**CHRISTMAS STORY (A) by Anne Azel
A very different Christmas tale, this holiday gem from one of our premier uber writers begins on a bleak, snowy night as a young woman is mercilessly beaten by a group of gang members. From the shadows of an alley, a figure watches knowing that the beating had been meant for her. Used to doing whatever is necessary to survive, Charlie has no intentions of feeling guilty but as the gang members depart something pulls her toward the bleeding form in the snow - and toward a destiny she can't evade. Anne presents us here with two characters that are very human and very compelling ironically brought together by the tragedy of urban violence. Mixing the Christmas spirit with a sense of fate - this is a memorable uber perfect for the holiday season. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! - 5 pgs., 12/10/00
http://ausxip.com/fanfic12/achristmas.html

**IRON ROSE BLEEDING by Anne Azel - [Alt]
It's been a while since a story has kept me up reading 'til 3 am. Boy did this one do the trick. First you're reading non-stop trying to figure out what's going on - then you're reading non-stop because you simply can't put this down! One of the most UNUSUAL and original ubers I've ever read, Anne's latest follows the adventures of Courtney Hunter as the curious archivist tries to learn more about her enigmatic boss - the mysterious Taylor Alexandria Punga. Secretly obsessed with the tall, dark beauty, Courtney decides to do a little exploring in the restricted areas of "Tap's" compound only to soon find her life turned upside down when Tap discovers her and insists on bringing Courtney into the exclusive inner circle of her shadowy organization. Realizing that her escape attempts aren't getting her anywhere and more intrigued than ever by the sometimes threatening, sometimes solicitous, and always maddeningly sexy Tap, Courtney agrees to a one month training during which she is to stay under the watchful eye of Tap's security - including a rather creepy security system with some unnerving disembodied voices. The weeks that follow will be a whirlwind of activity for the young archivist as she accompanies her boss to international meetings with world leaders, learns to her dismay that all traces of her identity have been wiped out of existence, and finds herself nevertheless falling head over heels for a woman some of the most powerful people in the world seem frightened of. Slowly the mystery that is Taylor Alexandria Punga will start to reveal itself plunging Courtney into a personal hell as she begins to at last understand the enormity of what she's wandered into. An unthinkable betrayal of faith will finally bring things to a head between these two unlikely soulmates, threatening all they have known and nearly shattering the fragile connection between them. Their future and the very fate of the world will rest on their willingness to rebuild that connection and do the one thing Courtney can't seem to bring herself to do...trust. This is an AWESOME story folks, part mystery, part sci-fi, part romance. Anne does a masterful job of moving the plot along even as she maintains the mystery going, revealing the many layers to this tale one at a time at a very effective pace. We not only witness Courtney's confusion and frustration but we FEEL it ourselves as the urgency to know more increases with each page. The leads are exquisitely written, modern characters that are nevertheless reminiscent for us Xenites of a certain ancient twosome and actually - even suggesting in part an explanation for those many skills one of these had. With an underlying message about the world around us that should hopefully spark our collective concern, this is an educational thriller, a heartwarming romance and a fascinating sci-fi adventure all wrapped into one MARVELOUS reading experience easily earning my HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION! - 80 pgs., 2/4/02
http://www.ausxip.com/fanfic19/ironrose1-4.html

**TURKISH ENCOUNTER by Anne Azel -- [Alt]
A follow-up to Anne's AMAZON ENCOUNTER this very original uber tale begins in modern day Turkey where wealthy industrialist Gunnul Dedeman is tensely awaiting the arrival of her adopted daughter's birth mother - already hating the woman her brother described as a whore and determined to keep her from hurting the Dedeman family. Jamie Miller is a young American desperate to get back the baby girl kidnapped years before by her abusive husband. Amidst the exotic crossroads where East meets West, these two very different women will meet only to discover a connection as old as time as two soulmates struggle to bridge the distances imposed by culture and lies to once again be together. Anne has crafted here a wholly absorving tale that while drawing you into the developing romance, reads also like a fascinating travel guide to this ancient land. The uber characters are well-drawn and should be intimately familiar. There are also some intriguing links to Anne's earlier story which establishes a nice mystery to be unraveled as more stories are added to the series it seems. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! - 49 pgs., 2/2/99
http://ausxip.com/fanfic6/turkish1.html
[Palm Pilot version available at XENA FAN FICTION FOR THE PALM PILOT]

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