TUESDAY FAN FICTION REPORT - 7/8/97
[Previous report was for 7/6/97]

Hi all!

First a little announcement - I'm heading off tomorrow for ORLANDO to try to see Lucy and Kevin at Universal Studios on Thursday so you will proooobably not see another fan fic report from me 'til LATE Friday evening or Saturday. I would LOVE to meet fellow Xenites when I'm up there so if any of you guys happen to see me PLEASE stop me and say hi - on Thursday at Universal Studios I will be wearing bermudas and a gray t-shirt with a drawing of four felines in front and a large dark green fanny pack :) I'm 5'8", 150 lbs., fair-skinned, with short brown hair. I also plan to meet several other Xenites for breakfast at 7am Thursday morning at the Denny's attached to a Days Inn on Major Blvd. To get to the restaurant take I-4 to Exit 30B, north on Rt 435 to 1st traffic light, right on Major Blvd. This breakfast is a general fan gathering and I've been told that the Denny's staff has been alerted to the possibility of a large crowd so consider stopping by and joining the fun.

Now lets get down to the fan fiction. We have a new entry in the feature at Tom's site called FROM THE BARD'S QUILL - Albuquerque Annie, author of several poems and the beautifully poignant "WILL YOU REMEMBER ME" (http://www.xenafan.com/fiction/willyou.html) shares with us some of her experiences writing both songs and fan fiction. FROM THE BARD'S QUILL is located at: http://www.xenafan.com/fiction/bardsquill.html

As to the report tonight - M. Parnell's LONG AWAITED update to ORIGINS is here and believe me - this was worth the wait! We have three other updates and one great new story - all are alt. tales by the way. Fan fiction at its best guys!

ALTERNATIVE FICTION:

ORIGINS by M. Parnell
Chapters 23-37 of this story are now available. Although still unfinished, ORIGINS simply put is a masterpiece - and I'm not just referring to a good fan fiction tale here - this novel easily stands out among the best commercial fiction I've ever read as well. If the decision is ever made to make a XWP feature film - THIS should be it. The story begins as a personal quest of Xena's to discover the truth about her father. Before it is over the lives of countless will be changed, the future of a kingdom and possibly the whole of Greece will be decided and the fates of a warrior and a bard will be forever altered. The latest installments in Parnell's saga are a tour-de-force as all the players in this intricate tapestry of a story finally come together at Prestia where they will witness in all her glory the wonder and the terror that is Xena of Amphipolis - the Warrior Princess reborn. Having conquered some dangerous obstacles but still battling the memories of a green-eyed bard she desperately wants to forget, Xena returns to Prestia with the young heir to the throne in tow. She finds the king still reluctant to take immediate action against those threatening him. She finds Callisto with new power now playing a dangerous game. She finds the Amazons there on a mission of peace...and she finds Gabrielle. Refusing to face the pain and fear the bard stirs deep within her, Xena immerses herself in what she knows best - the quest for power, the quest to conquer the hearts of men, the quest to conquer the soul of a city and the loyalty of an army. The Xena that emerges is a riddle to her enemies and friends alike as they struggle to understand the incredible events unfolding before their eyes, not sure whether to fear the warrior or admire the woman. Motivated by a love that will not die, only one dares to challenge the veil of secrecy in which Xena has cloaked herself, determined to understand what is driving the Warrior Princess and toward what outcome she is headed. It is a quest which will reveal the true origins of what Xena is and all that her life has been as she accepts her role in finally bringing to an end a drama started long ago when immortals touched the lives of the warriors whose blood now runs through her veins. Parnell's depiction of the Xena/Gab relationship and the characterizations themselves in this novel are simply phenomenal - very deep, very psychological. The plot is among the most complicated you will ever read but so well-structured and so "tight" that it remains clear, with each chapter just drawing you into the next. One of the most intriguing aspects of Parnell's style is that she gives NOTHING away. This is one tale where the mysteries and the true motivations of the various characters aren't going to be revealed 'til the very end. In XWP fan fiction ORIGINS has become the ultimate experience. If you haven't guessed by now this story is a MUST READ! and carries my HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION!!! Previously reviewed on 4/3/97, 4/19/97, 5/12/97, 6/10/97.
https://ausxip.com/fanfic.html

MIDDLE GROUND by Watcher
Coming on the heels of COMPROMISES this sequel is just as much of a love fest and really a delightful read. Set a few weeks after COMPROMISES, Xena and the bard have been kept very busy by the demands on the Warrior Princess. It seems they have had little private time to spend with one another and Gabrielle is letting her insecurities run wild. Torn by the bard's obvious pain, Xena becomes determined to get at the root of the problem certain that if they are honest with one another their love will help them find some middle ground. This bard is one heck of a romantic and this story is one heck of a romance. Prepare to gush :)
http://www.eve.net/~timwellman/altfic.html

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS by Melissa Good
Melissa Good is one of the best things to ever happen to XWP fan fic. After reading AT A DISTANCE, I didn't think she would ever be able to top that effort but with this sequel she is well on her way to doing just that. HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS made it into my favorites list with the first chapter. The story begins where AT A DISTANCE left off, with our heroines on their way to Potidaea after receiving a summons from Gabrielle's father. Xena immediately senses her bard's unease about returning home but does not suspect the terrible secret Gabrielle is hiding - the pain which once almost silenced the stories within her and which in a moment of desperation two years before prompted a young village girl to follow a half-crazed warlord on her quest for redemption. It is a secret Xena will slowly unravel as Gabrielle once again finds herself amidst people with no tolerance for those who are different, forced to deal with a family who have never understood her, and having at last as a woman to confront what years before a child could not. For both the warrior and the bard Potidaea will be a difficult struggle but one they are determined to face together, drawing strength from their love and the incredible connection they feel even...at a distance. In this latest installment Xena puts in play a plan designed to help Gabrielle and her loved ones, wanting more than anything to see the bard happy and somehow make the magic that her companion seems so certain she is capable off. The exchanges between Xena and Gabrielle in this story are some of the most moving, most beautiful you could ever read - even the most minor scenes between them burrow themselves in your heart sparking a warmth that just makes you want to read this story again and again. There are no graphic scenes in this story so far. It is a MUST READ and carries my HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION!! Previously reviewed 6/28/97.
http://melissa.simplenet.com/fanfiction.html
http://www.xenafan.com/fiction

THE PRICE OF SILENCE by MaryD
Part four of this story is now available. Armed with deadly information about the Warrior Princess, Callisto sets out to exact a terrible vengeance on her greatest enemy determined to destroy all that Xena holds dear. In this latest chapter, Xena and Gabrielle receive very bad news from the Centaurs and help from an unlikely source. This story is not explicit so far. Well-written and edited, it is leading toward a chilling confrontation between gods and mortals. Previously reviewed 4/5/97, 6/14/97, and 6/27/97.
https://ausxip.com/fanfic.html

For those of you reading this post who are not familiar with the term alternative (alt.), it refers to ADULT stories that add a romantic element to the relationship between Xena and Gabby, depicting them as more than just friends.

Happy reading!

Lunacy 8-)

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