I have recently managed to edit all of my work to fix the horrific yuku "punctuation" issues. In the process I had to lose the bulk of the amazing commentary that I've gotten from all you wondrous readers... it was the price I had to pay to fix those early tales written when I was lokigal and not loki twin. Regardless, thank you for following my stories over the years--you all know who you are!
If you know my work, you know that I am a Heathen, but that I try to explore all of the family and their often complex interrelationships. I also tend to weave in OC's, but I always try to end my tales with the "show" intact--nobody maimed (too badly), murdered, or married off. I also tend to try exploring new writing techniques in each tale. (I apologize if my "synopsis" for each of the following is as long as the tales themselves, lol.)
Independent Tales:
Jemma -- My earliest piece, a tragic story that explores many themes and issues, including: the civil war, racism, love and loss. Heath meets Jemma, a bedraggled beauty and distant kin to Silas, and, while trying to protect her, almost loses his family and himself. In "Jemma," I tried to carefully explore dialectical writing, paying homage to the writers of the Harlem Renaissance.
Forty Rifles Less -- This was my spin on "Forty Rifles." It opens as Heath encounters Wallant at the shack filled with weapons and explosives... and then it turns to Nick as he fights his own injury while struggling to find a subsequently missing Heath--and the battle Nick must wage to keep his brother alive against a multitude of dangerous forces. Jarrod plays an important Pappy role as well. This was written as an attempt to do what one of my colleagues called a more "traditional" BV fanfic than some of my other works.
Of Glory -- This was my spin on "Palms of Glory," but was an exercise in POV (told entirely from Heath's perspective). To summarize it, I'm simply going to plagiarize K9Friend1, who said (gasp): "I absolutely love your interpretation of POG...the details you add bring depth and new meaning to each scene. As others have mentioned, I don't think any of us will view the first BV ep in quite the same way again. [The episode] was good...but the 'book' is so much better! IMHO, there's no greater compliment that a writer can be paid." Pat... thank you for that... it really was one of the best compliments in a loving, thoughtful SLEW of them! (And yay, this tale still HAS all its commentary.)
The "Wandering Heath" Trilogy (to date): These stories are linked together because they all include a much loved OC, Grey Bear John. The tales follow Heath as he experiences his early, stormy relationships with the Barkleys.
Grizzlies -- After suffering Nick's initial attitude towards him, Heath decides to leave the ranch. Through a series of subsequent exchanged letters, Jarrod discovers that Heath has become wounded and is in dire danger, so Jarrod forces Nick to accompany him into the wilderness to find and rescue their younger brother. This is a story that explores the theme of brotherhood, including the notion that strangers can sometimes prove as powerful and loving as brothers. I toyed with epistolary writing in this piece.
Flight -- This is my longest story to date, and deals with the heavy theme of PTSD. It is a severe twist on the episode, "The Guilt of Matt Bentell," wherein I try to deal realistically with the horrors of something like a prisoner of war camp! Heath is devastated when the family that he has come to love and trust demands that he protect his worst enemy. He refuses to accompany Bentell, instead fleeing as he slides into a dark world of nightmares, despair, and horrific memories. The whole family goes after him... but will they find this wounded soul in time? In this piece, I worked particularly hard to carefully integrate plot and subplot, to give Audra some backbone--and we meet the irascible Ellie.
The Gift -- Heath, finally healed, leaves Ellie's ranch ("Flight") to head home and reunite with his family. But nothing is ever easy for Heath and John and, after a special Christmas shopping trip, they are robbed by the (mostly) dangerous Weaver gang. Ultimately, Heath, Jarrod, Nick, and John will each face their own Weaver nemesis as they work to bring the gang down--and as the Barkley brothers work to fully re-establish bonds of love and trust. (And yay yay, this tale also still has all of its commentary.)
Comedic One Shots: Just silliness.
Sopa -- Nick and Heath engage in a tequila drinking contest, that will come to be "known far and wide as 'La Noche de la Gringo Muerte' for years" after.
Deathwatch -- The Barkley boys are oh-so ill; can Victoria and Audra manage the horror?
