desert_vixen's lair

 Allow me to share my most recent gifts!

 Unfortunately I missed the signup for Trick or Treat and so did not participate. 

 For Darkest Night 2017, I got a delightful Wait Till Helen Comes fic: Say, Say, My Playmate Come Out and Play with Me - think of it as something of a prequel to the book.  It fits delightfully, and ends on a perfect note. 

 Heather will be perfect.

 For Crossovering 2017, I got a Murder She Wrote & Nancy Drew crossover story: The Carson Drew Murder Case.  If you like either of these fandoms, it's a must read - and it has some surprise guest stars...

 For Fandom Giftbox 2017, I got a story where Unikitty meets Lex Luthor, The Art of the Deal.  Short and  funny, as well as Butterflies, a BSC going-to-prom story, and a Wonder Woman moment called Have it go along for a while that could fit right in the movie.

 For Alternate Universe Exchange, I got a funny and cracky Jem and the Holograms cartoon story called Talk It Out.  Funny as all get out!

 For GenEx 2017, I got a lovely Hill Street Blues story called Ex, Post Facto, dealing with Frank and Faye.  I also got an absolutely delightful treat called Dear H., in which an anonymous private detective writes an advice column. Guest appearances by other canons!

 For Rare Pair Fest, I got a Diana Prince/Bucky Barnes story, Last Night I Dreamed of Peace.  I'm not down with the tack DC seems to have taken about Diana pining for Steve Trevor for 100 years, and this goes along more with how I see the character.

She laughed like the ripple of the tide against the docksides, and he pleased her both without and with her explicit instruction, and in the morning they parted with only a smile.

 Rare Pair Fest also brought me The Woman Who Fell From the Sky, a He-Man MOTU story of which I need more more more, focused on Marlena and Randor.

For The Exchange at Fic Corner 2017, I got a great story for Are You There God?  It's Me, Margaret, in which Laura Danker takes Margaret to school again, called Beyond the A&P.  Really good, especially for teen girls who could use the lesson.

 Go forth and give them some love!

 Now that authors have been revealed, I can claim my works for My Old Fandom 2016.

 My original assignment resulted in Diplomatic Functions, a ST: TOS story where Kirk thinks he's going to have a quiet evening...

 I also completed 2 pinch hits for this exchange.  The first was A Visit to Rosings Park, an "after-canon" work for Pride and Prejudice that seems to have gone over well, in which the Darcys visit Rosings Park.  The second was Kindness Makes Kind Cats, featuring Pussy Willow and the White Persian Cat from Dodie Smith's 101 Dalmatians, in which the White Persian Cat makes a friend.

My recs:

1. Like Four, Three, Two - Another take on the relationship between the White Persian Cat and Pussy Willow.  The cats are very catlike, excellent story.

2. Perennials - An excellent Secret Garden story, in which Colin has a solution for their problem.  Great story and good use of dialect to enhance, not overpower.

DV

 A few recs from the Final ShipSwap collection!

1. Let The Water Wash You Clean (MCU, Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov) - This one is really good.  A little introspection, because showers are good for that.  The voices of the two characters are SPOT on, and there's even a "Language" moment.

“You know what defines you?”
“The fact that I’m a killer?”
“The fact that you’re not.”
“Rogers, I kill people all the time. You’re with me for most of them.”
“And I’ve never seen you hurt someone who doesn’t deserve it.”

2. Building Blocks (MCU, Steve Rogers/Maria Hill) - This one is funny.  The story is told by notes and text messages (transcribed for ease of reading, with art) and it's really good.

P: So, he’s sending you food, and gifts that are tailored to your likes, but you’re not dating.
M: We are most definitely not dating.
P: Because that sounds like dating to me. Or, at least, the bit that usually happens before dating. Or possibly when he’s been a dick and is trying to apologise.

3. and it all comes back to you (TOS, Spock/Chapel) - Interesting canon-divergent take on this relationship.  It's sort of sad and bittersweet, but I enjoyed it.

4. Unsent Holos (Star Wars, Leia/Han) - Good introspection piece.

5. Reception (Vorkosigan Saga, Duv/Delia) - This one will be of interest to the LMB fans amongst us.  Diplomatic reception!  Dancing!  Plumbing troubles!  Listening devices!  Delia and Duv doing the tango.  Go read it!

 DV

Finally getting around to reading all the stories in the Fandom Stocking collection.

My gift: Aches and Braggs - Baby-Sitters' Club, Sam/Stacey fluff.

My recs:

1.  A Matter of Persuasion - Carmen Sandiego runs into Captain America in a HYDRA dungeon.

Hydra is, on the whole of it, arrogant and messy. They leave their toys lying all over the place, their art and their money, usually in the hands of people with no understanding of what they have.

Carmen can hardly be blamed for helping herself now and then. Which is precisely what she's doing when she discovers Steve Rogers chained in a literal dungeon. There's even a skeleton chained to a far wall and, as she stands there, a rat runs over her shoe.

"Delightful." She kicks it off and then surveys their surroundings.

2. To Boldly Go - an assorted collection of Star Trek ficlets (TOS, TNG, DSN).  A little something for everyone.

3. Zen and the Art of Hair Maintenance - Babylon 5.  Missing scene from "Soul Mates" (i.e. Delenn's bad hair day).

4. Sisterly Love - Baby-Sitters' Club, Claudia and Janine sisterfic.

5. Ante Up - Baby-Sitters' Club, Stacey and older Thomas sibs play poker...

6. Cavorting with the Enemy - Baby-Sitters' Club - Charlie/Janine fic.

My Yuletide story: Not The Only Sleuth (Nancy Drew - Carolyn Keene) - Helen Corning solves a mystery involving Nancy.  If you're a fan of the Mystery at Lilac Inn, you should definitely read this.

A Yuletide treat: Confidential Secretary (Perry Mason books), focused on Della Street.

More recs to follow.

DV

Getting ready to get out of here, although there's a lot of stuff not set in stone yet.  I'm going to try and mail my footlocker Saturday, and then I'll have to mail a smaller box when we get closer.

I've been reading a lot (shocker, I know), especially since Amazon has a Big Deal going until the 11th.  There's been some stuff worth reading in there, including several Perry Mason novels.  Now I want to a) rewatch the show and b) need a Nancy Drew/Perry Mason crossover.  Some of the early ones are definitely pulpy but enjoyable.  Loving the sparks between Perry and Della.

Right now, I'm reading an American Western historical by Carla Kelly, who has written several very good Regencies with people in need of redemption.  This book, Her Hesitant Heart, is just as good if you're a Carla Kelly fan - $1.99 in the Big Deal.

Starting to think about Yuletide (I know, it's only May) and what I want to ask for.  I have my assignment for Night on Fic Mountain that makes me happy, and I have my long ND fanfic to finish.  Finally.  I know.

I think I want to branch out and ask for Twilight Zone - specifically, "The Odyssey of Flight 33".  Trying to buy it from iTunes, but no cooperation from internet here.  I had to pack the disc away.

Oh, and a 10 page paper for my final in class.

Thinking about bookplates for the library.

I found and fixed the error in my checkbook, so that's good.

Just a typical Thursday here.  Fridays are late days for everyone else, so good days for me.  Plenty of peace and quiet to get things accomplished.

DV

So, all the fics that kept me from reading homework last night:

Testing the Waters - If you've ever wondered what conversation was going on in the gallery after Ekaterin accepts Miles' proposal, you should read this story.

"Forever and fiercely, indeed," he muttered under his breath. Cordelia shot him a question with her eyebrow, but he ignored her and spoke to his future daughter-in-law. "I've asked Miles several times to introduce us properly, my dear, but it looks like we'll have to take care of that ourselves. It is a great pleasure to meet you at last."

Barrayaran Etiquette for the Recently Bethrothed - Miles and Ekaterin have a pre-wedding sleepover.  If you liked "Rules of Barrayaran Sex", then you should read this one - also if you enjoy the Lord Peter Wimsey allusions (complete with Pym being very Bunter).

Miles bowed gracefully, took her hand and kissed it, “I hear and obey, my lady.”

I'll Drink to That - Post-Cryoburn and CVA fic about what might happen after Aral's private service.  Sad but not depressing.

Each one of Cordelia's boys was, by luck or design, accompanied by a strong and capable woman, faces all varied shades of feminine beauty. They were the intergalactic daughters she had never dared hope for.

Skeletons in the Closet - A more ambiguous look at how Gregor feels after discovering what happened at Escobar.  This one was interesting...

He hadn’t slept properly for a week afterwards. In the end he had spent his nights locked in the basement of ImpSec headquarters, reading, silently daring Illyan to say one word in protest. Gregor had had enough of being sheltered behind lies and deception. He was no longer a child, and there were things he needed to know. He needed to know exactly what sort of danger he was in. What sort of danger he was.

And the more he searched, the more he discovered gaps in what he found. Things were missing from ImpSec’s records of the war– small things, nothing major, a document here and there. There were a dozen possible explanations Illyan could give, of course. Things did get lost. So much had been damaged in the mess during Vordarian’s pretendership. But Gregor knew that it had been deliberate, and he wondered.

Bubble - An intimate moment between Gregor and Aral at Gregor's engagement celebration.  Vorish amounts of alcohol are involved... You may find that the room you are reading in becomes inexplicably dusty..

But he was the Emperor here tonight; he couldn't not be. Marriage was not a private act when you ruled an empire and everyone had been waiting for you to marry and beget heirs for your entire adult life, sometimes getting rather snippy about it, in a deferential yet exasperated sort of way. Yet -- he smiled to himself -- it wasn't an Emperor who'd tremble his way through the vows, or climb into bed with his wife. His beautiful, bountiful, delightful, desirable wife; his completely-unrelated-to-him, answer-to-all-prayers wife. His, at Midsummer.

"I dare you," Aral whispered fiercely in his ear. "I dare you to stay happy forever."

Ka Mate - If you're in the mood for intricate, family-fic about foster brothers, Aral during the Regency, with very nicely done descriptions, and a fair bit of cultural mixing, and Cordelia being faintly amused at Barrayarans... you should read this one.  Did I mention shirtless in his prime Aral Vorkosigan?  And a few references to the Rules....and a really touchingly well-done family of characters.  The other two in the series, The Vorkosigans at Home, are very good as well.

Cordelia realized then that for all Aral was her gentle yet passionate lover, a devoted, deeply caring father, and a brilliant, shrewd statesman, he was - above all else - an exemplary warrior, born the day his mother was killed in front of him. Brave, fierce, loyal and unyielding in defense of his emperor, his family, and his people, he was highly skilled in many forms of combat with a multitude of weapons - including his own deadly bare hands. He was the quintessential Barrayaran military man - a battle-hardened, physically and emotionally scarred survivor. She experienced a brief moment of panic when Piotr approached him, not sure of the old man's intent and hating to have him destroy the almost magical mood of the evening with some typically petty criticism, although his uncharacteristic mood tonight had been nearly as odd as Aral’s was.

There were a few others, but these were the best.

DV

Just one, because I have to read for class, but I had to share this story.  It is beautiful and incredible and perfect.

One Leg at a Time - Ivan and Aral burn a death offering for Padma, and have the Most Incredible Story.

DV

 So, thinking about taking place in a ficswap about rare ships, and looking through AO3.

 While in there, I found...

Two Tone (Dungeons and Dragons Cartoon) - On how fitting in isn't as simple as getting back... especially if you subscribe to the theory that time passes much slower at "home" than in the Realm.  Sheila-centric.

Promises (DDC) - Trying to get home.

Six by Six (DDC) - An interesting take on coming home.

DV

So, I had a much better Yuletide, writing-wise, than I did in 2012 or 2011.
( 14 stories in 11 fandoms, by yours truly )

So, overall, I wrote 14 stories in 11 fandoms (1 double), in which 5 of them were new fandoms.  Pretty happy with that.

I can't wait for next year!  In the meantime, there are New Year's Resolutions to think about writing.

DV