I love good guys

Today is Memorial Day in the US, the holiday commemorating those who have died while active in the armed forces, serving and protecting the rest of us. It began as "Decoration Day" after the Civil War, in which the "decoration" was of the graves of the war's dead. These days, sometimes, sentiment extends it also to those who have died as first-responders — police, firefighters, paramedics.

I hope that I do not in any way trivialize the holiday's solemn due by saying that its timing this year, as we gear up fkficfest/fkficfest, connected in my mind with some elements of FK's story. skieswideopen made an observation this weekend that reminded me that, whatever happened later, conquistador Vachon died, a young soldier, on a battlefield far, far from his home. Though gravely wounded, crusader Nick survived his battlefields in body, and yet, as melissatreglia noted a week or so ago, the "deutero-canon" from that venerable Jim Parriot interview is that Nick was a prisoner of war — enduring captivity in the Levant before eventually, somehow, making his way back to France — incomparably changed from Gwyneth's blithe lover into Lacroix's disillusioned prey. Lacroix, of course, as a general (probably "legate," properly) of Roman legions, perpetrated what we today recognize as war crimes.

Of course the late Susan G.'s 1995 FK poem "Old Soldiers," inspired by the Raven scene in "My Boyfriend is a Vampire," came to mind. If you haven't read it yet, don't miss it. (If you don't usually like poetry, try reading it aloud; give it a chance.)

Recently on my LJ Friends List and DW Reading Page:

Ficathons and Fiction Communities

• On 04/10, leela_cat let me know about last_writes, a fiction community for all canceled vampire stories.  FK is explicitly invited.
  
• On 04/07, havocthecat announced a contest on girlgay (an f/f community) for which prompts are invited and the prize is paid Dreamwidth time for the best fanwork and also the best feedback.  One FK prompt has been submitted so far.


• On 03/22, oldschoolfic (the ficathon for all canceled fandoms) announced their spring/summer ficathon event, and on 04/01, the rules and sign-ups post went up.  Sign-ups are open through 04/15 (this Thursday).  Fandoms requested so far in include HL but not FK; when I sign up, they'll add FK and YB...


• On 03/20, fkficfest sent out the matches.  Several people, including Gnosticdiva and Wiliqueen, posted last-minute sign-up reminders.  We have 21 players!  So 21 new FK stories this May!  That is so great!

Fanfiction

• On 04/10, 1_mad_squirrel posted "Sonnet For Nicholas" (an actual sonnet, note).


• On 04/01, abby82 noted her best intentions toward her FKFicFest recipient.


• On 03/28, havocthecat described what an FK/Leverage crossover would have in it, if she actually wrote it.


• On 03/20, Gnosticdiva commented (without spoilers) on her FKFicFest prompts and where she may go in writing.  (Several people have shared similar reflections behind filters and locks.)


• On 03/16, hearts_blood noted that she's got two upcoming FK stories.

Essays/Meta

• On 03/23, cousinmary reflected on the "BNF" concept as it applies to her experience in FK and BtVS.


• On 03/16, gnosticdiva reviewed "Dance by the Light of the Moon."


• On 03/15, gnosticdiva reviewed "Last Act."


• On 03/15, gnosticdiva discussed her Dark N&Nerism.  (Please note that the post was cut-tagged and labeled for potential triggers.)

Actors

• On 04/08, gnosticdiva had much to share about Geraint Wyn Davies's audiobooks, finally available on CD.


• On 03/27, behind filters and locks, someone shared news of going this summer to Stratford to see one of Geraint Wyn Davies's last performances of "Do Not Go Gentle," plus probably The Tempest.  (Everyone knows that Nigel Bennett is at Stratford this year, too, right?  And that Christopher Plummer is in The Tempest with Ger?)  On 04/09, again locked, this person updated that the tickets had arrived.  Glee!

Miscellaneous

• On 03/24, malinaldarose mentioned pounding FK into her brain.


• On 03/20, lisamcdavid made her first blog post.  Welcome!

"Longer Than the Medicis," my first fan poem, was nominated for FK fanfiction poem of the year for 1999.  My thanks to those who nominated it!  (The poem received only three feedback comments at the time, so without the generous nomination, I wouldn't have known anyone else read it, and I might not have tried writing fan poetry again.)

	•	Title:	"Longer than the Medicis"
	•	Length:	~1,200 words Nine pentameter 18-line stanzas, unrhymed
	•	Date:	Posted to FKFic-L on August 30, 1999
	•	Summary:	In Renaissance Italy, Janette and Nick host a party.
	•	Characters:	Janette, Nick
	•	Quotation:	"But through candlelit hours of music / and talk, she could feel Nicolas waiting, / waiting, waiting for her, his molten voice / singing a long, slow kiss through the chamber."