Hi, my name is Draven Valentine and you might recognise me from stories such as...

I've been posting here on fictionpress.com since I was 15 years old (does anyone remember 2003?), and I hope to post here until I am so old I can no longer type properly.

I'd like to think my writing changes as I change, and grows as I grow. I've been five foot 1 for about two years.

Music is an integral part of everything I do, everything I am and everything I will post here. Say it with me: MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE SAVED MY LIFE!

In all honesty, I was going through a tough time as a writer and as a person, before I met the lovely Ms DBA Valentine and it was My Chemical Romance that got me through it. I'm currently studying for a degree in Journalism and Creative Writing and it's because of My Chemical Romance, as well as all the other bands I listen to. The bands who have influenced my past and present work are:

My Chemical Romance, Linkin Park, Nirvana, AFI, Dashboard Confessional, Bright Eyes, Duran Duran, Tears for Fears, Joy Division, Echo and The Bunnymen, INXS, The Cure, Placebo, Good Charlotte, Billy Talent, Head Automatica, Hanson, The Backstreet Boys, Madina Lake, Saosin, Taking Back Sunday, The Rasmus, Sign, Kill Hannah etc etc.

I'm also very influenced by books and films. I have been nurturing a love of indie cinema in the past few years. My favourite director is Gus Van Sant, although I have equal love for the work of Tim Burton, Richard Kelly, John Cameron Mitchell and Peter Jackson.

In terms of novels, my taste is not so far removed from the mainstream as many people like to pretend. Harry Potter, Lord of The Rings, Catcher In The Rye (it really is a life changer), anything by Anne Rice, Iain Banks' "Espedair Street" - all are fantastic reads, regardless of how many copies they sell. I've also developed a love for modernist texts such as Endgame by Samuel Beckett, Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. Late Romanticism is the way to a girl's heart - Lord Byron especially. Like any Scottish kid, it's all about Irvine Welsh with me.

I love getting reviews, and if you ever have a question about my work please feel free to e-mail me at anavrin_is_love@ or feel free to drop me a message at myspace, my link is up there somewhere. I have also started to post the start of my first full length novel at my writing journal at el-jay. You can find my writing journal here:

http:///

My friends always have, and always will, play a big part in what I do here. Without their support, I certainly would not have the guts to post on the internet, nevermind on a site like fictionpress. Most of my "friends" come and go, but there have been a few who have stuck by me for a good few years now. As far as company and inspiration goes, I couldn't really ask for better.

My goal in life, apart from being a successful writer (haha), is to work as a music journalist. Thanks to an amazing editor, I've taken the first steps to making that dream come true. All my works of journalism, including all my reviews and articles can be found at the world's best up and coming webzine, Front This Scene, which can be found here:

/frontthisscene

Some people have been asking me about the reading order of The Emo Boy Stories - so here it is, in full, as they were written and as they are intended to be read:

1. "Emo Boys Do Cry"
2. "Emo Boy, Still Crying"
3. "Story of an Emo Rockstar"
4. "A Fallen Angel, A Human Being, A Junky Boy" - this is a spin-off from the original series.
5. "The Emo Boy and His Fallen Angel"
6. "The Emo Boy and His Baby"
7. "The Emo Boy and Redemption"
8. "Back When You Were Frank" - this is a spin-off from the original series.
9. "The Emo Boy and His Big Day"
10. "The Emo Boy and His Curtain Call"
11. "Adam" - this is a spin-off from the original series.
12. "Ashes to Ashes" - this is a spin-off from the original series, and is incomplete.
13. "After Happily Ever After" - this is a spin-off from the original series.
14. "Home Sweet Home" - this is a spin-off from the original series.
15. "The Emo Kid: Matt Harris, the Early Years" - this is incomplete.

The Trainwrecks and Firewater series:

1. Sonny
2. Trainwrecks and Firewater: The Return of Sonny

Then back to The Emo Boy Stories:

16. "Superstar" - this is a spin-off from the original series
17. "Angst and Glitter" - this is a spin-off from the original Trainwrecks and Firewater series
18. "The Emo Boy and His Encore" - this is now complete
19. "Passions" - this is a spin-off from the original series featuring Kian Martoni, and is a work in progress.
20. "Forever Young" - this is the most recent Matt Harris story, and is now complete.
21. "The New Divide" - I have just started writing this story, and hope to have the first chapter up soon.

I list the spin-offs and the Trainwrecks and Firewater stories because they do feature characters from the original series, and often interweave with the events of The Emo Boy Stories - so they're worth a read.

Stats:

Disclaimer: Some of the stories featured on my page do include lyrics from various bands and songs. Whenever these songs are used, the name of the band and song is always included. I have never claimed to own these lyrics in any form, and none of the bands mentioned are connected with me or my work in any way. I just so happen to think they are amazing. I'm too poor to be sued for anything anyway.

Draven Valentine
June 23rd 2009