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What's New - February, 2002


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Thursday February 28, 2002

Random Ramblings (by Celine)

Guess what? I realized earlier today I've had my Purple Plaything for a whole year! Yep, I've been terrorizing my small town since last February. To celebrate this happy occasion, my scooter did something special -- it decided to stop working properly. Again. So my brother came over earlier to take it to his house to see if he can discover the cause.

So, friends, please send positive thoughts in the direction of Salem, Oregon, that it's a small problem which can easily be fixed. I have $40 to m' name right now, so please, please, please... cost less than that!

In other news, pseudo-innocent and definitely awesome bard Carrie Carr denies allegations she's responsible for my current obsession over daytime talk show topics (say those last four words three times fast). But it's true, she's solely responsible. Unless, somehow, her partner and awesome bard AJ is responsible, too. Come to think of it, she probably is. I'll think of a reason later.

Carrie also thinks I'm a little too interested in my lava lamp. But, really, can you really be *too* interested in a lava lamp? I just can't see how.

Speaking of talk shows...

Jerry Springer: I've Been Cheating On My Husband With Our Neighbors

Okay, I'm curious about this one. Neighbors is plural, so I'm wondering exactly how many neighbors were involved. Two? Ten? How big is the neighborhood? I hope there aren't any apartment buildings nearby. That lady would be quite busy with all those folks. I could watch, but some things are just better left undiscovered.

We also have...

Maury: Please Stop Controlling Me!
(Is Connie Chung, Maury's wife, the guest? Who else would Maury be controlling?)
Sally: Face It: We're Over!
(Thank goodness! I've been trying to break it off with Sally for years.)

In related news, there is a song by Weird Al Yankovic, one of my idols, called "Jerry Springer." It's a take-off of "One Week" by Barenaked Ladies, who are also among my idols. The group, that is. Although, bare naked ladies... well, I'm not exactly against that, either. :)

Where was I? Oh, yeah... the lyrics:

It's a touching song all about the Jerry Springer show. Oh, the CD it's on is "Running With Scissors" (Look, Val! I'm not the only one who does it!)

Note to Judy, who said, "You've saved my mind from meaningless drivel." Good deal! Although, really, I'm not sure how ramblings fit into that equation. :)

In other news, we are so very close to the month of March. March always brings to mind my birthday.. since it happens to occur in that very month. This year I shall be 28 years old. For some reason, I'm actually feeling... well, not old, since I know 28 isn't old. But I'm feeling... gosh... more adult? Yeah. Since I'm in my late 20's, I realize I am absolutely no longer even remotely non-adult. In the chronological sense. I do realize, mentally speaking, I am about 11 years old.

What's New:

Wednesday February 27, 2002

Random Ramblings (by Celine)

Guess what, friends? I've decided to add a new feature to my ramblings. And, for the record, this is all Carrie Carr's fault. I'm not sure how exactly, but it started in an email to her, so she was indirectly involved. Therefore, it's all her fault.

Anyway, the new feature - I want to keep you, my faithful friends, up-to-date on some important happenings in the world. That is, what's going on with daytime talk shows. I'm talkin' Jerry Springer, I'm talkin' Jenny Jones. Please note, I don't actually watch these shows... no, I've gleaned their summaries from gist.com. I've picked through the topics to bring you the very best in the very... um, well, whatever you want to call it, of television.

Here we go!

These are from last week, and Monday (I think... I've lost track):

Jenny Jones: You Like to Floss That Body, But Are You a True Hottie?
(Isn't flossing something you do to your teeth?)
Jerry Springer: My Husband Is a Secret White Supremacist
(Not anymore)
Ricki Lake: I'm a Male Virgin and I Want You to Be My First
(No thanks, you're not my type)
Jerry Springer: Here Come the Hookers
(Where?! Will they be here soon?)
Jenny Jones: I Don't Care If You Agree, My Daughter Likes to Drink and Party With Me
(You know, it's good to see a family spending time together)

Tuesday:

Jerry Springer: I'm Ending My Lesbian Affair With My Sister
(Can I just say, I'm for that? Ending it, that is. I'm not for starting it in the first place.)

And, Wednesday:

Jerry Springer: I've Been Having a Homosexual Affair With My Wife's Brother
(Well, I'm thinking this person won't need to be on this next one)
Ricki Lake: Ricki, Help Me Determine Whether Or Not I'm Gay
(I'm not sure Ricki's really the best person to help determine that)

This is fascinating stuff. I don't know why I don't watch these shows... could it be, I've read so much about them, I've built them up so much in my mind, I'm afraid I would just be disappointed to actually see them in action.

Yeah, I'm sure that's it.

In other news, the neighbors don't have their Christmas lights on tonight. I haven't seen them out, so I haven't been able to ask them why they had them on last night. It is ponderous, though. If I ever discover the reasoning behind this out-of-season holiday cheer, I'll be sure to report it here, your Random Ramblings news channel, where the ridiculous news comes first.

What's New:

Tuesday February 26, 2002

Random Ramblings (by Celine)

So, uh... it's late February, right? And Christmas doesn't happen until December, right? I just wanted to make sure, because something has me rather confused. The neighbors down the street -- how, during the Christmas season, had their house well decorated -- has their Christmas lights on. Tonight. In late February. And I don't know why.

I had been wondering why they hadn't taken down of their decorations... candy canes, lights, Santas, garland, a lighted arch, etc. I guess now I know. Sort of. The neighbors have always kinda done their own thing, but this is new.

Hmm. I'll have to remember to see if they turn them on again tomorrow night. If they do, I'll take pictures.

In uber news, I just finished Connecting Hearts by Cephalgia and MJ. Mmm, mmm, good. I highly recommend it.

If you haven't read it yet, what are you waiting for? Oh, and Ceph, MJ... whenever you want to put out that sequel is juuuuust fine with me. You guys rock, your story rocks, and I want a Randa of my very own. Of course, I could go for a DJ, too.

Speaking of Cephalgia... she sent me the following, in response to Tango sitting and staring at me while I'm in the tub, reading uber on my Palm:

"Not to worry you, but did you ever think that the Wonder Kitty might not be watching you in the tub as you read Uber but actually be sitting there trying to mentally calculate his share of the estate should that thing drop?"

This is a very good point, and quite frankly, I wouldn't be surprised. He does have a quite pronounced devious streak, after all. But, alas, my estate is small, and I'm not sure how much of it he could use. He'd probably just sell it and buy something cat related, or something he could knock over and break.

In oops news, I would like to apologize to the very spiffy and nifty bard, Carrie Carr. She had sent me her story update the other day, and I forgot about it. Imagine, me forgetting to post a part to one of my favorite series! I suck. I'm scum. I'm a pathetic excuse for a rambler and Beyond Uber updater. I should have my Palm taken away.

I do have a backup Palm, after all.

:-)

It's my Mom's, but she almost never uses it. In fact, I had just recently reformatted her Palm so I could use it to read my uber stuff, because I had lost mine for about a day. If I hadn't had that backup, I would have simply just gone utterly and completely off the deep end.

And we wouldn't want that, now would we? We like to keep me happy, to keep my rambling and rambling and rambling and rambling... And we all know my Palm makes me happy. Actually, I want to get a new one... I want one in color. Of course, I need some money to do that. It's gonna have to wait a bit.

What's New:

  • The Greatest Gift - Part 1 By Carrie Carr posted at her site (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Sequel to Something To Be Thankful For. Randi's future begins to take shape, with Kay's help. Continuing story. *****Celine Recommends*****

  • White Nights - Chapters 44 though 49 Revised and 50 through 52 By Minerva posted at her site (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Continuing story.

  • Habáname - Part 4 By Ana Ortiz posted at the Merwolf Academy of Bards (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Continuing story.

  • Women on the Rebound - Part 1 By K.C. Kirkwood posted at the Merwolf Academy of Bards (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Alex Harrison-Reider has a pretty cynical outlook on life. Forced into a loveless marriage, she adopts the role of a somewhat unconventional housewife, solely devoted to being a thorn in her husband's side. Richard, unable to tolerate his wife's infuriating antics, devises a supposedly cunning plan to sanction her. Unfortunately for him, being institutionalised does nothing to placate the headstrong Alex and only serves to hone her rebellious streak. Pushed to the edge and seeking escapism, Richard immerses himself in his thriving business and resorts to hiring a 'baby-sitter' for his wayward wife. While the cat's away, the mice will play, but taming a wary Alex is no easy task. Has the enigmatic Kerry Chapman, still reeling from an earlier ordeal, found an unlikely ally? Or does Alex possess the power to destroy her completely? Continuing story.

  • A Single Tear - Part 5 By J.M. Dragon & Erin O'Rielly posted at MaryD's (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Continuing story.

  • Iron Rose Bleeding - Chapters 16 through 22 Fixed By Anne Azel posted at MaryD's (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Includes missing chapter 18. Continuing story.

Monday February 25, 2002

Random Ramblings (by Celine)

And now, the artistic portion of our program:

I've been Xena-ized
And uber-ized
And mine own eyes
Are happy...

In other news, I was up this morning way before I normally get up. Last night, I had to let two different puppies outside -- one of them twice -- and I had two kitties purring loudly in my ear whilst I tried to slumber.

I like to sleep. I don't sleep well, mind you... but it's an activity I enjoy. Having that activity interrupted... well, let's just say it's a good thing I love my puppies and kitties, and I'm not prone to violent outbursts. :)

Right now, Tango the Wonder Kitty is curled up with his favorite puppy, Kira, and they both look absolutely adorable. Oh, Mom just tried to take a picture, but they moved before she could.

I did get an interesting picture of Butler the Purring Wonder the other day...

In safety news, I would like to thank bard Cephalgia for her concern of my use of my Palm while bathing. Your concern is well noted, dear bard... not necessarily heeded, but definitely noted!

Don't ask me what he was thinking in the picture. I don't have a clue.

What's New:

Sunday February 24, 2002

Random Ramblings (by Celine)

My goodness. I mentioned my little web cam page thing the other day, and the traffic from you folks has been pouring in. That proves it, you guys need lives.

:-)

The site is, of course, at:

I've put up a few photos down at the bottom taken via the cam... including one of me wearing my Exposure - Straight My Ass hat Raven gave me, and a few of Tango the Wonder Kitty.

In other news, Raven and I want to thank those who've volunteered to help out here at Beyond Uber. I think Raven's already written back to you who've responded. You guys rock.

In Tango the Wonder Kitty news, he spent several minutes today while I was in the bathtub trying to climb onto my abdomen again. All this was while I was trying to read Connecting Hearts (a very spiffy story by MJ and Cephalgia at http://www.merwolf.com/academy/fanfic/c/cephalgia_mj_ch1.html). He obviously fails to understand one must not interrupt one who is reading uber. It's just not done. Of course, he doesn't listen to me on anything else, so I don't know why this should be any different.

Short list of new story stuff... I'm tired. I'll try to do more tomorrow.

What's New:

  • Houdini's Box - Part 1 By Girl Bard posted at the Merwolf Academy of Bards (Beyond Uber Alt)
    This story is the continuation of the story of two strangers that have met, fallen in love, formed a friendship that can withstand just about anything, and may or may not live happily ever after. And not necessarily in that order. Sequel to "I Know This Bar." Continuing story.

  • All It Took Was You - Parts 9 through 11 Conclusion By Ali Vali posted at the Merwolf Academy of Bards (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Conclusion.

  • Snowbound - Part 8 By Queenfor4 posted at the Merwolf Academy of Bards (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Continuing story. *****Celine Recommends*****

  • The Brass Ring - Parts 10 and 11 By Mavis Applewater posted at the Merwolf Academy of Bards (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Continuing story.

  • Lifetime Employment - Part 10 By Crow posted at the Merwolf Academy of Bards (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Continuing story.

Wednesday February 20, 2002

Random Ramblings (by Celine)

Hey, gang. Sorry (again) I haven't posted in a few days... every time I've tried, I am reminded of Kevin Smith's passing, and it's made it difficult to ramble. I never had the opportunity to see him in person, but as a fan of his acting and having read all kinds of wonderful things about him... well, it's affected me. On that front, check out Creation's nice tribute to Kevin at:

You can see pictures from the Con (including ROC's new red hair), some photos of Kevin, etc. And MaryD is posting all kinds of information on tributes to Kevin at: All of this is touching me in ways I hadn't expected, and it's taking me some time to adjust. However... one of the things I've heard about Kevin is he had a great sense of humor. So, it's ramble time. Please be seated, keep your hands on your keyboard, and let's begin.

Um.

Oh! I, uh, think I'm not quite sure why, but I've started running (again) my own web cam. It's not a streaming one... it's one of those which is updated with a new picture every 10 seconds things. I would do streaming, but that would mean I'd have to reconfigure my router on my home network, and that would be a pain. And I really don't think people want to see me that badly.

It's connected to my desktop, and I don't always use my desktop, so I'm not always seeable. And when I am... well, it's just a thrill a minute. You can see me sitting there. And... well, that's about it. Wow. Anyway, if you want to know what I look like (and who wouldn't? ;) ), head on over. And, for a limited time, I can see a great big pimple on my cheek! Who wouldn't want to see this exciting feature is beyond me. And at night, you can see my lava lamp.

In Tango the Wonder Kitty news, he managed to break my mother's jumbo skillet the other day... you know, one which costs $50. At first, I feared I was going to have to buy a new one, but I went online and discovered I could buy just the handles... which is what Tango broke. $15 is better than $50. I'm going to have to take it out of Tango's allowance.

Of course, that means I'll have to start giving him one.

In thank you news, I wanted to thank the folks who wrote me regarding that cemetery site I designed (http://fohcc.org). Y'all were very kind. :)

What's New:

Saturday February 16, 2002

In Memory of Kevin SmithHi all.

As you may have heard, Kevin Smith, a wonderful actor who played Ares on Xena, has passed away. MaryD posted a link on her site to a NZ Herald article sharing this terrible news:

I'm not exactly sure what to say, so I think I'll just offer my thoughts of support to his family.

Let's remember his work and his talent... watch some Xena tapes and be thankful for what he shared with us. A nice wallpaper of Kevin as Ares, from SherryB's site...

He may be gone (which is so difficult to comprehend), but he will not be forgotten.

Sword and Staff will be organizing something in his memory, so watch their site:

And MaryD's:

Thursday February 14, 2002

Random Ramblings (by Celine)

Happy Valentine's Day!Hi, peeps! Hope you are all having a happy Valentine's Day (the day of loooove)... personally, I'm spending it with my own love -- which is my uber-filled Palm PDA. I don't have a sweetie of the human variety, so toys... er, I mean electric gadgets... darn. I mean, I have to take what I can get.

Oh, forget it.

I also have chocolate. No, not M&M's (darn it)... mp, these are Reece's Peanut Butter Bites. And they're so good, I may never eat anything other than them ever again.

Or not.

Anyway, sorry I haven't posted in what seems like forever. But, I've been busy. Working. Ick. Believe me, I'd much rather be doing Beyond Uber stuff. In volunteering news, I've created a site for a cemetery friends group thingie... wanna see?

It's beautiful, it's wonderful, it's... well, it's a web site.

In Tango the Wonder Kitty (who is at present romping around with two of my other cats, making a lot of noise) news, he's developed an interesting new thing. Whenever I take a bath, he insists on coming into the bathroom with me, and then he tries to climb on to my stomach. While I'm in the bathtub. This is the same cat who lets his tail drop into the water as he's sitting on the edge of the tub. And staring at me. It's rather disconcerting to bathe while he's staring at me. But I have to let him in the bathroom, otherwise he sits outside the door meowing.

I, uh... I think Tango's a bit spoiled. Of course, that's like saying Shaquille O'Neil is a bit tall.

What's New:

  • Forbidden Fruit - Part 1 By Dolph posted at the Merwolf Academy of Bards (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Life is always a challenge. Especially to young Torina Montgomery. Her life takes a turn for the better when she and her family move to a new house, a new town.... damn, and even a new country. But these aren't the only new things that the quiet, introspective girl experiences. Love can appear under the most innocent of circumstances. Wanting someone is one thing, but actually taking them is another. Particularly when what you really long for is totally taboo.... and totally forbidden.

  • Freedom's Heart - Parts 5 and 6 Conclusion By Amber posted at the Merwolf Academy of Bards (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Conclusion.

  • All That Jazz - Parts 25 through 27 By Blue Dragon posted at the Merwolf Academy of Bards (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Continuing story.

  • Connecting Hearts - 6 Conclusion By Cephalgia and MJ posted at the Merwolf Academy of Bards (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Conclusion.

  • I Know This Bar - Part 7 Conclusion By Girl Bard posted at the Merwolf Academy of Bards (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Conclusion.

  • Habáname - Part 3 By Ann Ortiz posted at the Merwolf Academy of Bards (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Continuing story.

  • Words Heard In Silence - Chapters 8 and 9 By T. Novan & Taylor Rickard posted at MaryD's (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Continuing story.

  • Mordida - Part 12 By Bel-wah posted at MaryD's (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Continuing story.

  • Wheels On Fire By Baermer posted at MaryD's (Beyond Uber Alt)
    A take-off of the show 'Absolutely Fabulous'.

  • Passion's Bright Fury By Radclyffe posted at MaryD's (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Saxon Sinclair, the broodingly secretive Chief of Trauma at a busy Manhattan hospital is less than pleased to learn that her new resident is going to be the subject of a documentary film. The arrival of Jude Castle, the fiery filmmaker, soon sets sparks flying as the two independent, driven women clash both personally and professionally. On the battleground between life and death, passion strikes without warning.

  • Iron Rose Bleeding - Chapters 16 through 22 By Anne Azel posted at MaryD's (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Continuing story.

  • The Road Back Home - Chapters 1 through 27 By Lynne Norris posted at MaryD's (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Continuing story.

  • A Single Tear - Part 3 By JM Dragon's & Erin O'Rielly posted at the Athenaeum (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Continuing story.

  • Snowbound - Part 6 By Queenfor4 posted at the Athenaeum (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Continuing story. *****Celine Recommends*****

  • Gentle Sunset - Part 2 By Erin O'Rielly posted at the Athenaeum (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Continuing story.

  • Merry Christmas Reece By Vertigo posted at her site (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Short story based on the Private Dancer stories.

  • Faith's Heart By Vertigo posted at her site (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Short story based on the Private Dancer stories.

  • New Gaia - Chapter 21 By Kodi Wolf posted at her site (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Continuing story.

  • The Brass Ring - Parts 7 and 8 By Mavis Applewater posted at the Mindom (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Continuing story.

Sunday February 10, 2002 :)

Raven's Ravings (by Raven)

Hey Hey!
I promised you all a treat last Sunday but alas my health took a nose dive so I was unable to post .. so I hope to make it up to you and the authors today with a wonderful collaboration ramble from the authors of:

  • Murder Most Foul By two wonderfuly talented authors:
    C Pardee and Lois Cloarec Hart
These two authors have both graced us with many wonderful tales! I Highly recomemnd you visit their sites, read their stories and support fan fiction by purchasing their books!

Lois Cloarec Hart stories are located on Lois Lair

Her stories include:
Coming Home is her first novel and has been published by Renaissance Alliance Publishing.
Coming Home

Broken Homes, another novel, is also being published by RAP in Spring 2002.
Broken Homes

The Lion and The Lamb
The Lion and The Lamb

C Paradee stories can be found on

  • At First Blush
    I have also contributed a story, Niches, to an anthology, At First Blush, being published by Jane Doe Press. The proceeds from the sale of this book will go Doctors without Borders.


Now on with a word from these talented authors.. enjoy!

Lois

Thanks for the invitation to ramble a bit. Carol and I met when I wrote her about her story ‘The XO’ a couple of years ago, and we’ve been beta reading for each other ever since. It only seemed to make sense when we both finished projects last year to try a new project together. We hammered out an idea, chose a beautiful corner of the country as our playground and began to build a cast of characters that first interested us, assuming that if they did, our readers would enjoy them too. We each had our favourites to write, and I found I had the most fun writing the ghost, Delia. That’s normal for me. I always have at least one character (usually a strong secondary character) that it’s a breeze to write dialogue for.

Carol

I love mysteries and wanted to try constructing one, incorporating the basic elements of such a story; heroes, villains and whodunits. Lindsay was my personal favorite to write because of her spunk and intelligence, but Jaye was a close second because I enjoyed the growth of her tolerance and integrity throughout the story. Delia's unexpected popping in and out was a kick because of the humor her presence lent to any scene she was in. While her sad demise begins and ends the mystery, she also regularly enlivened the search for the killer.

Lois

The concept of ghostly apparitions is not unprecedented in my writing. I grew up on stories of how my grandfather appeared at the foot of my grandmother’s bed the night after he died. Given that my grandmother was a no-nonsense Scot who wouldn’t have known a flight of fancy if it bit her in the nose, I believed the tale. I think the desire to see loved ones who have passed on is a common one, whether to ensure they’re all right or to say the words that went unsaid while they were alive. Having lost someone I loved dearly less than a year ago, I found it cathartic to write Delia’s appearances into the story. I hope she’s as fun to read, as she was to write.

Carol

We hadn’t collaborated on a story before, either with each other or anyone else, so it was a learning experience for both of us. We consulted other writing teams before we started, but worked out our own system of alternating chapters and discussing them heavily as we exchanged them. It was interesting because although both of us had the outline of what scenes the other was going to write, neither of us knew exactly how those would play out, so it was a unique experience to watch the story develop from both a writer’s and a reader’s point of view.

Questions email the authors:
Lois

CParadee

Thank you both and remember to Feed the Bards!!

Now for some more fun fiction:

  • Provenance Part 6 By Cruise Posted on Academy of Bards (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Raven Recommends

  • Connecting Hearts part 5 By Cephalgia and MJ Posted on Academy of Bards (Beyond Uber Alt)
    Raven Highly Recommends!! Don't miss this one!

  • Snowbound part 6 By Queenfor4 Posted on Academy of Bards(Beyond Uber Alt)
    Raven Recommends

  • Winds of Change By Crystal Michallet Posted on Academy of Bards (Beyond Uber Alt)
    XFile's episode, Nothing Important Happened Today, which Lucy Lawless starred in. It goes along the premise that Xena/Gabrielle never died in FIN, and are in fact immortal and still living today.

Saturday February 9, 2002 :)

Raven's Ravings (by Raven)

Sorry about the delay in postings but I could not sleep knowing that all you are out there without new and wonderful fiction to read.. ok ok so you found some anyway.. but let me live in my dream world :)

So I have tried to gather you a ton of EXCELLENT fiction.. my tons of excellent authors have graced you with new stories or new chapters.. so read on my friends!!

  • Freedom's Heart Parts 1-4 ( By Amber posted The Bard's Corner(Beyond Uber Alt)
    During a routine skirmish against bandits, Jessica DaÇGran, the daughter of a local lord-knight, meets Kaleah, a recently released slave-turned-warrior. Sparks immediately fly. Jessica is determined to befriend the dark-haired stranger, and while Kaleah at first stubbornly refuses her kind overtures, eventually she cannot fight against her own desire for companionship. Their friendship quickly grows stronger and deepens into love, then desire. But there are problems each will have to overcome in order for their love to grow, and stirrings of war that will threaten the lives of those Jessica has sworn to protect.
    Raven Highly Recommends!

  • Mordida Part 11 By Bel-wah posted Bards Corner(Beyond Uber Alt)
    Raven Highly Recommends!

  • Love Stuck By Damnation posted on What's Your Poison(Beyond Uber Alt)

  • Provenance part 6 By Cruise posted on What's Ya Poison(Beyond Uber Alt)
    Raven Recommends!!!!

  • Home part 3 By DS Bauden posted Academy of Bards(Beyond Uber Alt)
    Raven Recommends!!!!!

  • Sinner By Maderlin Bidmead posted on Academy of Bards(Beyond Uber Alt)
    In a land of magic, honor and deceit, where brother fights brother a war has been waged. To the victors the world, the universe. To the losers the shadows, waiting for their chance. Unwilling to let the evil that has conquered her world to spread into another, only one woman has the courage to try and fight it. In another dimension will she find the one who can help save her own?
    Raven Recommends

  • Habáname By Ana Ortiz posted Academy of Bards(Beyond Uber Alt)
    An unconventional doctor travels to the controversial island of Cuba to help solve a mysterious epidemic of blindness (based on true events in the early 1990s) where she meets an unconventional sex worker. Against the backdrop of a crumbling Havana that hasn't lost its heart, they have to decide where to place their loyalties.

  • Just My Luck By WarriorNutcase posted on Academy of Bards(Beyond Uber Alt)
    Set in the neon-soaked casinos of Nevada, where lady luck reigns with a warped sense of humor. A story to prove that sometimes you have to lose a little to win big

Sunday February 3, 2002 ... Again :)

Raven's Ravings (by Raven)

Good Day Folks!

Before I pass you all on to our wonderful rambling guests this evening (stay tuned you will be in for a treat tonight!) I wanted to take a minute to say a few words..

To those of you who enjoy reading all this wonderful fiction and take the time to let the writer know.. I applaud you!! As writing for one's self is easy but to take what has been personal with this time and talent consuming process and putting it out here for all to read.. and unfortunately.. Judge.. I want to say that you are truly my hero's!

Many an author that we now see as talented and even published may not have won wild praise with their first stories or may if not for the grace of the muses stopped even trying due to harsh and unconstructive criticisms from .. you the reader or you the reviewer!

The reason I started this site was not only to give readers a place to help find stories but to encourage the work of every unknown and amateur writer out there that needed help in getting their stories read and enjoyed.

For those of you that have chosen to take the gifts of these individuals (FREE I Might Add) and make their hard work and efforts trite .. I must say that I would ask you to take the time to write something with such efforts and devotion and live through not only the encouragement of others but the sting of hurtful arrows on a effort that some feel not worthy of their time.

The reason I LOVE Fan Fiction is it encourages others to grow and expand their horizons.. from their first Xena/Gab story or Captain/Seven of Nine to the point where they feel comfortable in creating their own characters and building their own worlds in which we can visit and enjoy! To encourage such endeavors for young and old alike is to help others even unknown realize their small or life long dreams .

Who should begrudge one their life's dreams by cutting them down with slight and hateful words.. taunting and raising fear in those new authors who fear exposing something so simple as a story!

True, I give my two cents when I have read a story and recommend a story .. and I only recommend stories that I have had an opportunity to read so you may find many treasures that I have not uncovered yet and I beseech you to share your recommendations as we here at Beyond Uber will happily pass them along.

I also must tell you that I beta many works and strive to help writers in a constructive manner.. as we are all here to learn and enjoy this thing we call Uber!

So as my mother so wisely told me as a child if you don't have something good or constructive to say.. it is best left unsaid!

We are all just simple humans here trying to enjoy a hobbie ..the joy of writing and reading so let us all work to help each other.. knowing that encouragement is always available vs a slap in the face for a gift freely given!!

Feed your bards.. and play nice :)
Raven

Now for a few works that just arrived.. more uber tonight!

  • Snowbound Part 5 By Queenfor4 Posted on Athenaeum's Scroll Archives(Beyond Uber Alt)
    Raven Recommends

Sunday February 3, 2002

Raven's Ravings (by Raven)

Sorry to have delays in postings but it has been one hell of a week :) My eyes are great, I still have a job so.. sleep is now just an illusion but hey it works ;)

Today I hope to make up for the lack of updates by bringing you another great ramble by one of my favorite authors

Who you say.. well none other then D.S. Bauden and she has a wonderful announcement about of of her tales....

Well hello again folks!

I've been asked by Raven to ramble with you guys once again. I'm honored to have been asked back to play at the Beyond Uber Site. Don't you just love this place?

Anyway, it is again two in the morning and I am still awake. It seems to be my routine as of late. But I did see a remarkable film tonight which will segue into my rambling tonight :) It was "Finding Forrester."
Anyone see this film?
Sean Connery, Rob Brown? Anyone?

Well, it was about a reclusive author,William Forrester (Sean Connery) who lives in the Bronx and is befriended by, Jamal Wallace (Rob Brown) a 16 year old basketball player who also has the gift to write. The two become friends after a fashion, and learn about themselves and each other. Anyway, it was a very inspiring film, I would recommend you see it when you can. It brought into my brain that dreams do come true with enough discipline and desire. The two D's you must have, I believe, to make things happen. The two have brought my dream of writing into a reality, that's for sure.

Raven asked me to write about what it means to me to be published. It's odd to be struck dumb when you should have plenty to say about something that means so much to you. Being published has meant more to me that I can ever attempt to say.

I wrote initially when my parents passed away because I had so many things in my head that wouldn't allow me to sleep. (The night demons I lovingly call them.) Writing, for me, helps take away the night demons . It gives the things that trouble me (or take up residency in my brain) a place to go. It calms the voices (yes, the voices) that seem to park themselves in my head until they can be heard. It's really an odd feeling to have someone else tell you what to write (yes, the voices again).

My stories are written by my characters and no one else. It's just that simple or the madness is just clouding my head at this point, I can't tell the difference anymore. But if you're lucky enough, these voices will create and weave a story that someone likes enough to want to publish for you. That's what happened with my first novel, Nurturing Souls.
It is now available for pre-order from the Open Book.

YAY!
In my head I can only think "Wow, this is really happening." It's such a surreal feeling but it's the most fulfilling thing I've ever experienced.

I have to thank you all again for your incredible support over the last four years or so. It has been such an amazing ride and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I've been asked what do I say to people just starting to write and my answer is usually the same. If you have a story in you, write it. Write until you have no words left. That's usually a great place to start. Watching "Finding Forrester" tonight also brought up something that stuck with me as well. Write your first draft from your heart, write your second one from your head.

Thank you all for listening to my ramblings once again. I do appreciate it. :)

Please feel free to drop me a line at DSBauden@att.net or visit my website at http://www.dsbauden.com.

Take good care,
Di

And now, here are the updates to all those stories you have saved on your hard drives until they're finished... enjoy! :)

  • Dreams By ROCshadow Posted on ROCshadow's Corner(Beyond Uber Alt)

  • Assassin Part 16 By Kodi Wolf Posted on Kodi Wolf's Xena Fan Fiction (Beyond Uber Alt)

  • A Woman Like You by G.S. Binkley Posted on Academy of Bards (Beyond Uber Alt)
    WOMAN LIKE YOU is the second story in THE WOMAN I LOVE series. Lacy Levine and Gage Ballant continue their lives together while the actress makes a movie with the dashing Koda Kannon and Gage meets her partner's family. Unsteadily, Gage enters Lacy's tinseltown world as their relationship faces a turbulent sea of social stigma plus work and family concerns while several jealous storms rise. Lacy and Gage ride this rocky boat with Dani, Derek and the birth of the star's third child all the while holding steadfastly together. This story starts before the Epilogue in the first story THE WOMAN I LOVE.
    Raven Recommends!

  • Meaningful Encounter by Jules Kurre Posted on Academy Bards(Beyond Uber Alt)
    Can a chance meeting change everything?

  • Words Heard In Silence by T. Novan & Taylor Rickard Posted on Bard's Academy (Beyond Uber Alt)
    "Words Heard In Silence" is an absolute beauty! Don't miss this one folks. Every week will see the release of two chapters.
    Raven Recommends!!

Saturday February 2, 2002

Random Ramblings (by Celine)

Okay, folks... here they are, the top 10 reasons why there hasn't been a Beyond Uber update since January 28th:

10. My dog ate my posts
9. Tango the Wonder Kitty stole my computer
8. He also stole my laptop
7. Raven and I were both too busy reading uber
6. (This space intentionally left blank)
5. Aliens
4. I started pondering the meaning of life which caused me to wonder if I'm really alive and then I started wondering if I really exist and then had a major existential crisis and my head exploded
3. C-SPAN, *the* channel for all things U.S. government, was just way too interesting this week
2. Did you know, if you know where to look, you can download most (if not all) of the episodes of South Park?
1. Wizard

Yep.

So, anyway, the truth... Raven has a new job position, so she's been settling into that. And I have been doing a lot of work projects, plus I've volunteered (translate: someone else volunteered me) to maintain a site for a non-profit group, so I've kinda been busy. So busy, in fact, I haven't even read any uber. *sniff* You should all feel very sorry for me. It's depressing.

In other news, it snowed here the other day. We had a whopping two whole inches of snow. I took pictures.

Wow.

There's a field not too far from my house, so I trudged down there and snapped away. And I fell on my rump once, just as a car was going by. It was a beautiful scene. The neighborhood has about a zillion giant Douglas fir trees, so I took some pics of snowy Douglas fir trees.

Wow.

Here's a short update... I'll try to catch us up here this weekend. Wish me luck. :)

What's New:

The Beyond Uber What's New from January has been archived