Monday, March 31, 2008

April Fools!

There has been a bit of silliness posted at HG, under the guise of being Chapter 7 for pianobarb's White Lies and Other Half-Truths. I knew something was up when Captain Enid overheard Darcy's thoughts on educating Elizabeth... if you have read any of Enid's stories, you know exactly where this is headed!

Well, I won't spoil the surprise- you have to go read it for yourself! You can find it here.

And by the way, I vote to have it posted in a separate thread when the real chapter 7 is posted- this is too rich not to be able to read whenever I want!

Saturday, March 29, 2008

A Tour of the Park

Among all the wonderful fan fiction out there, there are a few I should like to point out to your general notice.

Contradictions and Variations, a charming story by Elizabeth (Anghraine), is a retelling of certain parts of the story, with of course the expected outcome. Completed at both AHA and DWG, I found it to be a sweet re-imagining of the latter half of Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship.

End of Innocence, Lise's hysterical revamping of Persuasion, is continuing on DWG. Lise has a gift for droll humor, and End of Innocence is rife with it. I particularly like Mr. Croft, whose abilities to spout off at the most unusual times adds to the charm of this story, the Rev. Mr. Wentworth, who is courting a young lady without being aware that he is actually doing so, and of course, my favorite line- in which Frederick asserts that gravity is a form of birth control. The poor innocent!

Beloved, *the voice*, and White Lies and Other Half-Truths are also continued on AHA and HG, respectively.

Take some time today and see what our talented authors have concocted for our favorite stories!

A Most Amusing Story

I have spent a very charming evening, checking the posts on DWG. To my great pleasure, I have discovered one of the funniest stories it has ever been my pleasure to read!

Have you ever seen the 1945 Pride and Prejudice, with Greer Garson and Lawrence Olivier? At the very end, when Lady Catherine calls at Longbourn to refuse her consent to the marriage of Darcy and Elizabeth, Elizabeth rings for the footman to show her to her room rather than give her the promise she requests. Of course, Lady Catherine does not stay, and the story proceeds (fairly) as it does in the book. Whenever I watch that movie, I always wonder what might have happened had Lady Catherine followed through on her proposal.

Now I know! And I haven't laughed so hard in a very long time!

I Shall Not Go Away, by Sandy L, takes just such a tack from canon. Elizabeth is beset by a stubborn Lady Catherine, and of course, our heroine's courage always arises at such occasions. The hilarity includes Mr. Bingley discovering the events of April, Lady Catherine's sojourn on the couch in the parlor (against Elizabeth's strict orders she be confined to the dining room) and a plot concocted to keep Mrs. Bennet and her nerves safely ensconced in her room, and unable to spread the word of her illustrious guest's arrival.

I Shall Not Go Away is posted in two parts. Please, so see them! You will certainly be entertained!

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Lately, in London

Have you read Peach and Berry yet?

I think you need to. This is a story with no names. Literally. And some quirky details that made me laugh. If I had been reading it while ingesting liquid, I think part of said liquid would have come out my nose when "he" and "she" decided to call each other Peach Pie and Berry Pie, respectively. It reminded me of an old joke my dad used to tell about a restaurant that was out of peach pie.

Well, OK, it wasn't a very funny joke...

Lydia, please, do continue. I am waiting to see what Peach and Berry do next!

Peach and Berry is posted at AHA.

How is Half such a Sum to be repaid?

It being Thursday, Shelby has posted another chapter from Half Such A Sum. While Shelby did drop a pretty heavy hint this story is coming to a conclusion (sniff...sniff) in her Fertilizer thread last week, it was made very apparent to me when I read this post.

It was very happy! In a bizarre, non-Shelby, "let's tie up loose ends so everyone can live Happily Ever After" happy. I half expected her odious Lord Craigmore to be found at Rivenham Hall, plucking daisies, making nice with Arthur and Sophy, and singing a rather off-key rendition of "The Sound of Music" in a clear baritone voice.

I do so hope we get a bit more angst before the story ends. At the very least, let's see our number one JAFF baddie Craigmore get a painful disease that leaves him shriveling away before being forced to walk the plank in shark-infested waters by ravenous pirates. Or...well, you get the idea.

I am of half a mind to go back and do a third marathon read. Just to savor the epic a little longer.


Half is posted at HG. If this is your first experience with Half, be sure to have at least 24 hours to devote to reading. It will take you at least that long to get through it. Believe me, you won't be able to stop.

A New Member of Our Party

There is a delightful new post on AHA! Fate and Freewill was posted yesterday evening by sophierom, and is rated PG. There are a couple of plot twists within the first few paragraphs- both of which are, indeed, very startling, and promise an intriguing bent from the original canon. I would encourage you to check it out!

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Becoming Reacquainted

One of the things I love about new fan fiction sites is the opportunity to catch up on old stories that you might have read elsewhere, but can always peruse again. It also enables me to find a gem I might have missed the first time through. I was reminded of that today, as I have spent a very pleasant few hours reading some older stories that are being reposted at 50 Miles of Good Road.

I have to say I was very impressed with Elsa's You Won't Admit You Love Me. A modern with a very involved plot, and one of the best non-canon villains I have ever read, make this quite a ride from beginning to end. The premise? What if Darcy and Elizabeth were secretly dating when it appeared they were at odds- and what if Darcy had a huge family secret that needed unraveled. You Won't Admit You Love Me is rated R/NC-17 and recently completed at 50 Miles. It can also be found at HG.

The second repost, which I originally read almost two years ago, is The Unexpected Passenger, by Jack C. of Crescent City fame. The Unexpected Passenger is a companion story to Jack C.'s epic The Three Colonels, and is just as spell-binding as T3C. I read both in a couple of days as marathon reads last year, and loved every minute of them- particularly given my fascination with the movie Master And Commander, as Passenger is a crossover between Persuasion, Mansfield Park, and Patrick O'Brien's Master and Commander series. In fact, I picked up a copy of the first book in the series, and I believe I will have to take it up again to reread and get my fix. As I have been rereading Pride and Prejudice (for the....well, I've lost count of how many times I've read it, this is the third copy that I am reducing to smithereens) you can see how compelling this must be for me. The Unexpected Passenger is rated R/NC-17, and is halfway complete at 50 Miles and finished at HG.

Be sure to check them out!

Saturday, March 22, 2008

A New Addition to Our Party

Today, after my knitting group, I pulled up AHA, and what did I find? A very intriguing new story.

*the voice* by Kathy is rated R/NC-17, and has made a very promising beginning. It is not often the supernatural is woven into a plotline, ala The Mark of the Cat, or The Ruby Cross. But when they are, they are sure to garner some attention. From me, at least.

In this fic, Elizabeth is a village "wise woman", taught by her great-grandmother, who has been dead for five years when she comes to tell Elizabeth the man she is to marry is coming. And there is another "wise woman" in this story- though she is not very nice. Three guesses who that could be!


A hint- it is not Jane.

Kathy, this looks exciting- very exciting. Post again soon!

Relieve My Suffering...please!

I haven't done any begging in a while, and a Saturday morning is a good time to remember what I have to beg for. So, without any further ado... I have decided to beg Enid for a new chapter of Any Savage Can Reproduce.

As is the case with most of Enid's works, this is an NC-Infinity-rated work, and is a rollicking good time. Savage is also an interactive story- in which readers get to vote on where they want the story to go next- would we like to see Darcy in boxer, briefs or nothing at all? Ok, maybe not the important plot details Enid wants feedback on, but very important nonetheless.

Enid, please! You left our heroic couple in a very precarious (though pleasurable) position on Planet Hartfield, and I need to know what happens next!

Any Savage Can Reproduce is posted on AHA, HG, and 50 Miles.

Friday, March 21, 2008

A Report of a Most Alarming Nature

According to her comments thread at HG, Shelby says her plot bunnies are...um...diminishing. Half Such a Sum is moving towards a conclusion!

Shelby, say it isn't so! What will I do without Half to make my Thursdays bearable??

A New Addition to Our Party

We have had some new additions to the world of fan fiction in the last few weeks- let me introduce them to you!

White Lies and Other Half Truths, rated R and posted at HG and AHA, is a charming tale of the white lies that are exposed between Elizabeth and Darcy. I've enjoyed the last couple of chapters- particularly the Frigid Witty Bitty Sisterhood. The title says it all.

For the Benefit of Mr. King, rated PG-13 and posted at HG is a clever what-if: what if Mary King had been set upon by Wickham? What if her older brother stepped in to defend her? What would happen if he killed our not-so-favorite Lieutenant, and was forced to face the consequences? My favorite twist in this story is that dear, silly Mary, with her "Jan Brady" complex, is given a prominent role.

A Better Man, rated PG and posted at AHA, tells Elizabeth's attempt to come to grips with her family's faults, and deal with the insights Darcy made her aware of in his letter. I love where this story is taking Elizabeth and her family. Or perhaps just Elizabeth- her family do not change. Yet.

To be honest, I have not yet read The Cumberland Plateau, simply because it is marked HIGH ANGST, and I am a closet member of Angst Weenies Anonymous. Well, I guess I'm not anymore, but that is not to the point. This is posted on both AHA and HG- those of you who are brave enough to foray in to angst, let me know what you think- I will wait until I can read the whole thing. The angst is lessened that way.

And if you are enjoying Paths of Men, be sure to check out the companion story, An Engaging Friendship, posted at AHA, HG, and DWG and rated PG. This story is giving us the scoop on what Lizzy and Darcy are up to- and it makes a perfect addition to understand Paths.

And this update would not be complete without mentioning the latest Baugham adventure, The Hunting Season, rated PG-13 and posted at AHA. I enjoy reading these- they are so clever.

So, until next time, find a piece of Austen fiction and loose yourself in it!

Points of Interest

I am thoroughly enjoying Gabbi's Game Seven, rated R and posted at AHA. As a resident of Nampa, ID, the idea that Nampa has a professional team called the Pugs never fails to elicit a snort of laughter from me.

I am particularly amused by the mention of Elizabeth and Georgie's time spent "seeing the sights" in Nampa. Given Georgie's general fan fiction character as a shopaholic, it is probably a good thing that the only "sights" in Nampa are the new shopping district that went in next to the recently completed interstate interchange (We have 4 exits now! We're moving up in the world!). The Costco , Best Buy and Target located there represent the best shopping in town. I will make no comment on what it was before they came in- let's just say that Boise got a lot of business. Anyway, I'm sure Georgie and Elizabeth had a great time.

Now if only I could find Mansfield Park... I'd like to give that Will Darcy the once-over.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Fond Farewells...

Today, two wonderful stories came to an end.

Jack has completed his epic Crescent City, which is rated R and posted on Fanfiction.net, HG, AHA, and DWG. This was a ride from beginning to end, and truly a masterpiece. It will be sorely missed! Jack, several people have commented on the ambitious scope of this work, and I all of us would agree you have done a masterful job with your subject material. Congratulations on a job very well done!

I was also very saddened to see the end of Amy's Lofty Dreams, posted on darcyfic. This is a fresh retelling that I found very enjoyable. As first-time writer, Amy has written a story to be proud of!

And while we are on the subject...

Yesterday, the last post of And Grace Will Lead Me Home was posted on AHA. I will miss this story very, very much- it made Mondays worth waiting for!


Well, I'm depressed now, all my favorite fics are finishing up!

Friday, March 14, 2008

I have returned!

After WAY too long, my internet hell is finally over! Which is a very good thing, as I don't think my nerves could have stood it much longer!

Did you miss me? I hope so, goodness knows I missed writing and getting my daily fan-fiction fix. It's worse than being a crack addict! It has taken some time, but I've finally (FINALLY!) caught up with what has been written while I was offline. Between The Stripper (now posting on AHA) and My Fine Feathered Friend (a Labyrinth offering on fanfiction.net) I've been very well entertained and my withdrawal symptoms have ceased. After all, who can resist the combined charms of a male stripper Darcy, and Jareth dealing with a cross-dressing goblin, literacy for his subjects, and a chicken of destiny? Alas, I cannot.

But I digress.

So, what has been happening while I was banging my head in frustration and suffering internet withdrawals?

To begin with, Angel of the Centerfold was completed. This is one of the best Jane/Bingley stories written, and I am very sorry to see it go. Rated NC-17, this fic told us what might have happened had Jane and Charles met under more dubious circumstances- like Charles leading a double life as a porn king, and falling for Jane, who has an (almost) identical twin sister, Elizabeth. Predictably, chaos follows. This particular fic was a marathon read for me over the summer; and I have enjoyed every moment. Michelle, you should be congratulated for a job very well done!

Another fic completed just today is DJClawson's If I Loved You Less, which is posted at fanfiction.net. This story is the latest in her epic story of the Darcy/Bingley clan that began with A Bit of Advice. A sweet love story, If I Loved You Less tells of the romance between the Darcy's eldest son and the Bingley's eldest girl. Unfortunately, there is no samurai. Fortunately, based on the author's note in the epilogue, it would appear we might get some samurai action in her next story, which will begin posting the end of March. One can only hope.

And Jen has been continuing with God Save the Queen! Judging from the comments posted on AHA and HG, I am not the only one curious about Ian's past, and wondering how Rafe will react when she marries her darling Fitzwilliam. This is a very clever retelling, part mystery, part sci-fi, part cat-fight, and part female-drooling-excuse. I am particularly looking forward to the kissing lessons, and Fitzwilliam's coming-out ball.

As my opening indicated, I have discovered the delightful new story The Stripper, by Madelyn (starfire), rated NC-17 and posted at AHA. I caught myself laughing hysterically (a strange feeling, since I do not usually 'catch' myself doing so) at the little cliff-hanger she left us on last week- and I was more than happy with her resolution thereof in this week's post.

I have also been following Lofty Dreams, by Amy, posted on the Darcyfic group list. This is a very fresh adaptation that places an African American Lizzy and Darcy in high school, as students in the same scholarship/mentoring program. I have enjoyed every moment- and I am very anxious to see where Amy takes it!

Well, I have to sign off for the moment, but I will be posting again soon. There's so much going on right now, I could write for two days!