The Challenge is over. Now it's time for the readers to vote!
http://www.academyofbards.org/contest/contest2/challenge2.html

August 31st, 2001

Added Part 19 of The Road Back Home, by Lynne Norris.

FIN:The Proper Ending by Hermes
A short tale that takes place on Mt. Fuji beside the Fountain of Strength.

Added part 3 of WindStar's Southern Cross

August 30th, 2001

A Day At The Mall, part of Mavis Applewater's Wednesday Afternoon PWP series
Maggie encounters a very friendly sales girl while out shopping.

Added part 10 of Infinitely Abtruse's What Goes On Behind Closed Doors

Added part 8(conclusion) of Greek Warrior's Leather and Lace

Added part 6 of Janet Lynne's The Journey

Added part 11 of Tempting Trouble by Snap

August 29th, 2001

Here's a big howdy do to the newest bard, Ponigirl!

The Dixie Stampede by Ponigirl
This is a sweet love story set during the Gold Rush. Both women must learn to trust and over come the boundaries that society has placed on them.

Queen of Hearts by Mavis Applewater,
This PWP is part of Mavis' Wednesday Afternoon Series, A friendly game of cards presents an interesting jackpot.

Added part 7(conclusion) of Shadowriter's Daughter of Egypt

Added part 7 of Greek Warrior's Leather and Lace

Added part 5 of Janet Lynne's The Journey

Added part 3 and part 4 of Dyo Zoi by Destacain

August 28th, 2001

Added part 6 of Shadowriter's Daughter of Egypt

August 27th, 2001

Welcome our newest bard to join the Academy!

1944: Year of the Mandolin Wind by AC aka Nyxie
What would you do for love? This is the story of two women who would do anything for a chance to be together. WARNING: NC-17 for violence. Takes place during the Holocaust.

Added part 50 of Jenah's Our Reunion

Added part 5 of Under the Gun by Lori L. Lake

Added part 6 of Leather and Lace by Greek Warrior

Added part 9 of Original Sin by Malaurie Barber

Added part 14 to part 19 (conclusion) of Helen Smith's Hunting Season

Added a wonderful cover by Calli to Kim Pritekel's First

August 26th, 2001

Added part 5 of Greek Warrior's Leather and Lace

Added part 4 of Janet Lynne's The Journey

Added The Coward by Mark Annetts
A rich kid from California falls into a stoical British private-eye's arms and the two of them are off on adventures taking them to the south of France and, um, well, back to London again.
Stacia, my proofer, said it made her laugh out loud, but I've only her word for that. I like to think of it a comedy drama, but then you might think it neither funny nor dramatic. So now you'll have to read it just to see which one of us is right. Sneaky, huh? :)

Added part 14 and part 15 of L.A. Tucker's The Light Fantastic

Poems

By Terri Lyn Stanfield
Changed
Helpless
Wasteland
You Think

August 25th, 2001

Announcement
Madam President by T. Novan and Advocate (Blayne Cooper) will be available for purchase from Renaissance Alliance Publishing in trade paperback by December 1st, 2001. Look for it at the Open Book and other quality bookstores, including online sellers.Ê

Stories

The Fever by Xesbard
Racked with fever, GabrielleÊexperiences a different side of Xena's character.... a side knownÊas theÊConqueror.ÊÊ

August 24th, 2001

Added part 10 of Tempting Trouble by Snap

Added chapter 15 - Conclusion of MJ's Snap Shots Part II

Added part 3 of Mississippi Blues by Blue Dragon

Dog Days by Blue Dragon
Über narrative set in the present. its the story about how two women met thanks to a very special and unusual matchmaker

August 23rd, 2001

Dyo Zoi by Destacain [unfinished]
First time story set directly after Gabrielle's verdict of guilty in Eve's trial during "Path of Vengeance". Gabrielle's verdict and Xena's reactions set in motion a series of events breaking the two soulmates apart. They discover the heartbreak of life apart, adventures with Aphrodite, Amazons, Ares and Eve, and the joy of being brought together by fate and the love they share.

Added part 4 of Greek Warrior's Leather and Lace

Added Shadowriter's Daughter of Egypt, Part Five

Added part3 of Janet Lynne's The Journey

Poem

by Ellie Maziekien
Sunset

August 22nd, 2001

Announcements

Another new book announcement this week! This one is for Laguna Nights by Carole Giorgio. It is now available for pre-order. Run over to http://www.sedonarain.com to reserve a copy. It's a good story y'all!

UPCOMING CHAT
Lori L. Lake is the featured author at an online chat at The Uber Abode next Saturday, August 25, 2001 at 2 pm Pacific Time (Sunday August 26, 2001 at 7 am Victoria Australia Time). For more information go to: http://www.angelfire.com/ab2/fanfiction/Talk.html.

Lori is the author of GUN SHY, published by Renaissance Alliance Publishing (Quest Division), RICOCHET IN TIME, which has never been posted online, and the in progress story UNDER THE GUN. A good source for both completed books is at The Open Book.

Stories

Added part 9 of Tempting Trouble by Snap

Added chapter 13 and 14 of MJ's Snap Shots Part II

August 21st, 2001

Little Gabby and the Moose by angharad governal
A photojournalist finds more than she bargains for in a forest. Written in verse.

Added part 3 of Greek Warrior's Leather and Lace

Added part 2 of Mississippi Blues by Blue Dragon

Added part 5 of Psyche-b's Mountain Love

Added part 18 of Carole Giorgio's Sedona Rain

Poems

By Terri Lyn Stanfield
I Finally Found You
How Deep is Your Beauty
Facing Infinity
Crossing Paths

August 20th, 2001

Carrie Carr has finished her fifth book in the wonderful Lex and Amanda series, Strength of the Heart.

Added part 9, part 10, part11, part 12 andddddd part 13 of Helen Smith's Hunting Season

Added part 2 of Leather and Lace by Greek Warrior

Added chapter 12 of MJ's Snap Shots Part II

Added part 7 of Seeing You Again for the First Time by Colleen

Added part 54 and part 55 of Vertigo's Reece's Faith (and if anyone has read this far you know that I really don't need to tell you not to read this at work!)

And added SEVERAL stories by a very well known bard. We are pleased to have her here! Welcome Linda Crist to the Academy! All stories are complete except Eyes of Eire.

The Xena/Gabrielle Series -

begins after "The Ides of March" 4th season cliffhanger and is their ongoing adventures from that point. My Xena/Gabrielle series parts ways with the show after the 4th season. What that means is no pregnant warrior, no Eve, no 25-year ice cave time warp, no twilight of the gods, no new chakram, no angel Callisto, no Japan, no Akehmi, no battlin' bard (although Gab does fight in this series both with staff and with sais, she just isn't the killing machine she became in the 5th season). Cyrene, Toris, Amarice, Eponin, Gab's family, Eli, Hercules, Iolaus, and all the Greek gods are alive. Octavian is still a very young Roman leader. Joxer is dead because he died in my first story. Callisto is in Hell for breaking her deal with the devil to not physically harm Xena during "The Ides of March." I have made Xena's history in the Norse lands a part of her history in the series, but only up to the part where she locked up Grindle, so in this Xenaverse, Grindle is still locked up with the ring.

The series in order is:
March The 16
A Solstice Treaty
The Sixth Sense
Cleopatra 4 AD
Divinity
Eyes of Eire - Part 1 and Part 2 (currently in progress)

Shattered
This story deals with the subject of rape and the aftermath. I have no idea what possessed me to write it. I do urge folks to read the disclaimers. It's not for everyone and it's very graphic.
Destiny Conquered
(Bard's Challenge winner) - a conqueror story. Xena has conquered Greece and has her sight set on Rome. She meets a slave, Gabrielle, and her world is turned upside down. Please read the disclaimers. It is violent and graphic.
Crossing the Fire
(Xippy and Bard's Challenge winner) Ð to quote MaryD, "Gabrielle ponders what went wrong in her relationship with Xena as she watches her warrior play with the baby Eve. Xena also wonders what happened and with a little help from the Goddess of Love, a mystery is solved. Xena and Gabrielle finally have that talk about what went wrong in their relationship."
The Bluest Eyes In Texas
soon to be published by Jane Doe Press. For a summary of the book, go here: http://www.janedoepress.com/beyestex.html
It's What I Do
Gabrielle's thoughts after the events of "Path of Vengeance."

Poems

by Ellie Maziekien
gone
Melancholy

August 19th, 2001

Added Part 8 of Moonchild's Anam Cara

Added Part 2 of Janet Lynne's The Journey

Added Part 1 of Cruise's Provenance
This is the prequel to Indiscretions and Ab Initio!

Poem

by Ellie Maziekien
Elusive

August 18th, 2001

Updated Eileen Marks' Ultimate Über List

Added part 3 and part 4 of Shadowriter's Daughter of Egypt

August 17th, 2001

A big welcome to an excellent bard!

Languedoc by angharad governal [über/alt/finished]
Libraries, nuns, manuscripts, and medievalists.

Almost Over by Denic
A melancholy look at the end of a relationship. Very well written short story.

Leather and Lace by Greek Warrior [unfinished]
After terrorists threaten a US Ambassador, Captain Chandler a member of an antiterrorist organization, is assigned to protect the Ambassador and his family. ÊThe Captain and Kris, the Ambassador's daughter, are attracted to each other. ÊCan the two women, thrown together under less than ideal conditions survive the terrorists and Kris' family long enough to find love?

Note: ÊThe story is finished and will be posted in it's entirety in about two weeks.

Added part 2 of Windstar's Southern Cross

Added chapter 11of MJ's Snap Shots Part II

Added part 3 and part 4 of Under the Gun by Lori L. Lake

Added part 12 and part 13 of L.A. Tucker's The Light Fantastic

Poem
A Warrior's Spirit by True Xena

August 16th, 2001

Announcements

You guys get ready because I have it on good authority that Conspiracy of Swords by R. S. Corliss (aka Shadowriter) is going to be out within the next couple of weeks. I know other publishers do "pre-orders" but Jane Doe Press does things a little differently. Jane Doe Press doesn't do pre-orders because they have a strict policy of not accepting any money before they have product in hand to sell. In addition, JDP is *not* a print on demand company, but does print runs of all its titles. Thus, when JDP says it has a book for sale, it means there is a literal book in their warehouse waiting to be sent to you. And it's always better to buy direct from JDP. If you're among the first to do so, you get an autograph by the author (they let me say that <g>). And the author earns a higher royalty rate for all books bought direct.

So get ready to order! It's a great story and I hear that it's even better as a book. If you want to check out the web version, we have it here at the Academy of Bards' site. Congratulations Shadowriter on a job *very* well done.

Also in related news-- Due to a number of recent novel acquisitions, Jane Doe Press has two openings on its editorial staff.  If you have the requisite experience and skills, we look forward to hearing from you soon.  Jane Doe Press is an exciting new publishing house dedicated to identifying and publishing great authors.  Join a fun, flexible and friendly environment!
EDITOR
We have an immediate opening for an editor. You should have at least three years professional editorial experience. You will edit assigned books, short stories and promotional pieces. You have excellent organizational and project management skills. You know how to work with authors and how to keep publishers informed of your progress. You have a passion for small press publishing and are committed to seeing new authors succeed. We offer a competitive compensation package. Please forward a cover letter, resume, and a sample piece edited in compliance with A.P. standards to love@janedoepress.com.
TECHNICAL EDITOR
We have an immediate opening for a technical editor. You should have at least three years professional editorial experience. You will perform the final technical edits on assigned books, short stories and promotional pieces. You can work under strict deadlines. You know how to work with other editors.  You sleep with the A.P. style manual, Webster's dictionary and The Elements of Style under your pillow. Please forward a cover letter, resume, and a sample piece edited in compliance with A.P. standards to love@janedoepress.com.

Stories

Here is some more Shadowriter news <G>-
Added part 3 of Shadows of Justice (the sequel to Conspiracy)
and a new story-Daughter of Egypt [über/unfinished]
Daryl Bromley is an English orphan on the streets of Cairo, who is forced to steal to survive. After being caught with her hand in the wrong pocket, she is rescued by Ashayt Kemshet, an Egyptian who is more than she seems. Ashayt offers Daryl a proposition -- steal something for her, and she'll never have to go back to the streets. It's a deal that will not only change Daryl's life, but her entire perception of reality.

Welcome another new bard to submit their stuff to us! Welcome BlueDragon

Mississippi Blues by BlueDragon (aka The Blue Bayoupup) [alt/über/unfinished]
An alternative über story starring two ordinary women who meet in a small college town in South Mississippi. A chance meeting at a concert turns life upside down for the two, but they realize the ride is worth it.

The Journey by Janet Lynne [unfinished]
In this story, a sequel to The Homecoming and The Challenge, Ryan and Janna continue their romantic and spiritual journey togetherÊand face the joys and pitfalls of parenthood while dealing with career changes.ÊJanna returns to her rock and roll roots while Ryan tries to settle into an important promotion on the police force.

One of my very favorite stories is now finished! Added part 9 and part 10(the conclusion) of Kim Pritekel's First

Poem
By Ellie Maziekien

Arc of Delight

August 15th, 2001

Added part 8 of Tempting Trouble by Snap

End of the Road by Michelle U.
This is an alternative to the finale. Used the same beginning scene from the televised FIN, but then took it off into a different story.

August 14th, 2001

Another new writer joins our ranks today...welcome to Ximena!

On the Couch: Sappho's Couples Counseling Service, Session One by Ximena
As a birthday present for Gabrielle, Xena agrees to go to Lesbos to seek couples counseling with Sappho, aka Dr. Love, to help them work through their intimacy and boundary issues.

Sunset Interlude by Ximena
On the Couch is followed by "Sunset Interlude" which includes a long-forgotten scene from Xena's past.

A Job Well Done by Ximena
A brief entry in Gabrielle's diary reflecting on the effectiveness of Sappho's "cure."

Full Circle by Leslie Miller [alt/finished]
post FIN, Gabrielle returns to Egypt to help Queen Zenobia.

Home by DS Bauden
Summary Pending

Added part 18 of The Road Back Home by Lynne Norris

Added parts 3 and 4 of 1001 Armageddon Nights by Dreamweaver

Anddddddd...added part 9, part 10, and part 11 of the much talked about story in progress L.A. Tucker's The Light Fantastic.

Poems

Missing Love by Carmen Kid

Roadblocks and Detours by Beth
Forever You and I Together by Beth

August 13th, 2001

Welcome to a new bard with a new and finished story to add today. Hiya D! Welcome aboard.

A Valiant Heart by D [alt/über/finished]
A futuristic (or is it timeless?) love story between a duty bound warrior and her soulmate bard. Destined to be together but will war and secrets keep them apart.

Added part 6 of Talaran's The Darkest Hour

Added part 15 (chapters 38 and 39) of Minerva's White Nights

Added part 10 of MJ's Snap Shots part 2

Added part 3 of Grit's Fragments

Added part 5, part 6, part 7 and part 8 of Helen Smith's Hunting Season

August 12th, 2001

Added chapter 7 of Tempting Trouble by Snap.

Added The Betrayal by Hamutal.
Wild teenaged Xena gets her first taste of love, betrayal, power struggles and revenge.

Poem

by Ellie Maziekien
Calm Before the Storm

August 11th, 2001

Added part 6, part 7, and part 8 of The Light Fantastic by L. A. Tucker

August 10th, 2001

Added the ebook version of Book 10: Journey (I Found My Heart in San Francisco) by S.X. Meagher

August 9th, 2001

Hunting Season by Helen Smith [unfinished]
North America, 2050. Ariel Pedersen, controversial prize winning author, has survived one assassination attempt, thanks to her lover, security consultant Quinn Thanatos. But in a world where guns have proliferated, public executions are commonplace and Christianity has migrated far afield from what it's founder intended, writers who speak their minds on thorny issues must be prepared to pay the price. Someone wants Ariel dead, and Quinn is determined to catch the would-be killer before the unthinkable happens.

Lost Hearts by Sophie [X&G/finished/very short]
The story of unrequited love, and one person travelling the world to stop the same mistake happening again.

Southern Cross by Wind Star [unfinished]
The sequel to North Star. The invasion of earth has begun. Only a few stand between the annihilation of earth and all of Humanity.

Added part 2 of Under the Gun by Lori L. Lakes

Poems

by Terri Lyn Stanfield
Adrift
I Found Me
Look At Me
It's Not Love
Was It Something I Said
Dismissed

August 8th, 2001

Crouching Dragon, Hidden Xena by Spike
Summary Pending

So It Goes... by Jody Leak
Summary Pending

Added part 3, part 4 and part 5 of L. A. Tucker's The Light Fantastic

Added part 20 of BlondeBard's Redemption Song

Changed the links for Engravings of Wraith by Kiera Dellacroix to smaller files for webtv users. Thank you to Kiera for doing the work and Congratulations on the book deal!!! If there are those of you who have yet to read this story, go read it now!

August 7th, 2001

Added chapter 9 of Snap Shots Part II by MJ

Added chapter 6 of Tempting Trouble by Snap.

Added The One God of War by Elad Avron [Alt]
Summary Pending

Added War Story by Elad Avron [Gen]
Summary Pending

Added Nightkiss by Elad Avron [Alt]
Summary Pending

Added Xena's Tale and the Truth About the Japan Fiasco Of Season 6 by d.a.frances
This is a story of a relationship coming to age as told by Xena to the 'bard diana of rome'.  there is also an epilogue which is the scene of Xena and Gabrielle's anniversary 6 years later when xena gives Gab the scroll as a gift and they discuss the fiasco of Japan.

August 6th, 2001

The eagerly awaited: I Found My Heart in San Francisco Book 10: Journeys by S X Meagher

Added part 6 of Seeing You Again for the First Time by Colleen

Added part 4 of A Call to Arms by Laststarlite

August 5th, 2001

Parts 1 & 2 of The Light Fantastic by L.A. Tucker
This is a humorous and romantic present-day Uber, set in a small Northeastern town on the shores of Lake Erie.Sara D'Amico has reluctantly returned to Stonecreek after a decade-long absence hoping to heal and rediscover her inner strengths. Immersed in the oddest of situations with an equally peculiar set of family members, plus new and old friends, Sara helplessly falls for the charms of the somewhat unpredictable local librarian.This story touches on the varied musical themes of 'We Are Family', 'Should I Stay Or Should I Go?', 'I Touch Myself', 'Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin'.........and especially, that we are all a little 'Crazy.'

Added part 52 and part 53 of Vertigo's Reece's Faith...Do not read at work - or alone <bg>!!!

August 4th, 2001

Time As Long As Death by India [X&G/alt/finished...but in need of a sequel!]
Time is a funny thing. ÊSometimes it's seems as if it moves so quickly, you can't possibly have wasted so much of it. ÊSometimes it seems as if it will never move again, and you will forever be trapped in the situation you find yourself. ÊIt seems the only things that can effect time are faith, hope and love. ÊNo force can stand against those; not even time.

Added chapter 5 of Tempting Trouble by Snap.

Added Part 17 of The Road Back Home by Lynne Norris

Poems

by Ellie Maziekien
Awake Again
Sweet Conquest
Breezy Ballet
Held Fast

August 3rd, 2001

To Be...Or Not? Êby Greek Warrior [uber/alt/finished]
Victoria's job change moves her to a bigoted town where she meets Catherine. ÊIs Catherine the person to unlock Vic's wary heart or is she just as unscrupulous as some of the other people Vic's had the displeasure of meeting?

August 2nd, 2001

Added part 6 (conclusion) of Erin Jennifer's Shadows

Added part9 of Infinitely Abstruse's What' Goes On Behind Closed Doors

Added chapter 8 of Snap Shots Part II by MJ

August 1st, 2001

Gun Shy by Lorelei [alt/completed]***highly recommended!

And the sequel to Gun Shy - Under the Gun added part1

Amazon Awakenings by Dawn Lemanne
Set in Great Britain at the cusp of the Renaissance, this is the tale of the pious but troubled young noblewoman Riell, Christian heir to her Crusader father's powerful realm, who learns of her pagan Amazon heritage from a darkly beautiful assassin named Alexandra, who has come to kill her and usurp her throne. Instead, a forbidden love unites them, igniting the wrath of the Church and forcing Riell to choose honor, duty, and faith, or a passion that will cost her everything, including her soul, and will alter the course of world history...

He's Back (or Make Love Not War) by Greek Warrior[alt/finished]
Takes place immediately after 'Dream A Little Dream'. ÊXena and Gabrielle head to Amphipolis to see Cyrene and unexpectedly run into the bard's family. ÊAnd Ares seems intent on causing trouble as usual.

Added part 8 of Kim Pritekel's First

Added part 2 of It's Only a Game Show by S. Eliot

Added part 50 and part 51 of Vertigo's Reece's Faith