GuestFicRec: Catholicward's Swoon

DeviKalika
Oh, Inverted World M/R AU Human
11 Chapters, 61,429 Words
08/03/2009 - WIP
[ FFN ] [ Forum ]

Edward is a tortured soul with a dark past at St. Teresa's Catholic Academy in Port Angeles. What happens when he meets a girl who turns his world upside down? AU-All Human. Rated for language and graphic adult content.

LolaShoes's

There are so many ‘ward’s that we love - Darkward, Domward, Balticward – that it’s almost surprising when, with all the fics out there, a new ‘ward comes in a steals our heart the way the others have. I’m happy to admit that Catholicward (DeviKalika’s Edward in OIW) has stolen my affection and has me wrapped around his foul-mouthed, angsty, inexperienced little finger.

OIW is the story of Edward, a Catholic-school guy (shut up! I have that fantasy too!) who painfully struggles with guilt over a tragedy in his past for which he blames himself. In the first chapter, Alice (his cousin) drags him shopping and he meets Bella, an employee at a clothing store (“I close my eyes. I did not seriously just spring a boner in a fucking chick store.” – Chapter 1). Inevitably, he finds himself drawn to her like he’s never been drawn to anyone else.

Does it sound familiar? Trust me, it’s anything but. DeviKalika’s style is concise, intellectual, engaging, and completely addicting. She’s created a story that feels fresh and perfectly blends canon with her own creative twist on each character. OIW’s Catholicward is scowling, edgy, and swears like George Carlin in a bad mood… and yet he is totally lovable. You can almost imagine him letting out a little squeak of surprise when you grab and pull him into a bear hug; he’ll patiently wait out the hugfest before looking you in the eye and asking, “What the fuck was that for?” Not a complaint, just an honest question. In fact, behind the scowl you will probably see reluctant gratitude.

Catholicward’s struggle with guilt is genuine; he wants Bella but doesn’t believe he deserves her. His cousins, Alice and Emmett (perfectly captured and caricatured) and friend Jasper do their damndest to get him to relax and have a good time, and they are clearly the only people (along with their mother, Mary) who Edward truly feels comfortable with. The comic relief they provide is beautifully blended with their genuine affection and support for Edward.

DeviKalika reveals Edward in straightforward yet engaging strokes and you can tell that she loves writing him. By the end of the first chapter, there is enough Edward in there that we recognize, and she’s shown us enough of her own Catholicward that we can easily incorporate the two. He’s an almost impossible combination of cocky Wisenheimer and self-deprecating Angstboy, and this story won Best Comedy WIP at the Indie Awards for a very good reason: it’s absolutely hilarious. Edward’s honesty is endearing even though he’s entirely blunt and usually delivers everything bedazzled with curse words. Things that would be offensive coming from anyone else just seem appealing from him. I’d pay big money for the stink-eye he gives Alice. It’s probably because, when it all boils down to it, he doesn’t hide his pain very well and ultimately just wants to find a way to be forgiven but hasn’t realized it’s up to him to do it.

He successfully keeps others at a distance – of course he does, he is Edward. But, true to Edward, with Bella he turns into a puddle of lost composure. Catholicward blushes. He stares. He stutters. He runs away after boob grabs. And, most of all, he sports wood. A lot of wood.

He is lovable because he is honest and smart. But he is also vulnerable, sharp, cynical, and brooding. In many stories this combination feels forced. But here it feels at once familiar and completely unique to the story. He says all the things you wanted canon Edward to say at different points but was too polite to say (“She really does have cotton candy for brains, doesn't she?” – Chapter 1, referring to Jessica). And, yes, he also says the kinds of things we loved about canon Edward (“Don't be embarrassed, Bella,” I breathe. “Christ, you're beautiful.” – Chapter 10).

All of his detached and I-don’t-give-a-fuck bravado is completely transparent to Bella, and she calmly pulls the film away from him a strip at a time. She knows tragedy, yet she remains grounded and solid in ways that he can only admire. He needs her, and he actually realizes that, but worries about what it will cost her. No one else can get him to open up without snark or scoff. The evolution of their relationship is done entirely without pretense. He wants to stay away – thinks maybe he should – but he can’t. It’s when stories honor that pull, when they respect that these two are drawn to each other without question or barrier, that I am grabbed by the collar and forced to read. What I enjoyed about the books was that underlying sense of fate, that Bella and Edward came from two worlds that could not be more different and yet absolutely belonged together. The AH stories that capture this are the only ones that I read, to be honest. These stories, the ones that admit that these characters – different as they are, dysfunctional as they are – belong together, are the ones that capture what many of us loved about Bella and Edward to begin with.

But instead of floundering or contributing to his neurosis, this Bella steps up. In OIW, Bella doesn’t chase Edward, she pulls him. She is strong, confident (teasing him while she eats pie, knowing exactly what her effect on him is: “It's not like you're the first guy to ogle me while I make sweet, sweet love to my fork.” – Chapter 4), and experienced where he is not (I love that she is experienced without apology, even if it’s messy, at least it’s real). She tells him she’ll wait for him and she means it.

His past tragedy (which we don’t learn about until Chapter 9) is the reason why he feels unworthy. This familiar theme is done so simply and perfectly here that it is almost impossible to not feel the urge to lean in towards the computer screen and tell him to ease up on himself the way that we all wanted Edward to let go a little bit in the books.

What DeviKalika has done in OIW is something that makes me fall over fangirling. She writes AH but respects canon, even with a foul-mouthed, blushing, constantly-wanking Edward. Importantly, she does it in a way that feels like a new approach because her characters have such depth. Her nods to canon are scattered throughout: Edward deciding that if he lets himself get to know Bella, he’ll be relieved to be disappointed. Edward keeping everyone away from his true self (though, thankfully, his family knows him too well). Edward as an old soul in a young body. But perhaps the best nod is when she takes the two largest canon issues that have no doubt been done in fic countless times – Edward’s vision of self as unworthy and his fear of hurting Bella – and makes it feel genuine and bare. She makes me care how she resolves it because it will probably be messy and I’m sure I will hurt for him sometimes, but I know it will be real and honest. DeviKalika has created a captivating approach-and-retreat where Bella is patient and encouraging and Edward is earnest and confused. He needs her to guide him, but first he needs to forgive himself. It’s a tall order, and for once Bella is wise enough to know that only he can free himself.

This process of self-forgiveness is aided by Father Corwin, DeviKalika’s Indie Award-winning Original Character and the patient priest who sits through Edward’s fuck-laden confessions (“I accuse myself of the following sins, Father... I dishonour my mother and father. Pretty much daily. I take the Lord's name in vain all the goddamn time, and I curse like a fucking sailor.” – Chapter 3). He has watched Edward sort through his tragic history and has obviously transitioned from encouraging Edward to stop shouldering the blame for everything to simply listening and encouraging. Father Corwin realizes, as does Bella, that the only person who can forgive Edward is Edward. The contrast between Edward’s rampant use of curse words in confession with his complete dedication to regular confession attendance provide the perfect analogy to the ways that his entire being contradicts itself: Wise yet tentative. Intuitive yet oblivious. Loving yet distancing. Loyal yet isolated.

Although Father Corwin is one of my favorite characters in this story, no one can overlook DeviKalika’s Emmett. He is, hands down, my favorite Emmett. Similar to MrsTheKing’s, Manyafandom’s, and algonquinrt’s side characters, DeviKalika has taken Emmett and made him exponentially, deliciously, addictively more. She creates entirely new words for Emmett’s vocabulary, and it would ruin the humor to share even one of them here. He alone makes the story worth reading, but it’s so much more than that.

The thing that boggles me is that the best is still yet to come in this story. Edward and Bella have kissed a few times, but they still have so many more awkward sexual moments, conversations where Edward blushes, revelations of their fated love, and, hopefully, discussions where Edward learns to forgive himself and just dive right in. Not to mention all of the Emmett, Jasper, and Alice time we still get. Some tricky questions remain, though, and I’m pretty sure DeviKalika isn’t going to make it easy for Catholicward, Bella, or us. Most importantly is the issue of whether Edward can ever be a good partner if, instead of healing, he continues down this path of self-loathing. Rome wasn’t built in a day, I hear, and Edward’s pain runs deeps. However it turns out, I trust DeviKalika to give us the honest version that resonates with each of us.

In Catholicward’s own words: Christ. I am definitely swooning.

---

LolaShoes is the author of Let Your Light Shine and its sequel, A Life Extraordiary. When she isn't churning out the fic, she is bringing together some of fandoms BNA's for this past Comic Con.

GuestFicRec: She Begged For It

Philadelphic
La canzone della Bella Cigna Mature AU
12 Chapters, 63,480 Words
08/01/2009 - WIP
[ FFN ]

Bella Swan learns that music school is not for sissies. Will foxy pianist Edward help her become a better musician or bite her head off?

Limona's

I’m typing this recommendation from my couch, in my dark living room, at 5:00AM on a Sunday morning. This is the only time I will have to myself today until after 9PM, but I’m in a good mood. You see, I wasn’t asked to write this rec.

I begged to write it.

Yes, you heard me right.

I begged to write this review because everyone should be reading La Canzone. If you know me and trust me, don’t bother with the rest of this recommendation. Go ahead and start reading.

For those of you who don’t know me from Eve, or who can’t simply take my word for it, La Canzone is the story of Bella and Edward. Most fan fiction is about Bella and Edward, so that doesn’t sound particularly impressive, but I would like you to focus on the word story. This is not a fanfic whose primary goal is to get our protagonists between the sheets. La Canzone is a story, first and foremost, and as such, it excels at some of the key elements of a story: setting, characterization, and plot.

---

Closer still, as he lured me in, I felt the warm glow reflected on my face. Here, under the piano, I am a guest in his circle. I step into the column of sound and light... -Chapter 4

---

When I read a chapter of La Canzone, I am transported back to the way I felt when I read Twilight. The uncertainty and the longing come through full force, and I don’t want to look away until the end. Twilight accomplished some of this magical uncertainty by putting Bella out of her element, in a new school and in a new town. La Canzone does the same, but instead of being sticking us with another high school fic, Philadelphic elevates the text by setting us in music school.

Bella is a talented soprano from meager means who pursues her dream by enrolling in music school. Her first day of freshman year, she discovers music school will be a challenge beyond anything she has experienced thus far. Our heroine is not without a bit of luck, though. Her voice teacher is the best, and he has secured the school’s choicest pianist to accompany her during the semester. The pianist is Edward Cullen, music doctoral student, and he is a piano prodigy who Bella estimates to be seventeen or eighteen years old. This makes him approximately the same age as Bella.

The setting works, largely because Philadelphic is a trained musician herself. Whenever there is a huge knowledge gap between author and audience, there is always a risk that the text will come off as confusing, or worse, pedantic. Neither is the case here. The musical bent to the story is intense but not overbearing— the focus is more on the experience of loving and living music than it is about technical minutiae.

---

“I definitely wanted to ask for yours, Angel,” he says kissing her forehead, “ever since I saw you busking at the bus stop like a gypsy kid.”

“I was not busking!” she laughs, blushing. “I was just practicing until the bus came. It’s not my fault people threw money in my violin case.” -Alice and Jasper in Chapter 2

---

Characterization is another area where La Canzone shines. Most fanfics are OOC (fanfic speak for “Out of Character” as compared to the original text the story is based upon). There are many reasons a story might have characters who behave OOC, and most of them are legit. La Canzone is different, in that Philadelphic strives to keep Bella and Edward as in-character as possible. Some changes are necessary—this an alternate universe after all—but for the most part, details from the text have been preserved. This definitely contributes to the Twilight-esque feel of the story. Bella and Edward aren’t the only characters Philadelphic spends time fleshing out. Alice, Jasper, Angela, and Bella’s voice professor all receive their due.

Writing about Bella’s trials in music school and her chemistry with her pianist would have been a story in itself. And while that would have been entertaining, especially given Philadelphic’s music background, I am delighted that there is more to this story. Specifically, there is a plot.

---

He snatches me into a dark alley, and I feel an unshed scream threaten to rip apart my lungs… -Chapter 5

---

The plot is what makes this story a must-read.

Let’s face it. If you’re reasonably well read, you know there are only so many plots. Most stories are predictable, especially in a fandom based around the idea that Bella and Edward will end up together. I’m a little bit difficult to please in terms of plots in fan fiction, and I suspect I’m not alone.

With most Twilight fan fiction, I read the first few chapters, figure out how the story ought to go, and then am disappointed. If the story goes the way I predicted, it’s boring. If the story deviates from what I guessed, all too often it is due to a ridiculous plot twist that had no basis in the previous chapters.

La Canzone has held my attention for twelve chapters over approximately 60,000 words.

I’m not sure how it will end. That’s GOLD. It keeps me wanting more. It keeps me addicted. It makes me rec this story to all my friends. It helped me decide this rec needed to be written. As for how it will end… who knows? The chapters are lush enough that it could go many ways—no deus ex machina necessary.

Who do I think will enjoy La Canzone della Bella Cigna? Anyone who enjoyed Twilight—and I assume that is all of us—should find this a delicious treat.

---

Limona is not only the author of our favorite Human suspenseful romantic fic, Hiding in Plain Sight, she is also the creative mind behind the Eddies & Bellies. And she is just nice as hell to boot.

Affiliate: Once Upon a Twilight Contest

Once Upon A Twilight Contest hosted by Wishimight/Everwondering author of Dangerous Affections and True Beauty and staceygirl aka jackbauer author of Stranded and Return to Me.

Once upon a time, in a magical land of pointy silverware, lived a family who sparkled like diamonds in the woods. A little fairy foresaw that love would blossom after the magnificent stone-skinned man rescued a fair damsel who had been cursed with tripping and attacks from vans enchanted with evil spells. Their adventures included encounters with monsters, the big bad wolf, the evil witch of Alaska, hidden castles in the tropics, strange potions given to the heroine in Styrofoam cups, and true love’s kiss that put her into a three day coma but led to happily ever after and a bizarre half breed baby.

Now it’s your turn to write your own Happily Ever After for our beloved
hero and heroine.

Stories accepted August 1-20th. Voting begins August 21st.

One shot stories between 1k and 15k words with a fairy tale theme and feature Edward and Bella as the main pairing. For rules and how to enter go to Once Upon a Twilight Contest, email , or PM.

PRIZES! Because, while bragging rights are fun, actually getting something is
better!

To the story with the most overall votes: Twilight tote bag from Hot Topic, "When you can live forever what do you live for?" quote patch, the entire Twilight Saga in e-book format (PDF)

To the story with the 2nd most overall votes: Twilight Tote Bag from Hot Topic, the entire Twilight Saga in e-book format

To the story with the 3rd most overall votes: Film cell from the "I know what you are" scene in the movie, the entire Twilight saga in e-book format

Affiliates: Temptation Podcast

I've been remiss in posting these, but I'm really excited about this episode.

Episode 28: The Mini Episode of Epicness!

In this one hosts Claire and Caitlin, bring in people from the fandom to get their two cents on "Classic Fic."

Guests Include:
einfach_mich
americnxidiot
Pastiche Pen
Hopeful Wager
tby789
Bethaboo

Give it a listen and let us know what your "Classic Fics" are.

AdminRec: Emibella

Somah
Detruit - MA/NC-17
Romance/Drama
11 Chapters, 49,312 Words
07/13/2009 - WIP
[ FFN ] [ Twilighted ] [ Forum ]

"It's all real. They did this, but I'm still here, always, Bella. Find me." Those cryptic words, whispered in a last breath, continue to haunt Bella Swan five years after the supposed death of her love, Edward Masen. AH-AU.

Ghosts were not real.

I was dreaming, I had to be.

Because the alternative was completely and utterly inconceivable.

I would be sent back to the psychiatric hospital immediately.

But when I pinched myself, I didn’t wake up.

And so that left me with only one explanation.

Edward Anthony Mason had not died five years ago.

Blood was in my eyes, a body lay nearby. But I did not notice.

Edward was alive.

~~~~~

Every once in a while, a story comes along that makes you think it could be one of "those". The one that can be good enough to stand on it's own. The one you would pick up in a bookstore and be completely enthralled with it's plot on page one. The one that would make a great movie.

I have been reading a lot of fic lately. Summer vacation for me lends itself well to sitting outside with my ipod and reading. But, in general, trends have taken shape. Certain fics have taken off to getting massive amounts of reviews so other fics following the same formulas have followed. What which was once unique has turned into the norm and what was once the norm is now considered vanilla. Trends in fic are like trends anywhere else.

It is refreshing to read new things in fanfiction. Often times we are so used to the crowd-pleasers that little genres that we enjoy outside of the fandom become lost in the shuffle to the big girls. When we here at tlydf started this blog, it was our goal to find these gems and hopefully get other writers interested in the genre as well.

On a typical Wednesday, Gondolier or I would write about style. But I think that this recommendation fits as well into that subject as me rambling about the nature of genre itself. It wasn't too long ago that I recommended Hydraulic Level 5 for much the same reason. For it's uniqueness and it's sharp character portrayals. For it's layers.

By the middle of summer, I had discovered a very talented crop of new writing coming up through the grapevine. Stories that showcased some very new and different themes that made me love reading fanfiction again.

When I saw a tweet by Michellephants that said she was reading and that Détruit it was very different, I couldn't imagine how different she actually meant.

This Edward and Bella were high school sweethearts, but after a terrible accident claimed Edward's life after they had only been dating a short while, things for Bella were never the same. To her, it was so much more than not being able to get over her boyfriend, it was this feeling that nothing that happened between the two of them made any sense. It was as though he was a mystery that she never had the chance to unlock.

This mystery unfolds like a beautiful puzzle. You get a glimpse of the truth in the beginning and yet nothing makes any sense. You feel for Bella and, as Edward's story unfolds, you feel for him as well.

But what makes this story even more unique is not just the mystery itself, but the amount of action it takes on.

Action is not easy to write. Like writing sex, it is often times hard to keep track of where a persons body parts are and how much damage they have suffered. Détruit pulls this off with precision. The inner turmoil of it's characters playing off of the violence in a way that is almost claustrophobic.

The writing is tight, the characters are interesting and multi-dimensional and you are truly left guessing exactly what is going on throughout. It is as if when one door is opened, a whole new group of questions is unlocked for you to try to figure out.

With ten chapters in and a mind bending prologue, Détruit is fast paced and glues you to your laptop. Out of all of the new fics that I have been reading lately, this truly is one of my favorites.

Dark and Strangely Friendly

Diver: americnxidiot

Alias: "Confused User of Vowels"

Mission: Something creepy à la Dexter

Parameter: suspense

The Pearl: Mind's Eye by lambently

Rating: M Chapters: 4 Word Count: 11,733 Reviews: 7 Warning: Graphic violence, (?)rape

Summary: Bella is a published author with writer's block. She begins imagining a dark character for her next book who she can't get out of her thoughts. What will happen when the lines between fiction and reality are blurred? AH, rated M for mature content.
Why I read: If I'm honest with myself, I'm a bit of a wussperv. I know it's weird for me to hide from angst given my stories, but it's true. Michelle was insistent that her parameter be something darker, so I ended up scrolling through a genre I wouldn't normally seek out. And I'm so happy I found this fic. The first chapter is downright creepy as we get the third-person perspective of a predator while he watches a woman from a distance. The next chapter shifts, and then we are in Bella's point of view. With one successful novel under her belt, she worries that her success may have been a fluke after months of writer's block. When inspiration does strike, it's dark. Really dark. Trust me when I say that the third-person narration of her predator is graphic, violent, and not at all for the faint of heart. I don't want to give much more away but the writing is beautiful, the plotline is original, and I'm pretty sure I love it.

Mission: Find a sweet friendship story. Something funny or bizarre is preferred.

Parameter: friendship

The Pearl: The Little Friend by YxControl

Rating: M Chapters: 5 Word Count: 6,301 Reviews: 17

Summary: AH/OOC. "He dressed odd, and not because he was wearing a long sleeve shirt, a pair of shorts that went to his knees, and Velcro shoes. Strapped around his head was a pair of pink bunny ears."

Why I read: When I saw this summary, it instantly caught my attention, and let me tell you: it doesn't disappoint on the weirdness. The first chapter is the only told from third-person, and we watch as a very young Bella first meets Edward at the store. He wears a pair of bunny ears. When she asks him to take them off he says they can't. Zoom forward to Bella's freshman year of high school. She and Edward have become best friends, though some things seem very off. No one Bella has talked to has met Edward, despite their closeness. And at sixteen, he still sports a pair of bunny ears that he's unable to remove. I won't pretend like I know exactly what is going on in this fic, but the way the author is completely blurring the lines between reality and illusion is fascinating. Though very sweet, we know something darker is going on. I can't wait to figure out what it is.

---

Diver: michellephants

Alias: Oliphants Destorying the Basement

Mission: Find something that makes my heart pump a little bit faster.

Parameter: suspense

The Pearl: Dark as Night by lovetheL

Rating: T Chapters: 2 Word Count: 2,022 Reviews: 11

Summary: Bella has been retired from a dangerous life for over a year now and was enjoying living in peace. That is, until on dismal evening her world is turned upside down by a group of thugs. AH, ExB, OOC.
Why I read: I was looking for something suspenseful, because we don't often see that in twific, and came across this short story. It's only two chapters in, and the first chapter is heavy and (very) sad. However, the premise is very dark and exciting, which kept me enthralled. I find myself dying to know the whats, the whys and whens and hows, and am eager to uncover the mystery behind the actions. Since it's so early on, we're lacking motive and background, but you can tell from the first two chapters that there's more to it than meets the eye. Told in (what, so far, appears to be) alternating POV, this story captures the reader's attention and doesn't let go. After getting through the heart-fail of the first chapter, the underlying mysteries make me eager to read more.

Mission: Step out of my comfort zone and read a sweet "friends grow into more" fic.

Parameter: friendship

The Pearl: My Life Would Suck Without You by Neurotika

Rating: T Chapters: 6 Word Count: 5,133 Reviews: 48

Summary: Bella Swan and Edward Cullen are best friends. They were born on the same day, in the same hospital and for the first few hours of their lives, their families shared a room. This story follows Bella and Edward as they grow up and their lives change. AH.
Why I read: To be honest, I don't often seek out friendship fic, so this was definitely a step out of my element. This fic, however, is, to be put simply: adorable. It starts in Charlie's point of view, in a hospital room, with Renee giving birth. Bella is born shortly after, but Bella isn't the only baby that was born that day in that room. On the next bed over, Edward is born. While the wives sleep, the husbands (Charlie and Carlisle) form a bond, which inevitably leads to their children growing up together. This story unfolds as the children age, coming into their own and learning about life and love through one another. As the Cullen family forms and grows and the gang slowly shapes into what we know them as, the bond between Edward and Bella develops as well. The chapters are short and sweet, as we essentially watch the stories of six kids who experience friendship, love, and loss through one another's company.

Winner of the Sparkle and Snark-full Humor Contest Announced!

The Sparkle and Snark-full Humor Contest

The winners are.... !

It's a TIE.

by Artemis-Vampire

AND

by duskwatcher

So, ladies and gents, go check out these crazy fics over at the Twi_Humor community.

Reader's Series: momams

momams

About fan fiction and me…

To be completely honest, before Twilight I had never heard about it. I have always been an avid reader. One of the reasons I love it so much, is the opportunity it gives us to meet new people. Along with the authors, we explore characters that we’ll come to love, hate, admire, suffer with, feel sad, or happy for them.

When I finish a book, I usually find myself thinking about the characters’ lives outside the story. I always wished to know more, and could only accomplish it inside my head. Characters in different stories are seldom alike, but in fan fiction, the same character in one story might be a hero, while in another the villain. That’s the reason I cry and laugh, because it amazes me how multifaceted the characters are in the fandom.

I have found so many wonderful and talented authors in fan fiction, authors who share a wide range of stories and characters for everybody’s tastes. That single fact, astounds me constantly.

The fact that I can review the stories I read, truly surprises me. I have had always wanted to be able to tell authors what their stories mean to me. What I enjoy, what makes me cry, or laugh. The parts I relate to and the ones that show me things I would probably never thought of.

Fan fiction gives both authors and readers the wonderful tool of reviews. A tool I have come to enjoy immensely. My not-so-small-ranting about every chapter is simply my way of showing appreciation and praise to the amazing people who share their stories with so many of us, people from so different places. So, I want to thank every author who takes the time to fully read my reviews and even more, those who reply to them.

The day I found fan fiction, it opened the doors to an amazing world were the stories I could only imagine came to life bigger and better than my mind could ever make them. “Seducing Ms. Swan” was the first story I got trapped in, probably because I could relate to it, having taught in middle and high school during my early twenties, just as Bella is in that remarkable story. Imagining Edward/Robward as my student was exciting to say the least, but it wasn’t enough, I needed more. Furthering my search, I stumbled upon Twilighted and then to Fanfiction.net, and I became addicted, “obsessed” according to my husband.

I read stories from different genres. However I am sucker for love stories. I enjoy stories with strong Bella’s. Strong personalities like the ones ericastwilight writes, where Bella can go from genius engineer to famous therapist, always maintaining certain personality traits that make me want to keep reading more. I found I have a liking for BDSM that I had never imagined. I also read stories that don’t follow traditional guidelines like “The Perfect Wife”, “Just the Three of Us” or “”, stories that may Wrong Side of the Streetnot be liked by most since they deal with premises that break society’s reestablished rules or are considered taboos. But of course, I also enjoy more traditional personalities such as the ones in UnaRJ’s stories about cooks, dancers and girls with indescribable professions.

Reviewing became a great experience, but was even better when authors began writing back. When I received a message from StarLightSuccubus commenting on my fondness of her stories, an amazing friendship I never imagined began. This incredible world of writing and reading has sucked me in and it still seems like a dream come true.

I have wanted to write for a long time. Sadly, I’m not very good at writing stories. But thanks to fan fiction, I have found that I can at least write decent reviews. Some amazing writers even like them. So I try to review almost everything I read. Even when I find a story with several chapters already posted, I try to review each one. A good comment like “great chapter” could do, but not for me. I like to put my thoughts, opinions, questions in it. I think that if someone takes the time to write, edit, beta, check their writing, and share it with us, writing a good review is the least I can do to show my gratitude.

---

Author's Blurb by tnuccio

Reviewers…they kind of make or break this little thing we call fanfic, don’t they? Some are …good…some are, well, not so good and others, others are just wonderful.

It’s weird, this little fascination we have, at least I think it is. I have been in this fandom for nearly two years now. I started out reading fic, couldn’t get enough. Read and Read and Read…then, I began beta’ing. Well that then led to actually becoming friends with a great group of authors. After that step I realized just how important the readers actually were. Prior to that, I was just a reader; did I hold any importance in my eyes? No. Did I make a difference to the authors in the overall scheme of things? No. I was just another person picking up their work and reading. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I learned that after talking to my friends who wrote, learned how much they valued their readers and the ones who left reviews held a special place in their hearts. I got it, but I still didn’t really “get” it.

So, I debated. Then I said, awwww hell. I’m gonna write a story. So, with their support I did just that. I posted my story to both fanfic and Twilighted, then I sat on pins and needles and I waited. Because, all of a sudden, the readers really did matter. I’d stepped over that threshold; my fate was in their hands. Did it suck? Was it half way decent? Did anyone get it??

I realized right away, I craved their feedback. It made me smile; it made me feel like I’d done something really good. It wasn’t so much what I had written, but the validation of my peers that made me feel like I’d accomplished something. It was all about the reader.

So, with that, I don’t write a super well known fic, it’s rather small in the AH spectrum. But I would have to say, I have the best group of readers. They are spectacular, wonderful even, and loyal. When I was asked if I’d be interested in taking part of the reader series I immediately said yes. I wanted to take the opportunity to highlight someone who was a great reviewer that wasn’t someone I knew or talked to outside of my story. Someone who everyone else may not know. After looking through all my reviews I decided the fandom needed to know momams.

Momams has consistently left me some of the most wonderful reviews I’ve received. When I say that I don’t mean reviews where people say…”I love your fic, it’s great, your’re great, etc.” Not that those are bad reviews to get! J

Momams takes time with her reviews, they’re never short, and they’re never simple. They’re always thought out and amazingly spot on. After ever chapter she reads she leaves me reviews that speak to the characters and their actions. She analyzes my writing and tells me what the characters are feeling / thinking / doing. She takes what I’ve written and she validates everything I have in my head. I can always tell if “I’ve nailed it” when I get her reviews. She has an uncanny way of taking what I’ve written and telling me back what it means to the characters and the story as a whole.

She gets it. And she lets me know that she gets it. Then she tells me how the characters get it and how it’s affected them, and I know…then I know…I nailed it. I got it right.

Momams is the kind of reader you want reading your story, the kind of reader who lets you know that what you’re doing is really coming through. She honest and thorough and always makes me smile!

GuestFicRec: Profmom Thinks Her the Best

AnaG
The Best Woman - M/R
AU Human
5 Chapters, 9,030 Words
07/17/2009 - WIP
[ FFN ]

Ten years and many relationships past them, Edward and Bella find themselves about to get married - to other people. One encounter brings forth everything that's never been said. One night, two possible endings.

profmom72's

Thank goodness for the Indie awards, and gosh darned those Indie awards. In the validation process, I was exposed to some amazing fics that I had never heard of. Of course, I didn’t just stick to the list I had to read, I found myself immersed in the complete list of nominated fic. I lost a lot of hours, perusing those nominations, but out of it, some truly special words stood out.

One author who really caught my attention was AnaG. I actually waivered on which of her fics to rec because I was impressed by all three. She has a cadence that really resonated with me. She writes in short sentences, but the words are carefully chosen for maximum impact. She keeps a flow in the story that manages to grab attention and maintain it.

I hesitated to choose a fic that only had 5 chapters. Sometimes it takes a while to really get a feel for the direction. Other times, the author takes their fic in a direction you don’t expect, but she is updating regularly, and since I’ve looked at her other work, I have a good feeling about where this one is headed. It’s funny, sexy, and interesting.

The premise is that Edward and Bella have been best friends for years, though they have never dated each other. When the story begins, both of them are about to get married. Bella is actually throwing Edward his bachelor party, which ends up being an opportunity for two friends to finally come to terms with their feelings. A party for 2 if you will. On the couch. I have a thing for friends and couches, so I loved this scene.

It’s in the first chapter, so I don’t think it’s too much of a spoiler that Edward and Bella give in to their long standing attraction. This scene is what captured me. They have an intense and passionate lovemaking, done very tastefully. My favorite line from that section occurred just as the physical connection was made: “I take him in just as my heart had - all at once, blurring the line between pleasure and pain.” It is that type of description that just floats my boat. Being a fan of metaphors and descriptive language, particularly in relationship to lemons, I found this initial scene very satisfying. It drew me in to the myriad of emotions this couple has been dealing with as they resisted their love for each other.

AnaG then offers the reader two options of endings. One essentially serves to make the fic a heartbreaking oneshot, while the other goes on to develop the story as both Edward and Bella have to deal with their respective fiancés and any fallout that may come if they choose to progress their relationship beyond the one night of passion. That storyline is only a few chapters in, so many details are still to come, but it’s ripe with potential emotional conflict for both of them. Imagine having to break up on your wedding day. Think of all the people who would be disappointed. I get the impression this Edward is quite a people pleaser, so I’m curious to see if he can even handle it.

At this point, the reader has only been introduced to four characters, and we’ve met only three in real time. Both Edward and Bella come across as believable and realistic though as expected, not entirely in character. Very engaging though. Bella is not a typical weak woman. She’s made choices based on convenience, though her motivation doesn’t seem to be steeped entirely in insecurity, but also in altruism. A line like this one: “I'm trying to convince the man I love into marrying another woman. There's only so much of it I can take” tells me she has humor and perception on her side. When she goes forward to handle her feelings with her fiancé, she does so head on but also with compassion.

Edward is . . . well . . . Edward, which is always a good thing. What I love is that he is the one to push the emotions, to encourage them both to be honest with their feelings. He is also selfless in a way, motivated to action more by Bella settling than his own sense of loss. He also gives the reader the idea that these two are a perfect match and the conflict will have to come from something external rather than from compatibility flaws. “We were equals in that; we always were. Other women forgave too easily or not at all. Other women were afraid of my intellect or the shape of my body, and to some they were both insufficient. Not with Bella. We were always enough for each other, never too much. She matched me step by step, whether we were doing the crossword puzzle or jogging around my block on Sunday morning.” That seems like a darned good relationship to me.

I know some people like to wait until a story is farther along before getting started, and I respect that. Should you decide to wait, I think you’ll find The Best Woman one that you can get caught up on fairly quickly. However, if you’re like me, these days I enjoy getting in on the ground up and watching the characters unfold over time. I have come to appreciate anticipation, and I’m very anxious to see what will happen as both Edward and Bella have to step out of the bubble of the bachelor party and face the reality of ending an engagement and cancelling a wedding. These are two solidly formed characters with an interesting plot and a host of potentially unique challenges facing them. What’s more, I know the lovely writing will draw me in to the emotional roller coaster they are about to face.

---

Profmom(72) currently writes Rabbit Hole, an AU fic, and is working on another collaboration with hmonster4 called, the Fates. She’s a columnist for this blog and the proud owner of an iphone, designed to feed her fic addiction.

GuestEssay: Hmonster Gobbles Up Some Emmett Love

Emmett: The Lionhearted, Canon Bad Ass.

Hmonster

I’ve spent the last month and a half elbows deep in fan fic for the Indies. And in the process I noticed a disturbing trend.

Not enough Emmett.

Actually, let me rephrase that. Not enough GOOD Emmett.

Okay, in all seriousness, two male characters did dominate the stories nominated. The first one was common sense. Heck, he lured us in from that first meeting in biology. But the second one surprised me. It wasn’t a dark haired Quileute. It was a quiet blonde haired Texan.

Very simply, the ladies love them some Jasper.

He’s taken over the fandom lately. Canon, non canon, hetero and slash.

And it made me wonder why the other two Cullen boys get such short shrift. Don’t believe me? Do a search on fan fic. Emmett has ½ the stories that Jasper does (we won’t even touch Edward, although…well…yeah, that’s a different article).

So after deep conversation with some of my pals, I’ve decided that it was time for someone OTHER than Edward and Jasper should get some loving.

With that said, I’d like to welcome you to Emmettville. Population? Me.

Well, okay, me and a few others (yes, Emibella, I have plenty of room for you).

I am an unabashed Emmett lover. I have no problem admitting it; I like him better than all the Cullen boys put together. I promised people when I started Deconstructing Dracula that I’d make them fall as madly in love with my Emmett as with my Edward. I think I managed to convert a few.

But in all seriousness, Emmett is one of the most maligned characters in fan fic, second only to Alice the chirpy shopping obsessed pixie. I get that it’s common practice to leverage traits from the books when threshing out character. We have all done it in different degrees. Bella the Klutz, Esme the housewife. Rosalie the bitch. Please shoot me if anyone ever serves mushroom ravioli.

But Emmett seems to be stuck in his own special ring of fan fic hell. Cursed to be the dumb jock, the big oaf. A two dimensional caricature who is all about sex and no substance.

I decided it’s time to rectify the situation.

I trolled fan fic sights in the hope of finding the next great Emmett fic. And I came away sadly disappointed.

So I went with plan B, and reached out to the authors of some of my personal favorite Emmett’s. I plead my case. I offered bribes. And in the end, Emibella, OCD_Indeed, Gemmabobella and ElleCC were kind enough to weigh in on what inspired them as they wrote one hell of an Emmett.

What they don’t know…I’ve lent my visualizations along the way. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Okay, lets start at the source.

Canon Emmett

Ah…the Emmett that won my heart. Funny. Emotionally intuitive. Loyal as hell.

But let’s be honest. The moments that we remember about canon Emmett the most tend to be teasing Bella and shouting ‘Go Gators.’ Forget that he was usually doing it out of great affection or to diffuse a rather tense situation. The outgoing, gregarious nature shines through.

While it’s endearing – that in and of itself contributes to the dumb jock characterization of Emmett. The majority of the things he does happen for a reason, yet we get so caught up in the ‘what’ that a lot of times we forget the ‘why.’

Canon Emmett is all about laughter, about joy, and honestly, about love. Not just for Rosalie, but for his family too. I always found it ironic that, while Jasper is the one that can sense and manipulate emotions, Emmett may be the most ‘intuitive’ of the bunch when it comes to the dynamics of those around him. So may call it an EQ, others street smarts, but very simply, Emmett gets what is going on and usually one of the first ones to understand the impact it will have on the family.

One of my favorite fics for this is

The Fallout

by

OCD_Indeed

. When I asked her why she chose to portray him the way she did, she had a fit of hysterical laughter, then gave me this.

When I first started Fallout, I really wanted to get to the meat of the characters. BD was so disappointing, in that I really thought we were going to get to read so much more about the Cullens, and we didn't. Since I was going to be doing my POV from Edward, I went to Midnight Sun for as much research as I could find as to how Edward reacted with each of the Cullens. I cut and pasted my favorite lines into a doc they really kind of told me stuff about the characters. To my surprise there were a ton of hidden gems involving Emmett. I never intended to write him that way, but as I skimmed through all the MS stuff, Emmett just stood out so much more than just the meathead, jokester most FF's portray him as.

Canon Emmett isn’t a rocket scientist. But he gets how the world works, he considers the implications of his actions, and he’ll fight to the end for them.

Very simply, Canon Emmett is the one that we want to have our back, to be our brother, or to save us. He’s the one that will fight to the end.

While we are on the subject of canon Emmett – I a short one that holds my heart and nails him.

I like Bears

by

Alice Laughed

I don’t need to explain. Just read – it will take three minutes max. Trust me.

This is my visualization of Murmur of Fire in the Vein Emmett…he can save me any day

Lionheart Emmett

Let’s step outside of canon and talk about AUH Emmett. He kept growing, and oh my holy Hale what a fine specimen he became. The heart, the spirit, the joy are all still resident. But there is a sense of self, of confidence that he exudes. I jokingly call him Emmett the Lion heart. He’ll go to hell and back for the people he loves. And if he loves you, oh hello.

In

A Murmur of Fire in the Vein

(and I don't think any of this is far from Canon), one of Emmett's strongest traits is that he's level-headed. While he is compassionate and caring, he doesn't get overwhelmed by it - I think he's a lot like Carlisle, his father, in these regards. He's solid and stands his ground. People can rely on him. He's loyal and knows what he believes in. And he can see past the bullshit - past the family drama, past Rose's icy exterior - to what's important and real. He's not going to let someone sway his opinion without an extremely good reason. He's incredibly fair. At the same time, he's still fun and sarcastic, gorgeous, gigantic, and crude. - ElleCC

Gemmabobella

: I always knew there was more to Emmett than what we got in the books. Him and his dimples always smiling and listening to the people that too often get ignored and marginalized. So mostly, it was a means of rounding out his character, so he wasn't a dumb jock who liked to have lots of sex.

OMG, possibly the sexiest damn Emmett I’ve ever read. He’s edgy, he’s angry, and I’ll try to make it better any day of the week!

Bad Ass Emmett

When I started writing

Beaches

I thought that that Emmett was the perfect combination for a character with a lot of baggage. The push and pull of the menacing vs. the sweet was the perfect dichotomy for a character who needed to be both. Keeping in mind that I made him a very clever, manipulative bastard, my Emmett has an edge wrapped in a package of sweet and sexy. It is as if you are drawn into looking past the intimidation of his size to see that inside he is a really a lover at heart only to be played for a fool. I try to encompass everything I know about Emmett and make him into a complex character. I know that this can't be done all of the time, but I hope that it has at least made people think that they can make more of Emmett than meets the eye. - Emibella

What I adore most about Bad Ass Emmett (there are truly very few of them) is that the foundation is there for an amazingly evolved character. I’d argue just as much, if not more than Jasper with all his baggage. I would die and go to heaven if I could find a few more bad asses. He doesn’t have to be a jerk – just let him be something more than a happy bumbling fool!

And finally, there is one Emmett that we only know about in third person, but I am dying for the day that he finally shows up in

Left Holding the Bag

. Smart? Dude, he’s a broker. Love’s baseball? Sigh….man after my own heart. Wait….maybe the baseball love isn’t a good thing (read the story if you don’t know!!) Jasperlurks, give me some Emmett soon, please?

So next time you start to write and you feel the need to create a character with great depth and a bit of a wicked sense of humor, go for the big guy with the dimples. I’ve been stuck in the kitchen (so to speak) trying to create awesome Emmett’s. Throw a girl a frickin bone and write a killer one for me, will you?

---

Emmett is the second character to be highlighted in a new (and very impromptu) series of character explorations in fic. Jasper was done by AngstGoddess003 who has exactly zero merit in doing so. Hmonster decided that Emmett needed some love and swiftly snatched him up. Ninapolitan and her Carlisle peice is next.

Have a character you feel yourself a bit of an expert in? Have some free time to explore it with us? Send me a line! angstgoddess003@tlydf.com