Hi,

I live in Sydney, Australia.

NCIS is my favourite show by a country mile. I really like the dynamic between the characters and how unique each one is. The humour of this series sets it apart from all other crime procedural shows and, of course, the cast is very easy on the eyes.

Tony is my favourite character and therefore all of my stories tend to be Tony-centric. I do like to explore the Gibbs / Tony relationship, although I think of it more as a big brother / little brother thing than father / son. I find it fascinating that these two characters obviously care about each other but, seemingly, would prefer to chew their own arms off than verbalise their feelings. That being the case, I try not to have them overly demonstrative in my stories. I don't write or read slash stories - I have no bias but it's just not my thing.

MY WRITING STYLE?? Hmmm...I'm all for poetic license but I don't really enjoy the stories that take these wonderful characters, too far out of the established personalities we see on the show. I try to ensure that my dialogue stays as true to character as I can and although my stories are Tony-centric I try to involve every one of the characters as they are so much fun to write. I try to emulate the delicate balance of drama, action, angst and humour in each of my stories as I believe it is a key aspect of the show...and I'm a sucker for an "aw schucks" ending.

BRITISH Vs AMERICAN SPELLING AND GRAMMAR In my first stories, I attempted to use US spelling in deference to where the show is produced and based. However, I found myself concentrating on the different spelling as much as the storyline. As an Australian, my spelling and grammar is based on British/English - although there are some minor differences there, too. I do try to use US terms (sidewalk vs footpath, flashlight vs torch, trunk vs boot etc.) and I do try to keep any British or Aussie words out of the dialogue of these American characters. So, if you happen to see a leant, or a learnt or a leapt or a dreamt it will be in the narrative and not the dialogue and should not effect your understanding and comprehension of the story at all.

SO, WHY DON'T I USE AN AMERICAN BETA?? The majority of my readers are American and are sophisticated and tolerant enough to accept that there are regional differences in the English language world-wide. I hope that my stories are enjoyable enough for all readers to overlook the regional differences in spelling and grammar. That said, there is a small band of close-minded, ANONYMOUS reviewers who find pleasure in highlighting these differences in my stories and those of other British or Australian writers. These ANONYMOUS reviewers demand - rather rudely - that the differences immediately be corrected to American spelling and grammar because, they declare, the differences detrack from the enjoyment and understanding of the story. I believe that statement is a slight on the intelligence, tolerance and cultural acceptance of the American people. So, here's the rub, if you are a stickler for American/English and grammar and cannot or will not accept anything less, you may prefer the work of another author.

I do strive to improve as a writer with every story. If you find a habitual mistake (other than mentioned above) and you feel it needs addressing, I am happy to receive courteous PM's to discuss. I have received and have appreciated constructive critique in the past and will, no doubt receive more in the future . However, if you do not have the courage of your convictions or the common decency to be polite and you find it easier to hide behind anonymity when you pass your unhelpful, spiteful comments - your reviews will be deleted and you will need to look elsewhere for your bitch-fix.

There are many really great stories on FanFic that I have enjoyed reading, only to find that they stop and never start again. ARGH!! I will always complete my stories prior to posting the first chapters. So I can promise you that where there's a start, there will always be a finish.

I have written six NCIS stories to date:-

Accidental Heroes This was my very first venture into the FanFic world and holds a special place in my heart. It's Tony-centric but features all of the characters and a big dose of drama, angst and humour. Jimmy Palmer features heavily in this story. I like the Jimmy character a lot and tend to call on him to lighten heavier moments in my stories.

Two Agents Afloat Despite the similarity of the name, this story has nothing to do with the Season 6 episode Agent Afloat. (I just shamelessly stole the name). This story deals with the aftermath of a failed undercover operation and features a very disillusioned Tony, contemplating leaving NCIS. Gibbs decides to take Tony sailing for a few days before he makes his decision, unaware that they are being pursued by a ruthless crime syndicate who want Tony dead. It's Tony / Gibbs centric but has a big sprinkling of all of the other characters and Fornell thrown in as a bonus. It is crime fic.

What Lies Beneath - CO-WINNER OF BEST CASE FIC - LIVE JOURNAL NCIS AWARDS 2009. After seeing little glimpses of anger from Tony in Bury your Dead, Internal Affairs and Cloak, I wanted to explore the "darker side" that we rarely see tfrom this jovial, loveable character. I have to admit, I placed him into an awful situation which exposed that darker side and had him desperately trying to come to terms with his feelings of grief, loss, revenge and guilt. This story was quite a bit more intense than I usually write, with quite a lot of forensics and autopsy details. Once again, all characters feature.

Withdrawal Another Tony centric story (Hmmm pattern developing here). This is a crime fic featuring Tony in an undercover op that goes horribly wrong. A very liberal dose of all of the NCIS characters. Once again, I explore the intriguing Tony / Gibbs relationship by placing Tony into a rather perilous situation where Gibbs has to resort to drastic measures to keep him safe. I have tried to lighten the drama and angst with a little humour along the way.

Means To An End Tony and McGee are assigned a covert and dangerous operation without Gibbs' knowledge. This is primarily a crime fic, however, I wanted to try to recapture the Tony / McGee friendship and banter of old as I thought their relationship faltered badly in S6. I must admit, I had a lot of fun writing the Tony/McGee dialogue in this. In later chapters I focus on the Tony / Gibbs relationship. I found it intriguing that after seeming to distance himself from Tony for most of S6, Gibbs provided him so much support in Bounce and especially in Aliyah! What happened in between? What caused the turnaround? Features the whole cast, with Fornell thrown in because I think he's great!! As usual, I have tried to mix the drama and action with some humour and there's a heavy dose of Tony / Gibbs angst in later chapters.

Forgiven, Not Forgotten - Written in collaboration with Lyn1410g - This story is a departure from my usual crime fic stories. It was written around the premise that the repercussions of the season six finale and Ziva's subsequent rescue and return to Washington, would have impacted all the characters greatly - not just Ziva. Although, as viewers, we'd love to have things return to normal, we are fully aware that in reality - it's just not that easy. This 5 chapter story will be written from the points of view of McGee, Vance, Abby, Gibbs and Tony. Definitely no TIVA.

Those of you unfamiliar with the wonderful writing of Lyn1410g, will find her stories listed on her profile page http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1697323/Lyn1410G

I really hope that you enjoy reading my stories and I appreciate any constructive feedback.

With every good wish,

Laine

NEWS UPDATE - SEPTEMBER 2, 2009 My story WHAT LIES BENEATH, tied in the voting for the BEST CASE FIC in the LIVE JOURNAL NCIS AWARDS 2009. This news comes as a wonderful surprise and quite a shock given the talent of the other writers nominated and the calibre of the stories they regularly produce. My heartfelt thanks to everyone who voted, L