Brighid: Untitled

I just watched the show for the first time tonight and... yeah. This
is it. Right here. What I was feeling after watching *that* scene.

Okay, well, my thoughts were pornier, but *these* fit in the show.
Mm.

Alva. Yourloveissoreligiouslyfuckedup!

 Calico: Sway

I tried reading this a couple of times actually, and broke off dissatisfied every time.
Too smutty. Too casual. Vic's too subby. Too... something.

But, you know, here I am all insomnia-girl and in need of porn, and I've grown to
love Calico's work recently, so I decided to give it another try.

And... wow.

Plot. Beautiful characterization. And a hot, sharp twist that you don't *really*
feel until the end, when it's much too late. Damn. *Damn*.

Give it a read, and keep reading. Calico really hits her stride with this one,
and it's not like good OaT-fic is falling from the *sky*.

 Alyx Dellamonica: Nevada

Here's an old-fashioned story about two spinster sisters in the
desert, and the traveling man who knows more than he's telling.
Heard this one already, you say?

No fucking way, I say.

Dellamonica takes this half-forgotten little sub-genre and turns
it on his head. Betrayal, magic, and the kind of darkness you can
only find in that white hot desert sunshine. I read this story
months ago and I can't shake it at all.

Haunting, and, of course, expertly written. Go out, broaden your
horizons.

 Jane St Clair: Raw

Okay, so I've only ever seen the movie (and I was
drunk at the time. And, okay, stoned, too. And I'm not
sure where I actually was. And... yes, well), but you
know what? I don't care.

This was a hot, ruthless look at the way these guys
work and don't work together. Lovely, sad, and as
mercilessly atmospheric as I've come to expect from
Jane.

Read.

 Jo and Christy: "Forty Six and Two" (vid)

This link goes to the Media Cannibals lj. This vid is on tape five, like
so many other great vids.

Now, I had a weird reaction to this vid. I mean, it's technically near-
perfect, and it really does do what it's supposed to do -- present
Beecher and his relationship to/with/at Keller in an interesting and
cogent light.

Also, you really don't get better than Tool for Oz vids. You just don't.
And yet... well, man, this is my *song*. This is *my* song, and and...
they used it wrong!

See, it would've been a perfect choice to explore Beecher's relationship
to himself in the context of Oswald penitentiary, with several clips
of B/K thrown in to illustrate that aspect of his life.

However, it's fairly clear that Beecher's 'shadow' in this vid is Keller,
as opposed to himself. And... man, that's *wrong*.

But you know, I'm fairly sure that most people are saner than I am about
music, and I think this would work for those hypothetical sane people.

*

Gemma Files: Two Lions

Say it with me: I can't believe I haven't recced this one before. I mean, *yeah*, it's
a Schillinger story, but it's also Adebisi slash. Like, the rarest of the bloody *rare*,
people!

And, since *I'm* reccing it, y'all know it's *good* Adebisi slash. In *character* with
both the men themselves and the cold, dirty, nasty world they inhabit. Or the red-raw
*hot* one... depending on one's point of view. This story has been a favorite of mine
for quite some time, and it's well worth a read for anyone who's a fan of the show.
Hell, for anyone who's ever sat around and pondered a seemingly impossible
pairing.

Say *this* with me, folks: a good writer can do anything.

*
Debchan: Sweetness

Really, it was almost too easy. He had his own seduction as a template.
Nobody knew better than he that while a whipped dog would bite when
cornered, if you stroked him and spoke gently, he'd creep closer and
let you pet him, would practically beg you to touch him. Strike that. Keller
knew. He'd seen where Vern had been blind. The cruelest blow was
always from the hand that you expected to stroke you.

~

This story... God. One of Deb's best, and -- say it with me, folks -- I can't
believe I hadn't already recced it. Just a complete and total mindfuck,
well and truly worthy of Fontana's prison masterpiece. Beecher during
Operation Andy, she says. Brilliant, I say. God, from the first word to the
last you'll be pulled along and helpless, biting your fingers and squirming
and hoping it won't *really* happen and knowing it will anyway.
And the last line will still punch you in the gut.

*
Mairead Triste: Vigilius

Another story I forgot to rec way back when. Alvarez was one of my favorite
characters on Oz, back when I still watched. Such a relentlessly *active* set
of contradictions. Beautiful and vicious and violent and desperate and hungry
and, yes, saintly.

In his way.

So much desire, encapsulated here with words and images, fleeting visions
trapped in letters. Prison. Mmm. Mairead needs to come back and write
more.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Preview of the Curse of the Stupid Fanfiction

*choke* Dear *God* this was funny. Just... gaaah.

*

Cavalorn: Harlots and Bones

The *hell*? I mean, I haven't even seen this movie, but this kicked
more ass than even a gay pornographer could imagine.

Yeek!

 Cesare: Hazel's Mailbox
<wiping tears away>
Just go look.
<cackling>

 Oh, and Debba. My Debba. Sweet Debba who makes the words skip
and dance and jump and frolick --
Um. I'm tired. Look, she's an awesome writer and she took this
movie and squeezed some *damned* hot slash out of it. Casual and
deadly, sweet and scary. Sexy as all hell, baby, and one of my
favorite sub-sub-sub-genres: the descent into undercover. Rrrr.
"Becoming."
 
 

 Gemma Files: Get In The Pit And Try To Love Someone

Yeah, I fucking loathe WiPs.

Yeah, I rant and froth about them all the time.

But then, I *also* never say never, and frankly? Some writers are just too
good to wait for. Gemma's return to the world of fan fiction is just such an
occasion.

God... where to even begin?

Well, first and foremost -- even though this is an WiP, this section can,
indeed, stand alone. So those of you with the same allergy I have can feel
free to read without going insane.

And the story itself... well, it's just fucking *cool*.

Gemma, like Debchan, like the Spike, like Speranza and a very select
other few, has never flinched from just digging right into the psyches of the
most fucked up characters out there and serving it all right up to her
readers. The bitter with the sweet, yo.

The blood with the chocolate.

Right from word go we're in Mackie's head, and we're not getting out until
Gemma *lets* us out. As you might guess, it's one *fucked* up place to be,
but oh, man, so *compelling*.

God. I refuse to spoil a single thing. Just read. No, I don't care that you
haven't seen the show. Even *that's* not really necessary.

Read, read, read.

 Debchan: Triptych

Really, I wish she hadn't put any warnings on this, but then, I like to
be shocked. And this *was* shocking, but only in the way it seemed
so...

Well, if not right, then simply inevitable. As if this was a scene that
simply hadn't been filmed.

Certainly, it tied season one together for *me*.

*

Debchan: "The Other Side" (vid)

Well, you know, I watch *all* of Deb's vids over and over again, but this
is a special case. Well, okay, so they're all special cases... look, shut up.
This is an awesome, beautiful, *wonderful* vid, and I've seen... what?
Three episodes of this show? Total?

God, great song choice, great editing, and the *emotion*... *sigh* It's
one of those rare vids that send me hunting down the song to download.
Because now it means more.

And so does the show.

God, I love vids.

God, I love Deb.

 The Spike: Inside Her

It's been said before, and I'll say it again -- the Spike can spin gold
from straw.

This is just... creepy, sexy, and fucking *awesome*. Pure fan fic, well,
gold.

Who cares what the movie tried to poison your brain with, y'all? This
is the real deal. And it's dirty, and it's raw, and it'll stay with you long
after the actual movie is gone from your brain... as opposed to just
the theaters.

Dammit, I wanted to see the red panties!

*
Bas: In the Bedroom

Heh. Nothing like watching a fratboy suffer. Bas puts her inherent evil
to good use in this short, and yea, verily, the genders were truly
fucked.

Heh. Heh heh. Heh.

 Lynn: "In Your Eyes" (vid)

The link takes you to the e-mail address for JKL.

This is the single best pimp vid I've ever seen.

Let me explain. In going over the various vid genres in my head, I've
assigned categories that may seem arbitrary to anyone but me. But,
this one at least is fairly intuitive... I think. *g*

Basically, what I call "pimp vids" are those vids less concerned with
telling one specific story about a character or group of characters,
than with presenting a fandom/part of a fandom in its best possible
light.

Pimp vids are those vids that make you wander around cons with a
desperate look on your face until someone takes pity on you and
promises to send you a crate-ful of tapes.

This vid is a masterwork of the genre. Not only do I want to spend
days on end watching Stargate every time I watch it, I *completely
forget* that I *have* seen the show, and find it deadly boring.

But dude... wow. I mean, this vid makes the show's actual credits look
lackluster and unprofessional. This vid makes me want to shout out
loud. This vid... wow.

About the only thing I would have changed about the vid was to make
it even more gen than it already is (it's on the lean side of the slash
continuum), but I understand that this quality actually improves the vid
for some people. As always, YMMV.

Still... if you haven't seen this vid yet? Hie thee to vidder and do so now.

*
Anna: The Other Half

All hail! All rejoice! All shaketh thy Groove Thangs! Anna has come to
save SG-1 slash from itself, and it's about fucking time. The Other Half
uses one of the usual tropes of SG-1 fic, but uses it to its full potential.
Everyone's in character, the tension is all *right there*, and she gives us
a Jack that's not afraid to be his asshole self. Clever, sexy, funny, and
satisfying.

 Jungle Kitty: Kirk and Spock Go Ice Fishing or If My Aunt From Minnesota Wrote Fanfic

Oh. My. God.

Livia found this one for me and...

Oh. My. God. Just... this could very well be the wrongest thing EVER:

Well, yumpin' yiminy, it starts to rain, of all things! So they grab all the food their
mothers packed for them and high-tail it into a cave. Seems like things couldn't
get much worse, but just as Jimmy's cuttin' into the sour cream coffee cake,
doncha know Spock comes down with the pon farr.

Well, for gosh sakes! This place is more deserted than the Elks Club on Sunday
mornin' and there's not a young lady in sight, let alone a pretty blonde one from a
nice family so you could settle down and start givin' your mother some
grandchildren. But Spock's turnin' greener than the sprinkles on the Christmas
cookies.

"Spock, are ya feelin' urpy?"

~

*SNORK*

 torch: "Too Dear For My Possessing"

The very first piece of fan fiction I ever read, upon surfing
my way, all unawares, into R'rain's old Trekslash archive.
A good, old-fashioned romance in which love is gained, ridiculously
hot sex is had, misunderstandings occur, the course of true love
blah blah blah, and oh, the delicious, sweet, wonderful *love*.
The schmoop, glory be, and while I'm more jaded now than I was then,
I still get all warm inside when I think of this bit of loveliness.
And not just for the pudding, either.

 torch and Lilith Sedai: The Dark Path

OK, so I've wanted this since I was a friggin' *toddler* and fell in love
with Leia right beside Luke. OK, so maybe I didn't want it *this* way
back then, but Grown Woman Te is just a little bit different from Wee Te.
For one, *I* don't wear the dresses, my bitches do.

Oh, wait, sorry. I'll admit it, I've been spending way too much time at
Nifty lately and it's... changing me. Shaping me to it's badly written
will.

Porno for all!!!!

But where was I? This story.... It's sick, and it's wrong, and it's still
somehow *them*. Beautiful and dark and achingly hot. A little trip
through the looking glass  at the other sides of love, need, and obsession.
We couldn't have finer tour guides than these two wonderful ladies.
They say the larger story doesn't exist yet.

I say the operative word is *yet*.

Merripestin: Recrudesce

Yes. This is what happened. NOT Black House. *This* happened,
and thank GOD for Merripestin for telling it. God, just beautiful,
because that kind of love *is* magic, flaring and fading and never --
quite -- dying all the way.

Beautiful.

*sniffle*

 LaT: Dirge

Yet *another* I-can't-believe-I-haven't-recced-this-yet story. LaT steps in where
no slasher has stepped before (though Lord only knows why NOT) and seeks
to explain some of what was going *on* between Parker and Paul in Urban
Legend.

Because, you know... click, spark, BOOM.

But since this is LaT, it's not *just* meaningless slash, it's also a wonderfully
astute exploration of grief. Have a quote:

Paul turned slowly in place. The most unsettling thing was how the room
seemed to be waiting for Parker to come back, the alarm clock flashing from
the brief power outage the night of the storm, a magazine open on one of the
chairs, the CD player still on. Paul was sure it hadn't been touched since the
night of the party, and it felt as though Parker would walk in at any moment.
His circuit of the room ended with Paul facing the bed. The covers were
pushed down, all the pillows pushed to one side. Memory – with a clarity that
felt new – allowed Paul to imagine Parker there, kicking the blanket aside,
stretching long limbs, moving slowly into an arch and it had been so easy to
reach out and –

Paul shook himself once, dragged himself back to the present. Wrong.
Wrong to be here in a dead man's room acting like he owned it, wrong to
be remembering what it felt to be tangled with that man when he was alive,
sweating and naked, far too hot and just drunk enough, and Paul had to look
away from the bed because it suddenly felt too much like an invitation.
Too late, though, because memory unfolded itself, settled around him, and the
only thing Paul could do was close his eyes and lean in.

It had started like every other argument between them started, with Parker
getting some fact or another wrong – who the hell confuses the Druids with
the Saxons, anyway – and they'd ended up here, Paul at the computer,
fingers a little slower than usual at the keys, Parker behind him, his presence
at Paul's back a warmth that was almost solid. Something Paul could have
touched if he wanted to.

"Have you even come close to paying attention in the what, four times
you've taken this class?" Paul had been giddy that night with something he
recognized now as anticipation. He'd never been sure if Parker had
known or just taken a lucky guess.

"That's so funny I'm bound to start laughing any minute now." Parker's
voice was low, words the tiniest bit slurred. He'd moved in so close that
his mouth was right next to Paul's ear, the vibration ticklish enough to
make Paul tilt his head.

"It's hardly my fault you missed it that they're different cultures, Parker."

"Yeah, but it is your fault you're a prick."

He could feel Parker's smile against his skin.

"The curse of the truth-teller is to be forever thought both unpleasant
and mad," Paul had said, his fingers going still over the keys. It was his
father's sole bit of commentary when Paul had announced his intention
to become a journalist.

"Paul – " Parker … nuzzled him then, soft, wet mouth against the
small knob of bone behind Paul's ear. "I bet you'd be more pleasant if
we could get you laid." One long hand slid between Paul's legs, cupping
his cock through his jeans just … so.

~

Funny and sad and hot and real. No one ever grieves the way they
think they should.

 No, it's not favoritism, because The Spike is *awesome*.
Basically Deb and I were discussing aging British queens and
how we love them, when I remembered "He Shall From Time
to Time."

West Wing slash featuring Leo McGarry and Lord John
Marbury and before you go running... stop. Picture them in your
head. The knowledge in their eyes, the hard-won character
stamped on their faces, those well-used hands, that greying
hair and OK, fine. So I have a thing for older men and women.
*Sue* me.

This story is great beyond the sex. Fine characterization, so
even someone who doesn't really watch the show can *know*
these two, and be glad for them. With them.

Debchan: Harry Potter and the Improbable Use of Chaos Theory

Oh my GOD, this is funny. I don't want to quote, because every
joke has its own beautiful set-up and my GOD I love it when
Deb does humor.

No, you don't need to know Discworld to appreciate it, but if
you do, you have NO BUSINESS not reading it.

Extra points for getting *SPOILER* laid. :D :D :D

*

Diana Williams: "Respect" (vid)

Ahahahahaa! I just got to see this the other day, and it *rocks*. It's
funny, it's cute, it's slashy... As Ces said, the vid really makes it
clear that our guys are really bitchy *queens*.

But it also works on the pure comedy level, and that's what I love
it for. Not *perfectly* neat, but still deeply enjoyable.

*

Basingstoke: Waters of Life and Death

Man, I was craving this story from the *minute* Bas told me about
it. Highlander. X-Files. History. Religion. Gods and monsters and
*god* this was good.

Reads more like a short story on steroids than a novella, but you
know? Watch me love it just the same.

There are a million great lines, and nearly all of them suffer without
context, so I'm not quoting. What I *will* say is that it all hangs
together wonderfully, universes meshing cleanly, with neither
sympathy nor excess explanation.

Really, just fabulous for me on any number of levels, and the codas
just make it better. Richer.

Methos is, of course, the story behind the story, and Bas proves
conclusively that he's a man, just a man, who has lived and loved
and *survived*. If not always wisely, then at least well.

Though I do think my fave is 1996.

*

Lemon Lashes: The AU Alphabet

Technically, it's a work in progress, but it really doesn't read that way.

Lemon is taking characters from many, many fandoms and going
cheerfully, maniacally AU with them in countless little snippets that
bend the mind and whet the appetite.

If you have anything like a taste for AU? Give this a read.

*

Illuferret: And thus those garments are cleansed

ooooh.

This was *nicely* creepy. Yeah, yeah, we've already seen Lionel-
really-is-Satan, but this one? Is different.

Explores the concept in a way I haven't seen before. And, well,
does it in a clear, concise, yet still poetic way. Yum.

*

Livia Penn: Tangerine Fairchild's License to Kill

This made me laugh so hard I started making *hooting* noises.
Have a couple of quotes:

Tangerine had been under deep cover, pretending to be the fashion
model she surely could have legitimately become, and Jim had been
running surveillance on a Russian embassy building. The attraction
had been instantaneous, animalistic. The sex had been passionate, and
sweaty. And also wild. Not to mention torrid. And always heightened
by the thrill of danger.

and

Ron leaned over, cupping his hand over his mouth as if to muffle a
yawn, and murmured, "How do you think she does that?"

"Do what?" Harry whispered back.

"Use semi-colons when she talks out loud." Ron replied, quietly awed.

"I don't know," said Harry, then glanced down at his book, sudden joy
rising within him. Ron was *speaking* to him again!

Instantly he decided that he liked Professor Fairchild better than
any Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher they'd ever had.

~

Why are you still *here*?

*
Wax Jism: Whatever (Firing Pin)

Yet another I-can't-believe-I-hadn't-recced-this-yet story.
In this one, Wax proves, without a doubt, without a question, that a good
writer can make *any* crossover work -- no matter how shallow and
bizarre it seems on the surface.

This story was at turns funny, blisteringly sexy, and warmly touching -- and
it's guaranteed to stay with you for a good long while. Read and love.

*

torch: Something Wicked

A true classic crossover, of the type that proves that the genre need not be made
up of awkward info-dumps and careless clashes of universe and style that make
the writers seem like nothing more than witless children with much abused Barbie
dolls.

Two men meet at something as close to neutral ground as either of them are ever
likely to get, and find they can provide what the other needs.

No matter how much it aches.

Absolutely gorgeous.

*

Viridian: Understanding

It would completely ruin it to tell you the fandoms involved here, so I won't. V
weaves a tale here both funny and fascinating, sad and sweet and strange,
as befits its central character. Answers a few questions about immortality
and fate, all without beating the reader over the head with it.

Very neatly done.

*
Ecolea: Changing of the Guard

This was a fascinating and fun HL/SG-1 crossover that I just adored. It's
gen, but I get the feeling you'll be slashing it in your head. I know *I* was.
Carter was a little darker than I like, but then I've barely seen SG-1, so she
could be quite right. Readable without knowing much Highlander. Fun!
But not humor. <g>

Only caveat? The ending was a little too... *too* for me, though the
problem for me was in the plot of it, not the execution.

*
Rossi: Revolving Karma

Sandman/X-Men and... warmly odd. Just a little time with Death. A little
rest before the wheel turns again. Little lovely tale, with a shy resonance
you'll remember.

*

Hth: Witness

A Buffyverse/Dark Angel crossover that just makes sense. Who
will Faith be in 2019? What will the world be? This story takes
a long, vividly detailed look at things and lays it all out.
Beautifully. Dystopic futures and redemption, and it's all just
exactly as it should be, and, damn, I don't know how to describe it
without making it sound like a million other stories. Just trust
me, it is wholly *itself*, unique and somewhat visionary. What it
means to be a Slayer.

Damn.

Jacquez: Einstein's Folly

A scream-worthy tour through the fandoms, and the fandoms'
pain. ahahaha.

*

The Inappropriate Elf Challenge

Really, Ces is, like, the challenge GODDESS. Less than a week on lj and
she gets the whole journaling world to write fic about... *elves*.
Dude.

Just go to this page. You *will* hurt yourself laughing.

Especially recommended (keeping in mind I haven't finished reading): The Spike's
"West Wood," torch's corruption of Jeeves and Wooster, burning lilac's Law and Order
piece, and, of course, the horrific atrocity that started it all, Ces' Ballad of D'jo D'yk.
Live in fear.

*
Mooncalf:Every Fanfic Ever Written

Yeah, everyone is reccing it.

There's a reason. *g*

NO ONE gets out alive.

*wince*

And yet? HA:

THE AU, PART 2

CHARACTER: ... this isn't an AU, I'm just ridiculously OOC.

OTHER CHARACTER: I think that's thanks to the freakishly modern-day setting.

CHARACTER: ... someone, help, I'm having an identity crisis!

OTHER CHARACTER: Jeans! I'm wearing jeans!

*
101 Ways To End Up In A Canadian Shack

So you say you don't have anything to read.

So you say you wish people would be a little more daring in terms of the
fandoms they write in.

So you say you've got some time on your hands.

Well, babies, have I got a treat for *you*. In case you aren't on any of the
9,000,000 lists we spammed with the original announcement, the above is
a project of epic proportions.

Thirty authors.

Sixty-two fandoms.

102 -- don't look for consistency here. Just don't. -- tales of the funny, the
angsty, the abstract, the gory, the smutty, the scary, and the downright
*cosmic*. Yeah, fine, so I wrote six of them -- but there's ninety-six that
I *didn't* write, so I feel perfectly fine about reccing them here. God, I can't
even *begin* to gush properly.

Livia's Harley/Ivy.

torch's Hellboy/Lindsey.

Yahtzee's Lorne/Hedwig.

Bas' Lex/Scott Evil.

Speranza's *SPOILER* QAF.

Jessica's *finale*!!! EEE!!!

Look, I could go on for about eight *years* here. But I won't. Because I've
got other shit to do.

Go. Read. Marvel.

And send feedback!

*
Aaaaaand, the divine Laura Shapiro, remember her? She's the one
who has made gorgeous covers for a *number* of people but
does not have a page for them. Makes me want to throttle her.
Dammit, live by *my* convenience, woman!

Here's the tour:

[Editor's Note: Ignore the URLs. ;-) Laura's glorious Covers
Gallery can now be found here.]

First up, a couple of Fraser/Vecchio's on previously mentioned
Dawn Pares' site:

http://adult.dencity.com/SkaLab/hat.jpg

Note the lovely, warm due-sy colors, perfectly matching the story
itself.

And this one for "In Your Corner":
http://adult.dencity.com/SkaLab/corner.jpg
God, intense cover for intense story. This one is guaranteed to stay
with you.

Lessee, where else? I'm doing these from memory, so, I may
forget a couple.

Oh! Yayy! "Plush Things You Hold" is one of a number of fun, sexy,
angsty stories based on Pike and Benny, from the original Buffy
the Vampire Slayer movie. This cover is just... mrrr.

http://www.mrks.org/~viridian/pike_and_benny_cover.htm

Covers au go go! Laura did 6 -- the 6th will be up soon -- covers for
"Cicatrix," the Buffy novel I wrote with Debchan and The Spike:
http://home.dencity.com/webrain/cica/Covers.html

Careful! Each cover has a slight visual spoiler. We *love* Laura. We
*worship* Laura. My favorite is the fifth for what, to some, will be
obvious reasons. <g>

And OK, my *favorite* favorite, and not just because it was the first
one she did for me, and I didn't even have to ask, and I love her. Laura
has singlehandedly turned me into a lover of fan art, creating such
digital masterpieces, effortlessly juxtaposing formerly separate themes
and characters... it's fiction in and of itself, and especially wonderful
in Buffy fandom, where unconventionality is the frabulous rule.

So anyway:

http://teland.com/postgrad-cover.jpg

Her cover for my Post-Grad novels. Can you say guh?