As announced on the email lists by Lisa McD, the next FKFic-L "War" game begins on Sunday, January 13, 2013. If, like me, you're not playing, you can set your subscription to "-war" to avoid the war posts (unless you take digests, in which case there's no filtering). You can also read along without playing, of course! I would personally suggest holding any non-war fiction posts until February, but of course that's entirely up to each writer.
Now, for December, in Forever Knight, in my corners of social journaling, here's what I spotted:
Ficathons, Fests and Communities
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
fandom_stocking will reveal on 01/06. Four people listed FK among their fandoms. Check out the volunteer post for stockings no one has yet stuffed.fkcommentfic/![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif){kind=small}
fkcommentfic has received two entries so far in its "Bloor Mistletoe Challenge," which remains open through 01/06.![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
oxoniensis will hold her 2013 "Porn Battle" game this month, with prompting 01/13-17 and posting 01/20-30.Fanfiction
melissatreglia (starring Nick and Natalie)![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif){kind=small}
greerwatson (starring Schanke and Myra)waltd.)Meta (Essays, Analysis, Discussion)
twilight2000 recommended "Tainted Draught" (then anonymous; now revealed as Greerwatson's).sholio (here) and senmut (here) both recommended "Rondeau" (then anonymous; now revealed as Tolaska's).mysticalcat7 announced that she has uploaded the January 1996 forkni-l digests to the forkni-l archive. As you know, that was when SOS-FK began. (As you also know, she purges some name/address information by default, and will kindly purge more by polite request of affected persons.)melissatreglia compiled all the FK prompts for the "Porn Battle" games amnesty, and announced the 2013 game dates and changes.melissatreglia mentioned posting her "Trains and Winter Rains" ficlet for fkcommentfic.Actors:
12/15: pj1228 shared a video clip and facts about GWD and NB's work in the upcoming 2013 Stratford Festival. Both will perform in Measure for Measure and Mary Stuart.
Airings:
Chiller will not air FK in January or February. ~sigh~ Remember when FK was the SciFi Channel's idea of a great Valentine's Day marathon?
What's Good? For March, I am bittersweetly pleased to spotlight Diane E.'s "The Last Vampire" (1995, PG-13, ~5K words) in the recommendation-of-the-month project. After Diane's death last month, I reread all her FK fanfiction. While she is justly known for her comedy, this, her one drama, is my own favorite of hers. This Nick goes public with his vampirism under the pretense that he is the last of his kind; he becomes the sole focus of media attention, scientific scrutiny, back taxes...
The day after his first dinner at Schanke's, the lawsuits started arriving at the precinct. First, from people he'd arrested last week, last month, last year—all suddenly claiming "the vampire" had hypnotized them into confessing to crimes they hadn't committed. Then, every suspect he arrested, even the ones he caught red-handed, filed a police-brutality and wrongful-arrest complaint.
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What's New on FKFic-L? February saw one story: "Diamonds...and a Girl's Best Friend" (1 post, 6KB) by greerwatson. In March so far, one story has appeared, and lisamcdavid has posted an invitation for FKFic-L War proposals.
What's Good? February's recommendation-of-the-month is Susan G.'s "Lost and Found" (1999, PG, ~5K words), written for the charity fanzine A Taste of Forever and never posted to fkfic-l. I was delighted to discover that she had placed it on her site! This post-series story grants Nick and Natalie a human future together, but sprouts a new tragedy from the roots of Nick's original vampiric sin.
"There's always hope. There has to be hope. You're a lot less pig-headed than I am--at least, your mother thinks you are. Maybe it won't take you eight hundred years to find your answer. Be smart. Have hope. Survive," added Nick, the last in a harsh whisper, placing his hand on his son's shoulder. "And remember that we'll always be there for you. We'll always love you."
Richie's head turned, his expression doubtful--the weight of guilt in his eyes for the deeds of the past year adding instantly to the burden on Nick's soul.
"We'll always love you," repeated Nick.
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What's New on FKFic-L? January saw four stories by two authors on the email list. February so far has seen none. ( list with links )
What's Good? For December, I'm very happy to get to share Deb H.'s "Darkness Shall Have No Dominion" (1994, PG, ~3K words) in the recommendation-of-the-month project. Set on Christmas Eve, this short story hints at a light metaphorical parallel between a case and Nick's situation. It supplies characteristic swings between hope and despair on the way to a triumphant ending that may or may not suggest a miracle, but certainly renews Nick's commitment.
"No," Nick said firmly. "I will not be over tomorrow. I'm not going to force your family to stay inside all day with the curtains drawn." He put an arm around his stout partner. "I will be fine. Natalie is coming by tonight; we're going to eat before I take her to the airport. Then I am going home and sleeping." He didn't add that he was going to do a little searching of his own later.
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What's New on FKFic-L? November saw three stories by three authors, including one by a new-to-the-lists author (it's apparently as yet unavailable online; I'll forward it on request). December's seen nothing yet. ( list with links )
What's Good? I'm glad to get to point out havocthecat's amusing vignette "Could They Choose Between" (2008, G, ~1K) as November's story in the recommendation-of-the-month project. The characters spar via banter here in mid-first-season, lightly feeling out their places in each other's lives.
"You already met Schanke," said Natalie. She chuckled and leaned back on her desk as the beat of her heart began to echo more slowly. "I figured he'd be enough to last you at least a century."
"Perhaps longer," agreed Janette. She made a little pout of distaste, though truly, if one could look beyond his boorishness, Schanke was not quite so bad as all that. She might even call him admirable, though certainly not aloud.
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What's New on FKFic-L? October saw two stories by one author. November so far has seen three pieces by three authors. ( list with links )
Manual Cross-post to LJ
What's Good? With Halloween approaching, I am tickled to get to spotlight the appropriately frightening "Drowning" (2010, R, ~1K) by gryphonrhi in the recommendation-of-the-month project. This chilling drama of villain-on-villain violence — mind the rating — characterizes Lacroix with resonant canonicity and ruthlessly celebrates the conundrum of Lacroix as Nick's antithesis and ally.
A man whose collarbone is broken on each side does not easily draw a gun, which relieved me of one attacker. As for the other, it takes very little pressure for a vampire to break fingers, mortal or otherwise. I simply closed my hand around his on the gun and listened to his attempt to scream while inhaling.
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What's New on FKFic-L? September saw three stories by one author, all from the fkcommentfic game. October so far has seen two stories, also by that author. ( list with links )
What's Good? This month, I am thrilled to get to spotlight annlarimer's landmark "Knighty-Knight, Nick" (1996, G, ~1K) in the recommendations project. Read it aloud (really). This sparkling retelling of the cancellation experience in the style of a children's picture book is silly and snide, nostalgic and grieved, rousing and defiant. It may make you cry; it may make you write.
They all lived in a television show, and even though a whole lot of real people loved them enough to make them real as well, Nick and Nat and Don and LaCroix and Janette belonged -- lock, stake, and barrel -- to a whole lot of people in suits and neckties.
Now, as everyone knows, every time you put on a suit and a necktie, the necktie chokes away a little bit of your soul. And the people who owned Nick and Nat and Don and LaCroix and Janette had been wearing neckties for years and years and years, and hardly had any souls left.
By the way, the "Amy" mentioned is amilyn, not me, and yes, this is the second "Susan's Birthday Story" recommendation in a row, extending that memorial.
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What's New on FKFic-L? August brought six stories by four authors to the list, all from fkficfest/fkficfest. September so far has seen three posts by one author. ( list with links )
What's Good? On FKFic-L, August used to be "Susan's Birthday Month," honoring Susan G.'s immense contributions to the fandom with an abundance of new fanfic for everyone to enjoy. (Her email signature at that time: "For my birthday, I want fiction. Lots and lots of fiction. Tons of the stuff.") This August, in memory, the recommendations project features one participant in that happy tradition: "Strays" by amilyn (1997, G, ~2K words). It's a straightforward relation of how Sydney (and Nick) settled into Natalie's life.
As the door closed behind them, Sydney meowed once, then walked with some dignity to the new furniture he wasn't supposed to sit on, and made himself at home.
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What's New on FKFic-L? July saw two new pieces on the fanfiction email list: "Flying Sparks" by greerwatson (short story) and "Problem Child" by 1_mad_squirrel (haiku). August saw six! (All came from FKFicFest. I'll list them next month, as usual.)
What's Good? Nostalgia in the just-concluded FKFicFest 2011 moves me to point out "Brown Paper Packages" by Susan G. (1995, PG, ~2K words) as July's recommendation-of-the-month. This amusing, slightly sly, "meta" story recalls when new FK tales of all descriptions arrived on the email lists every day.
The superior look on Janette's face was irritating. Just to prove her wrong, Natalie slid onto a barstool and began reading where Janette indicated. Almost immediately, her stomach dropped to the level of her toes—it was about her and... LaCroix? ... Horrified, she watched Janette briskly staple and stack set after set... "How long has this been going on?"
"... It used to be Alma's chore, but the silly thing got the piles mixed up and Nicola received LaCroix's set in error." Janette sighed... "There was such a scene."
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What's New on FKFic-L? Nothing posted to the fiction list in June. However, two new pieces have posted in July so far, and I imagine that August will see many of the FKFicFest stories.
What's Good? "Happy Anniversary" (1996, ~4K words, PG) by butterflykiki is June's installment in the recommendation-of-the-month project. In this sharp confrontation, written while third season was still in progress, Natalie drops all her defenses in a bid to save Nick from Lacroix... and himself. On this side of "Last Knight," the story combines the energy of live canon with a shivery consciousness of last chances.
"Forgive me, doctor." A smile tugged at the edges of Lacroix's mouth. "Many women have desired Nicholas. Some have even cared about him. Quite a few thought they loved him... but I can't recall the last one who was willing to take such risks for him, knowing all that he is. No, wait— I do remember. What a long time ago that was..."
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What's New on FKFic-L? One new story, "Cuts Deep" (~11K words, PG-13), and one new poem, "Solace" (~300 words, PG), posted to the list in May. (Both were by me, sorry.) No new fanfiction has yet posted to the list in June.
What's Good? "A Strange Comfort" (2008; PG; ~1K words) by leela_cat is May's recommendation-of-the-month. Set immediately after "Last Act," this story is both serious and gently amusing as it displays Nick's equal tendencies to melancholy and to hope.
Feeling lost, he tossed the ball at the bare concrete wall. Over and over again, throwing the ball with his right hand, and catching it in the glove on his left. The movement mesmerised him, allowed him to forget about everything. No worries about anything or anyone. Nothing but the feel of the leather in his hand, the thud when the ball hit the wall, the smack of it against the glove. Hour after hour.
The sound of the phone finally pulled him out of the trance.
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What's New on FKFic-L? One new story posted to the list in April: "Dark Undercurrents" (PG; 3 posts, 72KB, ~11K words) by pj1228. One story and one poem have posted so far in May (unfortunately, both are by me).
fkficfest/fkficfest will open this week! This week is also the 105th anniversary of the great San Francisco earthquake and fire. Together, these facts bring me to April's recommendation, wiliqueen's "July 22, 1916" (2010), which she wrote as one of the generous surprise-party treats at the end of FKFicFest 2010, and which builds on a real incident in San Francisco history, achieves the feel of a first-season flashback, and foreshadows Mai Chung's fate (in "Cherry Blossoms").The six and a half hours between the sound of the explosion and sunset were among the longest of Nick's very long life.
Natalie opened her mouth to scream, only to utter a surprised yelp when she was suddenly pulled violently aside. A feral growl drove all four vampires back, and they hissed their displeasure at this intrusion. LaCroix released the viselike grip that had yanked her free and snarled at her as well. "You take foolish risks, Dr. Lambert."
There was no denying that...
Nick didn't like to kill. People. So he drank bottled blood and worked in homicide. He saved lives where he could. He teased his partner, and loved the coroner, and tried to live a life that was as human as possible. Despite having to hide from the sun, despite that Creepy-Crawler, who Schanke suddenly was sure was a thorn in Nick's side. Despite Janette... But, hey, he had just been looking.-----
Nick came to the couch once more, but instead of sitting beside her, he knelt facing her. He took her hands in his. “Natalie.” Her heart skipped a beat; he very rarely used her full name. “I never meant to hurt you.” He leaned down and kissed her hands. When he raised his head again, the eyes that met hers were golden.
