This is all fanfiction related, so bear with me.

Okay, after pestering by goldenmeadow (and a promise that she'll get through Dark Side of the Moon this week...) I'm posting the old preface to Dark Side here.

The backstory:  This was the first scene I wrote - B & E's reunion under the clock tower.  I posted it as a teaser, and as the preface to the full story once I started writing the beginning chapters, way back when twilighted was brand new.  When I got further into the story, I pulled it and posted the current preface (the link to the full story is in the sidebar <----).

Anyway, Rie asked to see the original again, and rather than post it with the story, I'm putting it here.  The updated version is located in Chapter 15 of Dark Side of the Moon, and is WAY better than this.  It is interesting to see how my writing has grown in just a year, though.

So, for those readers who date back to the origins of Dark Side, I present the original preface, titled Heaven:

Heaven

 

I raised my eyes from my knees and looked across the plaza at the reflection of the clock in one of the windows.  Only a minute or two remained in my time on this planet.  The sun was shining brightly now, beckoning me.  I rose and walked to the entrance of the alley.  A few feet from the end I stopped, looking down at the line before my feet.  How ironic that to end it all I would have to cross this shadow line, stepping from darkness into light.  It was the extinguishing of Bella’s light that drove me here at all.

The hands of the clock clicked another minute off, one more to go.  The plaza was full now, and a small family stopped right in front of me.  No one would be hurt except me – the best end I could hope for.  I silently apologized to Alice again, wishing she didn’t have to see this, and I slowly unbuttoned my shirt.

For just a moment I thought of my family.  They would miss me, I knew that, but they were all complete.  They had each other for comfort, and now they would no longer worry about me – the odd man out.  This was best for them as well.

I only wished I could thank Carlisle for giving me this life.  He’d never stopped questioning himself about me, and though I was at the end, I now knew that he had bestowed on me the greatest gift.  Because of him I’d met Bella and experienced heaven, even if it was only for a moment.  That was worth everything, and I wished he would know that.

My shirt fell to my feet as I heard the hands of the clock shift again and the first chime ring out.  It was only two steps to the sun – to the end – and I closed my eyes and found Bella for these last seconds.

I sorted through the images, choosing which ones would take me down this final path.  The first was one of the most recent; we were watching Romeo and Juliet, and my arms were wrapped around her.  I smiled as I remembered how she reacted when I whispered the words in her ear.  Her tears at the end were priceless and unfortunately prophetic; and now Romeo’s story was mine.  The clock tolled again.

The scene in my mind changed, and Bella stood before me, a beautiful woman, dressed in the most amazing blue dress I’d ever seen.  Even with one leg in a cast, she was incredible, and I remembered how her scent mingled with the flowers that I carefully placed in her hair.  Another deep chime sounded.

The memory of the prom continued: the fear in her eyes at the thought of dancing, then the joy that filled them as she started to really enjoy herself.  She clung to me tightly, pressing her body against mine, her heart flying.  There was nothing that could rival the beauty of that moment.  Again the clock called me.

Knowing that Bella would be the last thing I would see created a calm in me I hadn’t felt in a very long time.  I remembered how she would stroke my hair and my face, her touch lighter than a feather’s.  The memory of the electricity I felt every time we made contact sent a shiver through me.  Even through her fingertips I could feel the warmth she radiated and the life-giving rhythm of her heart.  The way she had accepted me so completely would remain a mystery.  The clock tolled again, and I listened to her voice.

“I love you, Edward,” she whispered in my mind.  So many times she’d said it, sometimes quietly, sometimes laughingly, and yet every time the words filled me with a serenity that was indescribable.  I listened to her laugh, how it too was warm and rich, so full of life.  The sound of her breathing, her heartbeat, filled my mental ears, together giving me little clues into her thoughts when her words didn’t.  The chiming of the clock briefly interfered with the sounds in my memory.

I never did find a way to read her thoughts, but her face told me nearly enough that it didn’t matter.  Bella’s lovely, expressive face mirrored her thoughts constantly, reacting to every word or touch.  Her eyes were such a rich brown, so deep.  When she smiled, they twinkled and sparkled as brown eyes never had before. When she looked at me, her eyes enveloped me with her love, pulled me to her like a magnet.  …and she thought that I dazzled her… The clock continued its tolling – only a few chimes left.

For a brief moment I considered my life before Bella, but there was nothing that could compare to how she’d affected me in those few short months.  Everything else was meaningless, as was a future without her.  Only my time with her mattered to me – only then did I truly live.  “I love you, Edward,” she said again in my memory, “I’ll always love you.”

As another chime beckoned me toward the end, I remembered Carlisle’s words on that fateful day.  “How could there not be more for one such as Edward,” he’d told Bella.  My mind drifted again, and I imagined that he could be right – that some how, some way, Bella would be the one to greet me in whatever came after this… life.  Faintly I heard her again, calling me, “Edward…”  Her voice, though quiet, was different; it was as if she was here with me, beckoning me.  I took a step closer to the end as the clock bellowed another chime.

“Edward, look at me,” she called, louder this time; and the sound was so real that I couldn’t stifle my smile.  One more step, and I would find out if she really was there, waiting, or if there would just be nothing.  Before I could complete the stride, something soft fell into my arms.

Automatically my arms wrapped around…her?  A fragrance that I never thought I would smell again drifted to me, and I felt her warmth fill my chest.  Could it really be her?  No, my mind must be playing tricks.  I slowly opened my eyes to see who I held as the chimes sounded again. 

It was Bella…

There was a heaven after all, and some how I’d managed to find it.  In an instant I was changed – the chasm in my chest disappeared as her soft hands rested against it – her touch instantly healing all my wounds.  And she was perfect: exactly the same, beautiful Bella I’d fallen so deeply in love with.  My eyes drank in her face as I tried to understand how I could have found this heaven. 

“Amazing, Carlisle was right,” I murmured in shock.  I still couldn’t believe it – she was so real.  It was as if we’d never parted – the pain, the guilt, the loneliness were all gone.  Is it possible?  Would we be together forever, just as she promised?

As I looked at my love her lips moved.  “Edward,” she barely breathed, and the word filled me with euphoria.  The rest of her speech was lost to me; I was so surprised.  Was it truly her?

I reached out to touch her cheek, and was rewarded with the soft warmth and slight blush I’d longed for these past terrible months.  The look on her face was one of concern, and as the clock tolled again I wondered if her time with me would be short.  It didn’t matter – even this one second was enough.

She took a deep breath against me and her face softened.  “I can’t believe how quick it was.  I didn’t feel a thing – they’re very good,” I told her.  She still felt fragile in my grasp, the same as always.  Though the sight of her astounded me, I closed my eyes briefly and kissed her silky hair.  Even after death, both hers and mine, she hadn’t changed and I was reminded of Romeo on that last earthbound day… “Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath, that had no power yet upon thy beauty.”  The clock gave up its final chime, and no matter where I was it could not be better than this.

“You smell just exactly the same as always,” I said and took another quick breath, feeling the flames scorch my throat with thirst.  The sensation surprised me; I would have expected the thirst to be quenched in heaven.  “So maybe this is hell.  I don’t care.  I’ll take it.”  I looked down at Bella, never wanting to leave her ever again, no matter what the cost to me.  She spoke, but I wasn’t listening.  “…They can’t be far away!”  She squirmed in my arms and looked up at me with panic in her eyes.

“What was that?”

“We’re not dead, not yet! But we have to get out of here before the Volturi–” as the last word left her lips I heard other whispers… Is he in the light? Can we take him?  …Wait – you have your orders…  Realization suddenly struck me and the danger to my Bella, my living Bella, became crystal clear.

As my heart rejoiced, I spun her around, placing her against the wall so that none of the guard stalking me could get near her.  But she was alive, with me… for the time being…

I was asked for a top ten fanfic list - and I really suck at those. I read some fanfic, but have been trying to read published fiction this year. But there's a few I really like, so here goes:  *Note, these are of various ratings, some M, so tread carefully.

Tie Me Down to This World, by StruckUponAStar.  This is my favorite right now.  A Jasper/Alice AH, it's an amazing blend of originality and canon, wrapped up in professional level writing.  Heart wrenching, but amazing!  On Twilighted and fanfiction.net

Sibling Rivalry by NoMoreThanUsual.  Canon, but hilarious!  Bella pranks Emmett.  Fantastic.  On Twilighted

Dead Confederates by goldenmeadow. Irreverant southern-boy Edward caught my attention during the Indies.  Again, so different, but still hints of the over-educated all-knowing vampire we love.  The church billboards are the best! On fanfiction.net

The Dorothy Factor by Kayla Ariev. A fun sort-of-crossover with the Wizard of Oz.  Bella's thrown into an alternate reality after a freak tornado hits Forks.  Complete.  On Twilighted and the Twilight Archives (sorry, no link)

Well, This Sucks: Life According to Seth by Krum Cake.  Another irreverent story, but Seth's teenage view of life post-BD is a great read.  On fanfiction.net

The Puppet Master by Glitch in the System.  One of the first (I think) "I'm stuck in Twilight" stories.  In canon (yes, really), but with some great behind-the-scenes twists.  On fanfiction.net

This is My Beloved Son in Whom I'm Well Pleased by Minisinoo.  A classic - written by a professional.  in canon, pre-twilight, the quintessential Carlisle.  On Twilighted and fanfiction.net

Consequencias by Gustariana.  Sex is a major character in this AH - not for the PG-13 crowd.  But oh, so intense!  On Twilighted and fanfiction.net

Atlas Shrugged by JessieChreessie.  Bella heals a broken Edward in this AU.  On Twilighted

The Wild and Wacky Adventures of Edward in PE by LindaRoo.  Another classic.  In canon, hilariously funny.  Senior year Edward had almost all his classes with Bella - including PE.  You can guess what happens...or can you?  On Twilighted and fanfiction.net

So there it is, my weird list of fics.  Hope you enjoy!

Destined for an Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This latest installment in the Bones-Kat relationship is in some ways the most frustrating. I know that conflict is the core of good writing, but so many assumptions on the part of both Kat and Bones were less than believable.

And then there were the questions that they didn't ask - most specifically Bones of Kat...but I can't go into that without spoiling the story, and I don't want to do that!

It's a good read, don't get me wrong. I just hope that there's new conflict in the next book, not just more miscommunication. Bones and Kat need to progress to the next level of their relationship.
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The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan


My rating: 4 of 5 stars



My kids pestered me for weeks to read this book (and they're still bugging me about the rest of the series). They loved it - and I finally succumbed. And I admit it, they were right.

Kind of 'National Treasure' meets 'Deathly Hallows', The Maze of Bones is an orphan-discovers-they're-special book. The similarities to JK Rowling's world continue, with the introduction of four family lines, all vying for a cryptic inheritance. But that familiarity only adds to the attraction, I think.

This book revolves around Benjamin Franklin (the 'National Treasure' part). The historical facts included are great, though I wonder about where the line between fantasy and accuracy lies. In any case, it's a great place to start a conversation about history.

The cards and online games are an added bonus (and marketing opportunity), but not what drives my kids' interest. Good for tweens, I think.

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Painless Grammar by Rebecca S. Elliott


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A great book - lots of grammar rules and tips, along with many hilarious examples. A wonderful reference for any writer.

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"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and the success of liberty." - John F. Kennedy, 01/20/1961

"To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union even by war, while the Government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it. Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes. "Woe unto the world because of offenses; for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh." Abraham Lincoln, 03/04/1865

Lincoln was speaking of slavery and the civil war, but when I read this on the wall of the Lincoln memorial two years ago, it struck such a chord with the present that I haven't forgotten it.

Finally, Ecclisiastes 3, as quoted by Yitzhak Rabin, 09/13/1993, at the signing of the Oslo Accords:
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to love, and a time to hate; A time of war; and a time of peace."

May we all see peace in our lifetimes.

Yeah, I did it. I got a twitter account. The feeling that the 21st century was passing me by (or running me over) finally made me type those dreaded letters into my URL box. Hopefully I can catch the twitter train and figure this stuff out! (I'm still working on facebook...)

If you want to follow me, I'm blondieakarobin over there too...I'm supposed to tweet about what I'm eating for dinner, right?

Yup, I have one of those electronic readers. I'd been looking seriously at the Sony Reader - I'd heard really good things about it, but when the opportunity arose to get a kindle for really cheap, I couldn't pass it up. So far? I love it!

The first book I bought was...New Moon (surprise, surprise). I wanted to check out the search capabilities of the reader, and see what a book I was familiar with looked like. I still have a lot to learn about the thing, but the screen is amazing. Even in bright sunlight you can read it - the 'electronic ink' technology is something else.

The next thing I tried was uploading one of my fanfics. I searched online to try and find simple tips to make it format better, without much luck, so I just dumped my .docx document in, and gave it a go. It seems to work okay - but for some reason a space gets dropped every few hundred characters or so. I tried both .doc and .pdf versions of the file with even worse results, and am putting off converting it to html and doing it that way. I just wish I could find a free listing of the tags to use, rather than shell out another ten bucks to find out the three I need.

If anyone out there has any experience with the kindle and/or uploading docs, let me know. If I can get my fics in a format that works, I'll make the files available online somewhere.

But for now I'm picking which books to buy and put on my reader. Next will be the Bible - something that I could really use the search feature for! Then more vampires, probably!

Hot Six by Janet Evanovich


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A book all about Ranger - or is it? This was one of my favorites in the series so far, probably because of the subject of Stephanie's new hunt. Well, not Stephanie's, exactly...

I would like to see Stephanie getting a little more proficient at the bounty hunter gig, though. The 'I left my gun at home' is getting just a tad worn. If she wants to use a stun gun or pepper spray, she should get a little better at it and not haul all her stuff around in a bag. Just my opinion...

Still, she sure has a nose for trouble, and a dog's nose to go with it this time. I'm glad Bob is hers and not mine!

Whew! six books in about as many days, and I'm nearly caught up with my 100 in a year. With Stephanie's help, I might actually get a little bit ahead!


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Yup, another one. There's 15 in the series, so hang on to your hats!

High Five by Janet Evanovich


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Another case, another kooky character. Apprehending a three-foot tall man is of course a challenge, but I garnered a lot of raised eyebrows laughing at Stephanie's attempts when reading in public.

One thing, the subject of the main search is lost pretty early. Things are pretty convoluted, but, as usual, it takes a few cars blowing up to straighten everything out.

Yeah for Ranger for taking Stephanie on as an employee. His patience is endless...boy I'd like to know how long it'd last.

His patience!

Yeah, right! Wonder if he has any other job openings.

This book wins the award for best (and most frustrating) cliffhanger ending. Thank goodness I have the next book in my hands already!


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Four to Score by Janet Evanovich


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Okay, so I've got the gist of the series now...new book, new big case to solve, new crazy character. Little cases on the side, Morelli, sometimes on the side, sometimes more.

Cars blow up.

Except the land yacht.

I loved Sally - hope he shows up again. Seems like with all these friends that Stephanie is making, she's starting to build a network. A bizarre network, but a network none the less.

Joyce...no, no spoilers. But...ah, Joyce. Great job, Stephanie!

Morelli...mmmm. Still...Ranger?

A really good read while standing in line at DisneyWorld.


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Three To Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich


My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Let's try this again - got the books mixed up the first time!



This one has quite the twist at the end which leads Stephanie to get her man. I do like the fact that she always seems to pull it out at the end, though not without plenty of fireworks.



The juxtaposition of Stephanie's bounty hunter side and her 'I'm a Jersey woman' side is the best part. And Lula - she's definitely a keeper.



Morelli...Ranger...Stephanie has such a tough life.


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Two for the Dough by Janet Evanovich


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Second in the series - even better I thought. Stephanie picks up her 'bounty huntering' a notch and starts to get the hang of the gig. Still bumbling, but at least she's starting to take the job more seriously. Makes her more relatable, I think.

Best part: Grandma Mazur. She's a kick in the pants, and Stephanie's the only one who seems to understand her grandma.

The whole Italian/Jersey scene is hilariously funny - as is the fascination with funerals and viewings. Still working on figuring out Morelli - wish Stephanie would share a little more details about what she thinks of the guy.


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These next few are coming fast an furious - I found a great series and had a vacation (translation: no internet access).

One for the Money by Janet Evanovich


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I've heard so much about this series - my friends have all read it - even my mom. So with hours of webless plane flights I finally dove into the world of Stephanie Plum.

I read an outtake book from this series a while back, but had forgotten all about Stephanie and her bounty-hunter lifestyle, so this was truly like starting from scratch. Not a romance, One for the Money was more like a spiced up mystery. The series opener, this book did a great job of introducing the main characters and setting up some long-term relationships.

I have to admit, though, that Stephanie is kinda shallow for me. I like her - she's really funny - but she dives into a dangerous profession with little more than a 'well, I need to be able to pay the rent, and buy doughnuts' attitude. Her relationship with Morelli could use just a tiny bit more definition, or at least a tiny bit more explanation of her feelings for me.

The adventure aspect of this book can't be beat, though, and I'm definitely reading on to find out more.


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I'm behind again! Luckily I've got some long plane flights coming up - time to catch up! Hopefully my selections are better than this one!

Game for Anything by Bella Andre

My review

rating: 1 of 5 stars


I've finally read my first trashy romance. Thin plot, transparent and unbelievable characters, and repetitive sex make this book more like a rejected porn movie script than a novel. I had to force my way through.

Good punctuation. I'm glad I got it for free.


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Just a quick FYI for all you twilighted users - the server is down for maintenance tonight (Friday 6/25). Why not Sunday morning? I don't know. Hopefully it'll be up soon, but I don't have an ETA.

Posted 9:30 pm PDT....If I hear more, I'll let you know!

blondie

Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris

My review

rating: 2 of 5 stars


I'll try to do this without spoilers...

This latest installment of the Sookie Stackhouse series was kind of a disappointment for me. It feels to me like a 'I added too much to my fantasy world, and am correcting that mistake' type story. That, and considering the number of people who died, many of them pregnant women, made this a less than fulfilling read for me.

Sookie's relationship with Eric gets slightly more convoluted - but it's kind of an afterthought to the rest of the story. The vampires in general are kind of an afterthought, IMO, which is what drew me to the series. I hope the next book resolves some things - I'm ready for this series to end.


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Trouble in Spades by Heather Webber

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book introduces Nina's sister Maria - and she's a crack up!

More complicated and more suspenseful, I think, this book is a perfect summer read. The switch to Avon was a good one - this book is more polished and complete than the first one (under Harper Collins).

Heather Webber does a great job in creating interesting characters - Brickhouse Krause is a kick. Nina's relationship with her ex is aggravating - but probably realistic. He's just a snake...

Starting the series from this book is fine - I think it's a better place than where I first took it on (in book 3).


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A Hoe Lot of Trouble by Heather Webber

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars


I finally tracked this book down on MobiPocket. The author switched publishers, it seems, and this book is out of print.

While this is obviously her first book, it has the same flavor and convolution of her later mysteries. Riley, Nina's stepson is still one of my favorite characters, and seeing him from the beginning adds a lot to his growth as a character throughout the series.

As far as the mystery goes, Webber is good at creating credible red herrings. Though the sub-plot with Riley was pretty easy to figure out, the murder was more complicated.

Definitely an enjoyable afternoon read!


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Hunted by P. C. Cast

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars


I read a few of the reviews for this book before reading it, and so wasn't surprised at how Zoe's love...polygon...has grown. Now that she's tapped all the species available (so far), I'm assuming they'll form some other kind of circle in the next book or two. Maybe we'll see Loren return in ghost form, that wouldn't surprise me at all, either.

The thing that was kind of disappointing about this book was the plot. It seemed absurd that our little band of rebels would walk right back into they House of Night. I realize that's the easy way to force Zoey to confront Kalona, but it was just...unbelievable...even for a fantasy world. And that they weren't all immediately locked up or at least sequestered...anyway, I'll stop here so I don't spoil things.

I think this book was the least inventive of the series, and hope that the next one brings more imagination back to the story.

One more question I can't shake - where are all the adult vampyres? They don't all live at the House of Night - the actors, writers, all those 'famous' vamps? Aren't there ANY in Tulsa? What about the cop's sister?

Okay, that was like 4 questions. But if the next book doesn't pick up (and the editing improve), I think I'll be done with this series.


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