rthstewart: (Default)
Monday, September 7th, 2015 09:08 am
So first, I urge you will all haste to go read the wonderful things that [personal profile] syrena_of_the_lake [personal profile] syrena_of_the_lake  wrote for me. She is amazing and so are the stories.


What I got
A little madness story,
Fit to be tied (723 words) by Syrena_of_the_lake
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Susan Pevensie
Additional Tags: Crack Crossover, Anansi - Freeform, Chronicles of Narnia - Kangarooverse
Summary: Susan does not like surprises. Tebbitt does not like spiders. Anansi does not care.

And the glorious Rule of Threes Raid which does not require familiarity with the xover Rat Patrol (RAT- how perfect is that?)
The Rule of Threes Raid (18796 words) by Syrena_of_the_lake
Chapters: 3/3
Characters: Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Peter Pevensie, Sam Troy, Jack Moffitt, Mark Hitchcock, Tully Pettigrew, Hans Dietrich
Additional Tags: World War II
Summary:The Rat Patrol's mission is "to attack, harass and wreak havoc on Field Marshal Rommel's vaunted Afrika Korps." Susan's mission is a bit more complicated, as is her relationship with the desert. A story of daring and deception and of loyalties built on shifting sands.

What I wrote,
My big story, written for Selden, is Flee From Memory. There's a lot that happens here, and it's right after the siege of Anvard, with Tumnus arriving to help with the complex diplomatic issues. As I was trying to decide what to do for NFE in response to Selden's marvelous GA prompts, she specifically said that she didn't mind romance and was curious how Tumnus reacted to Lucy the little girl as Queen. Seldon was also interested in worldbuilding and stories about memory. I had also a few new readers ask for more about Aidan Gunarr, Lucy's consort who appears in AW and is reference in other stories.  So, as the saying goes, kitchen sink time, with, among other things, the introduction of Aidan.  Also, for those who are familiar with my work, the ending is, I think, a surprise. I've not decided yet how I feel about the ending, but for the purposes of the story, and my recipient, it worked. Tumnus is the pov character and this continues his decidedly bitter views of Aslan. Tumnus is a very unreliable narrator and is a master of self-justification. As I was working on the story and the role of memory and deception, I thought a lot about my time in Eastern Europe in the early 90s after the Wall came down and the damage done to the psyches of the people I knew. Lying was necessary to survival and that was a difficult habit to break.

I did two madness stories.
The Blue Door Cottage (1909 words) for the superlative WingedFlight and [personal profile] syrena_of_the_lake [personal profile] syrena_of_the_lake
Relationships: Jill Pole/Eustace Scrubb
Characters: Jill Pole, Eustace Scrubb, Alberta Scrubb, Harold Scrubb
Additional Tags: Magic, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Silver Chair - AU, SCAU
Series: Part 4 of Everybody Lives Nobody Dies Narnia AU
Summary: Jill and Eustace take a holiday. It does not go as planned.
The story is closely related to Winged's NFE from last year Concerning the Daily Maintenance of a Large Country House, obliquely references her other works, and I suspect the houses have had the same owner.

The other is related to an earlier work I did, about Mabel and Letty's apprenticeship with Mrs. Lefay. I wrote this for [personal profile] edenfalling  because she's written so many things for me and I really wanted to give her a small gift as she asked about Polly and Digory post-MN and what Letty and the other family members thought of this odd friendship between the two.

At An In-Between Place (2032 words)
Chapters: 1/1
Characters: Polly Plummer, Letty Ketterley
Summary:  Polly has an iron poker, a pocketknife, and a police whistle. She's ready for anything.[personal profile] syrena_of_the_lake[personal profile] syrena_of_the_lake


rthstewart: (Default)
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2015 08:26 am
[personal profile] snacky and [personal profile] aurilly have run an amazing exchange.

There are stories and books that I read occasionally that make me abandon any hope of ever at my advanced age becoming a true writer because the works are so gorgeous, so clever, so stunning. I've come to feel that way about The Rule Threes Raid written for me.

There are a number of other NFE stories that are just astonishing. (I'm running out of adjectives). There are a number of stories with different takes on AU Aravis, AU Silver Chair and playing with concepts of memory, who forgets what and when and how and the role Tumnus plays in it. That's something that is lovely about the NFE is that there are often in a single exchange, multiple interpretations of related ideas. It's really cool.

I'd already recc'd The Case of the Descending Debutante, which I loved, and if you are a fan of the corkscrew British comedy genre, the acerbically dry and quintessentially English wit of Wodehouse coupled with the wackiness of Douglas Adams, you must, must, must read
Psmith Giantslayer
(8859 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis/Psmith - P. G. Wodehouse
Rating: General Audience
Relationships: Mike Jackson/Rupert Psmith
Characters: Rupert Psmith, Edmund Pevensie, Mike Jackson, Susan Pevensie
Summary: Or, how the glorious Affair of the Motor Car on the Senate House Roof became the rather more alarming Affair of the Enormous Giants.
(Psmith, however, was enchanted. "Such nobility of mien,“ he told Mike. "Such an air of enterprise and derring-do! Who is this paragon of Cambridge manhood, may I ask?”
“I think his name is Pevensie,” said Mike.)
... "Your sister?" said Mike, a little doubtfully.
"She's in her final year at Girton," said Edmund. "Did some time with the Women's Auxiliaries as a driver near the end of the war. Dab hand with a screwdriver, is Susan."
Psmith shook his head sadly. "I was given to believe that Girton was naught but a lonely outpost in the wilderness, practically a shack surrounded by howling fens," he told Edmund. "How very glad I am to hear that this was mere calumny. We should be honoured to accept the assistance of this beauteous lady mechanic."
 


I loved this one too, with Jill, Silver Chair AU where Eustace and Jill stay, and ENTWIVES

to pluck up that which is planted
(5221 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis Chronicles of Narnia - All Media Types
The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Relationships: Jill Pole/Eustace Scrubb
Characters: Jill Pole, Eustace Scrubb, Rilian, Entwives - Character, Aslan
Additional Tags: SCAU, Everybody Lives Nobody Dies, Aslan is a jerk but only kind of a jerk, So is Iluvatar tbh

Summary: Narnian welcomes its visitors from Earth and Middle-earth alike, but being allowed to stay there? That’s a different story. Jill doesn’t take it so easily as the Pevensies. (Because she’s Jill.)
Two dark, interesting takes on Aravis and Narnia AU

Oathkeeper
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Characters: Lucy Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Aravis
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dark, Book: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
Summary:
She is the Sun: fierce and bright, glorious and intense, unforgiving and everlasting.

And

The Tisroc and the King
(7375 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Aravis/Shasta | Cor
Characters: Aravis, Shasta | Cor, Prince Rabadash, Lasaraleen, Corin (Narnia)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Calormen, Archenland, A somewhat grimmer future
Summary: Something went very differently, and Cor and Aravis never met. Now, in the aftermath of battle, a King and a Tisroc must be buried, and two enemy nations must crown their new rulers.





rthstewart: (Default)
Monday, August 31st, 2015 09:59 am
It's going to take me a while to get through these stories.  There are 39 of them of amazing quality.

To begin,

Fit To Be Tied, written for me, crack cross over in which, courtesy of Anansi the spider trickster, Susan romps through various fictional places dealing with a spider with a sense of humor,

The Rule of Threes Raid, also written for me, Susan is inserted into North Africa to mislead the Nazis about the upcoming invasion of the "soft underbelly of Europe" (a crossover with Rat Patron, which you don’t need to know at all), canon Narnia and my own The Stone Gryphon series

The Case of the Descending Debutante, Lucy, Edmund and Eustace, still with Harold and Alberta, post DT, invade Greece on a humanitarian mission with guest appearance by paratrooper Susan, is hilarious, amazing fun,

Chain of pearls (anklets of light) a beautiful, visual story about Eustace and faith as he visits India, and comes to see how elephants in Hinduism allows him to better understand the Lion in his own life, . Aspects of the Narnian fandom can be horribly critical of non-Christian belief systems, asserting that non-Christians have no business enjoying the Chronicles except as a path to Christian evangelization -- ironic given the popularity of the stories worldwide. For its respectful portrayal of another belief system, this story is multi-cultural gem and Eustace is the perfect voice and vehicle for it.



rthstewart: (Default)
Sunday, August 30th, 2015 08:49 pm
And oh my gosh, you need to go RIGHT NOW

First off, I have an amazing fun Madness. It is delightful. You will love it.

Fit to be tied (723 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Chronicles of Narnia - All Media Types
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Susan Pevensie
Additional Tags: Crack Crossover, Anansi - Freeform, Chronicles of Narnia - Kangarooverse
Summary:

Susan does not like surprises. Tebbitt does not like spiders. Anansi does not care.


And then, my anon, for my main story, has written an 18,000 word war story set between The Queen Susan in Tashbaan and Rat and Sword Go To War. Queen Susan Caspian is sent to North Africa as part of the deception build up to Operation Mincemeat. I've just started and have already run into Susan Caspian and Tebbitt, Asim, and Colonel Walker-Smythe. I don't know the other verse it's crossed with, Rat Patrol, but I'm not worried about that. There are notes at the beginning and if you do love Rat Patrol, well that's an added bonus.   It's wonderful.  It's amazing and I'm already in love. 



The Rule of Threes Raid (18796 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 3/3
Fandom: Chronicles of Narnia - All Media Types, The Rat Patrol
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Peter Pevensie, Sam Troy, Jack Moffitt, Mark Hitchcock, Tully Pettigrew, Hans Dietrich
Additional Tags: World War II
Summary:

The Rat Patrol's mission is "to attack, harass and wreak havoc on Field Marshal Rommel's vaunted Afrika Korps." Susan's mission is a bit more complicated, as is her relationship with the desert. A story of daring and deception and of loyalties built on shifting sands.




rthstewart: (Instigator)
Saturday, July 18th, 2015 10:09 pm
GASP, coming up for air, to say that Snacky has allowed all the Narnia Fic Exchange prompts to be revealed now so that anyone who wants to right a story for Madness can do so.  And it's funny, there always certain themes and this year, there are many prompts with tell me a story where The Last Battle Never Happened, Worldbuilding, AU, and Mythology.  Several new faces, too!  Lots and lots of good stuff and great ideas, so if you want to write something for Madness, go for it. You do not have to be participating in the main exchange.  Like any madness, it's open to anyone.   Snacky's post is here.  Fic is due anytime before August 23.  The minimal rules are here.  The prompts are here.

NFE Madness is a great opportunity to write for an appreciative audience. 



rthstewart: (Default)
Saturday, July 4th, 2015 09:29 pm
copied and pasted from last year (and probably the years before that too)


Thanks so much!  I’ve been doing the NFE since 2010 and have never been disappointed.  Despite the character-centric match up, the fact is, I’m pretty agnostic as to characters for the NFE. Whatever we've been matched on, don't worry because I like just about anything and what I don't like has to do with tone and characterization, not particular characters.   From my previous prompts, you can glean the following:

What I love:

  • UST; witty banter and snark; Politics, finance or military strategy; World War 2; Worldbuilding; Gap-filling; Culture clash (within Narnia or Narnia vs. Spare Oom); healthy, normal, romantic relationship between consenting adults (canon pairing or OC); someone being extraordinarily clever and getting out of a jam; any Narnian (Pevensie or otherwise) observed from a third person point of view.
  • A happy ending, delightful characterization, and to laugh at least once
  • Pagan and/or mythological influences;
  • Adults and old souls in young bodies;
  • A Narnia with creaky wheels, the faint smell of manure, grass stains, open windows, and lots of animal hair that everyone is too polite to comment upon
  • I prefer humor over angst and sex over violence.
  • Cross-overs!  With Bujold universe, either Chalion or Vorkosigan; I’ve also developed an unhealthy focus on Peter and Eowyn, Lucy and Aragorn, and Susan and Eomer.  I’m more agnostic about Edmund and Faramir.  Anyone and dragons.  Lucy as a Time Lord; Susan with Sarah Jane Smith or Peggy Carter.  Marvel Universe is great, too.  Edmund slumming with Barton and Natasha; Peter as a Howling Commando.  Warehouse 13 or Harry Potter.  Polly, Digory, and classic ACD Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson. 
  •  AU and canon divergence is great too.  A Golden Age > 15 years, so, therefore I'd love an AU look with adult Pevensies, OC consorts, and the next gen.
  • Similarly, I’d love a Spare Oom AU with a happily ever after and no train crash
  • I love any fem-centric work.  I love Hwin, Mrs. Beaver, Polly, Jill, and Susan as well.  I like the guys, too, particularly Peter, Edmund, Digory and Eustace.  I'm more interested in periods other than the Telmarine era onward and really I'd be very happy if you just ignore TLB completely.

 What I definitely don't want in my fic: it's a short list but pretty strongly held:  explicit m/m (everything else is OK); excessive angst, gore or violence; any dub-con whatsoever (Rilian & Lady of the Green Kirtle (OK); Susan written as "Fallen Away From Narnia because of Lipstick and Nylons"; Lucy sidelined or being protected by her overbearing big brothers and worry-wart sister.  I have a strong preference for humor over angst and romance/sex rather than violence.

Edit to add:  I've got a big body of Narnia work and some people like to play in it.  If that's something that you are interested in, you don't need my permission!  GO FOR IT.
rthstewart: (Default)
Friday, July 3rd, 2015 07:07 pm
So, I've been traveling and completely forgot to signal boost the Narnia Fic Exchange.  Sign ups close on Sunday and there are also sign ups for betas and pinch hitters.  It's awesome.  [personal profile] snacky  and [personal profile] aurilly are running it and you should really go play.
Sign ups are here and here on AO3.
Beta offers are here
Pinch hit offers are here

And I guess remix reveals are this weekend.  I mentioned I had 2 stories.  Been a bit of a bust, I guess, but if you can guess which ones I did, I'll write something!

Also, I visited the Joggins Fossil Cliffs and admit to rediscovering some inspiration from the great scientists who also found inspiration there.  So, I may try to pull something about that.  I'm not at all accustomed to walking a rocky shoreline and picking up fossils on the beach.  It was really amazing. (Just trying to figure out who would have gone there in TSG-verse?  Richard Russell?  With Polly?  With Mary?  Eustace? so many possibilities? in verse or AU verse?)  pay this no mind, move along, nothing to see here.  yet.