|
| Katie Duggan's Niece |
 Poll: Who are your favorite couples/potential couples in the Cranford series? You may pick up to three. Vote Now! |
Author has written 19 stories for Cranford, Persuasion, Ashes to Ashes, Life on Mars, and Downton Abbey. "Everyone wants to be a part of something, we all want to connect . . . Cranford is not a dead memorial to times gone by, but a pool of life in which we see ourselves reflected." Heidi Thomas “We cannot reverse the clock, only move forward, in the way of time itself.” Thomas Holbrook in Heidi Thomas's script for Cranford "Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity." Simone Weil "Why does anybody write? It's because it is what I thought I could do." - John Mortimer Good news! There are now reinforcements joining The Cranford Boots and Bonnets Brigade, thanks to a couple of brand-new story penned by fanfic writer TheAmazons. Be sure to drop by the community (during calling hours, of course) and review those or whatever else catches your fancy. Lately I've been working on chapters for various stories -- long-running and one-shot Cranford tales, more Ashes to Ashes, more Downton Abbey. I'm fond of getting reviews, so if you have feedback, please go right ahead and post it, even for stories that have been up for a while. I could use the encouragement right about now. Also, to all you Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes aficionados, and anyone who catches everything Philip Glenister and Joanne Froggatt have done, as I'm still having the odd glass of house rubbish over at The Railway Arms, though my user name over there is OyWeh. Yes, you read that right -- OyWeh. Background and interests: It is mainly owing to a friend on another continent that I ever became involved in fanfiction at all, but once I saw some beautifully written online sequels to the last of the Harry Potter books, and then the various Cranford and Ashes to Ashes fics, I was hooked. Since that time I've discovered how much good writing is floating around out here in cyberspace -- crackling dialogue, riveting suspense, the occasional out-and-out zinger, and real warmth, wit, and feeling -- and deserves to be read and reviewed. Time was when I thought there were already enough writers in the world and I couldn't possibly compete. And I should say up front I already know from indifference (I'm a published but unpaid poet and a former blogger). But it's really all about the education, as Lucida Bright observed. And I like supporting other writers. My very first project, still ongoing, is "A Conspiracy of Concern," a multi-chapter story inspired by the BBC's 2007 miniseries Cranford, which blended the plots/characters of Cranford, Mr. Harrison's Confessions, and My Lady Ludlow, all by the Victorian novelist Elizabeth Gaskell. I first saw Cranford on PBS in the United States in the spring of 2008, then reviewed it on DVD months later. It was the relationship between Mr. Carter (Philip Glenister) and Miss Galindo (Emma Fielding) that launched my foray into fanfic when I decided that if the screenwriter could pick and choose which characters she'd save from the fates Mrs. Gaskell decreed, so could I, especially if several characters were composites and one of them was played by Philip Glenister. The Cranford-inspired C of C now has eight siblings: seven one-shots ("Winged Cupid Painted Blind," "No Good Deed," "When the Good Lord Has His Way," "She Was the Prize," "One More Day to Stay," "Where Are You Going, Jessie Brown?" and "Margaret, Are You Grieving?" ) and a five-part story, "The Holly and the Ivy," a tale of Christmastime in Cranford. My take on the Cranford characters is based primarily on the BBC script for series one and the actors' interpretations, plus a good deal of my own imagination, for all that I have delved a bit into Mrs. Gaskell's texts as well. Thus far I have no plans to incorporate any of the plot developments and/or new characters from the 2009 sequel into my stories. I've taken a great many liberties with the Cranford material, particularly regarding the romances, suggested or otherwise. Not long ago I wouldn't have so much as known what the terms AU and shipper meant, and now I'm happily writing for partisans of the Mr. Carter/Miss Galindo and Dr. Jack Marshland/Mary Smith pairings. Jack and Mary, as a matter of fact, have kept me quite busy; they have roles in no fewer than five of my stories, at last count. Both couples are featured in "A Conspiracy of Concern." Now I realize that that reading through that particular Cranfic (40 chapters and counting, with 28 through 31 being the most fun) requires a degree of Sitzfleisch, but I have very definite plans for the characters and a lot of story to tell. As Miss Matty observed in episode one of the 2007 series, "It is all go in Cranford." "A Conspiracy of Concern" is also meant to be in a decidedly Victorian mood, reflected in the language and all those suppressed emotions -- angst, and occasional sensuality and innuendo, though nothing explicit -- but there's comedy as well, all in service of depicting the unfolding relationship between Mr. Carter and Miss Galindo, though the other characters from the canon -- Harry Gregson, Lady Ludlow, Miss Matty Jenkyns, Captain Brown, Miss Pole, and the aforementioned Mary Smith and Jack Marshland -- play integral parts. Cranford, after all, was about love, friendship, and community. Speaking of community, be sure to visit... The Cranford Boots and Bonnets Brigade A one-stop shop for all your Cranford fanfic needs. Our writers comprise a small but enthusiastic and unabashedly romantic group, drawing inspiration both from the 2007 series and the Christmas special, Return to Cranford, with the former having a decided edge. Among the highlights: GalaMD's Spanish-language works about the Jack/Mary and Mr. Carter/Miss Galindo pairings; "An Honourable Estate," Siggy's entertaining Mr. Carter romance; "Yuletide Acquaintances" by the doctor's next dance; Chicago Brown's "Corner Conversation"; AngeloftheMoor's "Why Do I Love Thee?"; SemixQuaver's "The Invisible Man"; "A Cranford Story," by littlemissunflower;"When the Gorse Is Out of Bloom," by Madgie; "The World She Belonged In," by Lucy Swann28; "Restless Sleep," by Lavender and Hay; and a selection of Harry Gregson-centric tales by MissLaurentia. | |||||||
1. Daisy's Dare: A Story for Christmas » reviewsA fly-on-the-wall view of Christmas downstairs in the prewar days, which means it's set early in series one and contains no spoilers of any kind. Written in response to the 2011 (yes, 2011) Mistletoe Challenge. Rated T for Awkward Subjects and Inadvisable Behavior. Daisy has a special Christmas wish, and the chance to make it come true. What could possibly go wrong? NOW COMPLETE.Downton Abbey - Rated: T - English - Humor/Friendship - Chapters: 2 - Words: 5,562 - Reviews: 8 - Updated: 2-3-13 - Published: 1-6-13 - Daisy & Mrs Patmore - Complete2. As We That Are Left Grow Old reviewsAn imagined vignette from childhood: It is Remembrance Day, and Alex Price and her godfather take a journey they've made many times before. Only this time something has changed. Complete.Ashes to Ashes - Rated: K - English - Angst/Supernatural - Chapters: 1 - Words: 2,589 - Reviews: 7 - Published: 11-13-12 - Evan W. & A. Drake - Complete3. My Heart Beguiled » reviewsBransonfic written in response to Batwings79's 2012 Downton Abbey St. Paddy's Day Challenge. A heart-to-heart talk between Tom and Sybil ends in tears...or at least with him seeking comfort by precisely the wrong means, and in precisely the wrong company. NOW COMPLETE.Downton Abbey - Rated: K+ - English - Romance/Angst - Chapters: 3 - Words: 7,775 - Reviews: 21 - Updated: 9-2-12 - Published: 5-28-12 - T. Branson & Sybil C. - Complete4. The Heart of a Lion » reviewsA Gene Hunt story, set years after the finale of A2A: The guv can't remember why he's in this place, or how he got here. But he sees reminders everywhere of the copper he couldn't save and the woman he had to let go...and has never forgotten, end of. NOW COMPLETE.Ashes to Ashes - Rated: T - English - Supernatural/Friendship - Chapters: 8 - Words: 34,542 - Reviews: 65 - Updated: 3-18-12 - Published: 11-6-10 - G. Hunt & Viv J. - Complete5. Cover Me reviewsLife on Mars one-shot, set late in series 2. Sam and Annie. Bit of Gene, touch of Nelson. What happens when you mix '60s and '70s music, alcohol, and memories. Because sometimes the original version of your life isn't the best one after all. Complete.Life on Mars - Rated: K+ - English - Angst/Romance - Chapters: 1 - Words: 3,691 - Reviews: 14 - Published: 2-13-11 - Sam T. & Annie C. - Complete6. The Holly and the Ivy » reviewsCranford fanfiction, based on episode 3, involving the intertwined fates of Harry Gregson, Mr. Carter, and Lady Ludlow. Christmas in Cranford in the Year of Our Lord 1842: a time of joy but also of loneliness...and perhaps a miracle or two. Complete.Cranford - Rated: K - English - Drama/Family - Chapters: 5 - Words: 7,519 - Reviews: 22 - Updated: 1-2-11 - Published: 12-8-09 - Edmund C. & Harry G. - Complete7. You Want Romance? I Can Give You Romance reviewsA2A one-shot. Spoilers for Series 3 and the film High Noon. Another night in the Railway Arms, and Alex is still trying to figure things out. You can tell a lot about a man by his taste in movies...can't you? Truth on screen. Complete.Ashes to Ashes - Rated: K+ - English - Supernatural/Angst - Chapters: 1 - Words: 4,554 - Reviews: 14 - Published: 10-10-10 - A. Drake & S. Granger - Complete8. A Conspiracy of Concern » reviewsCranford fanfiction inspired by the 2007 BBC series and more specifically the chemistry between Mr. Carter and Miss Galindo. A multi-chapter Victorian tale blending AU, the series, and Mrs. Gaskell, and advancing several romantic pairings. In progress...Cranford - Rated: T - English - Romance/Hurt/Comfort - Chapters: 40 - Words: 183,175 - Reviews: 223 - Updated: 9-12-10 - Published: 11-15-08 - Edmund C. & Laurentia G.9. A Couple of Desperate Cases reviewsA2A one-shot, set after series 3, episode 8. One night in the Railway Arms, where memories still haunt a punter or two, and so does music, only this time it's not Ray Carling's patented version of "Danny Boy." Complete.Ashes to Ashes - Rated: K+ - English - Angst/Supernatural - Chapters: 1 - Words: 3,589 - Reviews: 11 - Published: 8-5-10 - A. Drake - Complete10. A Lot of That Going Around » reviewsThree-course GALEX meal, whipped up after episode 2, series 3, and spiced with adult themes, garnished with a dollop of angst. Contains absolutely no Keats, nothing post-E2. Alex has a date at the Tate, but just what is Gene playing at? AU. Complete.Ashes to Ashes - Rated: T - English - Romance/Humor - Chapters: 3 - Words: 11,604 - Reviews: 36 - Updated: 5-18-10 - Published: 5-1-10 - G. Hunt & A. Drake - Complete11. One You Haven't Seen Yet reviewsGALEX one-shot, set early in season 2. Or is it late in season 1? Anyway, fluff, humor, angst, and UST, all inspired by my love of old movies and fondness for the A2A characters. Mild spoilers for several classic films. Complete.Ashes to Ashes - Rated: T - English - Romance/Angst - Chapters: 1 - Words: 4,383 - Reviews: 16 - Published: 3-28-10 - A. Drake & G. Hunt - Complete12. Winged Cupid Painted Blind reviewsCranford fanfiction based on the 2007 BBC series. Mrs. Clara Smith has a heart-to-heart talk with her stepdaughter, Mary, about womanly allure and the science of spectacles. Complete.Cranford - Rated: K - English - Humor/Romance - Chapters: 1 - Words: 1,154 - Reviews: 4 - Published: 1-22-10 - Mary S. & Clara S. - Complete13. The Choicest Gift of Heaven » reviewsFanfic based on Jane Austen's Persuasion and written in response to LadyKatherine's Period Drama Challenge of November 2009. Autumn has come to Bath, and a mysterious stranger arrives, unsettling the Elliots and all their acquaintance. In progress.Persuasion - Rated: K+ - English - Romance/Humor - Chapters: 2 - Words: 2,721 - Reviews: 5 - Updated: 12-6-09 - Published: 11-22-0914. No Good Deed reviewsCranford fanfiction based on the 2007 BBC miniseries. Life and love in the village, including several romantic pairings, as observed by Miss Augusta Tomkinson. Complete.Cranford - Rated: K - English - Family/Angst - Chapters: 1 - Words: 5,396 - Reviews: 2 - Published: 8-24-09 - Augusta T. & Reverend Hutton - Complete15. Margaret, Are You Grieving? reviewsCranford fanfiction set in episode one, the summer of 1842. A vignette involving Miss Galindo, Mr. Carter, Lady Ludlow, and a clever young girl. Complete.Cranford - Rated: K - English - Drama - Chapters: 1 - Words: 1,716 - Reviews: 6 - Published: 8-9-09 - Laurentia G. & Lady Ludlow - Complete16. When the Good Lord Has His Way reviewsCranford fanfiction: The conversation Sophy Hutton might have had with her father, the Reverend Hutton, the night before she married Dr. Frank Harrison. Complete.Cranford - Rated: K - English - Family/Angst - Chapters: 1 - Words: 2,784 - Reviews: 5 - Published: 4-8-09 - Sophy H. & Reverend Hutton - Complete17. She Was the Prize reviewsCranford fanfiction based on episode three. Christmas 1842: Jack Marshland was looking for fun. He wasn't thinking to fall in love. Or was he? Complete.Cranford - Rated: K - English - Romance/Humor - Chapters: 1 - Words: 5,080 - Reviews: 9 - Published: 3-9-09 - Dr. J. Marshland & Mary S. - Complete18. One More Day to Stay reviewsCranford fanfiction inspired by episode three of the 2007 BBC series. Mary Smith's thoughts at Christmas 1842 and her first meeting with Jack Marshland. Complete.Cranford - Rated: K - English - Friendship/Romance - Chapters: 1 - Words: 1,669 - Reviews: 8 - Published: 2-7-09 - Mary S. & Dr. J. Marshland - Complete19. Where Are You Going, Jessie Brown? reviewsCranford fanfiction based on the story of Jessie Brown and Major Gordon, but set several years before the Brown family moved to the village. Complete.Cranford - Rated: K+ - English - Romance/Angst - Chapters: 1 - Words: 1,477 - Reviews: 4 - Published: 2-6-09 - Jessie B. & Major Gordon - Complete
USA