kitten (Hotter Than Hell), Argent Gale, Three Little Kittens (All That and a Bucket of Chicken), Darylsdiva1 (Dreams, Comicconned), Axelrocks, Jennifer Collins....there are so many wonderful writers of sexy times. And McReedus stories make me very happy.

These are stories that moved me beyond words sometimes:

Salt and Stone (Fairies Masquerade), Know You're Enough (Meeshi), Kintsugi (Jaibhagawan), Skin Deep and Suffer the Strangers (Hiatus80), Carpe Diem (Reader's Muse), Embers (Equuleus86), All She Said Was Joy (Not Jane Austen), Finding My Way Home (CarolPeletier), Claimed and Fixes (The WalkingCaryl), Landslide (Lamport), Burn (Stephtron312), Swallow the Wave (Strychnine), and last but not least Healing for our Broken Souls (Hellody). And stories by Sophiecharlotte and Rhinozillla!! 

I know I left out stories by so many of you but I try to review every story, even if it is just to say thank you.

4. Is there anything I want to say to Caryl writers?
I am sure you are tired of me by now but I want to say how grateful I am for you and this site. I have a very stressful life right now. Besides my pets, you are what relaxes me, what keeps me from worrying about every little thing. You have made me laugh, gasp, swoon and cry (and you know who you are!!!). I dread the day you all go away and I hope it isn't for a long, long time. I envy you your talent and so wish I could be like you. Thank you for this honor. Mary (Buttercup)

Congratulations again, ladies! Also, once again an enourmous shout of thanks to untapdtreasure, who creates custom banners every month for our winners. You rock!

Caryl on, everyone!

Hi everyone! Well, we asked for feedback on the shout box as well as the site in general and boy howdy, did you guys deliver!

The majority of you want the shout box back – however, most also said there needed to be some changes made. Even those who were indifferent about its return had a few suggestions.  Well, we listened. So behold, the shout box is going to make a comeback! However, it’s coming with a few changes. Let me explain:

Why do we have a shout box?
The shout box is to foster a community feeling for readers and writers so they can support each other.  It’s meant for questions regarding writing, or ‘hey, do you remember the title of this fanfic I’m looking for?’ It’s to welcome the newest members of the Nine Lives family, for the admins to make quick little announcements or post a reminder about something, showing support for our fellow authors, for cheering on our Nine Lives or even Caryl milestones as they happen and a little – key word here being little – chatting between members.

That was its original intent when Ravenesque and Fairies Masquerade started the site and that’s what we’re going to go back to now. The shout box was getting used and abused by some (not all, but some) members, so we decided a little clarification was in order.

So with that, I present to you… 

The Shout Box Code of Conduct 

1) No spoilers for 24 hours after a new episode airs. This was the biggest complaint we received from almost every member who gave us feedback. With new episodes airing, the urge to talk about what we’ve seen is natural, especially when we get those Caryl moments we love so much.  Some members of our family don’t get to see the episode right away, especially our international members, so there is a 24 hour ban on discussing show spoilers. If you just can’t wait for 24 hours, use the chat room.

In addition, keep the spoiler talk Caryl-related. The shout box is not an avenue for dissecting the episode and discussing just how badly we all want to pin Rick Grimes down and shave off his woolly mammoth of a beard. There are plenty of other avenues for show discussion – the chat room, social media, etc. For the shout box, lets focus on the main aspect this fan fiction archive even exists: Caryl.

2) Be considerate of each other. Everyone here comes from different places, different walks of life with totally different experiences and opinions. I’m not asking you all to hold hands and sing ‘Kumbaya’, but there is no reason not to be respectful at all times, especially in a public forum like the shout box. Fighting between members will be deleted and warnings issued to the members involved.

3) Be positive! Wow, we cannot stress this enough. Nine Lives was built as a positive safe haven for Caryl and McReedus fans, away from the trolls of other fan fiction website and the chaotic mess of tumblr. The shout box is not the place to complain about other ships, the actors/actresses you don’t like, what was said in the latest interview or who said what on tumblr. If you’re really feeling negative about something, we suggest talking via PM, the chat room or other forms of social media.

Do not bring fandom wank from other websites to Nine Lives! Especially tumblr drama – it is not welcomed here. Those posts will be deleted and a warning issued. Multiple warnings will result in harsher judgment from the admins. More on that later. 

4) The shout box is not a private chat room! Be aware that any post in the shout box is automatically assumed to be addressed to the site as a whole.  It’s good to chat, but if it becomes a prolonged or private chat between 2 or 3 members, please be considerate to others and move the chat to private message or other forms of social media.

For in depth group conversations - use the chat room! That’s why we gave you all a chat room! It’s there, it’s open 24/7. Embrace it. Love it.

5) No Self Promotion. This was actually the other biggest complaint we received and we unanimously agreed with you. We’re not longer going to allow authors to post “I updated these stories of mine today” because that privilege has been massively abused and was one of the core reasons we shut the box down.

How will readers know I updated? I hear you ask. There are so many ways that a reader will can see you’ve updated that it’s kind of ridiculous. These have all been in place since the site opened.

• Mark the story as a favorite!The system sends out an email notification on any story you’ve marked as a favorite every time the author adds a new chapter. *  This is also an excellent way to let an author know you admire their work and is sure to put a smile on their face.


• Mark the author as a favorite! It’s the same deal as a favorite story, except with a favorite author, any time they post a new chapter or even a new story, you’ll get an email update.*


• The ‘Most Recent’ tab in the left sidebar shows the updates from the last day or so, depending on how many authors update at a time.


• The other ‘Most Recent’ tab, which is in the top menu bar (this one goes back a full 30 days).


• Follow Nine Lives on Twitter and tumblr! Story updates are posted to both automatically.
  
  
  
  • Twitter: @NineLivesCaryl
  
  
  • Tumblr: Nine Lives 2
    
  
  
  
  

*If you’re not getting an email, check your spam filters. 98% of the time, the email notifications are going into your spam folder because of how your filters are set up.  Make sure you add ninelives@ninelivesarchive.com to your trusted contacts for your story updates! If you’re still not getting email updates for your favorites, send a PM to Fairies Masquerade, Ikkleosu or subversivegrrl and we’ll take a look. 

There is no reason readers should not know when a story has updated, so authors, no more announcing your updates in the shout box and readers, while we love the enthusiasm please try to keep the majority of flailing to your reviews for the fic instead of the shoutbox.

(P.S. – That email is the system’s auto-update email – please don’t try to talk to us via that email, because it’ll come right back to you. Use the PM system or the contact options via the website.)

So there you go. 5 simple rules to live by and keep the shout box going as a positive bubble of activity for our community. If things get out of control again, we will not hesitate to turn the shout box off again, so please follow the rules and play nice.

Now I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, damn this post got long. I know it did. Sadly, I’m not done, so please bear with me just a little longer. I have a few more important things to say.

We will be monitoring the shout box more carefully! As such, we will also be more strict with it - we really didn't want to, but we have to (and in fact have been encouraged to do so by many of you). Warnings will be issued and we're working with a 3 strikes rule, with the final judgment being banning of shoutbox privileges. Anything beyond that could include being banned from the site. None of us like being that mean, so don't make us do it!

A Shout Box Disclaimer: The comments stated by members within the shout box do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Nine Lives administration. If you have an issue with something that someone has said in the shout box or even a member in general, PM an admin. We are not omniscient, you guys. We can’t address issues if we don’t know about them.

It also needs to be said that all issues/complaints made to an admin will be dealt with privately. If we issue warnings to a member, it will be privately, one on one between that member and an admin. We will keep track of these items and work accordingly, but we’re not going to air things like that out for the whole site to see.  Just because you don’t see us address something with a news item doesn’t mean we haven’t taken care of it. There is so much that happens behind the scenes of Nine Lives every day – 99.9% of it is good, but if you saw the state of FM’s inbox, you’d faint.

Your admins are Fairies Masquerade, Ikkleosu and subversivegrrl. For short, you can call us FM, Ikkles and subs. We’re all pretty open minded people. We may not always agree with your complaint, but we can promise that we will listen and will discuss any issue brought to us with the upmost sincerity and concern.

Last, but certainly not least, THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to send us your feedback, not just on the shout box, but for the site itself. Many of you took us up on the chance to offer suggestions and ideas. We listened and we are working out the best ways to implement several of your ideas into Nine Lives in the coming weeks. Stay tuned, because we’re working on some very exciting stuff thanks to you!

Thank you for being here, thank you for loving Nine Lives and making it what it is today.

Sincerely,

FM, Ikkles & subs

We had such a wonderful response to our Anniversary Challenge - 12 entries! Here is the Master List of all the entries submitted:

• She was the Fire Haitus80   


• The Watch  Stephtron312


• Moment  Lena Carr   


• Keeping Time  Lena Carr


• Measuring Time: New Anniversary TheWalkingCaryl   


• Pink Balloon sweettooth7   


• Home Lamport


• Their Forever  UncagedMuse


• Thanks, Thor (McReedus) Darluvscaryl   


• A Bike, A Rose, A Tomb and A Hug Darluvscaryl 


• This Lonely Georgia Night (McReedus) indigo_bunting   


• Rain Dance - vickih

Thanks so much to all of the participating authors - now, go read, read!

(Authors whose auto-validation was turned off in anticipation of submission for the challenge should have it back on again later today - if the next time you submit something it doesn't go thru, that's probably because we missed turning you back on. Just holler for one of the admins and we'll get it fixed.)

Hey, hey party animals! To celebrate the first year of Nine Live's existence, the girls and I decided to throw a little FANFIC CHALLENGE at y'all. 

This one is open to Caryl and McReedus stories alike! The theme of the challenge: Anniversary. The trick with anniversaries is that they can be joyful or angsty. There is always something remembered, which gives you a wide open field to play with.

Here are the challenge details:

• THE PROMPT: Your entry must revolve around the theme Anniversary. It can be Caryl or McReedus, happy, sad, ridiculously silly or horribly angst-ridden. Rock on with it, peeps.

• It must be at least 100 words.

• THE DEADLINE: All entries are due on February 6, 10pm MST. Everything will be posted on February 7.

• THE RULES: Here is how you enter the challenge:

• Send a PM to Fairies Masquerade, Ikkleosu or subversivegrrl stating that you’re going to enter the challenge. This is very important! If we don’t get a PM, you won’t be on the list. 

• Write your fic!!

• DO NOT UPLOAD IT YET!! Wait until February 6 to upload your fic – we will be suspending automatic validation for that day for all authors who enter the challenge.

• Submission Day is February 6 post your fic. It will not appear on the website, but will enter our validation queue. Make sure you submit it under the Nine Lives Challenge category!

• Posting Day is February 7 – We will post the Master List and post all of the challenge entries so everything shows up at once. That way, we’re all surprised by what we get to read! Any challenge fics that are posted before February 7 will be deleted.

That's it, my friends! Drop a comment or PM us if you have any questions. Happy writing!

Hi everyone! Subversivegrrl, Ikkleosu and I have ben very busy fine tuning things behind the scenes of Nine Lives. While we have some seriously fun things headed your way (just wait for Saturday - it's gonna be awesome!), we have a major housekeeping note you all need to be aware of.

We are changing the Nine Lives story ratings. The ratings as they stand currently are G, PG, PG13, R, NC17, Adult Only and RPF (Real Person Fanfiction). We're making major changes to our ratings lineup, in many ways to simplify the classification system but also to avoid issues with the MPAA, which is targeting fanfiction websites for using their ratings system. (*sigh*) As of today, the new rating system will be the following:

• G (General): No curse words, sex, descriptive violence, etc.


• T (Teen): Maybe a little violence, a swear word or two. 


• M (Mature): Violence, language, some gore, sex (but not a specific play-by-play of the sex itself, just allusions to the act)


• E (Explicit): Anything goes, with as much description as you want. Not for the faint of heart.


• The RPF ratings (for you McReedus writers) will follow this same system, except now, you'll see G-RPF, T-RPF, M-RPF and E-RPF in the ratings list. 

I'll be making these changes over the course of the next hour or so. Most stories should switch to their new rating automatically. HOWEVER, the big exception is going to be the McReedus stories. Since we're adding entirely new ratings to the system, we're going to have to go through and update each McReedus story individually. Sorry guys! There really wasn't a way around that.

Authors (Caryl and McReedus alike), if you want to lend us a helping hand and double check the ratings on your own stories once the new system kicks in, that would be awesome! EDIT: I can't believe I forgot this! The Adult Only rating is being deleted entirely. We will also have to change all of those stories manually, unless authors change their own works to the new rating system first. Thank you!

I hope all of this makes sense! Please PM me or leave a comment here if you have any questions. Thanks and Caryl on! Stay tuned for fun news coming in the next few days.

-FM

EDITED TO ADD BY IKKLEOSU: Authors, if your story was previously in the ADULT ONLY category, it is now likely in the M category. It would be very helpful if you could have a reread/check and see if you think it would be moved into the E category. PM an Admin if you need help moving, or deciding. THANK YOU! - ikkleosu

Hello everyone and happy 2015!

We are off to a great year already here on Nine Lives and I'll be sharing a lot of great bits of information in a few days as we approach our first anniversary. To kick off the new year, though, it's time we congratulate our newest Members of the Month: rhinozilla and vickih!

Before we do that though, we want to throw out an additional thank you to untapdtreasure for creating the custom Nine Lives Member of the Month banners and taking the time to customize them every month for our new winners. You're awesome!

Rhinozilla: Author of the Month

What draws you to the Caryl ship?
In a word: chemistry. MMB and NR have amazing onscreen chemistry. Carol and Daryl share a lot of characteristics (strength, empathy, vulnerability, etc), but those qualities manifest in each of them in such different ways. Combined with the actors’ chemistry, that kind of camaraderie and recognition of what the other has endured just drew me in immediately. They are a pairing that simply isn’t depicted in most media, and their bond has come to a place that transcends the sexual and physical aspects of a relationship. There’s so much that’s communicated in even their shortest scenes, in glances, in expressions, in gestures, without them ever having to say a word. I love that balance and understanding that they have.

Who are your writing influences?
I am influenced a lot by the writing of movie and television scripts, and actually it’s more the execution by the actors that really gets to me. I get drawn in to the minutiae of the writing, the individual mannerisms and quirks of the actors that bleed through into the characters’ behavior and line deliveries. Eloquent, dramatic writing doesn’t get me as much as the halting, stuttered, fumbling way that realistic dialogue between people tends to happen. Little details are what lock me into reading a story, so I like to incorporate as much of it as possible in my writing.

In that way, I’m influenced a lot by MMB and NR themselves and what they bring to the table as far as nonverbal acting. I try to put those unique movements, tics, and gestures into words in my stories with Carol and Daryl, to flesh them out and create an image as much as possible. As far as other writers, I’m influenced by Ted Dekker, Frank Peretti, Dan Brown, and Edgar Wright, among many others.

How do you handle writer’s block?
It depends on how stuck I am. If the words just aren’t flowing, but I know WHAT I want to write, usually I listen to music that has the vibe that I want to write. I have a very visual imagination, so listening to certain kinds of music helps conjure up some images of scenes that I want to write. If I want to write but have no idea what to write and no prompts or anything to go off of, I watch a movie that fits the genre or the mood that I’m wanting to write.

With the series of prompts that I’ve been receiving, my tactic against writer’s block is to focus on a visual image of what I want to write, and then work backwards to formulate how to make that image happen in the fic, devising the plot last.

As frustrating as writer’s block can be, sometimes I just have to step away and wait for it to pass, because once it breaks, it can be frantic to keep up with the ideas that follow.

Anything you want to say to your readers? ;)
Thank you for joining me on this wild ride, for reading my stuff, for giving feedback, for joking around, and for being you. Your enthusiasm is contagious and always spurs me out of my funk when I’m down. First and foremost, I love writing to make people happy, to provide escape or entertainment or distraction, for you all as well as myself. To get feedback from you, to know that you guys are engaging and enjoying my work, it puts me over the moon. It really does.

The Caryl Family is full of so many talented and amazing people. You are all awesome, and I hope the new year brings you all of the happy things.

vickih: Reviewer of the Month

What draws you to the Caryl ship?
The things that draw me to Caryl are the uniquness of them. They aren't the sterotypical couple. They have both been through so much in their lives, things that would have broken pretty much anyone else, yet they keep on going. There is a simplicity and beauty to their interactions. with very few words, they can share so much with each other. To me they are soul mates and they are beautiful to watch.

What do you look for in a story to keep reading?
I like well developed characters, coheasive story telling, plot points that flow and are not just tossed out there for drama. I LOVE a strong (and not crying all the time) Carol. I will say there are a few things that I will stop reading a story for and if anyone is interested pm me.

What are your top five favorite stories?
"Three Little Birds" By Fairies Masqurade. Actually anything by Fairies is golden in my book. "Fighting back" by Haitus80 - strong Carol, good story and plot and Merle being Merle. what more could a reader ask for? "Man of Honor, Woman of Worth" by SepticLoveBite. "Contrapposto" by darylsdiva1 is amazing. "Reckoning" by Three Little Kittens and "At the Mercy of the Muse" by Ramblin Rose are two more. To be honest, if I follow/favorite you, you are on my top 5 list, just depends on the mood I'm in.

Anything you want to say to all the Caryl authors out there?
Write what feels right for you, never force it, dont' try to write for the reader as much as write for yourself. As a voracious reader I can tell when when a writer tries to write what they think a reader wants to read instead of what comes natural. Not comfortable writing smut? Don't write it. Love angst? Write angst. The best advice I can give is if you like what you have written as a writer, chances are your readers will like it as well. Oh and update your stories! ( JK... but not really... sure I am)

---

That's it for now, folks! Congrats again to our new Members of the Month. To all of our Nine Lives family, thank you for making us great. Stay tuned for some seriously cool stuff and things headed your way! ;)

Caryl on!

Hello to all of our members, old and new alike! It has been such a wonderful things to see the Nine Lives family grow as it has. We're not even a year old yet and we've come farther already than we ever envisioned possible. Thank you to our fantastic authors, our reviewers and readers for doing your part every day in making this place great!

Over the past few days there have been some changes behind the scenes of Nine Lives. I am very pleased to welcome Ikkleosu and subvsersivegrrl to the Nine Lives administration team! Both of them are incredibly talented writers and passionate members of the fandom. I have no doubt that they will help move Nine Lives into the next phase of being the true landmark home of Caryl and McReedus fans. Welcome to the madhouse, ladies!

Peta2 (now known as Ravenesque) is taking a step back from the active admin team. She is still listed as an admin and will serve as our continued liason to our host site, Elysian Fields, until further notice.

Nine Lives is Megan's brainchild, an effort to foster community within the fandom and provide a safe haven for all Caryl shippers to enjoy quality fanfiction in peace. This site would not exist without Megan and she will always be an intergral part of the Nine Lives family. 

If anyone has any questions, please PM me. Thank you everyone and Caryl on!

-FM

The masses have spoken and it is time to shine the brightest of spotlights on our December Members of the Month: bonnyblonde and equuleus86! Congratulations, ladies!

bonnyblonde: Author of the Month

What draws you to the good ship Caryl?
More than anything, I have to credit the two actors responsible for bringing Carol and Daryl to life. Melissa and Norman have this amazing, almost palpable connection when they're on screen together, and that's what has forged the Caryl bond. The characters are connected on so many levels, from past tragedy and hardship to a powerful will to survive and thrive. Neither character would be who they are without the other - Daryl may have physically saved Carol's life on more than one occasion, but I truly believe Daryl would have succumbed to despair or anger without Carol there to smooth over his rough edges, and so she's saved his life in return.

Who are your writing influences?
I read a lot of different books - paranormal romance, mysteries, espionage, horror - and although what I write is focused on the relationships and the romantic aspects of the Caryl relationship, what I want more than anything is to tell a compelling story. Writing love scenes is one thing, but putting them in the context of a larger, more complicated plotline is what I strive to achieve. To that end, I am highly influenced by writers like Jeaffrey Deaver, Robert Ludlum, JR Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Katie MacAlister...there are too many to even list!

I also want to thank some of my Caryl friends - Pixie Grunger, Faeries Masquerade, Liddy, Cheerful B, Jen Melton, Vicki H, MaryBeth - for influencing me with the positive vibes, for picking me up when my feels have sufffered and for all the fabulous prompts. They are DEFINITELY strong influences on my writing as well.

How do you handle writers block?
I give myself and my characters time to sort things out. Sometimes the writing flows and it's all you can do to keep up with a story, and sometimes it takes a while for the characters to let you know where they're going next. And more often than not, when the block is broken, Daryl and Carol like to hijack my plot and take in in directions I never intended when I first started the story!

Anything you want to say to your readers?
I want to say thank you - for supporting me when I took my stories in unconventional directions, for patiently waiting for me to post even if it takes weeks or months for an update, for their unbridled enthusiasm for the pairing. Most of all, I want to thank those who choose to post reviews. As I know I've said in the past, writing fic and putting it out for the world to judge is a very risky venture, and the ultimate payback for any author is feedback. It's what feeds our excitement about writing, it's what prompts writers to turn those niggling ideas into stories that engage and entertain. There are so many amazing writers at Nine Lives, many of whom are far more talented than I am, and I am thrilled to be part of the community!

equuleus86: Reviewer of the Month

What draws you to the Caryl ship?
What draws me to the Caryl ship has to be the fact they have both been the underdogs from the beginning, and to see how far they've come by nurturing each other in the unique way they do just warms my heart. I think the fact Daryl was a bad boy but has this warmth that's slowly shone through, coupled with Carol who was the opposite, cowering in another mans shadow, and together they've evolved becoming stronger through each other. They understand each other and have let each other in and to me that's beautiful and why I can't see either of them with anyone else.

What do you look for in a story to keep reading?
For a story to really grab me it has to be true to the characters. I do enjoy a bit of cheese but not to the point I'm cringing! I also think less is more re conversation at intimate moments. There are certain things I can't see characters saying and it makes it less believable to me. I do love angst also (as you probably guessed if you've read any of my stuff!) And anything I can have a good cry at happy or sad makes a story all the more enjoyable. 

What are your top five favorite stories?
Oooh now that's a tough one... The Long Road Home by Tinkerbell99 left me an absolute mess, it's just beautiful and the smut made me cry for about 10 mins straight. Mad City by Fairies Masquerade is another one of my faves. Just so cleverly written and made my heart clench it's just gorgeous. Blown Chances and Old Regrets by Peta2 of course because it's a gorgeous slow burn and I love the suspense of will they-won't they. Not strictly Caryl (McReedus - can I have it??) but The Surrogate by Liveinadive is defo up there, just such a beautifully written story and never done making me cry. And of course last but certainly not least is Damaged by Kaoscraze82. I know it might be biased coz she's my buddy, but this story kicked me right in the feels. There are looooads of others I could name but these are the ones that stand out for me.

Anything you want to say to all the Caryl authors out there?
Keep Caryling on and thank you for giving us beautiful, amazing things we would never get in the show. And to all you closet writers who think you're not good enough or are afraid to let anyone see your work... I was one too! I love reading everyone's work so be brave and just throw something out there - you never know where it's going to lead!

Hello Caryl fans and our Nine Lives family! Tonight's episode of The Walking Dead is 'Consumed', an hour that promises to revolve solely around our favorite characters - Daryl Dixon and Carol Peletier. In honor of this special "bottle" episode, I'm going to talk a little about The CarylBYOB Charity Drive, an event that has been slowly building over the last couple of weeks.

The CarylBYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle) was created specifically for tonight's episode to honor both the awesomeness that is Caryl and in particular, the amazing character of Carol Peletier. A lot of people have indicated they would be purchasing something to help celebrate and get them through the bottle episode - whether it be a bottle of wine, a large pizza, a tub of ice-cream, a box of chocolates - or even a box of tissues. All we ask is that everyone donate the amount they would have spent on their items to the CarylBYOB.

100% of the money raised for the CarylBYOB will go to the Cherokee Family Violence Center, a shelter for victims of domestic violence located in Canton, GA. 

HOW TO DONATE

There are lots of ways to donate and raise awareness for the drive today:

• Go to the CarylBYOB tumblr page and click on the donate button on the left sidebar. Donations will be accepted through November 30.


• You can go to Ikklesou's "Alone in Atlanta" Red Bubble Store, purchase an item and 100% of the proceeds will go towards the CarylBYOB fundraiser! (This is good through November 30!)


• You can participate in the CarylBYOB Fanfic Challenge, which is open through 5pm EST on November 17. As a bonus, by entering the fanfiction challenge you have a change to win a Carol or Daryl Funko Pop figure! The winner will be announced on November 17. The Fanfic contest is now closed for submissions. The winner of the Funk Pops is Bottles and Bruises by our very own sweettooth7! Congratulations!

To help spread the word, we have asked that tumblr and Twitter users alike reblog or tweet from the CarylBYOB accounts. 

CarylBYOB.tumblr.com

CarylBYOB Twitter (@CarylBYOB) 

We all love Carol and Daryl, and Caryl, for various reasons. Carol Peletier speaks to me on a deeply personal level and as a result, this charity drive is very near and dear to my heart. Even if you do nothing more than read this post, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

So spread the word and lets get ready for tonight's sure to be epic episode of The Walking Dead! Stay safe, my lovelies, and Caryl on!

-FM

Happy Halloween to our Nine Lives family! We had a fantasic turn out for our Secrets & Signs Challenge, so without further ado, here is the master list of all the challenge fics:

• Strength In Our Silence by DaisyG80


• Rotten by lovesdaryl


• Safe by Blue Moons and Pink Suns


• Stitches by strychnine (**link updated**)


• Ya' Can Tell Me Anythin' by faegal04


• Reading a Map by UncagedMuse


• The Line Begins to Blur by jen131


• Decoder Ring Not Required by subversivegrrl


• So He Kissed Her by Haitus80

Thank you to everyone who participated in our latest challenge! To the whole of our Nine Lives family: happy reading!

Hello to our awesome Nine Lives family and to Carylers and McReedus fans, one and all! We had another great turnout for our 5th and final challenge of the Summer Survival Series. This one centered around music and how it moved the Caryl/McReedus vibes of our souls (check the original post for the music playlist).

Without any further adeiu, here is the Master List from the talented group of challenge participants!

CARYL

• With or Without You by lovesdaryl


• Make Us Alright by sweettooth7


• Angel by Equuleus86


• Nothing Left to Lose by untapdtreasure

MCREEDUS

• All You Ask Of Me by applexofmyeye


• Fight or Flight by liveinadive


• Something by liveinadive


• Happy by liveinadive

We hope you guys have enjoyed our Summer Survival Series. We've had a lot of fun putting it together for you and with the premiere of Season 5 just days away now, we're looking forward to seeing what new challenges are inspired by the new episodes.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our inagural challenge series! To everyone else, happy reading! Caryl on!