Our Hearts Are Broken

Pick Me Up had a new post this evening!  And dear sadriani noted at the beginning of the post there were only two more updates left!  The wailing, I'm sure, could be heard down the street.

Of course, that wailing, while certainly the wailing of a woman who would miss this story terribly, could also be construed as a cry of longing and joy, were I holding in my hot little hands a copy of The National Inquisition in which was... but I can't give away the plot!  It's way too good!

And Caroline!  I wonder if it was Dr. de Bourgh who caused her fingernails to be stubby?

Pick Me Up (posted at AHA) is rated MA for a reason, so please read responsibly.  If you are of age to read smut online, it's quite a laugh.

My Philosophy

This month's poll question is quite popular.  Already, at 8 days in, we have had 34 votes!  Our last two polls have only garnered 52 and 54 votes, respectively, at the end of their time.  Wow!  I had no idea I had opened such debate with my question of Colin or Matthew.  

On the other hand, I should have known!

I Am Quite Enraptured!

For those of you keeping track, I have over the weekend completed my third move in 12 weeks.  I do sincerely hope and believe this will be the last move for a while.  And the best part of it is I have internet less than 48 hours after completing the move!  No piles of email to sort through! And more importantly, less time without my beloved fan fiction.

I was quite pleased to see new posts to The Suitors, Single Again.... and Pick Me Up.  I was absolutely thrilled to see that LE has not abandoned No More Tears during her stint with the KPB.  I shivered with anticipation at the twist Chance Encounters took, and I laughed at our favorite toady, Mr. Collins, in Sirius' Intentions.

Such delight!  There is nothing in the world to compare to it!

Formally Introduced

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, DJClawson had announced the title of the next story in her excellent series that began with A Bit of Advice. The Chrysanthemum and the Rose is being posted right now on Fanfiction.net.

As the title suggests to those who know something about Japanese history, this story is taking us to Japan, as also happened in Left To Follow. And if we are going to Japan, that can only mean samurai are not far behind! As I indicated in my previous post, this is good news to me!

If you are not up on the entire series, I suggest you look them up on either Fanfiction.net, HG, or AHA. They are also posted on her website here. Each of her stories are incredible- go check them out!

Friendship

I have had difficulty all day in believing it to be Thursday. It cannot truly be Thursday without a post from Shelby and an update of Half Such A Sum. But alas, she is taking the week off from posting, and I have resigned myself to my fate with as good a grace as possible.

This is made easier, of course, when there are excellent posts to other stories, which is certainly the case today. An Engaging Friendship by AmyJ is just such a story. The parallel story to her Paths of Men, Friendship is telling the story of Elizabeth and Darcy's engagement that is only a minor subplot in the former. Today we finally had Elizabeth's answer to the proposal. Of course, we all know what that answer will be, but the details are always welcome! And now to London- in which Elizabeth will do a lot of shopping and try to avoid feeling affection for her betrothed.

An Engaging Friendship is posted on AHA.

Have You Heard??

Kudos to Kate, who today posted the first chapter of a new story entitled Pride and Education on DWG this evening. Already I am fascinated. Lydia, while still a bit silly, is showing sense!!

Of course, that might be due to Kate's creation of a Mrs. Carlisle, the governess Mrs. Bennet never engaged in the original story, and quite a formidable woman, if the first chapter's description is to be believed.

I am intrigued, and looking forward to the next chapter!

And so would Anne...

I really must mention LE's wonderful A Mother's Favorite Wish before I head to bed tonight.

This KPB has turned into one heck of a ride- from the prologue (as I told LE in chat- I nearly had a coronary when that chapter was over!) to the latest chapter, in which Mr. and Mrs. Darcy get some answers for Mrs. Bennet's strange behavior.

I cannot believe she thought this little bunny shouldn't have come into the world! Of course it should have! It's a fabulous bunny, and it deserves the day in the sun it is receiving!

A Mother's Favorite Wish is rated PG and posted at DWG, HG, and AI.

Elegant Females

Each week I love seeing a new post of Single Until... This last week's posts even combined one of my other passions- shoes!!!

“Think of it this way,” Jane sighed. “Here you are with a perfectly good man that you trust, who wants to be with you. There are so many men out there that aren’t worth your time. Why would you risk the chance of having to wear Candies if you know you can have a pair of Christian Louboutin’s?”

“Is it really that black and white? Isn’t it possible that those Christian Louboutin’s just aren’t my style and that I might find some perfect Manolo’s if I keep looking?”

Well said!

Right after I read this, I had to go check out Manolo the Shoeblogger's page to see if he had updated with a new article on shoes. In fact, I saw a gorgeous pair of Louboutins.... but I digress.

I am so in love with this is a witty fic, which not only feeds my JA addiction, but also reminds me to feed my inner fashionista.

Single Until... is posted on AHA.

Such Felicity!

Day 5 of the Sick Spell, and I am most displeased with my inability to shake this stuff. It is at times like these I wish Lady Catherine would miraculously appear to scold me into health with her numerous admonitions. Which reminds me....

I quite enjoyed What REALLY Happened at Rosings, posted on DWG by SandyL. A little short story about what actually happened when Elizabeth dined at Rosings Park, in which we learn of some scandalous, gratuitous touching that occurred under the table, when through happenstance Elizabeth is confronted with Darcy's muscular, stocking-clad leg.


Unfortunately, I could not allow myself to laugh for fear of a coughing fit.

Making Your Opinion Known

It would appear I am not the only person who appreciates Becoming Jane! 28 people out of 52 voted in favor of the recent fictionalized account of Jane's early years. Thanks to everyone who voted!

The Gallery

I have had a head cold and throat croup for a couple of days now (gah! I can't sing! It's making me nuts!), and have been feeling particularly blue because of it. I was therefore happy to have some cheer thrown my way in the form of David, posted on AHA and HG. Happiness (in the form of a good short love story) is always helpful when recovering from a...well, whatever this is.

This is a delightful story about a Bennet family vacation to Florence, home of the Uffizi, the Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio, and Michelangelo's David. During a tour of the museum in which the David is held, Elizabeth finds... um, well, inspiration.

I was in need of a charming bit of romantic fluff today- after my experience watching Sweeney Todd (two of my favorite Broadway tunes have been ruined now!) and catching this cold over the weekend, David hit the spot and has restored my faith in humanity, which was sorely tested by the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Thank you Gabrielle!

A Bit of Fish

Or Fudge, as the case may be.

Today, Mortie posted chapters 6-8 of her hilarious red-neck-esque Fudge on DWG, in which Davlin Fredricks meets Elise at a (very small) resort where she happens to work in northern Michigan. Not only does Elise make a questionable first impression, but it turns out Davlin is majorly OCD, and therefore makes an impression of his own. I think I can safely tell you it isn't good; that shouldn't give away too much plot!

This story has several clever lines, with my favorite being a quote from Labyrinth, which had me laughing my head off: "Fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave!" I'll leave you to find out how it fits into the story!

Fudge is posted on DWG and HG.

Jane! Jane!

There are only 3 days left to vote in our poll- so please, let me know what you thought of Becoming Jane!

I Long for a Ball!

As I have not taken the opportunity to beg some of our esteemed authors recently, I felt it incumbent upon myself to do so today. There are several stories I would love to see continued, and several I have dearly missed in the past few weeks.

While I could put in another plea for GSTQ, or Savage, or any number of stories that have not posted in several weeks, I will instead join my voice with those wishing for another chapter of An Unexpected Song, Rika's awesome adaptation of Pride and Prejudice posted at HG and her own website on darcymania.

If you haven't read AUS, be prepared to be sucked in from the very beginning. I read it over the course of two days (my very first fan fiction marathon reading!) in 2005, and have anxiously followed every chapter since. Of particular interest to me is the music, as I am a vocalist myself and enjoy listening to the songs she posts as part of the storyline.

The premise? Elizabeth is a young vocalist who meets famed pianist William Darcy at the wedding rehearsal for Jane and Charles' wedding.

Rika, I must add my voice to the hue and cry that I am sure is hounding you day and night right now. We all look forward to the day you can post again!

An Unexpected Song has both adult and underage versions posted here. It can also be found at HG.

The Best Informed Mind

This afternoon I had the great pleasure to read both Missing in Action and Tactics and Punishment, by Katharina at DWG. It became very clear to me that while the Colonel might have had the better informed mind (in Elizabeth's opinion) at their introduction, some things do not age well.

The Colonel...er, General's mind seems to be slipping a bit, particularly in light of his attentions to his cousin Anne. Still, there is hope he might redeem himself. I can only hope Katharina will be persuaded to write us of his improvement.

I want to go to Brighton!

Or Boston, such as it is.

I have the sad office of announcing today that Game Seven, the charming P&P story that put Elizabeth, Darcy, and professional baseball in Nampa, ID (where I happen to reside), has been completed. It was a wild and woolly ride, especially that trip I took trying to locate Mansfield Park. Gabbi, if you are reading this, I'd really like to know where the park is located- I want to get tickets for the next time the Yankees and the White Sox are in town!

Darn it, I still can't find it! But at least I can go back and read this story in its entirety now, and dream of the day.

Good work Gabbi! Game Seven is rated MA and posted on AHA and HG.

Busy Nothings

The title for this post is very appropriate, as it is a quote from Mansfield Park, upon which there was posted a charming two-shot on AHA.

Two Innocents/Thornton Lacey are two Mansfield Park shorts that give us Edmund's point of view upon the occasion of his marriage with Fanny, and then, three years later, his frustration with her absence to visit her family in Portsmouth. This is a charming set of vignettes; in fact, they almost put me in good humor with Edmund- a character that I loathe in the original because of his hypocrisy.

Posted by LeonaW, the vignettes are rated T. If you like Mansfield Park, you will certainly like these. I recommend them!

Delightful!

I just clicked 'refresh' for the third time since turning on my computer 30 minutes ago, and guess what I found on AHA? A new post of Pick Me Up!

After nearly laughing my head off at last week's chapter (the part with Richard cussing out Darcy via a television camera was particularly amusing) I was anxious to see what might happen to our intrepid couple as they dealt with an orgy on Darcy's front lawn and the repercussions of having it splashed all over the evening news. I was not disappointed. My favorite part? The Caroline Bingley/Hannibal Lecter comparison. How appropriate!

This is rated NC-17/MA, and is therefore not for young readers, but anyone else should so check it out. Be sure not to drink while reading.

Such a favorite!

Only last month I was lamenting the loss of Angel of the Centerfold and Crescent City. Now I find I have new reasons to rejoice every week; I have a new favorite!

In a marathon read that took most of Friday evening and yesterday evening (after I got back from a long day) I have caught up with Bekah's wonderful story Of Time Gone By. This is an exciting take on the Pride and Prejudice story line- as it portrays the sweetest, yet most flawed Darcy I have ever had the pleasure of reading. After a brief flashback, the story opens in a traditional manner- the Netherfield party arriving at the Assembly ball, accompanied by Georgiana Darcy, and without Mr. Darcy. Her brother is a recluse; his behavior stemming from a disability he acquired during a childhood bout with brain fever, a disability neither understood nor tolerated in the early nineteenth century.

And so the story continues; as Elizabeth befriends both sister and brother, and learns to love him despite her first bad impression. Beautifully written, I could not stop myself even at one in the morning, from trying to read just one more chapter. I found the characters crawl under my skin and come to life in my imagination- I can almost hear Mr. Darcy and see Georgiana's expressions as she tries to explain his behavior and shield him from further notice. As I read the last chapter, I was sad to have finally come to the end of what was written, and anxious for the next post!

Bekah, you have written a lovely, elegant story, and I look forward to your next chapter.

Of Time Gone By is posted at DWG and 50 Miles.

Such Felicity!

There are stories out there of such imagination one cannot help but be drawn in from the first paragraph. I spent a large part of my spare time today engrossed in one of those stories.

Following in the magical footsteps of Disenchanted, A Touch of Night by Sarah Hoyt and Sophie takes superstition and magical creatures and puts them directly into the paths of our favorite characters. A Pride and Prejudice retelling, the story begins with Elizabeth, in high dudgeon, informing Jane that Netherfield Park has been let at last. The two sisters cannot rejoice in this, because there is a terrible secret at Longbourn, and they two must keep it from being revealed.

The story weaves comedy and drama together brilliantly, and left me chuckling and gasping out loud by turns. All of the funniest scenes involve Mr. Collins, who has been ascribed a clever and highly plausible excuse for his dim-wittedness (ook ook!) and there are some truly awe-inspiring scenes involving Darcy and Elizabeth.

The final chapter was recently posted at DWG, and I highly recommend it. Prepare to be enchanted!

Who said...

I have decided to start a new posting here at EA, which I hope will provide some felicity to my readers, and give myself a good reason to read more fan fiction- if that is possible. So, here is the inaugural posting of Who Said... in which I ask my intrepid readers to identify the speaker (if appropriate) and name of the story from which a quote is taken.

This week's quote: But Acceptance is not the brother of Bias--

So, my dear readers, where did this come from? Please leave your guesses in the comments!

New Gowns

I really hate missing Wednesdays on AHA! There were a bunch of posts on some great stories yesterday. Unfortunately, I was at work, and then had my time appropriated by my parents, and was unable to read them until this morning. Such a terrible situation to be in, because I hate missing posts. After all, the earlier I can read my favorites, the longer I can be in agony waiting for the next one!

I have enjoyed A Better Man (posted at AHA) very much. Told entirely from Elizabeth's point of view, this story wonders what might have happened had Elizabeth been unable to take the tolerant view of her family she did in the book. I have often wondered myself how she could, which is a large reason why I find this story so fascinating. The new post today shed even greater light on these feelings, and I do wish I could read another post tomorrow!

CaseyC's sublimely funny Single Until... posted a new chapter yesterday. Elizabeth has now recovered from her little gaffe, and is trying valiantly to move on. But of course, we know THAT doesn't work!

Fate and Freewill is getting under my skin- I'm steeling myself for some very sad chapters to come and yet wondering how Lizzy's secret is going to bring her closer to Darcy. So far Darcy has been Darcy, and Elizabeth cannot believe he was so nice to her, but we know what is running through Darcy's head, do we not? And that little subplot is one element that makes this story so intriguing. Better go read it; you won't be disappointed.

I am hopeful next week I will not be on a forced-fast. Two Wednesdays in a row would send me to my chambers with smelling salts. Instead, I plan to be hitting the refresh button on my favorite sites all day long!

The Day of the Ball

There had been some rumblings in the comments thread that Lydia's muse would not allow her to continue Peach and Berry. Fortunately, while I was at work yesterday and unable to either read or post, she was able to post the next chapter in this hysterical story!

Quite a few twists of plot occurred in this post. Mr. Peach and Miss Berry appear to have met each other by accidental design. A very good thing, since we know who was awaiting each had they actually met the person they were intended to meet!

I cannot wait for the next chapter. This is going to be one wild ride. Lydia, please post soon!

Peach and Berry is posted at AHA.

Carried away by my feelings

I get the feeling Darcy, Bingley, and Fitzwilliam might feel a bit carried away right now, whether or not it's by their feelings is up for debate, but if you've read Pick Me Up (MA/NC-17 at AHA) you know the "carried away" part is definitely true.

This fic has caused me many laugh-out-loud moments, including in today's post, when television cameras show up... but I don't want to give anything away. You might want to go read it. I guarantee it's worth it, just for the rush of endorphins you get when Caroline... but again, I don't want to give anything away.

Go check it out. I haven't laughed so hard since....well, since Jareth, king of the goblins, had a trainee pro-wrestling team show up in the Labyrinth. Seriously!

High Diversion

Two posts have succeeded in highly diverting me this morning. I thought I'd pass them on.

I've been extolling the virtues of End of Innocence, and today I have yet another example of the droll wit this fic exudes. In today's post.... but perhaps I will let it speak for itself:

"After sleeping my entire life with my hands neatly above the covers, Mr Wentworth, I have discovered that ladies prefer warm hands and if one cannot escape marrying one in the near future, one had best try and change one's habits well in advance."

The character speaking is referring to sleeping with his hands underneath him, so he will not be tempted to touch the lady sleeping next to him before they are married. The entire post had me laughing out loud. I love this story!

The second, Life Changes, took quite a turn on Elizabeth's initial introduction to Hunsford. Elizabeth decided that, instead of preserving the distinction of rank, she should put on her best gowns, following Mr. Collins' orders a bit too precisely. Hilarity ensues, as a mischievous devil appears to take over Elizabeth causing her to play Lady Catherine for the fool she is, including passing off a Mozart sonata as a piece from Beethoven. My particular favorite is this exchange:

"You must practice more, Miss Bennet," Lady Catherine admonished her, "and concentrate on your fingering."

"Indeed, I should, Lady Catherine. No matter how hard I try, my Beethoven always comes out sounding like Mozart."

Is there any felicity in the world compared to this?

End of Innocence is posted at DWG, and Life Changes is at HG.

The Newest Fashion

Here's a little night-time recommendation for you- just in case you have insomnia and need something with which to pass the time.

CaseyC has posted a new fic, entitled Single Until... This modern is a take on fan-girls everywhere, and the celebrities who disillusion them. It reminded me of my fan-girl days, when I thought Russell Crowe was the sweetest thing on two legs. Ah, the joys of our modern media age...sigh.

But I digress.

I particularly liked the scene when Elizabeth, a reporter, has just finished interviewing Darcy, hot celebrity sexpot, and is in the middle of telling Charlotte how sexy and hot he is when she sees him standing in close proximity, and obviously able to hear every word she says. It's like that naked underwear dream all over again.

I loved it.

Single Until... is posted at AHA.

Incidentally, if you want to read more of Casey's writing, she is reposted her story Portrait of a Summer at 50 Miles. Another excellent read!

How Shocking!

I must admit to some dereliction of duty. I had not yet read Elenita's An Affair in Three Simple Lessons (rated NC-17 and posted on HG). As mentioned earlier, I am an Angst Weenie, and therefore tend to stay away from stories with that label. However, I took my courage in hand today and clicked on Affair. I had to scroll around a lot to pick it up, because for whatever reason the link took me to the end of the story, but I did get the majority of the plot. I must say, I am very impressed.

Everything is sharper in Affair- Darcy is sexier, Elizabeth is livelier, Lady Catherine is regaler ("more regal" doesn't sound right!), and Mr. Collins is toadier. And poor Colonel Fitzwilliam! To have such an interruption at such a time... well, we already knew Mrs. Bennet was capable of interrupting at any time, but I would have thought she knew enough to stay away from a bridal chamber. Did I mention Mrs. Bennet is sillier?

And big kudos to Elenita's little crossover with Jane Eyre- for those of you who have not had the pleasure, St. John Rivers is a main player in the later plot of the aforementioned novel, and I thought his inclusion here to be very clever- imagine Mr. Collins in the role of missionary! That got me laughing, anyway, as I am very familiar with Mr. Rivers' thoughts on that matter.

Elenita, I can safely say I will not miss another post! I only hope there isn't too much angst left- I've had far too many headaches already this month.

Returning to Meryton

I was really excited to see that DWG has come back up! I missed you!

For those of you not aware of Derbyshire Writer's Guild, they are located at austen.com, and include posting boards for family-friendly stories. Evidently, they are experiencing technical difficulties that could take a couple of days to work out. Hopefully it won't take too long to get everything back up and running.

I think it is a good time to thank all the admins, techies, and other powers-that-be who oversee our favorite sites and their story boards. I, for one, would be lost without my fan fiction, and I appreciate all the hard work you put into these sites to keep them up and running for the rest of us.

Thank you!!

A Dearest Friend

I do so love Necessity is the Mother of Invention! Written by Kathy and posted at HG, this story has Elizabeth and Darcy striking up a friendship while Elizabeth is staying at Netherfield- a friendship begun under the most unusual circumstances! What would you say if I told you Darcy and Elizabeth loved a good wager?

Before you answer that, go read Necessity.

This is a charming story, and I can't get enough of it. I know you just posted today, Kathy, but surely you could post again tomorrow, right??

A New Acquaintance

I love it when a story is posted based on some of Ms. Austen's other works.

Today I have a new reason to be excited. Simple Gifts, rated R/MA, posted its first chapters on AHA and HG. This is a modern retelling of Sense and Sensibility, set in California, and jumps headlong into the story with Brandon's ward moving home from school due to her pregnancy. The journey in this story will, I think, prove to be the best part.

Carol, thank you so much for giving some variety to our boards!

A Fond Farewell

The Only Way, rated MA and written by Aleksandra, was completed this evening on AHA. This story focuses on what might have happened had Mr. Bennet unexpectedly died while Elizabeth was at Hunsford, just after Darcy proposed to Elizabeth.

Aleksandra, congratulations on a job well done!

New Lace

It was announced last week on AHA that the boards would be getting a bit of a remodeling, to allow them to integrate into the concept of meryton.com and the merging of Austen Interlude and AHA. To this end, names were changed, and things were moved around a bit. To be honest, I didn't notice- something seemed a bit strange, but then again, I am a bit strange, so I didn't pay any attention to it at first. But when I realized things were different, I had to laugh at myself for dismissing it in the first place. I can be very slow when I'm focused on one thing.

A big Thank You! goes out to the moderators, admins, and other powers-that-be at AHA: the little touch-ups are wonderful!

Doubly Blessed

Connie has posted this adorable link on AHA- and I want to share it!

I am a huge Harry Potter fan, and I found this Pride and Prejudice trailer combined with Harry Potter clips very funny! And from there I surfed to a Harry Potter American Idol clip that had Voldemort singing "I Feel Pretty". I got a good laugh out of it.

Anyway...Check Harry Potter Pride and Prejudice out here.

Departed for the Country

It was with a sad heart I read the last posts to BelenP's excellent Eye of the Storm. As I mentioned in an earlier post, Belen has created terrifying story of betrayal and murder, and one of the most evil characters I have ever read in a JAFF story. Two in fact, as the true murderer is more sinister that Lady Catherine's cruel potrayal, as she covers herself in innocence.

It would appear, at least to my attentive eyes, that there is the possibility of a sequel. Or perhaps an epilogue's epilogue. The rather ominous ending hinted at dangers for our favorite Master of Pemberley. Could there be a bit more coming? I certainly hope so!

So Friendly and Obliging!

I am at last caught up (for the most part) with reading the posts made over the last several days whilst I was in moving-hell. And once again the writers have blessed us all with several additions and new offerings to pass the time.

Two on HG caught my eye today- the first being Family Ties, by kll, rated NC17, and Life Changes, rated PG-13 and written by tobylachat.

I had begun reading Family Ties earlier in my JAFF life, but for the life of me could not place the story, so I went back to the beginning and reread the whole thing last night. It contains quite an interesting plot; Darcy and Evil Darcy meet up in a parallel, bizarro universe! Well, OK, that might be an exaggeration, but really, kll's Lord Ashton is bizarro, Evil Darcy. He really was creeping me out, and that honor is reserved for only the very bad villains in JAFF; Lord Craigmore in Half Such a Sum, Lady Catherine from BelenP's Eye of the Storm, and the serial killer Lord Carrington from Lucrezia's Judge of Their Characters series. Add to this the cliffhanger we were left on, and you can understand my desire for a new post. Now.

On a lighter note, Life Changes is chronicling the various life changes of Elizabeth, Darcy, Bingley, and Jane as they wind their way toward meeting. Following a slightly different tack than the original plot line, Bingley comes to Hertfordshire after Mary marries Mr. Collins and while Elizabeth is depressed just before her departure to visit her sister in Hunsford. This is a sensitive look at the different characters' feelings on the paths they wish their lives to take.

It is good to have enough order in my space that I can read such engaging stories. Authors, do, please continue soon!

At last...

I have once again spent the week packing, moving, and unpacking. For those of you keeping track, that's two moves in 10 weeks. Way too many moves.

Today, for the first time, I have been able to get back online! And I find a smorgasborg of stories have been updated! Hmmm....what shall I read first?

Actually, I've read a bunch of updates, and this evening I will have much to comment about!