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Pulp Fiction

The Day Lucy Broke Down by Damnation
A light hearted romance. It seems that it's on the day that Lucy broke down that Kelly's love-life gets a jump start. D.

In part three of Mavis Applewater's The Brass Ring, CC tells her side of the story.

In part 4 of S.Lee's Ms. O' Connor Goes to Washington, Jordan continues to recover from her injuries as she and her entourage head out on the campaign trail throughout the state of Texas.

Added part 18, and part 19 of Blue Dragon's All That Jazz

January 29th, 2002

Added part 53 to Jenah's Our Reunion (only two more chapters to go!)

Added part 15, part 16, and part 17 of Blue Dragon's All That Jazz

Added the newest edition of the Muses' Sandbox, "Don't Mess with Mother Nature"by Eileen Marks.She talks to some of the male writers in the Xenaverse.

eBooks

Barbara Davies - Say Goodbye to Boston
Barbara Davies - Bard in a Cage
Barbara Davies - Sister Act
Barbara Davies - Like Pegasus
Barbara Davies - Hellcat Western Series
-- In Contention
-- A Prior Engagement
-- Silver Lining
-- Stage to Phoenix
-- Home Sweet Home

Fragment - Shine
LZ Clotho - Going Home
Patsbard - Of Captains & Conquerors

Fixed (I hope)
Road to Glory
A Rose in Blue

January 28th, 2002

Countertransference by Phair [über/unfinished]
This in the next in a loosely related series. You may need to read The Consult, The Phone Call, and The Appointment for all the pieces to fall into place. Dr. O'Grady continues her path to rediscovering the meaning of her career and life as she helps a troubled Devyn Tannon.

Added Part 2 of Revolutionary by SB Zarben

Here is part Three of Lifetime Employment by crow">

Added All It Took Was You part 8 by Ali Vali

Added Vertigo's Caution: Under Construction part 15

January 27th, 2002

A great new Über story: part 1 and part 2 of Cephalgia's & MJ's Connecting Hearts
The devastating illness of a loved one prompts an online meeting between British poet Denise Jennings and American nurse Randa Martin. The professional relationship that begins continents apart changes to one of trust, friendship and more as they deal with some of life's most difficult circumstances.

Another new Über story: Revolutionary by SB Zarben
Have you ever started messing around with history and coming up with your own version of things? That's what this story is about. Set in Russia in 1920 it's about two women who meet and happen to change the world while they get to know one another.

Added part 13 and part 14 of Blue Dragon's All That Jazz

Added part 4 of Queenfor4's Snowbound

Poems

by Nancy Hill

eBooks

DS Bauden - A Sacrifice For Friendship

January 26th, 2002

Shine by Fragment
The warrior and the bard share a quiet starlit night, and contemplate space travel. I wrote it for a friend who is ever so slightly obsessed with Star Trek: Voyager, although no knowledge of the program is required.

It's just a simple, romantic friendship kind of story.

January 25th, 2002

In part two of Mavis Applewater's The Brass Ring,
After twelve years Jamie finally sees CC again.

The Plain Lands: Meeting of Heroes by Christina Anton (über/alt/unfinished)
It has been 300 years after the long-lived race of the elves had been forced to leave the Plain Lands, leaving humans as the only occupants. Kayna Davermost, a cleric of the benevolent goddess Krystia, and Vera Linshaw, and ex-soldier from the army of Chae, will be brought together to learn the past of the land in which they live. With the company of a few new friends, of course.

Added part 7 of Ali Vali's All It Took Was You

eBooks

Emily Duncan - First Light
Dee - Fenced Fields
BCBard4U - First Look
Lariel - Goodbye, Again
Kristien Damon - The Gift
D - A Festival Story
Sharon Smith - Into the Dark
Inyx - The Gabriel Journals
S Berry - It's the Single Life Wouldn't Buy
Wednesday Afternoon series by Mavis Applewater
---  The Plaza Hotel
---  Second Chances
---  Adventure on the High Seas
---  The Night We Almost Met Madonna

Poems

by Pinfeather

Westling Wind

The Pirate and the Lady

January 24th, 2002

Father Doesn't Know Best by David J. Duncan [another installment in the Dubois Chronicles]
Dijon's gone, but trouble continues for the Duboises as a group of mutant hunters come to Tucson. Angie's speech is disrupted and she's kidnapped along with her co-speaker and a potential student before she can change into everyone's favorite Warrior Princess. Now, it's up to Dave, Gabrielle, and their friends to get them back. Take the situation and stir in Mutant X and Clark from Smallville and it's a heckuva story. Once again, brace yourself for the ending!

Step Into My Nightmare by David J. Duncan
Now that the challenge has been issued and the duel set between Dave and Dijon, the Duboises and their friends set off for England to get ready. But will the parties abide by the rules? And how will Xena, Gabrielle, and Eve deal with what's happening? Finally what role will Michael and Raphael have to play? Whatever happens, everything changes....

Added the long awaited update to a story I was reading! Added part 6, part 7, and part 8 of S.K. Allen's Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Added part 11 and part 12 of Blue Dragon's All That Jazz

Updated Eileen Marks' wonderful Ultimate Über List

eBooks

Wednesday Afternoon series by Mavis Applewater
--- Final Exam
--- Sophies' Game

Fixed Heaven Can Wait by Minerva

O'Grady series by Phair
-- The Consult
-- The Phone Call
-- The Appointment

The Coward -- Mark Annetts
A Valiant Heart -- D
Dog Days -- Bluedragon

January 23rd, 2002

Stories

To Love a Dark Heart by Taleweaver
Gabrielle is a bard, but she shares her feelings over Xena with us in her scrolls. I suppose this would be early enough in their relationship that neither of them were comfortable in sharing their feelings with each other, but after they've realized they're more than just best friends. This is a deeply felt love, so read on and bear witness to the love for a soul mate.

Lifetime Employment by Crow [unfinished]
Megan and Jodie are back but this time the setting is a small town outside of Los Angeles and considered a first time tale. Megan is a mechanic who comes across a stranded woman (Jodie). Megan helps her out but ends up getting more than she bargained for.

The Witch Warrior Chronicles revised part 1- Ghost Writer By Crow"> and L.M Townsend

Added part 2 of I Know This Bar By Girl Bard

eBooks

Heaven & Hell series
-- Heaven Can Wait by Minerva

Wed Afternoon series
-- Tamara's Turn by Mavis Applewater
-- Let it Rain by Mavis Applewater
-- Happy Birthday Jen by Mavis Applewater
-- Destiny by Mavis Applewater
-- Something Different by Mavis Applewater

January 22nd, 2002

Added part 9 and part 10 of Blue Dragon's All That Jazz

Poems

by Poni

Callisto
Whisper on the Wind
Siren's Song
Love's Unending
Gabrielle's Vision

January 21st, 2002

Announcements

It took a little longer than we planned (we're going to call them the Buds of January 15 despite the fact that we didn't get them posted until a week later), but you'll find another terrific set of Swollen Buds on display at , complete with a list of the winners in each category, a synopsis of each story and links to the award-winning tale. http://beyonduber.com/swollenbuds/

Included among the bards this time are Linda Crist, Kiera Dellacroix, Medora MacD, S.X. Meagher, Kim Pritekel, and L.A. Tucker.

An additional note of congratulations goes to the folks at The Royal Academy of Bards, which hosts all of the prize-winners, along with Meagher's own site and Midgit's Small Corner of the Xenaverse.

Real life permitting, we'll be posting new awards every three or four months to order to alert you to some of the best written, best plotted, most imaginative, and finished(!) fanfiction on the web. Thank you for your interest in well-crafted fanfiction and in the Swollen Buds. We hope you'll come visit us often. And please, don't forget to ... FEED THE BARDS! Sincerely, The Swollen Bud Committee swollen_bud@yahoo.com

Stories

Welcome Girl Bard to the Academy. This is her first posted work! Remember, for new and old bards alike, don't forget to send them a note when you enjoy the fruits of their labors.

I Know This Bar By Girl Bard [alt/über/unfinished]
Two strangers meet, fall in love, form a friendship that can withstand just about anything, and may or may not live happily ever after. And not necessarily in that order.

Added part 3 and part 4 of Storms of War by JLynn

Added part 2 of BF4EVR by Miri

Added part 18 and part 19 of Minerva's White Nights

Also from Minerva, another story series called Heaven and Hell. The first story is called Heaven Can Wait. 
See both sides of infidelity, finding forgiveness, and self in this two story arc.

Creation by GabbysHOPE [Uber Gen]
A dark surreal tale of the deep space vessel Eclipse and a young woman's introduction to a secretive crew whose captain holds responsibility for the most controversial stage in terraforming science, the creation of sentient life. Written as a television series. (ROC as Dr. Evelynne Simms; LL as Arenya)

January 20th, 2002

Added part 5 of Gabgold's Wall of Silence

Added part 2 and part 3of Queenfor4's Snowbound

January 19th, 2002

Another addition to Mavis Applewaters Wednesday Afternoon Series,
Whatever Happened To . . .,
Holly & Whitney discover that reunions can bring unexpected surprises.

Added part 7 and part 8 of BlueDragon's All That Jazz

Added part 5 and part 6 of Ali Vali's All It Took Was You

added part 19 of Snap's Tempting Trouble

eBooks

JLynn - Girl with a Chakram
Silence - Soul's Redemption
Moon Child - Anam Cara
Mavis Applewater - Wednesday series:
---- Coffee Break
---- Jury Duty
---- Matinee
---- Ring in the Old, Ring in the New
---- Whatever Happened To...

January 18th, 2002

The Academy would like everyone to take a minute and send some really good vibes in the direction of Becky Calvert and her sidekick Shirl. Shirl could use a lot of support right now, if you have a chance, drop her a note slandon@erols.com and let her know we are thinking of her and Becky.

For those who aren't aware, Becky is the commander in chief of the Nutbread Brigade. She was a driving force in getting the XWP episode, The Way, back on the air.

Our thoughts are with you Becky and Shirl.

January 17th, 2002

Girl with a Chakram by JLynn [alt]
FIN-fic

Four more from Mavis Applewater's Wednesday Afternoon Series

Coffee Break
Monica finally has some time only to find herself meeting someone she can't wait to spend her time with.

Ring In The Old, Ring In The New
Co-workers celebrate New Years Eve.

Matinee
Two women share more than popcorn at the picture show.

Jury Duty
Walker finds that doing her civic duty can be very rewarding.

January 16th, 2002

Added part 19 and part 20 (the conclusion) of Anam Cara by Moonchild.

Souls Redemption by Silence
It's about love and true redemption of a soul.

Added part 6, the concluding part of Twelve Days by Colleen

Added part 6 of Blue Dragon's All That Jazz

eBooks

Kamouraskan - Judgement
Bluedragon - Just Business As Unusual
Idryth - Insight
Mavis Applewater - Wednesday Afternoon Series
-- Under the Mistletoe
-- A Day At the Mall
-- Danica's Dilemma
-- Strike a Pose
-- Queen of Hearts
-- The Limo

Poems

Vigil by Ellie Maziekien

January 15th, 2002

Part of Mavis Applewater's Wednesday Afternoon Series, Under The Mistletoe is a holiday about a dog walker who gets snowed in with her attractive employer.

eBooks

Cath Bard - Winged Goddess
Bo Merg - Selfless Love
MJ - Snapshots
Harpy -  Anybody Listening
Jules Kurre - Major Connection
Kawai - Change of Heart
Mavis Applewater - Just One of those Things
Wed Afternoon Series by Mavis Applewater
      Home for the Holidays
      I'll Be Home for Christmas

January 14th, 2002

Part of Mavis Applewater's Wednesday Afternoon Series, Home For The Holidays is about two ex-lovers reunited for the Thanksgiving. In I'll Be Home For Christmas, Tressa and Lindsey continue to rekindle their romance.

Added part 12, part 13, and part 14 of Vertigo's Caution, Under Construction

Added part 5 of Blue Dragon's All That Jazz

Added part 18 of Moonchild's Anam Cara

Added part 2 of Storms of War by JLynn

January 13th, 2002

Yet another new and definitely unmissable Über story: Cate Swannell's King of the Beach
It can also be found at http://www.steelwing.net/kotb - have a look or you'll miss a lot of cool graphics and sounds!

Anybody Listening? by Harpy
Xena and Gabrielle are snowed in and avoid talking about what's on their minds.

A promising new Über story: part 1 of Queenfor4's Snowbound

Added part 13 (conclusion) of Mavis Applewater's Just One Of Those Things

Added part 7 of Grit's Fragments

Added part 5 of Cruise's Provenance

Added part 17 of Moonchild's Anam Cara

January 12th, 2002

Updated Jules Kurre's page. Story name change for Bar Girls to A Major Connection. Also changing its name is The Guardian which is now called, The Last Test.

Added part 10 of The Last Test by Jules Kurre

Poems

by Terri Lyn Stanfield

Always Reeling
I'll Make You Mine
Phantom Lover
Her Journey
You're a Part of Me

eBooks

Xesbard - The Fever
Alex P - Keeper of my Soul
Redhawk - Blood Benediction

January 11th, 2002

We have a new contest going! Please go to http://www.academyofbards.org/contest/2002/pulp and find out more!!!

Review

Added new review by Judith on the 'Just Like Buttah' page

Winged Goddess by Cath, Bard http://www.amazontrails.com/xena/wingedgoddess.htm
This is a thoroughly delightful story. Cath, Bard writes from the Bard's viewpoint as she examines where her journeys with Xena have brought her. Gabrielle wonders if she has lost her muse on her path to becoming a warrior. Can she find that part of her again? The author tells the tale with nice insight into the dichotomy that Gabrielle's life has become, a struggle to be everything she can be, without losing the best parts of her self.

Warrior and Bard.

Friend and Lover.

Cath, Bard's telling of the gentle intimacies of daily life and love is wonderful. A simple, well-told story, "Winged Goddess" is a welcome change from big battles and bad Xena/good Xena. There is an Amazon love triangle that is a refreshing plot idea. Xena and Gabrielle do a bit of *Dolly Levi* matchmaking in the Amazon village. The title of the story is a lovely "Story within a Story." Best of all, it has a happy ending:} I had a very nice time reading this story and so will you. Thanks to EM for sharing her find with me.

Do the Bard thing, friends, and tell Cath how you liked her story.

Stories

Added part 4 of Gabgold's Wall of Silence

Poems

by Nancy Hill

Unattainable
The Little Brown Helmet
Prisoner Unleashed
Promises
Horizons
Slave

January 9th, 2002

Added part 5 of Colleen's Twelve Days

eBooks

Angelrum - From the Heart
Amity - Only You
Amity - New Angels
Amity - Soon So Far Away
Amity - I Try
Amity - Love's Pyre
Amity - Forgotten Sister
Alex P - Justice Deferred
angharad governal - Interlude
angharad governal - And the Strange Morning
NDR Lewis - Rainy Sundays
LA Tucker - Convergence
Xenalicious - Iowa
Sais2Cool - The Rest is Silence
Lena - Happy Ever After
Lena - A Solstice Gift
KatLyn - Storm Surge

January 8th, 2002

The Brass Ring by Mavis Applewater.[uber/unfinished]
A young med student meets the woman of her dreams or does she?

Storms of War by JLynn [alt/unfinished]
Summary Pending

Added part 25 of Savay's Beneath the Brambles

Added part 16 of Moonchild's Anam Cara

January 7th, 2002

Announcement

Bardcon.org will be holding their first (of what hopes to be) annual meeting in Chicago April 13^th and 14^th, 2002. Tickets will be $45 and include admittance for both days. We expect first year attendance around 200 people and we are planning things accordingly. Rooms will be available at the Hyatt Regency Woodfield be priced $89 for singles and $119 for quad rooms plus tax. In addition, a dinner is also being planned for 7:30 pm on Sunday, the final day of the convention for $30 at Tomboy Restaurant.

We’re currently looking for fan fiction writers who would like to meet with fans that weekend to discuss the characters we love. Buffy, Xena, Star Trek, Star Wars, you name it — it’s a workshop/panel/seminar atmosphere which will let the ‘bards’ interact with the readers and vice verse. As an added bonus to Xena fans, the About Face Theater will be doing a musical revue of Xena Live II with two special performance times for us on Saturday. The audience can do a Q and A with the shows stars and writers after these performances. Ticket prices for Xena Live will also follow soon.

Currently, we’re searching for fan fiction writers from all areas on the web. If you think you’re interested in attending and/or would like to be part of a discussion/signing event please email bardcon@hotmail.com and information will be sent to you. If you know of anyone who might be interested please spread the word.

We’ve been to many official conventions over the years and one of the most appealing aspects is the fan run events during those times. This is a convention created by the fans for the fans so we ask that you take the time to consider it and please let us know if you would be willing to commit to a tentative schedule.

Thank you for your time,

Bardcon Organizers (http://www.bardcon.org)
CN Winters - cnwinters@hotmail.com
Heartbrkn Bard - kimsgrl@aol.com
Joseph Connell — jconnel1@hotmail.com

Stories

The Rest is Silence by Sais2Cool
While awaiting her fate in the jail cell during Ides of March, Xena looks back on a recent incident between her and Gabrielle. Memories and regrets haunt her as she struggles with her conscience and her need to make things right before her time with Gabrielle runs out.

Happy Ever After by Lena
Post FIN

In part 12 of Mavis Applewater's Just One Of Those Things, Karla and Olivia each go out on a blind date

Added part 5 of The Edge of Nowhere by Annemaart

January 6th, 2002

Added part 6 of Linda Crist's The Eyes of Eire

Added part 3 of Gabgold's Wall of Silence

Added part 3 of Niki's Second Half

Added All That Jazz Part 4 by Blue Dragon

Added a revised version of BF4EVR Part 1 by Miri

January 5th, 2002

Soon, So Far Away by Amity (XWP/finished)
Post FIN

Added part 15 of Moonchild's Anam Cara

January 4th, 2002

Convergence by L.A. Tucker [über/finished]
A short Über story where 'Fractured Fairy Tales' mixes with 'The Twilight Zone' when strangers meet in a small town. The impossible becomes the possible when all the right ingredients come together. These characters may be revisited in future stories, their boundaries seem limitless. I felt rather ... inspired to write something about unlikely acts of heroism, and the unlimited possibilities of the human spirit -- and beyond.

Iowa by Xenalicious [über/finished]
A blonde Texan doctor drives out to Iowa in order to avoid an impeding mental breakdown and there comes across a tall, dark-haired stranger on a horse.

Rainy Sundays By N. D. R.-Lewis (a.k.a. Nicky) [über/finished]
This is a short story about how the pressures of family and responsibility can darken the lightest heart. It's shows in a very real way how people cope with the problems that face them.

Added part 9 (conclusion) of Dimples' Time and Time Again

Added part 3 and part 4 of Ali Vali's All It Took Is You

January 3rd, 2002

And the Strange Morning by angharad governal (uber, alt, vignette)
A vignette based on anima's "triptych" series.

Interlude by angharad governal (classic xwp, alt, vignette)
A short vignette highlighting an interlude between the warrior and bard.

Added part 4 of Twelve Days by Colleen

Added All That Jazz Parts 2 and 3 by Blue Dragon

Added part 23, part 24, part 25 and part 26 (the conclusion) of Justice Deferred by Alex P

eBooks

Greek Warrior - Leather & Lace
Blue Dragon - Mississippi Blues
Stacia Seaman - Sound of Snow
Tovie - Saturday Night Special
Karen K - Silver Bullet
Karen K - Consequences
Karen K - Dance
Karen K - Everytime
Karen K - Return
Ali Vali - Promise Me Forever
LJ Maas - None So Blind
Advocate - Echoes From The Mist

January 1st, 2002

Triptych Song by angharad governal (classic XWP, alt)
Lyrical musings on the ring arc from season 6

Added Part 26 of The Road Back Home by Lynne Norris.

Added part 14 of Moonchild's Anam Cara