Archives
The biggest chunk
of this site is
dedicated to
Wishes and
Regrets, the Buffy:
the Vampire Slayer
fan fiction I wrote
last year. The
process of writing
this story has been
amazing. I feel as
though Mr.
Whedon's wonderful
characters grabbed
me up by the collar,
smacked me around
and shouted at me
to write this story.
It's a
wholly-contained
novel-length story
with appearances by
characters from
Buffy and Angel.
And I did serious
research into the
various locales,
spells, myths and
the proper historic
time lines I used.
I took much liberty
(it is my story, after
all), but still hope to
have remained true
to the characters,
because they are
wholly unique,
dynamic and
unforgettable. All of
the characters, song
lyrics, photos and
pop culture
references therein
belong to their
various creators. I
humbly borrow them
for the purpose and
authenticity of the
story. If you choose
to read it, I am very
grateful. I hope you
enjoy reading it as
much as I did writing
it.
of this site is
dedicated to
Wishes and
Regrets, the Buffy:
the Vampire Slayer
fan fiction I wrote
last year. The
process of writing
this story has been
amazing. I feel as
though Mr.
Whedon's wonderful
characters grabbed
me up by the collar,
smacked me around
and shouted at me
to write this story.
It's a
wholly-contained
novel-length story
with appearances by
characters from
Buffy and Angel.
And I did serious
research into the
various locales,
spells, myths and
the proper historic
time lines I used.
I took much liberty
(it is my story, after
all), but still hope to
have remained true
to the characters,
because they are
wholly unique,
dynamic and
unforgettable. All of
the characters, song
lyrics, photos and
pop culture
references therein
belong to their
various creators. I
humbly borrow them
for the purpose and
authenticity of the
story. If you choose
to read it, I am very
grateful. I hope you
enjoy reading it as
much as I did writing
it.
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March 14, 2008
As promised, here is the second part of the two-chapter installment for Anywhere Out of This
World, titled Pursuit. In this one, Andrew runs into a little demon infestation on his way back
home. Dawn, in her search for Andrew, encounters similar demon issues.
In the B story, Thellian awakes in his new lair, and it's a good thing neither Spike nor Buffy are
around to see it. Thellian has new developments regarding Maya, but they are cut short by a
surprise visit from Connor, who still believes he's on a demon-smashing mission with his father.
All this plus very little silliness, here:
Pursuit, Chapter 48 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Andrew/Dawn
Word Count: 3,550
Rating: PG-13 for cannibalistic demon references
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the mighty Joss.
March 11, 2008
I have the first of a two-chapter installment ready for posting today. This one, titled Double
Cross, mainly features Angel's crew and their decision to help Buffy get back to Sunnydale. Of
course, nothing is ever so simple, and really bad things happen. The B story focuses on Ed
Busby, an average bloke hired by Willow and Faith to help them move certain questionable
'cargo'.
Here's the latest:
Double Cross, Chapter 47 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Many, with reference to Andrew/Dawn
Word Count: 3,100
Rating: PG-13 for gruesomeness
Summary: Team Angel takes on Sunnydale, but runs immediately into an ugly snare. Willow and
Faith arrive in London, but getting past Xander is... really no trouble at all.
March 9, 2008
Happy Anniversary website!
I had hopes of posting a new chapter in honor of the site's second birthday, but it's not ready.
Actually, it's only half-written and still must undergo the painful edit/re-write process. But, I do
have something to add, and that's a recommendation for a fantastic book: Ken Follet's The
Pillars of the Earth. It's an excrutiatingly beautiful story encompassing the lives of four
generations of two families as they witness and build Kingsbridge Cathedral. Go, read it!
I plan to have one if not two chapters in Anywhere Out of This World later this week. Keep
looking and I'll keep you posted.
March 3, 2008
Our beloved Uncle Eddie passed away Wednesday, February 27, 2008. He was 52. Our family is
feeling this profound loss as we celebrate his life and the impression he leaves in all of our
hearts.
I was quite honored to give the eulogy on behalf of our family. Several family members and
friends have asked me to post the eulogy and share it with those who were not able to attend
Uncle Eddie's funeral. I have created a memorial page to him here:
Edward T. Purkey
On this page, I have included links to the obituary from The Beaumont Enterprise, and the
condolences link from Farmer's Funeral Directors.
February 21, 2008
Happy Birthday to my brother, Chris!
And also, I have the latest chapter of to my long and winding Buffy tale, which draws closer to
its conclusion. It does, really. I promise...
Avenger, Chapter 46 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Dawn/Andrew
Word Count: 3,900
Rating: PG
Summary: Dawn learns of Xander's and Andrew's confrontation. After a confrontation of her
own, she goes out to find Andrew. Andrew, meanwhile, returns to the Temple of the Sisters,
where he meets up with Nighna's ghost. William returns to the Slayer School to find them
preparing for a trench war against demonkind. Finally, Connor is still trapped in Willow's web of
delusional fantasy.
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
February 5, 2008
I have the latest chapter of Anywhere to post tonight. It's been through a few re-writes, partly
because I had written the Xander-Andrew bits much earlier, before the Andrew/Dawn pairing had
a lot of shape to it. Now, the Andrew/Dawn relationship is much more solid, which made parts of
Andrew's conversation with Xander irrelevant. Well, you'll see...
Bit of a warning, there will be some Xander bashing ahead. This is due in part to some held over
aggression I harbor toward him over his deplorable treatment of Anya and his double standard
treatment of Buffy and Spike in Season 6. He must pay for that some time. For me, that time is
now.
Here's the latest:
The Lovers, Chapter 45 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Dawn/Andrew
Word Count: 4175
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
Summary: While rummaging through Willow's books, Dawn finds a Tarot deck that holds her
transfixed. She cuts the cards and reveals The Lovers. She takes the image to heart. After a pre-
morning lovefest with Andrew, she learns that he takes their relationship with similar
seriousness. However, Xander has other plans and interferes, which will have disastrous
consequences to them all.
January 15, 2008
Just stopping by to update my book list and add the link to the Shelfari site, which has occupied
much of my free time in the last week. Shelfari - it's like a bookshelf safari. I have added the
numerous titles I've read over the last few years, plus the ones I can recall from grade school
on. It's also nifty because it's a book network. My brother's on there, as well as many literary-
minded friends, and they've all listed their books. The Internet is swell.
I'll be back soon with an update to Anywhere. It's nearing an end, I can feel it. The Buffyverse
that once crowded out all other creative vines and underbrush has grown to its full height,
where I can leave it to be beautiful and imperfect in its own measure of light.
January 5, 2008
Happy Birthday, Matt!
Yesterday, my beta celebrated his 32nd time around the sun. When I asked him what he wanted
for his birthday, he said 'a chapter.' Just so happens, I have a new one!
And so here it is:
Parallel Lives, Chapter 44 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Dawn/Andrew (implied)
Word Count: 3,700
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
Summary: After Spike's awakening, Dawn fills him in on a few things that have happened in his
absence. In the AU, Buffy awakes to an offer of help from Willow, and they discover that this
Dawn also has mysterious artistic ability.
December 27, 2007
Just stopping by to update Anywhere Out of This World tonight. I have the latest chapter, a
quick one, focusing on Lorne and Clem in the aftermath of Lorne's vision. I don't have much else
to say, as things in my 'normal' life have taken some frustrating turns. But there will be more
soon.
Here's the latest:
The Fall of Triumvirate, Chapter 43 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: None in this chapter
Word Count: 1,880
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
Summary: Lorne's vision spares Clem's life when the Big Bads come to town.
December 25, 2007
Merry Christmas, everyone! A friend told me earlier to count my blessings every night, for
we are most surely blessed. I want to share my gratitude to my family and friends, for their
love, support, and joy. We just had the most marvelous time together tonight. Christmases like
these build sweet memories in the hearts of our children, and those are priceless. Absolutely
priceless. Thank you!
I have one gift to offer tonight. It is a one-shot Christmas Spuffy set post-Anywhere, three years
into the future, with minor spoilers for that story. In it, Buffy and Spike have their hands full
with their regular lives and their three-year-old daughter Tara. It's difficult enough corralling
her, much less an unwelcome demon visitor.
This story was my submission for the Spuffy Solstice at Spuffy_Haven.
Title: Better To Give
Word Count: 4,353
Rating: PG
Pairings: Spike/Buffy & Andrew/Dawn
Disclaimers: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss. Also, this story is pure
indulgent fluff, like salt water taffy. For that, I humbly beg your forgiveness.
Many thanks to my beta for catching my errors, even though I opted to keep the decapitated
demon's ability to nod its approval.
December 10, 2007
I made it! Thirty books with two weeks to spare. I have them all chronicles on my Book List
2007. Soon, I'll move it to take the place of the incomplete list from 2006. I reached my goal of
20 books last year, too, but had to reconstruct the list from memory after the Lappy crash of
December 06. I'm knocking on wood and making plans to back up even as I type.
Next year, I'm going to be more ambitious in my goal: 36 books! Eventually, I'll be able to read
as many as my Mom, who read 56 books this year (so far...). I absolutely love reading.
In other news, we brought home our darling baby Logan this morning - a brand-new ginger kitten
with a rusty meow and an abundance of personality. Happy Christmas, Katya! And me, too.
December 1, 2007
In keeping with the practice that I subject myself to the assignments I give to my students, I
wrote a short story right along with them. And because I said they could choose any genre, I did
too... Naturally, I chose fanfic.
Three weeks and 10,000 words later, I present The Amazingly Invisible Andrew Wells.
Summary: During that wiggy time leading up to The Prom, Tucker Wells was busy plotting
himself into the path of Buffy Summers. All the while, little Andrew was trying desperately to
live up to the name of his brother. In Andrew's attempt to waylay Tucker's bestial plans to
ransack The Prom, and to win the favor of new girl Rebecca Kinsey, he gets drawn into a deal
with a devil that could ruin the school's production of Romeo and Juliet.
Word Count: 10,830
Rating: PG
Timeline: This is a one-shot set pre-Prom in Season 3, as seen from Andrew's perspective. There
are cameos from many of the Sunnydale alum as well.
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
Also....
On the first day of December, James Marsters gave to me... lovely pictures for the sharing.
Actually, it was the fabulous CaroMio who sent this link, with an Advent Calendar-like entry to
the website, www.jamesmarsterslive.com. Joy for the whole season!
November 21, 2007
Happy early Thanksgiving to all! I've been catching up today on LJ, and have been basking in
the well-wishing of my Flist, which has put me in an extremely festive mood. In addition to the
general relaxation and recuperation, I've been working on an update to Anywhere Out of This
World, titled Lost to Sand.
I also finished reading The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman, which I recommend, and added it
as #29 on my Book List for this year. It would be best to read it before the movie comes out the
December. It'll be like Harry Potter in that there is no way the film makers will be able to fit it
all in to less than two hours on-screen. I also wanted to recommend Memoirs of the Countess de
Fountaine by CaroMio to my fellow Spuffy lovers. She just recently updated this one, and it's
one of my favorites!
And here's the latest on mine:
Lost to Sand, Chapter 42 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Dawn/Andrew, Xander/OC (Maya), and Oz/Anjelica
Word Count: 2,000
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
Summary: Anya and Walter open the portal out of Hell for Oz and Anjelica, but nothing in Hell
happens without a sacrifice. Back in London, Dawn awakes from her drawing spell to the sound
of Andrew's screaming.
November 4, 2007
This has been a difficult week. Possibly the worst for us this year. As always, though, the
solitude and contemplation of writing provides the most welcome escape. I began this chapter
long ago, with the line, "Under these auspices, and with hope in her heart, Dawn began to
draw..."
I think writers can relate to this. Many times, we sit down at our notebooks and laptops with the
weights of every day on our shoulders. But the hope in our hearts helps us create a safe haven
in which our minds get to be free. I paired Patty Griffin's Icicles with this chapter, and I think it
fits Dawn and Andrew so well. In her lyrics, she says, 'we're just like/anyone else/ we just want
a little bit/ of sun for ourselves.' This is especially perfect given what lies ahead for them. But,
I'm getting ahead of myself.
Here's the latest:
Drawn Together, Chapter 41 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Buffy/Spike and Dawn/Andrew (though not at the same time. That would be weird)
Word Count: 2350
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
Summary: Dawn and Andrew think their Voodoo waking spell has failed. Silly them. Dawn, still
invigorated from the spell, leaves their bed to indulge her creative side, which she has
repressed due to her frightening first-time experience with Brody. As she becomes entranced
with her drawing, she unwittingly creates a kind of sanctuary into which Buffy and William are
drawn.
October 31, 2007
Happy Halloween!!
With love, from Katrina and me. May you have a spooky, ghoul-filled evening of fun and, of
course, candy!
PS Working on the rough of the next chapter, now titled "Drawn Together". I expect to finish it
and post on Sunday or so.
October 17, 2007
Not so much a chapter as an interlude, this next installment of Anywhere Out of This World
touches base with Lorne, who has set himself up rather comfortably as the steward of
Triumvirate. In Nighna's absence, he has maintained the night club as a place of neutrality and
relative peace. That is, until his bartender sings the line of a song, and Lorne gets a peek at a
potentially violent incident in the very near future.
Here's the latest:
For Lorne, Chapter 40 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: None in this chapter
Word Count: 700
Rating: PG (for now)
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the mighty Joss.
As I'm nearing the climax of the story, the chapters are coming faster and faster. Which is good.
I think the beginning of the story taunted me a bit as I attempted to tease out its various
threads. I'm hoping to have another chapter, tentatively titled "Safe Haven", posted soon. This
one will deal with the after-effects of the portal Anya and Walter cast in Hell, as well as the
spell Dawn and Andrew cast. They believe it had no effect at all; boy, were they wrong!
Also, it seems that there is an over-arcing theme of Casablanca to this story, whereas the first
two, Wishes and Regrets, had Wizard of Oz references throughout. I never would have guessed
these movies had influenced me so much... But it is kinda cool.
October 12, 2007
Tonight, I have another chapter to offer. It's another Dawn/Andrew-centric chapter. I wrote the
first draft of this chapter last December, on the back of my car payment stub, so I'm really glad
to finally get to it in the storyline. I also have another chapter following soon after that
features Lorne and a special guest star...
Here's the latest:
That Old Black Magic, Chapter 39 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Andrew/Dawn
Word Count: 3,630
Rating: Edging up to an R with some racy, graphic content
Summary: Dawn and Andrew cast a spell which sets certain events irrevocably into motion.
Also, Oz and Helli wait in increasing discomfort as Anya and Walter cast the portal home.
Author's Note:
I'm grateful tonight to my students, for working so hard this past week in our writing. Our focus
was on action verbs, editing to take out empty words, and imagery. I'm also thankful for my
daughter, who has been writing every day. Her diligence is inspiring, and I believe she has the
talent to one day be an author. Of course, I think she's brilliant enough to also be an astronaut,
a senator, and an enviro-biologist.
I also want to thank KimRae and Spikes_Heart for their encouraging words, and Mattallicarock,
my beta, for always being there. No matter what.
October 4, 2007
So this story is coming along despite the insanity of lesson planning, grading, more grading, and
let's see... real life stuff. Thank the heavens for writing. It helps me build partitions around the
creative parts of my brain, thereby protecting them from the overwhelmed parts of my brain.
I do have a new chapter to share. This one features Thellian and "his girls" as he has come to
view them, as they make their way across continents toward London. William also appears with
a cryptic-spouting spectre who continues to vex him.
Here's the Latest:
Not All Who Wander, Chapter 38 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Hints toward a possible Willow/Faith pairing
Word Count: 2,000
Rating: PG
Summary: Willow and Faith are like Thellian's Angels, only one of them is still reluctant.
William, still in his dream state induced by Succubus venom, is starting to realize that he is
comatose, and he's making the first efforts to try to wake himself. Will he be able to wake in
time to bring Buffy safely home?
September 23, 2007
Last week at was more trying than most. My students were subjected to a week long battery of
standardized testing. Naturally, by Friday, they felt quite restless and so things got a little
rough. However, I did find some time to write. Upside to everything!
And so, here's the latest:
Sweetness, Chapter 37 of Anywhere Out of This World.
Pairing: Andrew/Dawn
Word Count: 2,173
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Xander and Maya both have misgivings about each other, but neither voice them.
Dawn and Andrew take a morning off from research to spend some time together. With a Honey
Bear.
Author's Note: I began half of this one months ago when I first started entertaining the notion of
having Dawn and Andrew as a pairing. It started as a drabble, gained some strength and
adjectives, then swelled into a full-fledged chapter. I worried at first that I should cut it
because it does not advance the plot much, but it does show the growing bond between Dawn
and Andrew, as well as a glimpse into the not-as-peachy relationship between Xander and Maya.
My beta, Mattallicarock, reminded me that the joy of fanfic is that I don't have deadlines or
editors hovering over me. Therefore, I can write sweet little vignettes as I desire. That's why I
adore my beta.
Also, I realize I may have butchered the Italian that Andrew speaks to Dawn. My apologies if
that's so, and if anyone out there can correct me, I'd be most appreciative!
September 12, 2007
Great hairy legs of Hades, I finally finished this chapter. This one has been impeded by big-time
RL, but with every word I commit to the page, I am certain that these story lines are finally
winding together for a definite close. Therefore, thanks to you for your patience and continued
support!
Here's the latest:
Familiarity, Chapter 36 of Anywhere Out of This World.
Pairing: Andrew/Dawn
Word Count: 3,100
Rating: PG
Summary: This one picks up where the last chapter left off - with Buffy still torn about needing
a little help from Team Angel, and with Giles and Rachel Greenspan lost in the wilderness.
There's a sweet little bit at the end with Andrew and Dawn that serves as a recap for the action
(or lack thereof) at the Flat in London.
September 1, 2007
I'm swerving in today to report that I'm updating my Scottish List to include James McAvoy after
watching Becoming Jane this afternoon. Unfortunately, he's bumping John Hannah into an
alternate position, but I think James is well worthy as an addition.
I liked the movie. It's one of the handful of movies I've seen in the theater in which the
audience actually applauded at its end. It's one of those quiet and sweepingly epic British
movies I always go for.
I'm also here to add that in addition to grading 288 papers from my wonderful students, I am
working on an update for Anywhere Out of This World. I had a breakthrough in the plot on my
morning commute last week, so I will have a new chapter hopefully before the end of Monday.
This chapter, titled Familiarity (short for familiarity breeds contempt), will focus briefly on
Buffy, but will return to Giles and Rachel.
August 16, 2007
I've always liked the idea of a roguish Giles, a man at home in any terrain, kind of like a British
Indiana Jones. In the new chapter, that was what I was shooting for. I envision him part-Rupert,
part-Ripper, capable of killing, combat, and survival in even the most trying of circumstances.
Here's the latest:
Appearances Deceiving, Chapter 35 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Well, none. But there is a large ensemble scene in the Hyperion Hotel
Word Count: 3,400
Rating: PG
Summary: In the alternate-LA, Fred explains her theory for why the barriers between dimensions
have begun to break down. After Fred's presentation, Buffy succumbs to continued exhaustion.
Back in South America, Rachel Greenspan deals with Ethan's death, and Giles' part in it. Also,
Giles finds a photograph which leads him to believe that Rachel has a secret.
There's a lot of techno-babble in this chapter. Thanks to my Dad and brother for a life time of
Star Trek, Battletech and Arthur C. Clarke.
I'd also like to take a moment to those who have supported our online stores: The Chambered
Heart and Messages of Love. We are immensely grateful for your support. Katrina's postcards
and my bumper stickers are unexpectedly big sellers. So thank you so much! You are wonderful.
August 11, 2007
I have a new chapter to post for Anywhere Out of This World titled With A Little Help. With this
chapter I'd like to show gratitude to my daughter, Katrina, for holding our writing workshops
together. We get a lot of mother-daughter bonding and writing done during these sessions. I'd
also like to thank Spikes_Heart for her unflagging encouragement.
Here's the latest:
With A Little Help, Chapter 34 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Andrew/Dawn
Word Count: 2,300
Rating: PG
Summary: Xander gets bent when he returns to London to find that Andrew has managed quite
well in Xander's absence. Also, Oz tries to comfort a shattered Anjelica while Anya and Walter
prepare for the ritual that will send them home.
Author's Note: I'm realizing more as I write Anywhere that I've been needing Xander to answer
for some of his actions in Seasons 6 & 7, as well as a few from earlier (The Pack, anyone?). He's
been Mr. Double Standard for a really long time, and I've been enjoying a little turnabout where
Xander has been concerned. I think Xander labors under the delusion that he's the white knight
of the Scoobies, the one who always sides with the greater good. It's from this position that he
sees fit to judge character and occasionally meddle (Willow says "kick his ass.") with the
group's decisions. What would happen, I wonder, if he was suddenly forced to examine some of
his past choices and to answer for them?
The hold up with this chapter was not lack of ideas or plot or pacing. No, this time it was the
bloody chapter title and one line of dialog toward the end that just would not fit. Even my betas
were at a loss, though I'm grateful as always for their suggestions and patience.
Silly, silly muse!
August 7, 2007
I wanted to share one of our passions with you: Star gazing, with particular emphasis on meteor
showers. I mean, who doesn't love optimizing your wish-making opportunities, right? Especially
if you have a starry-eyed 9-year-old daughter like mine. This is a yearly end-of-summer bonding
ritual for us. We take to the Hill Country with blankets and snacks and give our gratitude to the
wonder of the Universe.
Here's a link with information about all of the upcoming meteor showers, including phase of the
moon: http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/
For instance, the Perseids fall on next Monday, and there will be a New Moon; perfect for
viewing shooting stars. And making wishes.
August 5, 2007
This one's a big one for us!
I believe that my daughter is a very gifted young photographer. I believe it so much
that I have opened a CafePress storefront to support her work. Here is the link:
www.cafepress.com/chamberedheart
Please go, visit, admire... purchase! In addition to Katrina's photography, we have a
section for my artwork, and one called Message of Love, which has a lot of positive,
inspirational gifts representing what I think is a new, original point of view on
saving the world by making it a better place.
I'm currently writing a new chapter, as yet untitled, for Anywhere Out of This World. Xander has
returned to London thinking he's finally going to be the Alpha, only to discover that someone
else is taking charge. Also, there might be a bit with Oz and Anjelica. I'm looking to submit the
chapter to my beta tonight, so the new chapter could be up in a day or three.
July 24, 2007
A drive-by post... just to let everyone know that we'll be home Saturday morning. We're in
Alabama tonight, then back in Clinton, Louisiana, tomorrow. I have one Magic Kingdom desktop
to share:
Magic Kingdom by Night, 1024x768
This image was taken just after the SpectroMagic parade on my birthday, with the Night setting
of our camera. As part of the brilliant birthday extravaganza, we all got to BE in the parade,
which was absolutely unforgettable. I'll write more about all of that soon!
July 5, 2007
I have the new chapter of Anywhere Out of This World to post. In it, Connor has dreams. Very
vivid dreams. I'm working off the premise that the false memories of Connor's childhood has
made him susceptible to mental pitfalls, and Willow's spell to free him from the influence of the
Glass did not help matters.
Here's the latest:
Life Is..., Chapter 33 of Anywhere Out of This World.
Rating: PG-13 for some mild raciness, mostly implied
Word Count: 2960
Pairing: Connor/Dream-Dawn
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
Author's Note #1: I borrowed a line from Jasmine in AtS: S4, but I promise I am not planning on
bringing Jasmine into this story at all. I just thought the line fit perfectly with Connor's motives
at the moment.
Author's Note #2: This may be my last post to this site for three weeks as we're leaving for
Disney World on Friday morning!
June 26, 2007
Today, I have the new chapter for Anywhere Out of This World, with the Giles/Rachel/Eathan
part in tact.
Here's the latest:
Ashes to Ashes, Chapter 32 of Anywhere Out of This World
Rating: PG-13 for some violence
Word Count: 2,993
Pairings: Andrew/Dawn
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
(Typos are my own, and so is the original character Rachel Greenspan.)
Summary: Dawn follows Andrew to the Watcher's Council to confront him about his feelings over
Nighna's death. In South America, Rachel Greenspan weathers a night on a Hellmouth with the
help of Rupert Giles. But in the morning, they have to decide what to do with their prisoner,
Ethan Rayne.
Just a silly pop culture note: The oft-repeated demon line "Ah, nu’ja nez blimbo jah, ha ha!” is
actually Klingon and comes from the Universal Studios Star Trek stage show my brother and I
were in when we were 11 and 15. The extra who played the Klingon in that show spoke little
English, but had such a great personality, he had us cracking up every time he delivered this
line. I put it in because I knew it'd make my little brother smile.
June 25, 2007
This amounts to less than half of the post I hoped to make today. My goal was to post the new
chapter of Anywhere Out of This World, titled Ashes to Ashes (still a working title). I have the
Andrew/Dawn part written and that's all fine and good. It's the Giles/Rachel/Eathan part that's
the challenge. However, I'm not backing down. I've decided to post the whole thing within the
next day or two.
Therefore, instead of a chapter, I'll post this wonderful recommendation for a Buffy/Pirates
crossover in which Norrington dimension hops right into the Summers' home in Sunnydale. This
story hits my kinks in the best ways, and I hope that you enjoy it.
Here's the link: Greedy Slayer's Rough Drabbling.
June 19, 2007
I stumbled across an unexpected source for artwork ideas from my Grannye. While at her house
last week, I found her subscription to Better Homes & Garden's Scrapbooks, etc. Magazine. There
is a whole wealth of tips and textures, not just for physical scrapbookers, but for digital artists,
too. Therefore, I've been in Photoshop bliss all weekend. I have three new desktops to offer:
two Spuffy, and one Pirates of the Caribbean.
Comfy
This was my first effort, and not my best. I never did get the quality I'd hoped from the
screencap. However, I did notice something I never had before, and that is the position of Buffy
and Spike's hands on the flashlight. This cap is from Potential, but their hands touching over the
flashlight harkens back to Beneath You. Interesting, I think, that Joss would choose that
moment for them to share that connection....
Brushes by touchstonesart.
Screencaps from Screencap-paradise.com.
Sweetest Downfall
This one was created for my soul-twin Classic Anne in Rochester, NY, who loves Regina Spektor,
too. I also owe a thanks to Andrew, for helping me to find the perfect script font: In this case,
AdineKirnberg, which is available at PC Fuentes. The lyrics, 'You are my sweetest downfall,'
come from Samson, by Regina Spektor.
Davy Jones
This one's also for Andrew, by request and as a thanks for being so helpful all last week.
Although I've been a busy Photoshopper, I haven't fully neglected my fanfic. I don't have a new
chapter for Anywhere Out of This World, but did manage to attend to several page glitches that
had been plaguing Regrets. They should all be fixed now.
I should have a new chapter for Anywhere by the beginning of next week. This one returns to
Andrew and Dawn as they deal with the news of Nighna's demise, as well as Giles and Rachel
Greenspan and their journey back to London.
June 10, 2007
Tonight I'm posting the new chapter, previously titled In Hell but changed to Salvage during the
final edit this afternoon. This chapter gave me nightmares, not so much for what I wrote, but for
what I did not write. The concept of Hell as a place of individual suffering is one that I find
terribly disturbing. This chapter has a secondary character based on Bruce Dern's creepy
outlander in
The Badlands, and one quip about kidney stones.
Here's the latest:
Salvage, Chapter 31 of Anywhere Out of This World
Word Count: 2850
Rating: PG, for body parts
Pairing: Oz/Anjelica
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
I also wanted to say thank you to my fabulous beta, Mattallicrock2000, for all that he does,
including this lovely nod over at ForbiddenAwards.
Anywhere Out of This World has been nominated for the Aching For It Awards (Best WIP) and the
Viagra Award (Best Fic Which Has Never Won Before). Regrets was nominated for the Hot
Between The Sheets Award (Best Spuffy - Long).
Go visit the site! It's got a lot of quality fic there, and if you have a favorite, nominate it. The
categories are filling up quick.
June 8, 2007
A few things to add tonight, as I have updated my reading list and created another Pirates
desktop, this one of Captain Jack Sparrow.I also have a new chapter for Anywhere Out of This
World very nearly ready to post titled In Hell, and it focuses on Oz and Anjelica as they attempt
to escape from Hell. My second beta, Steven_h1971, is currently proofreading it. It should be
here on Sunday, so please check back for that.
June 5, 2007
As a warm up for writing tonight, I created a desktop of Commodore Norrington, my favorite
pirate - even more so than Captain Jack Sparrow (it never would have worked out between us). I
hope very much that you enjoy it. The original photo I nabbed from imdb.com, some brushes by
Zugma, and textures by me.
Long Live Norrington
1024x768
June 1, 2007
Two in one week! I have the next chapter to Anywhere Out of This World. In this one, Faith
finally catches up with Connor. In keeping with the theme of fire, this chapter is titled By Fire
Reborn, and focuses on Faith, Connor and Willow in Tokyo. There's a brief appearance by
Thellian, and a cameo by a small black kitten named Scout, who is based on my small black
kitten.
Here's the latest:
By Fire Reborn, Chapter 30 of Anywhere Out of This World.
Word Count: 2,466
Rating: R, for a small amount of gore.
Pairings: Well, there is one kiss...
Feedback: Yes, Please!
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
May 30, 2007
Tonight I'm posting the latest chapter to Anywhere Out of This World. This is a turning point
chapter in that Buffy finally meets up with Team Angel in LA, where she gets some answers to
her questions, but not all of them.
Here's the latest:
Team Angel, Chapter 29 of Anywhere Out of This World.
Word Count: 3170
Feedback: Yes, please!
Author's Note:
Either way, the coffee table gets it...
This latest chapter has been quite the creative struggle. It began as two versions of the same
chapter, with the same players but very different outcomes. Neither fit the mood that I was
seeking, so I enlisted the help of my beta for direction. He liked some aspects of each, and
guided and nudged as he is wonderful at doing, but pointed out that in one version, Buffy kills
the coffee table and in the other, Angel does the damage.
What have I against coffee tables? My ex-husband has twice attacked them, but claimed on both
occasions that the coffee table started it. Funny how things find their way into our stories.
The final third version contains bits of both, but is less bitter and aggressive than its previous
versions.
May 20, 2007
As the school year winds to a close this week, my creative energy has been a bit taxed. I've
written two-thirds of a new chapter for Anywhere, but it may be a while before it's published as
I have my kidney stone surgery tomorrow and the final week of school after that. However, I
have one creative endeavor I'd like to share. As a final for our Greek Mythology and Modern-day
Heroes unit, I created a fun and playable Greek Myth Jeopardy game!
The original PowerPoint template for the game came from this website: PowerPoints For
Teachers, The Jeopardy template can be customized to fit almost any subject. The website
contains many other teacher-created and shared PowerPoints that you can download and use in
classes - all free of charge. Pretty cool site!
May 4, 2007
As promised earlier this week, I have the new chapter of Anywhere Out of This World ready to
post. This chapter is written in three scenes. Two of them are Dawn/Andrew-centric and they
are among my favorite so far. I wrote the first scene, in which Dawn sketches Andrew, many
months ago, and it is what fostered the idea of their eventual pairing. In that scene, Dawn gets
a further glimpse into her powers. The middle scene, a dream sequence with Spike, I added over
the last week. He may be in a magically induced torpor, but he's not out by a long shot!
And so, here's the latest:
Drawn to You, Chapter 28 of Anywhere Out of This World.
Word Count: 4,115
No warnings in this one. It's pretty PG. Many thanks to Mattallicarock, my beta, for his reading,
support and suggestions.
May 1, 2007
Here it is, finally! The latest chapter of Anywhere Out of This World. Since I'm having surgery
tomorrow, I'll keep the summary brief:
Here's the latest:
Smoke and Mirrors, Chapter 27 of Anywhere Out of This World.
Word Count: 2791
In this one, Xander and Maya consummate their relationship, with a side effect neither is
thrilled about. Rachel Greenspan and Rupert Giles corner Eathan Raynes, and he pulls a little
magic trick that goes wrong. Finally, Buffy and Dawn leave Sunnydale, but something happens
on the road to Los Angeles.
It's all pretty PG. The next chapter, which could be published as early as tomorrow, is more
Dawn and Andrew. After that, it's more Oz and Anjelica. I still don't have much of a clue what is
going on with Willow, Faith and Connor in Japan... But, it will come. Summer's almost here.
So far, this latest version of the chapter's un-beta'd. He'll read this and the next chapter
tomorrow and I'll re-post any edits he makes. My apologies for typos. I wish I could always
blame my painkillers!
April 28, 2007
About a week ago I realized that the self-imposed deadline I'd set for myself for finishing
Anywhere Out of This World was fast approaching, and I haven't posted a new chapter since
St. Patrick's Day! Then it occurred to me that I have been writing in the fandom now for two
years
as of today. I can remember the car ride home from my friend Monroe's house when the idea for
Wishes began to form. It came to me like nothing ever had. It seemed to flow onto the pages in
one long piece.
Six weeks later, it was done and I started looking for ways to share it. I met Meghann, Crystal,
Lucy, Danielle and Lauren online and we founded the Sack Cloth Cult. Then, after posting Wishes
to Slayerfanfic.net, I met Mary.
Mary's been like a soul-mom to me - a creative guiding angel. She introduced me to the fandom
and to everyone on LiveJournal. Life has been so much the richer since.
I have been writing. I have many scenes written for Anywhere and an idea of how it will end.
Once I finish the chapter I'm working on now (it's still untitled), I will have another to follow it
within a day or so because it's almost done. Unraveling this third installment has been much,
much more labor-intensive than the other two, but I have said and will say again: I will finish
this story, dang it!
Even though it's not wrapping up by the deadline, I will publish the new chapter before Tuesday.
As always, thanks to you for reading, and for your patience.
Added April 9, 2007
While I have been unproductive and uninspired, my daughter has been creating things of beauty.
Here is a link to her newest set of Anime Icons, to use in LiveJournal, MySpace or anyplace nice.
Please credit to KatyaBeth if you'd like to use them.
In addition, I have finished Innocent Erendira by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Holy heck! What a
depressing piece of literature. I'm now beginning two new books: The House On Mango Street, by
Sandra Cisneros, which I will read with my students, and I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. I Am
Legend was a gift from my dear friend Jim. Many thanks for all of your support and wonderful
friendship.
Added March 24, 2007
In January, my Mom was diagnosed with emphysema. In response to the diagnosis, her doctor
put her on a very aggressive diet called The Paleo Diet. Also called the Hunter/Gatherer Diet,
the premise is that you shouldn't eat anything that can't be hunted or gathered from nature. My
co-workers tease me a lot on this, saying that they gather stuff from the vending machine all
the time.
I decided to go on the diet with her, because it would be easier for her to stick to it with a diet
buddy. At first, it looked like a difficult diet plan because it's all organic and excludes wheat,
potatoes, beans, sugar and most dairy. But it's been great, and I've been feeling wonderful!
Therefore, I've added a new section called Paleo Recipes so that I can share the recipes I've
used and liked. Hope you enjoy!
Added March 17, 2007
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
This week I have a new chapter to Anywhere Out of This World, titled Comes the Rain. In it,
Rupert Giles and Rachel Greenspan run out of land and luck in a South American seaside village.
To make matters worse, they have geography and an old nemesis against them.
Back in London, Andrew enlists Dawn's help, but both are feeling less than adequate to the task
in the absence of everyone they've relied on in the past.
Here's the latest:
Comes the Rain, Chapter 26 of Anywhere Out of This World.
Word Count: 1636
No spoilers or warnings for this one. It's not as graphic as the previous chapter. I'd like to shout
out to KimRae for this chapter. She guessed what was coming a long time ago! Also, I know that
suggestably is not a word, but it should be.
Also, I wanted to include a word of thanks to those who've been with me on this story from its
first page almost two years ago. Wow! How my life has been changed for the better because of
you.
Added March 9, 2007
Happy Birthday to the Chambered Heart! This site has been up and running for one year
exactly today! Also, as an added surprise bonus, it is the One Year Anniversary of the
Sack Cloth Cult, a group dedicated to the sisterhood of the Jossverse, and to James. To
commemorate, I have two lovely stories to recommend and a new Andrew desktop image.
The Recs:
No Good Turn, by Spike's Heart
I asked Spike's Heart for something to read. I said I wanted dark, sad and erotic. This one has it
all and more. And the ending brought tears to my eyes. It's a one shot, set in Season 6 but goes
AU right after Giles leaves. Excellent story craft. Enjoy!
Memoirs of the Countess de Fountaine, by CaroMio
I don't have the link to this one yet, because *gasp* I've forgotten my password to Spuffy
Realm. But, I'll get the link in as soon as possible. She's written five chapters so far, and in my
opinion, it's her best. All of the characters are there, but in vastly different roles. However,
they remain true to their characterization. It's awesome! More soon on this one.
The Desktop:
Andrew: Man of International Mystery
1024x768. This one is dedicated to Roger Steele, the original International Man of Mystery.
Added March 4, 2007
After two years of meeting on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, plus endless studying for
high-stakes tests and online coursework, the 2005-2007 ECP cohort group finally finished out
Alternate Certification Program. The experience was life-changing, and I know that the
friendships we forged during our journey to become teachers will endure for a long time. Yay,
us! We did it!!
Voting is now open at the Shades of Grey Awards. Please go vote for Wishes, Regrets and
Anywhere Out of This World. As always I appreciate your support! Many thanks.
I also wanted to post a new Dawn/Andrew drabble. My daughter and I have decided to spend 30
minutes a day working as writing partners. We sit at the table with our composition notebooks
and we write, using Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down The Bones for inspiration. Today was our
fist session, and this is what it yielded for me.
Title: Maybe
Word Count: 125
Pairing: Dawn & Andrew
Spoiler: Set in Anywhere Out of This World
Finally, I visited a comic book convention this weekend called STAPLE, primarily for smaller
press books. One of the guys I met had this website that sends comic books to soldiers
overseas, particularly in Iraq. Well, I loved the idea, so here's the link if you're interested in
contributing.
http://heroes4heroes.org/
Added February 26, 2007
We have been home for four days due to illness, but we have not been idle. We spent a lot of
the time making a whole set of lovely new icons for LiveJournal. My lovely daughter made a
batch of Anime icons, and several Foodie icons. Here is a list of our new and very pretty icons
made to share with my wonderful f-list at LJ:
Anime Icons
Buffy/BtVS Icons
Seasonal Icons
Food & Mood Icons
Miscellaneous Icons
Take them, share them, love them if you wish! Please credit us, though. We love the love.
Added February 23, 2007
It's been a while, but I finally have a new chapter to post. The reason for the delay - this time -
has been the graphic subject matter in the chapter. Oz and Anjelica are in Hell, and I've had
quite a lot of difficulty making it hellish enough.
At WriterCon, a lot of us met and talked about the heartache we felt when we caused such pain
for our characters. The presenters reminded us that conflict is the heart of every good story.
That's really come to bear for me here, in this chapter. Here, the true villain is revealed. Here,
the hero loses her fight and succumbs to the Hell around her.
And so, here is the latest of Anywhere Out of This World:
Chapter 25: The Valley of the Shadow of Death
This chapter carries an NC-17 rating due to graphic images of violence and rape. In it, Oz
attempts to barter for Anjelica with the last thing he has left.
I also wanted to announce the launch of a new online community featuring all kinds of
Jossverse babyfics and kidfics: All Joss' Children. This community will feature babyfics from all
pairings in the Jossverse, from Mal and Inarra to Willow and Oz, as well as kidfics in which the
Scoobies, Team Angel, etc., have been turned into kids. It promises to be great fun!
Added February 21, 2007
Happy Birthday to my brother Chris!!!
You are they very best brother in the world, and we love you very much.
Added February 17, 2007
First, I want to wish happy birthdays to my Aunt Bebber, and to my friend Xionin.
Happy Birthday Y'all!!
Also, I've been nominated at the Shades of Grey Awards! Wishes and Regrets were nominated for
Best Het Romantic, and Anywhere Out of This World was nominated for Best Dark/Angst fic (the
first for this story!) This site was also nominated Favorite Fan Site, and I got a nod for
Outstanding Author, which makes me blush. Thanks ever so to the lovely person who nominated
my work, and this site. It keeps me moving forward.
Added February 14, 2007
Happy Valentine's everyone!
I'm just stopping by tonight mainly to wish everyone well, and to update my book list. I've just
finished reading Night by Elie Wiesel, which I recommend for its unflinching first-person
narrative about the author's experiences in four concentration camps during World War II.
I also wanted to add that I'm in the re-write stage of my next chapter for Anywhere Out of This
World, titled The Valley of the Shadow of Death. In it, Oz attempts to rescue Anjelica with what
little he has left. After a first read, my beta said that I was letting Oz off too easy. Therefore,
I've gone back in and the result is some of the most graphic and grueling bits I've written. I'm
hoping to finish the chapter this weekend, in keeping with my schedule to get this story
completed by April 28th.
Finally, I'm updating my Book List to include the new books I'm reading, and the book that I've
just read. If you'd like to peruse what I'm perusing, you may find that list here.
Added February 2, 2007
First and most important, I wanted to wish Mary a very happy birthday!
Happy Birthday Mary!!! I hope that you've had a wonderful day.
Second, I wanted to do a little dance... this week the website hit 5000 clicks. Yay! I also added
the books I'm reading in the sidebar over there. And finally, my daughter's new favorite movie is
The Illusionist, with Edward Norton. I was so happy about that, I made her a desktop:
The Illusionist - 1024x768
Stock images from various Google searches.
Added January 29, 2007
My daughter was home sick from school today, and so we made desktops: This was our favorite.
Dawn: The Key - 1024x768
Brushes by Zugma (www.misplaced.co.uk/uglybusiness/). Textures by me. Stock images from
Dreamscapes. Special thanks to Katya for her keen eye on design and color.
Added January 27, 2007
Just a brief addition tonight: A new desktop of Connor titled Rule The World. This one's for my
daughter, who believes that Connor got an unfair rap in Seasons 4 & 5 of Angel.
Rule The World, 1024x768
Brushes by touchstonesart.com. Textures by me. Stock images from Dreamscapes.
Song lyrics to "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" by Wilco.
Also, a correction: I'd listed An Offer of Hope, by CaroMio as Catharsis, which was in fact an
earlier title. This is a completed Spike/OC fic set post-Dead Things. Being a Spuffy fan, I
generally don't go in for that sort of thing, but I did in this one. Very worth the read. Go enjoy it!
Added January 25, 2007
We have more reasons to celebrate this week! Last Saturday, my daughter Katya competed in
the UIL regional competition for creative writing. Each of the four elementary schools in San
Marcos sent their best entries to the competition and Katya's was one of the ones chosen. Then,
on Saturday, she participated in the UIL Creative Writing Meet, in which she took her comedic
personal narrative from rough draft to final publish.
And she won! First place!! She got a gold medal and her name and picture in the paper. My
daughter is a prize winning author at 8 years old! She is truly a dynamic, gifted and multi-
talented person. We're blessed to have her.
As soon as we have the story back from the judges, I'll post it on this site to share with
everyone.
In addition to our happy announcement, I have Spuffy art to share: Two song lyric themed
desktops -
Just Like Heaven 1024x768
Sunshower 1024x768
Song lyrics belong to Robert Smith of The Cure and Chris Cornell, respectively. Brushes and
textures by me. Scriptina and wm_designs fonts available at www.1001freefonts.com. Thanks,
and enjoy!
Added January 13, 2007
Many reasons to celebrate this chilly Sunday evening. Yesterday, 18 months of classes and
research culminated in a final research presentation titled "Interventions to Support Written
Expression for Students With Significant Gross-to-Fine Motor Skills Disabilities." The
presentation was a complete success, as were the presentations of my classmates. Their
students are thoroughly blessed. Congratulations, us! I'm uploading a link to the PowerPoint
presentation on the Teacher Resources page.
I also have a new chapter to Anywhere Out of This World, titled Outta Here. This one centers on
Buffy in the alternate Sunnydale, where things are finally starting to go her way. Sorta.
Finally, I've decided to start keeping my Book List here, online. That way, if the Lappy crashes
again (so hoping it won't) I won't have to reconstruct it again from memory. This year's goal is
the same as last year's: 30 books. Also, cool thing about the Internet (about which I am still
excited) I can put in an external link on the book for more information.
Added January 5, 2007
Happy Birthday Matt!
In honor of my best friend and roommate, I have written a short Dawn/Andrew fiction titled
Distraction as a birthday present. And he's said that I can share it, so I've posted the link here.
Happy birthday, Matt, and I hope that you enjoy the gift as well.
I've also added a new desktop to the Artwork page. This one, titled Boss of You, is in a bright,
candy-colored theme of the Andrew and Dawn world.
Finally, my friend Tina made a whole bunch of Fangirl/Fanboy banners for all of us on the
MySpace board. I adore them so much, and am so grateful, I just had to post them all here,
under a new page titled Banners.
Added January 1, 2007
Happy New Year!
I have a decent-sized update today, with two new Spuffy desktops to share and a pair of
Andrew/Dawn linked drabbles that I posted a few weeks ago and forgot to put here on The
Chambered Heart. Usually at this time of year, I post my lists as well. Unfortunately, I lost all
of my lists when the Lappy crashed, including my master list of my 100 Things To Do Before I
Die and my 2006 Booklist. The latter can be recreated because I know I read 30 books and can
almost remember them all. The 100 Things List will be a little more difficult to redo. Anyway, to
prevent much frustration, I'll just have to post all that at a later time.
I have included The List, the Live Shows List and a States List, because I'm neurotic and love
making lists. I've put them all on a page of their own here: The Lists.
Also, here are the links to the Spuffy artwork and the drabbles.
Desktops:
Spike and Buffy, Happy New Year 2007 1024x768
Spike and Buffy, Anywhere Out of This World 1024x768
Drabbles:
Child's Play and Territory, two linked drabbles for Andrew and Dawn, who have turned out to be
surprisingly inspirational as young lovers.
Enjoy, and may you have a lovely 2007!
Added December 28, 2006
Season's Greetings to everyone! As a belated Christmas present, I have a new chapter to
Anywhere Out of This World. In this one, we finally find out what Giles has been up to.
Here's the Latest:
Not Her Own, Chapter 23 of Anywhere Out of This World
Summary: While tracking down links to the Slayer legend, Giles enlists the help of a new
Watcher who has information on ancient petroglyphs that may set him on the path to finding
who might have taken Buffy and why.
I also wanted to take a moment to extend my gratitude to Brandon Bielstein, who managed to
recover this website most of my cherished documents, images and digital paintings when my
Lappy crashed at the beginning of this month. I thought it was done-for, but Mr. Bielstein had
skills and saved the day. I'm putting his link here, and on my links page. If you ever need
computer services, he's the guy to call. Or email... http://brandonbcs.com/
Added November 30, 2006
I have two new desktops today, both Dawn and Andrew. Actually, they are the same desktop
with color variations. My little girl and I created them today because she was out sick from
school. She wanted something vintage because we found all of these really neat, old postcards
from the 1940s. She's also very interested (as am I) in the beginnings of the Dawn/Andrew
friendship. In my interpretation of things, this began with Dawn and Buffy were living in Rome,
thus the title:
When in Rome (Color) 1024x768
When In Rome (Duotone) 1024x768
Thanks to touchstonesart.com and vered for the brushes.
I've also added a song to my Buffy Playlist to accompany the latest chapter of Anywhere Out of
This World,
As promised, here is the second part of the two-chapter installment for Anywhere Out of This
World, titled Pursuit. In this one, Andrew runs into a little demon infestation on his way back
home. Dawn, in her search for Andrew, encounters similar demon issues.
In the B story, Thellian awakes in his new lair, and it's a good thing neither Spike nor Buffy are
around to see it. Thellian has new developments regarding Maya, but they are cut short by a
surprise visit from Connor, who still believes he's on a demon-smashing mission with his father.
All this plus very little silliness, here:
Pursuit, Chapter 48 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Andrew/Dawn
Word Count: 3,550
Rating: PG-13 for cannibalistic demon references
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the mighty Joss.
March 11, 2008
I have the first of a two-chapter installment ready for posting today. This one, titled Double
Cross, mainly features Angel's crew and their decision to help Buffy get back to Sunnydale. Of
course, nothing is ever so simple, and really bad things happen. The B story focuses on Ed
Busby, an average bloke hired by Willow and Faith to help them move certain questionable
'cargo'.
Here's the latest:
Double Cross, Chapter 47 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Many, with reference to Andrew/Dawn
Word Count: 3,100
Rating: PG-13 for gruesomeness
Summary: Team Angel takes on Sunnydale, but runs immediately into an ugly snare. Willow and
Faith arrive in London, but getting past Xander is... really no trouble at all.
March 9, 2008
Happy Anniversary website!
I had hopes of posting a new chapter in honor of the site's second birthday, but it's not ready.
Actually, it's only half-written and still must undergo the painful edit/re-write process. But, I do
have something to add, and that's a recommendation for a fantastic book: Ken Follet's The
Pillars of the Earth. It's an excrutiatingly beautiful story encompassing the lives of four
generations of two families as they witness and build Kingsbridge Cathedral. Go, read it!
I plan to have one if not two chapters in Anywhere Out of This World later this week. Keep
looking and I'll keep you posted.
March 3, 2008
Our beloved Uncle Eddie passed away Wednesday, February 27, 2008. He was 52. Our family is
feeling this profound loss as we celebrate his life and the impression he leaves in all of our
hearts.
I was quite honored to give the eulogy on behalf of our family. Several family members and
friends have asked me to post the eulogy and share it with those who were not able to attend
Uncle Eddie's funeral. I have created a memorial page to him here:
Edward T. Purkey
On this page, I have included links to the obituary from The Beaumont Enterprise, and the
condolences link from Farmer's Funeral Directors.
February 21, 2008
Happy Birthday to my brother, Chris!
And also, I have the latest chapter of to my long and winding Buffy tale, which draws closer to
its conclusion. It does, really. I promise...
Avenger, Chapter 46 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Dawn/Andrew
Word Count: 3,900
Rating: PG
Summary: Dawn learns of Xander's and Andrew's confrontation. After a confrontation of her
own, she goes out to find Andrew. Andrew, meanwhile, returns to the Temple of the Sisters,
where he meets up with Nighna's ghost. William returns to the Slayer School to find them
preparing for a trench war against demonkind. Finally, Connor is still trapped in Willow's web of
delusional fantasy.
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
February 5, 2008
I have the latest chapter of Anywhere to post tonight. It's been through a few re-writes, partly
because I had written the Xander-Andrew bits much earlier, before the Andrew/Dawn pairing had
a lot of shape to it. Now, the Andrew/Dawn relationship is much more solid, which made parts of
Andrew's conversation with Xander irrelevant. Well, you'll see...
Bit of a warning, there will be some Xander bashing ahead. This is due in part to some held over
aggression I harbor toward him over his deplorable treatment of Anya and his double standard
treatment of Buffy and Spike in Season 6. He must pay for that some time. For me, that time is
now.
Here's the latest:
The Lovers, Chapter 45 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Dawn/Andrew
Word Count: 4175
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
Summary: While rummaging through Willow's books, Dawn finds a Tarot deck that holds her
transfixed. She cuts the cards and reveals The Lovers. She takes the image to heart. After a pre-
morning lovefest with Andrew, she learns that he takes their relationship with similar
seriousness. However, Xander has other plans and interferes, which will have disastrous
consequences to them all.
January 15, 2008
Just stopping by to update my book list and add the link to the Shelfari site, which has occupied
much of my free time in the last week. Shelfari - it's like a bookshelf safari. I have added the
numerous titles I've read over the last few years, plus the ones I can recall from grade school
on. It's also nifty because it's a book network. My brother's on there, as well as many literary-
minded friends, and they've all listed their books. The Internet is swell.
I'll be back soon with an update to Anywhere. It's nearing an end, I can feel it. The Buffyverse
that once crowded out all other creative vines and underbrush has grown to its full height,
where I can leave it to be beautiful and imperfect in its own measure of light.
January 5, 2008
Happy Birthday, Matt!
Yesterday, my beta celebrated his 32nd time around the sun. When I asked him what he wanted
for his birthday, he said 'a chapter.' Just so happens, I have a new one!
And so here it is:
Parallel Lives, Chapter 44 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Dawn/Andrew (implied)
Word Count: 3,700
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
Summary: After Spike's awakening, Dawn fills him in on a few things that have happened in his
absence. In the AU, Buffy awakes to an offer of help from Willow, and they discover that this
Dawn also has mysterious artistic ability.
December 27, 2007
Just stopping by to update Anywhere Out of This World tonight. I have the latest chapter, a
quick one, focusing on Lorne and Clem in the aftermath of Lorne's vision. I don't have much else
to say, as things in my 'normal' life have taken some frustrating turns. But there will be more
soon.
Here's the latest:
The Fall of Triumvirate, Chapter 43 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: None in this chapter
Word Count: 1,880
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
Summary: Lorne's vision spares Clem's life when the Big Bads come to town.
December 25, 2007
Merry Christmas, everyone! A friend told me earlier to count my blessings every night, for
we are most surely blessed. I want to share my gratitude to my family and friends, for their
love, support, and joy. We just had the most marvelous time together tonight. Christmases like
these build sweet memories in the hearts of our children, and those are priceless. Absolutely
priceless. Thank you!
I have one gift to offer tonight. It is a one-shot Christmas Spuffy set post-Anywhere, three years
into the future, with minor spoilers for that story. In it, Buffy and Spike have their hands full
with their regular lives and their three-year-old daughter Tara. It's difficult enough corralling
her, much less an unwelcome demon visitor.
This story was my submission for the Spuffy Solstice at Spuffy_Haven.
Title: Better To Give
Word Count: 4,353
Rating: PG
Pairings: Spike/Buffy & Andrew/Dawn
Disclaimers: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss. Also, this story is pure
indulgent fluff, like salt water taffy. For that, I humbly beg your forgiveness.
Many thanks to my beta for catching my errors, even though I opted to keep the decapitated
demon's ability to nod its approval.
December 10, 2007
I made it! Thirty books with two weeks to spare. I have them all chronicles on my Book List
2007. Soon, I'll move it to take the place of the incomplete list from 2006. I reached my goal of
20 books last year, too, but had to reconstruct the list from memory after the Lappy crash of
December 06. I'm knocking on wood and making plans to back up even as I type.
Next year, I'm going to be more ambitious in my goal: 36 books! Eventually, I'll be able to read
as many as my Mom, who read 56 books this year (so far...). I absolutely love reading.
In other news, we brought home our darling baby Logan this morning - a brand-new ginger kitten
with a rusty meow and an abundance of personality. Happy Christmas, Katya! And me, too.
December 1, 2007
In keeping with the practice that I subject myself to the assignments I give to my students, I
wrote a short story right along with them. And because I said they could choose any genre, I did
too... Naturally, I chose fanfic.
Three weeks and 10,000 words later, I present The Amazingly Invisible Andrew Wells.
Summary: During that wiggy time leading up to The Prom, Tucker Wells was busy plotting
himself into the path of Buffy Summers. All the while, little Andrew was trying desperately to
live up to the name of his brother. In Andrew's attempt to waylay Tucker's bestial plans to
ransack The Prom, and to win the favor of new girl Rebecca Kinsey, he gets drawn into a deal
with a devil that could ruin the school's production of Romeo and Juliet.
Word Count: 10,830
Rating: PG
Timeline: This is a one-shot set pre-Prom in Season 3, as seen from Andrew's perspective. There
are cameos from many of the Sunnydale alum as well.
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
Also....
On the first day of December, James Marsters gave to me... lovely pictures for the sharing.
Actually, it was the fabulous CaroMio who sent this link, with an Advent Calendar-like entry to
the website, www.jamesmarsterslive.com. Joy for the whole season!
November 21, 2007
Happy early Thanksgiving to all! I've been catching up today on LJ, and have been basking in
the well-wishing of my Flist, which has put me in an extremely festive mood. In addition to the
general relaxation and recuperation, I've been working on an update to Anywhere Out of This
World, titled Lost to Sand.
I also finished reading The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman, which I recommend, and added it
as #29 on my Book List for this year. It would be best to read it before the movie comes out the
December. It'll be like Harry Potter in that there is no way the film makers will be able to fit it
all in to less than two hours on-screen. I also wanted to recommend Memoirs of the Countess de
Fountaine by CaroMio to my fellow Spuffy lovers. She just recently updated this one, and it's
one of my favorites!
And here's the latest on mine:
Lost to Sand, Chapter 42 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Dawn/Andrew, Xander/OC (Maya), and Oz/Anjelica
Word Count: 2,000
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
Summary: Anya and Walter open the portal out of Hell for Oz and Anjelica, but nothing in Hell
happens without a sacrifice. Back in London, Dawn awakes from her drawing spell to the sound
of Andrew's screaming.
November 4, 2007
This has been a difficult week. Possibly the worst for us this year. As always, though, the
solitude and contemplation of writing provides the most welcome escape. I began this chapter
long ago, with the line, "Under these auspices, and with hope in her heart, Dawn began to
draw..."
I think writers can relate to this. Many times, we sit down at our notebooks and laptops with the
weights of every day on our shoulders. But the hope in our hearts helps us create a safe haven
in which our minds get to be free. I paired Patty Griffin's Icicles with this chapter, and I think it
fits Dawn and Andrew so well. In her lyrics, she says, 'we're just like/anyone else/ we just want
a little bit/ of sun for ourselves.' This is especially perfect given what lies ahead for them. But,
I'm getting ahead of myself.
Here's the latest:
Drawn Together, Chapter 41 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Buffy/Spike and Dawn/Andrew (though not at the same time. That would be weird)
Word Count: 2350
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
Summary: Dawn and Andrew think their Voodoo waking spell has failed. Silly them. Dawn, still
invigorated from the spell, leaves their bed to indulge her creative side, which she has
repressed due to her frightening first-time experience with Brody. As she becomes entranced
with her drawing, she unwittingly creates a kind of sanctuary into which Buffy and William are
drawn.
October 31, 2007
Happy Halloween!!
With love, from Katrina and me. May you have a spooky, ghoul-filled evening of fun and, of
course, candy!
PS Working on the rough of the next chapter, now titled "Drawn Together". I expect to finish it
and post on Sunday or so.
October 17, 2007
Not so much a chapter as an interlude, this next installment of Anywhere Out of This World
touches base with Lorne, who has set himself up rather comfortably as the steward of
Triumvirate. In Nighna's absence, he has maintained the night club as a place of neutrality and
relative peace. That is, until his bartender sings the line of a song, and Lorne gets a peek at a
potentially violent incident in the very near future.
Here's the latest:
For Lorne, Chapter 40 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: None in this chapter
Word Count: 700
Rating: PG (for now)
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the mighty Joss.
As I'm nearing the climax of the story, the chapters are coming faster and faster. Which is good.
I think the beginning of the story taunted me a bit as I attempted to tease out its various
threads. I'm hoping to have another chapter, tentatively titled "Safe Haven", posted soon. This
one will deal with the after-effects of the portal Anya and Walter cast in Hell, as well as the
spell Dawn and Andrew cast. They believe it had no effect at all; boy, were they wrong!
Also, it seems that there is an over-arcing theme of Casablanca to this story, whereas the first
two, Wishes and Regrets, had Wizard of Oz references throughout. I never would have guessed
these movies had influenced me so much... But it is kinda cool.
October 12, 2007
Tonight, I have another chapter to offer. It's another Dawn/Andrew-centric chapter. I wrote the
first draft of this chapter last December, on the back of my car payment stub, so I'm really glad
to finally get to it in the storyline. I also have another chapter following soon after that
features Lorne and a special guest star...
Here's the latest:
That Old Black Magic, Chapter 39 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Andrew/Dawn
Word Count: 3,630
Rating: Edging up to an R with some racy, graphic content
Summary: Dawn and Andrew cast a spell which sets certain events irrevocably into motion.
Also, Oz and Helli wait in increasing discomfort as Anya and Walter cast the portal home.
Author's Note:
I'm grateful tonight to my students, for working so hard this past week in our writing. Our focus
was on action verbs, editing to take out empty words, and imagery. I'm also thankful for my
daughter, who has been writing every day. Her diligence is inspiring, and I believe she has the
talent to one day be an author. Of course, I think she's brilliant enough to also be an astronaut,
a senator, and an enviro-biologist.
I also want to thank KimRae and Spikes_Heart for their encouraging words, and Mattallicarock,
my beta, for always being there. No matter what.
October 4, 2007
So this story is coming along despite the insanity of lesson planning, grading, more grading, and
let's see... real life stuff. Thank the heavens for writing. It helps me build partitions around the
creative parts of my brain, thereby protecting them from the overwhelmed parts of my brain.
I do have a new chapter to share. This one features Thellian and "his girls" as he has come to
view them, as they make their way across continents toward London. William also appears with
a cryptic-spouting spectre who continues to vex him.
Here's the Latest:
Not All Who Wander, Chapter 38 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Hints toward a possible Willow/Faith pairing
Word Count: 2,000
Rating: PG
Summary: Willow and Faith are like Thellian's Angels, only one of them is still reluctant.
William, still in his dream state induced by Succubus venom, is starting to realize that he is
comatose, and he's making the first efforts to try to wake himself. Will he be able to wake in
time to bring Buffy safely home?
September 23, 2007
Last week at was more trying than most. My students were subjected to a week long battery of
standardized testing. Naturally, by Friday, they felt quite restless and so things got a little
rough. However, I did find some time to write. Upside to everything!
And so, here's the latest:
Sweetness, Chapter 37 of Anywhere Out of This World.
Pairing: Andrew/Dawn
Word Count: 2,173
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Xander and Maya both have misgivings about each other, but neither voice them.
Dawn and Andrew take a morning off from research to spend some time together. With a Honey
Bear.
Author's Note: I began half of this one months ago when I first started entertaining the notion of
having Dawn and Andrew as a pairing. It started as a drabble, gained some strength and
adjectives, then swelled into a full-fledged chapter. I worried at first that I should cut it
because it does not advance the plot much, but it does show the growing bond between Dawn
and Andrew, as well as a glimpse into the not-as-peachy relationship between Xander and Maya.
My beta, Mattallicarock, reminded me that the joy of fanfic is that I don't have deadlines or
editors hovering over me. Therefore, I can write sweet little vignettes as I desire. That's why I
adore my beta.
Also, I realize I may have butchered the Italian that Andrew speaks to Dawn. My apologies if
that's so, and if anyone out there can correct me, I'd be most appreciative!
September 12, 2007
Great hairy legs of Hades, I finally finished this chapter. This one has been impeded by big-time
RL, but with every word I commit to the page, I am certain that these story lines are finally
winding together for a definite close. Therefore, thanks to you for your patience and continued
support!
Here's the latest:
Familiarity, Chapter 36 of Anywhere Out of This World.
Pairing: Andrew/Dawn
Word Count: 3,100
Rating: PG
Summary: This one picks up where the last chapter left off - with Buffy still torn about needing
a little help from Team Angel, and with Giles and Rachel Greenspan lost in the wilderness.
There's a sweet little bit at the end with Andrew and Dawn that serves as a recap for the action
(or lack thereof) at the Flat in London.
September 1, 2007
I'm swerving in today to report that I'm updating my Scottish List to include James McAvoy after
watching Becoming Jane this afternoon. Unfortunately, he's bumping John Hannah into an
alternate position, but I think James is well worthy as an addition.
I liked the movie. It's one of the handful of movies I've seen in the theater in which the
audience actually applauded at its end. It's one of those quiet and sweepingly epic British
movies I always go for.
I'm also here to add that in addition to grading 288 papers from my wonderful students, I am
working on an update for Anywhere Out of This World. I had a breakthrough in the plot on my
morning commute last week, so I will have a new chapter hopefully before the end of Monday.
This chapter, titled Familiarity (short for familiarity breeds contempt), will focus briefly on
Buffy, but will return to Giles and Rachel.
August 16, 2007
I've always liked the idea of a roguish Giles, a man at home in any terrain, kind of like a British
Indiana Jones. In the new chapter, that was what I was shooting for. I envision him part-Rupert,
part-Ripper, capable of killing, combat, and survival in even the most trying of circumstances.
Here's the latest:
Appearances Deceiving, Chapter 35 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Well, none. But there is a large ensemble scene in the Hyperion Hotel
Word Count: 3,400
Rating: PG
Summary: In the alternate-LA, Fred explains her theory for why the barriers between dimensions
have begun to break down. After Fred's presentation, Buffy succumbs to continued exhaustion.
Back in South America, Rachel Greenspan deals with Ethan's death, and Giles' part in it. Also,
Giles finds a photograph which leads him to believe that Rachel has a secret.
There's a lot of techno-babble in this chapter. Thanks to my Dad and brother for a life time of
Star Trek, Battletech and Arthur C. Clarke.
I'd also like to take a moment to those who have supported our online stores: The Chambered
Heart and Messages of Love. We are immensely grateful for your support. Katrina's postcards
and my bumper stickers are unexpectedly big sellers. So thank you so much! You are wonderful.
August 11, 2007
I have a new chapter to post for Anywhere Out of This World titled With A Little Help. With this
chapter I'd like to show gratitude to my daughter, Katrina, for holding our writing workshops
together. We get a lot of mother-daughter bonding and writing done during these sessions. I'd
also like to thank Spikes_Heart for her unflagging encouragement.
Here's the latest:
With A Little Help, Chapter 34 of Anywhere Out of This World
Pairing: Andrew/Dawn
Word Count: 2,300
Rating: PG
Summary: Xander gets bent when he returns to London to find that Andrew has managed quite
well in Xander's absence. Also, Oz tries to comfort a shattered Anjelica while Anya and Walter
prepare for the ritual that will send them home.
Author's Note: I'm realizing more as I write Anywhere that I've been needing Xander to answer
for some of his actions in Seasons 6 & 7, as well as a few from earlier (The Pack, anyone?). He's
been Mr. Double Standard for a really long time, and I've been enjoying a little turnabout where
Xander has been concerned. I think Xander labors under the delusion that he's the white knight
of the Scoobies, the one who always sides with the greater good. It's from this position that he
sees fit to judge character and occasionally meddle (Willow says "kick his ass.") with the
group's decisions. What would happen, I wonder, if he was suddenly forced to examine some of
his past choices and to answer for them?
The hold up with this chapter was not lack of ideas or plot or pacing. No, this time it was the
bloody chapter title and one line of dialog toward the end that just would not fit. Even my betas
were at a loss, though I'm grateful as always for their suggestions and patience.
Silly, silly muse!
August 7, 2007
I wanted to share one of our passions with you: Star gazing, with particular emphasis on meteor
showers. I mean, who doesn't love optimizing your wish-making opportunities, right? Especially
if you have a starry-eyed 9-year-old daughter like mine. This is a yearly end-of-summer bonding
ritual for us. We take to the Hill Country with blankets and snacks and give our gratitude to the
wonder of the Universe.
Here's a link with information about all of the upcoming meteor showers, including phase of the
moon: http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/
For instance, the Perseids fall on next Monday, and there will be a New Moon; perfect for
viewing shooting stars. And making wishes.
August 5, 2007
This one's a big one for us!
I believe that my daughter is a very gifted young photographer. I believe it so much
that I have opened a CafePress storefront to support her work. Here is the link:
www.cafepress.com/chamberedheart
Please go, visit, admire... purchase! In addition to Katrina's photography, we have a
section for my artwork, and one called Message of Love, which has a lot of positive,
inspirational gifts representing what I think is a new, original point of view on
saving the world by making it a better place.
I'm currently writing a new chapter, as yet untitled, for Anywhere Out of This World. Xander has
returned to London thinking he's finally going to be the Alpha, only to discover that someone
else is taking charge. Also, there might be a bit with Oz and Anjelica. I'm looking to submit the
chapter to my beta tonight, so the new chapter could be up in a day or three.
July 24, 2007
A drive-by post... just to let everyone know that we'll be home Saturday morning. We're in
Alabama tonight, then back in Clinton, Louisiana, tomorrow. I have one Magic Kingdom desktop
to share:
Magic Kingdom by Night, 1024x768
This image was taken just after the SpectroMagic parade on my birthday, with the Night setting
of our camera. As part of the brilliant birthday extravaganza, we all got to BE in the parade,
which was absolutely unforgettable. I'll write more about all of that soon!
July 5, 2007
I have the new chapter of Anywhere Out of This World to post. In it, Connor has dreams. Very
vivid dreams. I'm working off the premise that the false memories of Connor's childhood has
made him susceptible to mental pitfalls, and Willow's spell to free him from the influence of the
Glass did not help matters.
Here's the latest:
Life Is..., Chapter 33 of Anywhere Out of This World.
Rating: PG-13 for some mild raciness, mostly implied
Word Count: 2960
Pairing: Connor/Dream-Dawn
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
Author's Note #1: I borrowed a line from Jasmine in AtS: S4, but I promise I am not planning on
bringing Jasmine into this story at all. I just thought the line fit perfectly with Connor's motives
at the moment.
Author's Note #2: This may be my last post to this site for three weeks as we're leaving for
Disney World on Friday morning!
June 26, 2007
Today, I have the new chapter for Anywhere Out of This World, with the Giles/Rachel/Eathan
part in tact.
Here's the latest:
Ashes to Ashes, Chapter 32 of Anywhere Out of This World
Rating: PG-13 for some violence
Word Count: 2,993
Pairings: Andrew/Dawn
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
(Typos are my own, and so is the original character Rachel Greenspan.)
Summary: Dawn follows Andrew to the Watcher's Council to confront him about his feelings over
Nighna's death. In South America, Rachel Greenspan weathers a night on a Hellmouth with the
help of Rupert Giles. But in the morning, they have to decide what to do with their prisoner,
Ethan Rayne.
Just a silly pop culture note: The oft-repeated demon line "Ah, nu’ja nez blimbo jah, ha ha!” is
actually Klingon and comes from the Universal Studios Star Trek stage show my brother and I
were in when we were 11 and 15. The extra who played the Klingon in that show spoke little
English, but had such a great personality, he had us cracking up every time he delivered this
line. I put it in because I knew it'd make my little brother smile.
June 25, 2007
This amounts to less than half of the post I hoped to make today. My goal was to post the new
chapter of Anywhere Out of This World, titled Ashes to Ashes (still a working title). I have the
Andrew/Dawn part written and that's all fine and good. It's the Giles/Rachel/Eathan part that's
the challenge. However, I'm not backing down. I've decided to post the whole thing within the
next day or two.
Therefore, instead of a chapter, I'll post this wonderful recommendation for a Buffy/Pirates
crossover in which Norrington dimension hops right into the Summers' home in Sunnydale. This
story hits my kinks in the best ways, and I hope that you enjoy it.
Here's the link: Greedy Slayer's Rough Drabbling.
June 19, 2007
I stumbled across an unexpected source for artwork ideas from my Grannye. While at her house
last week, I found her subscription to Better Homes & Garden's Scrapbooks, etc. Magazine. There
is a whole wealth of tips and textures, not just for physical scrapbookers, but for digital artists,
too. Therefore, I've been in Photoshop bliss all weekend. I have three new desktops to offer:
two Spuffy, and one Pirates of the Caribbean.
Comfy
This was my first effort, and not my best. I never did get the quality I'd hoped from the
screencap. However, I did notice something I never had before, and that is the position of Buffy
and Spike's hands on the flashlight. This cap is from Potential, but their hands touching over the
flashlight harkens back to Beneath You. Interesting, I think, that Joss would choose that
moment for them to share that connection....
Brushes by touchstonesart.
Screencaps from Screencap-paradise.com.
Sweetest Downfall
This one was created for my soul-twin Classic Anne in Rochester, NY, who loves Regina Spektor,
too. I also owe a thanks to Andrew, for helping me to find the perfect script font: In this case,
AdineKirnberg, which is available at PC Fuentes. The lyrics, 'You are my sweetest downfall,'
come from Samson, by Regina Spektor.
Davy Jones
This one's also for Andrew, by request and as a thanks for being so helpful all last week.
Although I've been a busy Photoshopper, I haven't fully neglected my fanfic. I don't have a new
chapter for Anywhere Out of This World, but did manage to attend to several page glitches that
had been plaguing Regrets. They should all be fixed now.
I should have a new chapter for Anywhere by the beginning of next week. This one returns to
Andrew and Dawn as they deal with the news of Nighna's demise, as well as Giles and Rachel
Greenspan and their journey back to London.
June 10, 2007
Tonight I'm posting the new chapter, previously titled In Hell but changed to Salvage during the
final edit this afternoon. This chapter gave me nightmares, not so much for what I wrote, but for
what I did not write. The concept of Hell as a place of individual suffering is one that I find
terribly disturbing. This chapter has a secondary character based on Bruce Dern's creepy
outlander in
The Badlands, and one quip about kidney stones.
Here's the latest:
Salvage, Chapter 31 of Anywhere Out of This World
Word Count: 2850
Rating: PG, for body parts
Pairing: Oz/Anjelica
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
I also wanted to say thank you to my fabulous beta, Mattallicrock2000, for all that he does,
including this lovely nod over at ForbiddenAwards.
Anywhere Out of This World has been nominated for the Aching For It Awards (Best WIP) and the
Viagra Award (Best Fic Which Has Never Won Before). Regrets was nominated for the Hot
Between The Sheets Award (Best Spuffy - Long).
Go visit the site! It's got a lot of quality fic there, and if you have a favorite, nominate it. The
categories are filling up quick.
June 8, 2007
A few things to add tonight, as I have updated my reading list and created another Pirates
desktop, this one of Captain Jack Sparrow.I also have a new chapter for Anywhere Out of This
World very nearly ready to post titled In Hell, and it focuses on Oz and Anjelica as they attempt
to escape from Hell. My second beta, Steven_h1971, is currently proofreading it. It should be
here on Sunday, so please check back for that.
June 5, 2007
As a warm up for writing tonight, I created a desktop of Commodore Norrington, my favorite
pirate - even more so than Captain Jack Sparrow (it never would have worked out between us). I
hope very much that you enjoy it. The original photo I nabbed from imdb.com, some brushes by
Zugma, and textures by me.
Long Live Norrington
1024x768
June 1, 2007
Two in one week! I have the next chapter to Anywhere Out of This World. In this one, Faith
finally catches up with Connor. In keeping with the theme of fire, this chapter is titled By Fire
Reborn, and focuses on Faith, Connor and Willow in Tokyo. There's a brief appearance by
Thellian, and a cameo by a small black kitten named Scout, who is based on my small black
kitten.
Here's the latest:
By Fire Reborn, Chapter 30 of Anywhere Out of This World.
Word Count: 2,466
Rating: R, for a small amount of gore.
Pairings: Well, there is one kiss...
Feedback: Yes, Please!
Disclaimer: For fun and fun alone. All hail the great and mighty Joss.
May 30, 2007
Tonight I'm posting the latest chapter to Anywhere Out of This World. This is a turning point
chapter in that Buffy finally meets up with Team Angel in LA, where she gets some answers to
her questions, but not all of them.
Here's the latest:
Team Angel, Chapter 29 of Anywhere Out of This World.
Word Count: 3170
Feedback: Yes, please!
Author's Note:
Either way, the coffee table gets it...
This latest chapter has been quite the creative struggle. It began as two versions of the same
chapter, with the same players but very different outcomes. Neither fit the mood that I was
seeking, so I enlisted the help of my beta for direction. He liked some aspects of each, and
guided and nudged as he is wonderful at doing, but pointed out that in one version, Buffy kills
the coffee table and in the other, Angel does the damage.
What have I against coffee tables? My ex-husband has twice attacked them, but claimed on both
occasions that the coffee table started it. Funny how things find their way into our stories.
The final third version contains bits of both, but is less bitter and aggressive than its previous
versions.
May 20, 2007
As the school year winds to a close this week, my creative energy has been a bit taxed. I've
written two-thirds of a new chapter for Anywhere, but it may be a while before it's published as
I have my kidney stone surgery tomorrow and the final week of school after that. However, I
have one creative endeavor I'd like to share. As a final for our Greek Mythology and Modern-day
Heroes unit, I created a fun and playable Greek Myth Jeopardy game!
The original PowerPoint template for the game came from this website: PowerPoints For
Teachers, The Jeopardy template can be customized to fit almost any subject. The website
contains many other teacher-created and shared PowerPoints that you can download and use in
classes - all free of charge. Pretty cool site!
May 4, 2007
As promised earlier this week, I have the new chapter of Anywhere Out of This World ready to
post. This chapter is written in three scenes. Two of them are Dawn/Andrew-centric and they
are among my favorite so far. I wrote the first scene, in which Dawn sketches Andrew, many
months ago, and it is what fostered the idea of their eventual pairing. In that scene, Dawn gets
a further glimpse into her powers. The middle scene, a dream sequence with Spike, I added over
the last week. He may be in a magically induced torpor, but he's not out by a long shot!
And so, here's the latest:
Drawn to You, Chapter 28 of Anywhere Out of This World.
Word Count: 4,115
No warnings in this one. It's pretty PG. Many thanks to Mattallicarock, my beta, for his reading,
support and suggestions.
May 1, 2007
Here it is, finally! The latest chapter of Anywhere Out of This World. Since I'm having surgery
tomorrow, I'll keep the summary brief:
Here's the latest:
Smoke and Mirrors, Chapter 27 of Anywhere Out of This World.
Word Count: 2791
In this one, Xander and Maya consummate their relationship, with a side effect neither is
thrilled about. Rachel Greenspan and Rupert Giles corner Eathan Raynes, and he pulls a little
magic trick that goes wrong. Finally, Buffy and Dawn leave Sunnydale, but something happens
on the road to Los Angeles.
It's all pretty PG. The next chapter, which could be published as early as tomorrow, is more
Dawn and Andrew. After that, it's more Oz and Anjelica. I still don't have much of a clue what is
going on with Willow, Faith and Connor in Japan... But, it will come. Summer's almost here.
So far, this latest version of the chapter's un-beta'd. He'll read this and the next chapter
tomorrow and I'll re-post any edits he makes. My apologies for typos. I wish I could always
blame my painkillers!
April 28, 2007
About a week ago I realized that the self-imposed deadline I'd set for myself for finishing
Anywhere Out of This World was fast approaching, and I haven't posted a new chapter since
St. Patrick's Day! Then it occurred to me that I have been writing in the fandom now for two
years
as of today. I can remember the car ride home from my friend Monroe's house when the idea for
Wishes began to form. It came to me like nothing ever had. It seemed to flow onto the pages in
one long piece.
Six weeks later, it was done and I started looking for ways to share it. I met Meghann, Crystal,
Lucy, Danielle and Lauren online and we founded the Sack Cloth Cult. Then, after posting Wishes
to Slayerfanfic.net, I met Mary.
Mary's been like a soul-mom to me - a creative guiding angel. She introduced me to the fandom
and to everyone on LiveJournal. Life has been so much the richer since.
I have been writing. I have many scenes written for Anywhere and an idea of how it will end.
Once I finish the chapter I'm working on now (it's still untitled), I will have another to follow it
within a day or so because it's almost done. Unraveling this third installment has been much,
much more labor-intensive than the other two, but I have said and will say again: I will finish
this story, dang it!
Even though it's not wrapping up by the deadline, I will publish the new chapter before Tuesday.
As always, thanks to you for reading, and for your patience.
Added April 9, 2007
While I have been unproductive and uninspired, my daughter has been creating things of beauty.
Here is a link to her newest set of Anime Icons, to use in LiveJournal, MySpace or anyplace nice.
Please credit to KatyaBeth if you'd like to use them.
In addition, I have finished Innocent Erendira by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Holy heck! What a
depressing piece of literature. I'm now beginning two new books: The House On Mango Street, by
Sandra Cisneros, which I will read with my students, and I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. I Am
Legend was a gift from my dear friend Jim. Many thanks for all of your support and wonderful
friendship.
Added March 24, 2007
In January, my Mom was diagnosed with emphysema. In response to the diagnosis, her doctor
put her on a very aggressive diet called The Paleo Diet. Also called the Hunter/Gatherer Diet,
the premise is that you shouldn't eat anything that can't be hunted or gathered from nature. My
co-workers tease me a lot on this, saying that they gather stuff from the vending machine all
the time.
I decided to go on the diet with her, because it would be easier for her to stick to it with a diet
buddy. At first, it looked like a difficult diet plan because it's all organic and excludes wheat,
potatoes, beans, sugar and most dairy. But it's been great, and I've been feeling wonderful!
Therefore, I've added a new section called Paleo Recipes so that I can share the recipes I've
used and liked. Hope you enjoy!
Added March 17, 2007
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
This week I have a new chapter to Anywhere Out of This World, titled Comes the Rain. In it,
Rupert Giles and Rachel Greenspan run out of land and luck in a South American seaside village.
To make matters worse, they have geography and an old nemesis against them.
Back in London, Andrew enlists Dawn's help, but both are feeling less than adequate to the task
in the absence of everyone they've relied on in the past.
Here's the latest:
Comes the Rain, Chapter 26 of Anywhere Out of This World.
Word Count: 1636
No spoilers or warnings for this one. It's not as graphic as the previous chapter. I'd like to shout
out to KimRae for this chapter. She guessed what was coming a long time ago! Also, I know that
suggestably is not a word, but it should be.
Also, I wanted to include a word of thanks to those who've been with me on this story from its
first page almost two years ago. Wow! How my life has been changed for the better because of
you.
Added March 9, 2007
Happy Birthday to the Chambered Heart! This site has been up and running for one year
exactly today! Also, as an added surprise bonus, it is the One Year Anniversary of the
Sack Cloth Cult, a group dedicated to the sisterhood of the Jossverse, and to James. To
commemorate, I have two lovely stories to recommend and a new Andrew desktop image.
The Recs:
No Good Turn, by Spike's Heart
I asked Spike's Heart for something to read. I said I wanted dark, sad and erotic. This one has it
all and more. And the ending brought tears to my eyes. It's a one shot, set in Season 6 but goes
AU right after Giles leaves. Excellent story craft. Enjoy!
Memoirs of the Countess de Fountaine, by CaroMio
I don't have the link to this one yet, because *gasp* I've forgotten my password to Spuffy
Realm. But, I'll get the link in as soon as possible. She's written five chapters so far, and in my
opinion, it's her best. All of the characters are there, but in vastly different roles. However,
they remain true to their characterization. It's awesome! More soon on this one.
The Desktop:
Andrew: Man of International Mystery
1024x768. This one is dedicated to Roger Steele, the original International Man of Mystery.
Added March 4, 2007
After two years of meeting on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, plus endless studying for
high-stakes tests and online coursework, the 2005-2007 ECP cohort group finally finished out
Alternate Certification Program. The experience was life-changing, and I know that the
friendships we forged during our journey to become teachers will endure for a long time. Yay,
us! We did it!!
Voting is now open at the Shades of Grey Awards. Please go vote for Wishes, Regrets and
Anywhere Out of This World. As always I appreciate your support! Many thanks.
I also wanted to post a new Dawn/Andrew drabble. My daughter and I have decided to spend 30
minutes a day working as writing partners. We sit at the table with our composition notebooks
and we write, using Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down The Bones for inspiration. Today was our
fist session, and this is what it yielded for me.
Title: Maybe
Word Count: 125
Pairing: Dawn & Andrew
Spoiler: Set in Anywhere Out of This World
Finally, I visited a comic book convention this weekend called STAPLE, primarily for smaller
press books. One of the guys I met had this website that sends comic books to soldiers
overseas, particularly in Iraq. Well, I loved the idea, so here's the link if you're interested in
contributing.
http://heroes4heroes.org/
Added February 26, 2007
We have been home for four days due to illness, but we have not been idle. We spent a lot of
the time making a whole set of lovely new icons for LiveJournal. My lovely daughter made a
batch of Anime icons, and several Foodie icons. Here is a list of our new and very pretty icons
made to share with my wonderful f-list at LJ:
Anime Icons
Buffy/BtVS Icons
Seasonal Icons
Food & Mood Icons
Miscellaneous Icons
Take them, share them, love them if you wish! Please credit us, though. We love the love.
Added February 23, 2007
It's been a while, but I finally have a new chapter to post. The reason for the delay - this time -
has been the graphic subject matter in the chapter. Oz and Anjelica are in Hell, and I've had
quite a lot of difficulty making it hellish enough.
At WriterCon, a lot of us met and talked about the heartache we felt when we caused such pain
for our characters. The presenters reminded us that conflict is the heart of every good story.
That's really come to bear for me here, in this chapter. Here, the true villain is revealed. Here,
the hero loses her fight and succumbs to the Hell around her.
And so, here is the latest of Anywhere Out of This World:
Chapter 25: The Valley of the Shadow of Death
This chapter carries an NC-17 rating due to graphic images of violence and rape. In it, Oz
attempts to barter for Anjelica with the last thing he has left.
I also wanted to announce the launch of a new online community featuring all kinds of
Jossverse babyfics and kidfics: All Joss' Children. This community will feature babyfics from all
pairings in the Jossverse, from Mal and Inarra to Willow and Oz, as well as kidfics in which the
Scoobies, Team Angel, etc., have been turned into kids. It promises to be great fun!
Added February 21, 2007
Happy Birthday to my brother Chris!!!
You are they very best brother in the world, and we love you very much.
Added February 17, 2007
First, I want to wish happy birthdays to my Aunt Bebber, and to my friend Xionin.
Happy Birthday Y'all!!
Also, I've been nominated at the Shades of Grey Awards! Wishes and Regrets were nominated for
Best Het Romantic, and Anywhere Out of This World was nominated for Best Dark/Angst fic (the
first for this story!) This site was also nominated Favorite Fan Site, and I got a nod for
Outstanding Author, which makes me blush. Thanks ever so to the lovely person who nominated
my work, and this site. It keeps me moving forward.
Added February 14, 2007
Happy Valentine's everyone!
I'm just stopping by tonight mainly to wish everyone well, and to update my book list. I've just
finished reading Night by Elie Wiesel, which I recommend for its unflinching first-person
narrative about the author's experiences in four concentration camps during World War II.
I also wanted to add that I'm in the re-write stage of my next chapter for Anywhere Out of This
World, titled The Valley of the Shadow of Death. In it, Oz attempts to rescue Anjelica with what
little he has left. After a first read, my beta said that I was letting Oz off too easy. Therefore,
I've gone back in and the result is some of the most graphic and grueling bits I've written. I'm
hoping to finish the chapter this weekend, in keeping with my schedule to get this story
completed by April 28th.
Finally, I'm updating my Book List to include the new books I'm reading, and the book that I've
just read. If you'd like to peruse what I'm perusing, you may find that list here.
Added February 2, 2007
First and most important, I wanted to wish Mary a very happy birthday!
Happy Birthday Mary!!! I hope that you've had a wonderful day.
Second, I wanted to do a little dance... this week the website hit 5000 clicks. Yay! I also added
the books I'm reading in the sidebar over there. And finally, my daughter's new favorite movie is
The Illusionist, with Edward Norton. I was so happy about that, I made her a desktop:
The Illusionist - 1024x768
Stock images from various Google searches.
Added January 29, 2007
My daughter was home sick from school today, and so we made desktops: This was our favorite.
Dawn: The Key - 1024x768
Brushes by Zugma (www.misplaced.co.uk/uglybusiness/). Textures by me. Stock images from
Dreamscapes. Special thanks to Katya for her keen eye on design and color.
Added January 27, 2007
Just a brief addition tonight: A new desktop of Connor titled Rule The World. This one's for my
daughter, who believes that Connor got an unfair rap in Seasons 4 & 5 of Angel.
Rule The World, 1024x768
Brushes by touchstonesart.com. Textures by me. Stock images from Dreamscapes.
Song lyrics to "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" by Wilco.
Also, a correction: I'd listed An Offer of Hope, by CaroMio as Catharsis, which was in fact an
earlier title. This is a completed Spike/OC fic set post-Dead Things. Being a Spuffy fan, I
generally don't go in for that sort of thing, but I did in this one. Very worth the read. Go enjoy it!
Added January 25, 2007
We have more reasons to celebrate this week! Last Saturday, my daughter Katya competed in
the UIL regional competition for creative writing. Each of the four elementary schools in San
Marcos sent their best entries to the competition and Katya's was one of the ones chosen. Then,
on Saturday, she participated in the UIL Creative Writing Meet, in which she took her comedic
personal narrative from rough draft to final publish.
And she won! First place!! She got a gold medal and her name and picture in the paper. My
daughter is a prize winning author at 8 years old! She is truly a dynamic, gifted and multi-
talented person. We're blessed to have her.
As soon as we have the story back from the judges, I'll post it on this site to share with
everyone.
In addition to our happy announcement, I have Spuffy art to share: Two song lyric themed
desktops -
Just Like Heaven 1024x768
Sunshower 1024x768
Song lyrics belong to Robert Smith of The Cure and Chris Cornell, respectively. Brushes and
textures by me. Scriptina and wm_designs fonts available at www.1001freefonts.com. Thanks,
and enjoy!
Added January 13, 2007
Many reasons to celebrate this chilly Sunday evening. Yesterday, 18 months of classes and
research culminated in a final research presentation titled "Interventions to Support Written
Expression for Students With Significant Gross-to-Fine Motor Skills Disabilities." The
presentation was a complete success, as were the presentations of my classmates. Their
students are thoroughly blessed. Congratulations, us! I'm uploading a link to the PowerPoint
presentation on the Teacher Resources page.
I also have a new chapter to Anywhere Out of This World, titled Outta Here. This one centers on
Buffy in the alternate Sunnydale, where things are finally starting to go her way. Sorta.
Finally, I've decided to start keeping my Book List here, online. That way, if the Lappy crashes
again (so hoping it won't) I won't have to reconstruct it again from memory. This year's goal is
the same as last year's: 30 books. Also, cool thing about the Internet (about which I am still
excited) I can put in an external link on the book for more information.
Added January 5, 2007
Happy Birthday Matt!
In honor of my best friend and roommate, I have written a short Dawn/Andrew fiction titled
Distraction as a birthday present. And he's said that I can share it, so I've posted the link here.
Happy birthday, Matt, and I hope that you enjoy the gift as well.
I've also added a new desktop to the Artwork page. This one, titled Boss of You, is in a bright,
candy-colored theme of the Andrew and Dawn world.
Finally, my friend Tina made a whole bunch of Fangirl/Fanboy banners for all of us on the
MySpace board. I adore them so much, and am so grateful, I just had to post them all here,
under a new page titled Banners.
Added January 1, 2007
Happy New Year!
I have a decent-sized update today, with two new Spuffy desktops to share and a pair of
Andrew/Dawn linked drabbles that I posted a few weeks ago and forgot to put here on The
Chambered Heart. Usually at this time of year, I post my lists as well. Unfortunately, I lost all
of my lists when the Lappy crashed, including my master list of my 100 Things To Do Before I
Die and my 2006 Booklist. The latter can be recreated because I know I read 30 books and can
almost remember them all. The 100 Things List will be a little more difficult to redo. Anyway, to
prevent much frustration, I'll just have to post all that at a later time.
I have included The List, the Live Shows List and a States List, because I'm neurotic and love
making lists. I've put them all on a page of their own here: The Lists.
Also, here are the links to the Spuffy artwork and the drabbles.
Desktops:
Spike and Buffy, Happy New Year 2007 1024x768
Spike and Buffy, Anywhere Out of This World 1024x768
Drabbles:
Child's Play and Territory, two linked drabbles for Andrew and Dawn, who have turned out to be
surprisingly inspirational as young lovers.
Enjoy, and may you have a lovely 2007!
Added December 28, 2006
Season's Greetings to everyone! As a belated Christmas present, I have a new chapter to
Anywhere Out of This World. In this one, we finally find out what Giles has been up to.
Here's the Latest:
Not Her Own, Chapter 23 of Anywhere Out of This World
Summary: While tracking down links to the Slayer legend, Giles enlists the help of a new
Watcher who has information on ancient petroglyphs that may set him on the path to finding
who might have taken Buffy and why.
I also wanted to take a moment to extend my gratitude to Brandon Bielstein, who managed to
recover this website most of my cherished documents, images and digital paintings when my
Lappy crashed at the beginning of this month. I thought it was done-for, but Mr. Bielstein had
skills and saved the day. I'm putting his link here, and on my links page. If you ever need
computer services, he's the guy to call. Or email... http://brandonbcs.com/
Added November 30, 2006
I have two new desktops today, both Dawn and Andrew. Actually, they are the same desktop
with color variations. My little girl and I created them today because she was out sick from
school. She wanted something vintage because we found all of these really neat, old postcards
from the 1940s. She's also very interested (as am I) in the beginnings of the Dawn/Andrew
friendship. In my interpretation of things, this began with Dawn and Buffy were living in Rome,
thus the title:
When in Rome (Color) 1024x768
When In Rome (Duotone) 1024x768
Thanks to touchstonesart.com and vered for the brushes.
I've also added a song to my Buffy Playlist to accompany the latest chapter of Anywhere Out of
This World,