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| Favorite Authors |
My auto-buy list. These are the authors I've found that write consistently well, no matter what pairing/situation/genre they try their hand at.
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif) baseballchica03 - Fanfiction.net
Celica60 - Fanfiction.net
isabelquinn
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png) lucida - Fanfiction.net; Archive of Our Own
ozqueen - Fanfiction.net; Archive of Our Own
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| Completed Works: Drabbles & Oneshots |
TITLE - Ducky: The College Years (2006)
AUTHOR - Amy
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - General
RATING - T
WORD COUNT - 5,738
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - Oh, my God. First of all, it's hard to find California Diaries fic (many thanks to lucida for the heads' up on this one!). It's even harder to find good Ducky-centric fic, but this piece has it all. Not only does the author capture the essence of Ducky's character, but she also totally nails his second-person, slightly manic writing style. That's enough to win me over - but Amy goes one step further, colliding the spin-off world with the original series in a pretty awesome way. Ducky is starting college, trying to learn what it means to be himself away from the friends who got him through high school...and who is his next-door neighbor? None other than Sam Thomas. Be still my beating heart, LOL. This story is amazing, right down to the Pretty in Pink references. It gets everything and everyone right, IMO (though it takes a bit of work for me to completely buy Sam growing up to be a player, it totally works here, LOL).
TITLE - Dear Stacey (2007)
AUTHOR - The Lady Elizabeth
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - Friendship, Tragedy
RATING - T
WORD COUNT - 2,012
SUMMARY - Am I just supposed to forget that you ever even existed or that you’ve just gone away for a while on some fabulous vacation? Sometimes, letters are the only way to work things out in your own head.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - A hauntingly poignant piece about the value of friendship and its lasting effects. THe author quite skillfully weaves Claudia's letters to Stacey into the storyline, using an almost epistolary style, with an angst-filled climax and denouement. When she says tragedy, she means it - stay away from this one if you don't want to cry.
TITLE - Sharing the Kishi Sky (2008)
AUTHOR - tornyourdress
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - General
RATING - K+
WORD COUNT - 2,001
SUMMARY - Claudia's visit to see her sister in college isn't going as well as Janine had hoped, but then again, why is she surprised?
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - An interesting look at the sisters post-canon, as they grow up and relate to each other in a different way. It plays pretty heavily on the idea of mutual jealousy, and really makes it work in a believable way - this is a wonderful sisterly piece.
TITLE - Almost Brothers (2008)
AUTHOR - baseballchica03
UNIVERSE - Canon
GENRE - General
RATING - K+
WORD COUNT - 722
PAIRING - Logan Bruno/Mary Anne Spier
SUMMARY - Big brothers aren't always related by blood. Logan/MA, with Charlie and Sam. Set after #10 Logan Likes Mary Anne.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - Because nobody writes Charlie Thomas better than baseballchica03, and I'm a sucker for overprotective-brother-figure-fic :P I can totally picture this happening, and I can totally picture the Thomas brothers viewing Mary Anne as just as much a little sister as Kristy, perhaps even moreso given her nature. A really cool little ficlet =)
TITLE - Presents (2009)
AUTHOR - thankyouturtle
UNIVERSE - Pre-canon
GENRE - Family
RATING - K+
WORD COUNT - 759
SUMMARY - A book is about the last thing Claudia wanted for her birthday.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - This is a pretty awesome imagining of how Claudia came into possession of her most favorite book ever, LOL =) To say any more would be to give the piece away, but suffice to say, if you like Claudia, you'll like this story.
TITLE - Braids (2010)
AUTHOR - joykilldrama
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - Drama
RATING - T
WORD COUNT - 526
SUMMARY - Mary Anne always hated braids.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - Its a really lovely rendered piece about Mary Anne, her father, and what her braids have meant to her throughout the years. It really displays the power of Mary Anne's sensitivity about a relationship fraught with complications throughout the years.
TITLE - Chocolate (2010)
AUTHOR - lizwiz_
UNIVERSE - Canon
GENRE - General
RATING - K+
WORD COUNT - 949
SUMMARY - Set during BSC #8, Boy Crazy Stacey.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - A pretty cool re-imagining of the end of #8 Boy Crazy Stacey, the main storyline of which is that Stacey falls pretty hard for a really cute but way older lifeguard and more or less makes a fool of herself over him. The piece is actually centric to sensitive triplet Byron Pike, with whom Stacey bonds during her mother's helper job with his family. It's a sweet piece about getting exactly what you want, even if you don't realize it beforehand =)
TITLE - Elizabeth's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Dates (2010)
AUTHOR - Mizz Marvel
UNIVERSE - Pre-canon
GENRE - Romance
RATING - K+
WORD COUNT - 1,463
PAIRING - Elizabeth Thomas/Patrick Thomas, Elizabeth Thomas/Richard Spier, Elizabeth Thomas/Watson Brewer
SUMMARY - Kristy's mom hasn't had the greatest luck when it comes to dates.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - Because its awesome to see someone take one of the adults of the series and flesh out their backstory. I adore the Thomas family, and this touches on a couple of different things for me - Kristy's aggressiveness, Charlie's protectiveness, even the forbidden Elizabeth/Richard ship :P And it's absolutely adorable, giving birth to the first romantic relationship we see in the series in a humorous and fun way. For an author best known for her slash of the clients, this is a welcome and refreshing bit of Yuletide fun =)
TITLE - Dress (2011)
AUTHOR - Melcia
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - Drama
RATING - K+
WORD COUNT - 1,509
SUMMARY - 28 year old Mary Anne receives a gift from the past.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - This is definitely one of the most touching pieces of BSC fic I've ever read. Mary Anne receives a very important gift from her father, and this story chronicles the emotions both of them feel during the exchange of the gift. The author also weaves in hints of how the rest of the world shapes up, with mentions of Mary Anne's father repairing his relationship with her grandmother, the drama with Dawn and Sharon, and some other subtle clues that really achieve some great world-building. The author has promised to continue this as a series of oneshots, and I'm looking forward to it! Its definitely a good read if you're looking for something emotionally heavy.
TITLE - Neighbour (2011)
AUTHOR - ozqueen
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - Angst, Drama
RATING - T
WORD COUNT - 7,149
SUMMARY - Stacey develops a crush on her neighbour, John Pike, and fights to shake it off.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - Hands down, THE BEST fic to come out of the BSC comm so far. There is a very organic feel to the rise and fall of Stacey's very-much-unwanted crush, and it resolves quite nicely, if in bittersweet fashion. What I love most about this is a couple of going-against-fanon things: 1) Stacey is not a slut, 2) Mallory is not a slut (never really got that one, TBH), and 3) nobody is bitchy in a potentially bitch-filled situation. The characters' angst is rather well-explained, especially Stacey's, as she realizes why she's developed this crush out of the blue. I love the portrayal of the Stacey-Mary Anne friendship as well; its really nicely done. This is just really, really well done, and I think anybody should read it, whether they know/care about the fandom or not.
TITLE - Thanksgiving (2011)
AUTHOR - leithal
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - Family
RATING - rating
WORD COUNT - 1,163
SUMMARY - Around the Thanksgiving dinner table, Mallory's parents make a surprising announcement.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - This is a really wonderful piece, told from Mallory's point of view, that deals with a fairly common theme in Pike-centric fic. It has a really nice, homey quality to it, a realistic bridging the gap into the post-canon universe, where Stacey and her mother are still close friends, the Pikes have their own esoteric holiday traditions, and the characters feel like themselves, albeit a few years older. I'm always one to rah-rah Mallory turning out normal after her spell at Riverbend, and this fic really delivers. I loved the composition, the characterization, and the rise and fall of the action, and I'm looking forward to more by this newbie author.
TITLE - Summer (2011)
AUTHOR - miss_slipslop
UNIVERSE - Canon
GENRE - General
RATING - K
WORD COUNT - 1,469
SUMMARY - Angry at being excluded by his brothers, Nicky Pike makes a discovery.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - A basic retelling of the subplot of #9 The Ghost at Dawn's House from Nicky Pike's point of view, the author really does a fantastic job of spelling out how lonely and miserable Nicky feels, even in the midst of his big family. It has to be hard for Nicky, being the youngest boy with brothers who want nothing to do with him, and being at that awkward age when he wants nothing to do with girls, so its pretty cool that he was the first one to discover the secret passage in Dawn's rambling farmhouse (and its also pretty cool that his parents were wise enough to give him the space he needed to figure things out).
TITLE - Snob (2011)
AUTHOR - isabelquinn
UNIVERSE - Canon
GENRE - General
RATING - K
WORD COUNT - 5,241
SUMMARY - Shannon's attitude towards new girls undergoes significant change after her experience with Sally White.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - This is an absolutely exquisite story that brings one of the most underutilized characters from canon right front and center. Shannon Kilbourne was even a regular member of the BSC for awhile, between Mallory's mono, Dawn's move back to CA, and prior to Abby's arrival, but she never really received much attention, other than a Reader's Request book. Here, isabelquinn takes Shannon's two most notable contributions to BSC canon and knits them together perfectly, no small feat considering they were written years apart. Starting with Shannon's most vivid memory from SS #11 The Baby-sitters Remember, and ending with the beginning of regular series #11 Kristy and the Snobs, the author manages to give Shannon credence, for why she acted the way she did towards Kristy when they first met. The characterization is subtle and brutally brilliant, exposing the cracks in Shannon's pristine facade. It's a brilliant story, and definitely one of my favorites to come from the ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png) babysitters100 challenge so far.
TITLE - Memory (2011)
AUTHOR - ozqueen
UNIVERSE - Canon
GENRE - Family
RATING - K+
WORD COUNT - 717
SUMMARY - "Andrew," Karen said, looking at him over the top of her book, "did you know a goldfish will forget everything after just three seconds?"
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - This is a quiet, introspective piece on one of the most minor of minor characters from the BSC - Andrew Brewer, Karen's little brother. The question Karen poses in the summary sends sensitive Andrew into a fit of introspection, finding answers he might not be ready to hear to questions he never wanted asked. It's a beautiful little piece, and ozqueen captures the spirit of shy, quiet Andrew with perfection :)
TITLE - Ocean (2011)
AUTHOR - ozqueen
UNIVERSE - Pre-canon
GENRE - Romance
RATING - X
WORD COUNT - 4,585
PAIRING - John Pike/Dee Pike
SUMMARY - The beach is crowded with girls, and John Pike can't stop thinking about one in particular...
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - LOL, it's probably quite obvious that I'm a huge fan of ozqueen's work, but it seems she has a particular gift for writing pre-canon parent-centric fic. This entry focuses on the first summer that John and Dee Pike meet, and it is every bit as warm, frothy, and summery as you could want. What I particularly like about this story is how well she integrates the prompt word into it - the descriptions are lush and beautiful, and I felt almost immediately transported to the beach. This is a beautiful origin fic, and explains one of the quirks of BSC canon - how and why the Pikes selected Sea City, NJ for their annual vacation spot.
TITLE - Lipstick (2011)
AUTHOR - isabelquinn
UNIVERSE - Canon
GENRE - General
RATING - K
WORD COUNT - 889
SUMMARY - Tiffany Kilbourne tries to learn how to use lipstick.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - A companion piece to 'Snob,' this time isabelquinn takes us for a journey inside Tiffany Kilbourne's head, and how she feels stuck - not quite ready to handle the things that her classmates are into/deem important, but ready to move on from bits of her childhood. She finds herself contemplating a tube of lipstick in the mirror, wondering why she ever bought it, since she has no desire to wear it. It's a really lovely piece, with a twist of bittersweetness at the end, when she has a breakdown in communication with her sister. This is a beautifully wrought piece.
TITLE - Wish (2011)
AUTHOR - Lucida
UNIVERSE - Post-canon (Baby-sitter's Little Sister)
GENRE - Angst
RATING - K+
WORD COUNT - 929
SUMMARY - No one understands Natalie.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - Poor Natalie Springer - not only was she an outcast in the Baby-sitter's Little Sister series (starring Karen), but she was also an object of pity for one of the BSC regular series subplots. She's shy and awkward and completely aware of it - and, in this story at least, she realizes that she will probably always feel this way. My heart went out to Natalie in this story; she's hurting, but she hides it well. This is bittersweet satisfaction at its finest.
TITLE - I Want Candy (2011)
AUTHOR - rebecca-in-blue
UNIVERSE - Canon
GENRE - Friendship
RATING - K
WORD COUNT - 1,481
SUMMARY - "She's found a kindred spirit, and all the inspiration she needs." Reading about a famous artist, Claudia discovers something about herself. A Claud-centric one-shot.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - This is a great oneshot, exploring all it means to be Claudia. In a day where it seems like nothing is going right, her best friend Stacey comes to her rescue, telling her something interesting that turns a heretofore famous artist into an almost kindred spirit. It's cute, it's sweet, and it's poignant, recalling some of the best Claud moments from the series. I'd love to see more from this writer.
TITLE - Money (2011)
AUTHOR - ozqueen
UNIVERSE - Mid-canon (#39 Poor Mallory!)
GENRE - Family
RATING - K+
WORD COUNT - 4,970
SUMMARY - John Pike has lost his job. As he battles with new feelings of inadequacy, his daughter, Claire, looks on the bright side.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - I don't think I can put into words how much I love this! But I'll try ;) To me, ozqueen is the Queen of BSC parent-centric fic ~ she writes with such a deft, believable hand, making these somewhat flat, background characters come fully to live, rich with vibrancy. I particularly enjoyed the way she wrote the Pikes here - not only their relationship with each other, but also with their kids. John, even the dregs of depression here, is a real treat. I loved the Though I might have to sell the triplets, if they keep eating so much line. Mwahaha, sarcasm for the win - and even sweeter that it totally went over Claire's head. Ooh, and then there's Claire. She is not my favorite Pike by *any* stretch of the imagination, but I enjoyed her here. She seems adorably five, if that makes any sense - the scope of her world is just about right. I also think ozqueen gives her a little more patience than she has in canon, which I appreciate.
I just *love* the focus on John's relationship with his youngest here, how he deals with her excitement and her worry and her incessant questions with the patience and grace of a veteran father. It's just too sweet, and the ending! Oh, the ending...I think they're going to have to mop up the puddle I'm melting into. I'm such a sucker for these sorts of endings =)
This is the first time I've ever felt plot bunnies from reading someone else's fic, and it gave me the push I needed to dip my toes into Pike-world. Yes, folks, it's just that good! :D
TITLE - Catch Two-Two (2011)
AUTHOR - isabelquinn
UNIVERSE - Mid-canon (BSLS #48 Karen's Two Families)
GENRE - Family
RATING - K+
WORD COUNT - 1,059
SUMMARY - You will miss half their lives.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - I was never much of a fan of Karen (and never read the Baby-sitter's Little Sister series back in the day), but the lure of parent-fic will take me to some pretty surprising places, LOL. This is basically a pastiche of one of the books, told instead from the point of view of Karen's mother, as she and her ex-husband make the decision to change their custody arrangements. I think isabelquinn captures that all-consuming guilt that any parent would feel - especially a mother who's close to her kids, and has majority custody. I loved how she drew those lines in parallel - how Lisa struggles with wanting her kids to be happy, and wanting to be happy herself. This is an exquisite piece of work, if only for the author's ability to make me feel sympathetic towards Karen!
TITLE - Always A Bridesmaid (2011)
AUTHOR - snarky_imp
UNIVERSE - Canon
GENRE - Comedy
RATING - K+
WORD COUNT - 1,832
SUMMARY - N/A. Here is the author's note: You ever notice that when fandom gets up in arms about Karen or Jenny, they bring the other one into the mix to show how one gets away with murder and the other is seen by everyone as a brat? Yeah. Me, too. So what if they were still in their time loop when the big ol' Wedding of the Century occurred earlier this year?
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - OMG. Perhaps the only kid character less sympathetic than Karen Brewer is Jenny Prezzioso, a kid considered so bratty and stuck-up that even the baby-sitters dreaded having to deal with her. As the series moves along, we see that Jenny's problem isn't necessarily herself so much as the way her parents handle her - especially her mother, who basically treats her like a living doll. (Karen, on the other hand, is just obnoxious.) So what happens when you put both of these headstrong little girls in the same room together? You know somebody's going to end up in tears, LOL.
I love this fic because it's whip-smart and funny. It's told from Jenny's point of view, and we see her observations not only of herself and her nemesis, but of the other characters in canon. snarky_imp has the ability to write self-centered characters in a very sympathetic way, and it really shows with this fic. Jenny and Karen come to blows over a replica of Princess Kate's wedding dress, which Karen lets everyone but Jenny wear to play dress-up. Well, Jenny gets her revenge, and in a devastatingly smart way - including the clever use of the baby-sitters to set up her plan. A definite must-read, especially if you like fic about the kids in the series!
TITLE - I'm Choosing Forever / Coward (2011)
AUTHOR - snarky_imp
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - Friendship, Romance
RATING - T
WORD COUNT - 1,727 (2 chapters)
PAIRING - Abby Stevenson/Kristy Thomas
SUMMARY - Today is the day I either find the courage to tell her or I just get over it.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - I'm not really a fan of femmeslash in the BSC universe, but this was a pretty refreshing change of pace, giving a plausible reason for Kristy and Abby to find romantic interest in each other, beyond the tired "they play sports so they must be lesbians!" fanon cliche. This is a wonderful sort of friendship-turning-to-romance jumping-off-the-cliff-without-a-safety-net fic, as we see first Abby, and then Kristy, push their relationship to the next level. I really like the first part, because it reads authentically Abby in my mind - an impressive feat, given how late in the series Abby came along. It devolves into a heart-pounding, toe-curling, stomach-constricting swirl of emotion by the end, and its helped along by a perhaps surprising matchmaker. Either way, it's a sweet fic, and definitely worthy of a read =)
TITLE - Guarantee (2011)
AUTHOR - miss_slipslop
UNIVERSE - Early canon (#15 Little Miss Stoneybrook...and Dawn)
GENRE - Friendship
RATING - K+
WORD COUNT - 3,548
SUMMARY - Jeff tells the Pikes he's moving back to California.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - It's rare, period, to find good friendship fic between boys, no matter what the fandom. This is a wonderful example of that, of the innocent and yet surprisingly deep best friendship that's forged between Jeff Schafer and Byron Pike shortly after the former's move to Stoneybrook. Jeff goes over to the Pikes after learning that he'll be moving back to California to live with his father for six months (and possibly forever), and is jubilant to share the news with the triplets. He takes special care to tell Byron first, and is surprised at his reaction - Byron starts to cry, upset over the idea of losing his first real best friend. The two have a serious heart-to-heart about their families, each realizing how envious they are of the other's home life, and it softens the blow of the news a little bit. Byron is wonderfully sensitive and mature, and miss_slipslop does a great job of fleshing out a believable friendship between ten-year-old boys.
TITLE - Alone (2012)
AUTHOR - miss_slipslop
UNIVERSE - Post canon
GENRE - Supernatural
RATING - T
WORD COUNT - 1,700
PAIRING - Jackie Rodowsky/Natalie Springer
SUMMARY - Natalie's always been a singular sort of person.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - Jackie Rodowsky and Natalie Springer were definitely two of the more interesting BSC clients. They couldn't be more different, and yet, as miss_slipslop demonstrates, they have the potential for a great friendship. There's also a great twist at the end, one I didn't see coming!
TITLE - Missing (2012)
AUTHOR - ozqueen
UNIVERSE - Canon
GENRE - General
RATING - K+
WORD COUNT - 1,042
PAIRING - N/A
SUMMARY - Patrick is missing. Fathers are not.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - Oh, Charlie ♥ ozqueen's rendition of him is one of my absolute favorites - she manages to capture so many of the interesting complexities of his character. Here we see Charlie drifting through the father-figure relationships in his life - a his father, his stepfather, and his neighbor, Mr. Spier - and how each of them end up shaping him into the character we know and love from the series.
TITLE - Trust (2012)
AUTHOR - miss_slipslop
UNIVERSE - Post canon
GENRE - Drama, Friendship
RATING - K+
WORD COUNT - 4,777
PAIRING - N/A
SUMMARY - “Even though, I’m always here for you. Whether we’re angsty high schoolers, or destitute med students, or surgeons at Johns Hopkins."
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - This is friendship fic of the best kind - whole, organic, utterly realistic. Nicky Pike & Charlotte Johanssen would seem like an odd pair as eight-year-olds, but miss_slipslop develops their post-canon timeline quite richly and fully. I really like reading about male/female friendships that are just that - friendships, instead of a necessary prelude to something more. And with this story, she more or less hit all of those high points. I love their banter, the way they can spend time with each other so easily, effortlessly, the way they show each other support (be it in the form of lilac wars or a supportive hug in the middle of a breakdown), and their solemn promise to always stay friends, no matter what. Their bond is strong, even though they come from such different walks of life. I especially like the characterization of Nicky here, what with his disdain for bubblegum pop and obvious ease with nerdom =) It makes me wonder how he became this confident teenager after all of the angst of his childhood with the triplets, but happy all the same that he found his niche :) Loved the touch of him "sneaking off" with Charlotte to a place he keeps secret from his siblings, shades of #9, but now he has someone to share it with! It's little details like that (shoutouts to the canon) that make this fic so awesome.
TITLE - know you (like i do) (2012)
AUTHOR - meroure
UNIVERSE - California Diaries
GENRE - Family
RATING - T
WORD COUNT - 1,516
PAIRING - N/A
SUMMARY - Marina doesn't have friends. She doesn't have friends because she brings her friends to James. It's what they do: he wants girls, and she will find them, entrap them, and take them to him.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - "Deliciously creepy" was the first phrase that came to mind as I read this. The notion that Marina has such control over her older brother, to the point where she basically runs his life for him, is so twisted. The fact that she's been doing it all their lives? So wrong. And yet, this fic reads so right, LOL! Definitely not for the faint of heart, but for those of you who enjoy exploring the darker side of the BSC/CD world, meroure is a must-read.
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| Completed Works: Multichapter Fics |
TITLE - Regretting Stacey (2004)
AUTHOR - Celica60
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - Drama
RATING - K+
WORD COUNT - 2,764 (3 chapters)
SUMMARY - Five years after the fight that ended their friendship, Laine Cummings drives to Stoneybrook to make amends.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - There is really a *lot* of good BSC fanfic out there, and quite a bit of it has come from this particular author. The first time I looked up fanfic for this series, I got hooked into one of her many epics, and I stayed up all hours of the night just devouring them. They are character driven and plot driven and just really, really awesome (even when they're kinda annoying).
This piece, in particular, draws a what-if scenario from the end of series book #51, Stacey's Ex-Best Friend, and looks at it from the other side ~ Stacey is a main character in the BSC series, so we know how she felt about ending her oldest friendship with her best NYC friend, but what of Laine? What I love about this piece is: (1) its introspective, (2) it's about a minor character who plays anything but a minor role in the life of a main character, and (3) it has an unexpected ending. It's an excellent introduction to Celica60's writing style and her take on the characters, and I can almost guarantee that if you enjoy it, you'll want to tackle all four of her epic-length pieces (as well as her other oneshots).
TITLE - The Charlie Thomas Hypothesis (2008-2011)
AUTHOR - baseballchica03
UNIVERSE - Canon
GENRE - Romance
RATING - T
WORD COUNT - 2,392 (2 chapters)
PAIRING - Charlie Thomas/Janine Kishi
SUMMARY - In which Janine Kishi contemplates her relationship with Charlie Thomas. Same universe as "Five Things About Janine Kishi."
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - This was one of the first Charlie/Janine stories I read, by probably my most favorite author to ever write these two characters, so I was mondo excited when baseballchica03 popped into the babysitters101 comm, looking for a beta for the finalized version. And boy, talk about no disappointment - this story ended even better than I could've imagined it ♥ This is probably my favorite "alt" pairing for BSC, and it was so interesting to see the events through Janine's eyes, as one careless remark from Charlie basically tilts her world on its axis. They have a fight and Janine wonders if she's blown it...when Charlie makes damn sure to let her know she didn't. It's a beautifully written story, with great scenes between Janine and Claudia to boot. There is more to come in this universe, and I can't wait!
TITLE - Kitchen continuum (2011)
AUTHOR - ozqueen
UNIVERSE - Pre-canon
GENRE - Drama, Friendship
RATING - Y
WORD COUNT - 44,479 (5 chapters)
PAIRING - Richard Spier/Alma Spier, Patrick Thomas/Elizabeth Thomas, Watson Brewer/Elizabeth Thomas
SUMMARY - One event begins the bonds of a strong friendship between Elizabeth Thomas and Richard Spier.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - I absolutely love ozqueen's take on the parents of the universe, and her ability to bring them into focus in a way that seems natural and unobtrusive. It's long been a fanon rumor that Elizabeth Thomas and Richard Spier are the "real" parents of David Michael Thomas, so any exploration of their friendship is ripe for the picking. That's not where the author is taking this, but her gentle exploration of not only Elizabeth Thomas, but also of Richard Spier (famously uptight and stuffy, but probably with good reason) and Alma Spier (Mary Anne's long-dead mother and quite the mysterious canon figure) is something to absolutely relish. She lays out a wonderful beginning here, at turns funny and tragic, setting the foundation for what is probably one of the stronger parental friendships in the series, given how close Mary Anne feels to Kristy's mom, especially at the beginning. Later entries into this little series include some of the canon characterization: bossy Kristy, shy Mary Anne, funky Claudia, tenderhearted Sam, and world-on-his-shoulders sensitive Charlie. Just as Elizabeth's life seems to be falling apart, Richard Spier's is coming together, and he's able to offer her the strength and support she gave him when he was struggling with his wife's death. It's a really neat reversal of roles, and it culminates a few books into the series, bringing this gorgeous pre-canon full-circle. This is a don't miss piece of BSC fandom.
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| Commissions & Giftfics |
Because I have awesome friends who sometimes take commissions - and who sometimes give me gifts when I both least expect it *and* most need it :)
TITLE - Hospital (2011)
AUTHOR - ozqueen
UNIVERSE - Mid-canon (#81 Kristy and Mr. Mom)
GENRE - Family, Angst
RATING - K
WORD COUNT - 4,281
PAIRING - N/A
SUMMARY - Charlie Thomas rushes to his mother's side after Watson has a heart attack.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - I...I just don't even know what to say. This is absolutely, amazingly, wonderfully gorgeous ~ ozqueen captures the essence of what makes Charlie one of my all-time favorite characters. He's older than his years, so used to being responsible for Sam and Kristy, for taking charge in the touch situations, for being the reassuring voice of reason - and yet, he's still a kid himself. I don't know what I loved more - his scenes with his mother at the hospital, offering comfort he can scarcely feel himself, or the end, with Kristy and Sam, when he slips into the role they need him to play so badly.
I like how she lightened it up at the end, the jokes with Sam, and how evocative that is of early canon when they shared a room in their house on Bradford Court =) I know I've mentioned before that I can't ever really choose which Thomas brother I like best, and that's a great scene to illustrate my struggle ~ both sensitive and kind and brotherly and awesome, LOL =)
I still can't believe this is a gift for me. It is one I will cherish always, and will probably go down as one of my favorite BSC fics *ever*
TITLE - Date (2011)
AUTHOR - miss_slipslop
UNIVERSE - Early canon (#1 Kristy's Great Idea)
GENRE - Family, Romance
RATING - K
WORD COUNT - 1,596
PAIRING - Sam Thomas/Stacey McGill
SUMMARY - Sam and Stacey have another encounter on a rainy weekend. Takes place during Kristy's Great Idea.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - Another that will go down as one of my favorites? This one :D I received a double dose of Thomas family fic this year, and for as angsty and heart-wrenching as "Hospital" was, this fic is equally light and fluffy and romantic ♥ It's a perfect demonstration of why I love Sam Thomas so much - he's not afraid to bake cookies with his little brother (!!), get into a flour fight, and still attempt oh-so-smooth conversation with a girl he finds impossibly attractive. I love the camaraderie he has with David Michael (and Kristy, LOL), and the shy attraction he feels for Stacey. I love the cheeky TMNT reference ;) and the affirmation that "sheep are in" and the reference to his mother dating Watson and Kristy's bluntness and yeah - this story just has it all ♥ For someone who's never tried to write this ship, miss_slipslop does an amazing job!
TITLE - Laundry Day (2011)
AUTHOR - baseballchica03
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - Friendship
RATING - K
WORD COUNT - 607
PAIRING - Charlie Thomas/Janine Kishi
SUMMARY - Two old acquaintances meet in an unlikely place.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - Something of a prequel to Close Encounters of the Father Kind, we have a glimpse into how Janine and Charlie met, all those years after both left Stoneybrook. The two bump into each other while doing their laundry (after Janine oogles Charlie from behind, hehe), and their easy conversation ends with an equally casual date ~ but one that promies so much more. I love the way baseballchica03 writes this pairing, and this was a wonderful little surprise to find in my stocking! Definitely worth a read if you have any interest in this pairing ♥
TITLE - Paths of Life (2011)
AUTHOR - DesertVixen
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - Family, Romance
RATING - T
WORD COUNT - 561
PAIRING - Sam Thomas/Stacey McGill
SUMMARY - Someone's getting hitched in Stoneybrook...
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - Wedding fic is not generally my cup of tea (kinda amazing, considering what a hopeless sap I am), but this is a great take on the idea ~ we see Sam and Stacey's wedding through Charlie's eyes. We see his somewhat bemused observations on the wedding party, prep, and the ceremony itself ~ just as Charlie finds himself eyeing Janine Kishi out in the audience, Stacey walks down the aisle, an absolute vision in white. DesertVixen has wonderful powers of description, with just one gorgeous turn of phrase after another. My favorite one was probably this: Charlie watched the way [Sam and Stacey] exchanged a smile and look that shut everyone else in the world out. That, to me, is the essence of what makes an OTP an OTP ♥
TITLE - The Dearest Darlings (2011)
AUTHOR - isabelquinn
UNIVERSE - Mid-canon (Super Special #9 Starring the Baby-sitters Club!)
GENRE - Family
RATING - K
WORD COUNT - 289
PAIRING - Sam Thomas/Stacey McGill
SUMMARY - N/A
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - :D This is pretty much a missing scene from one of my favorite Super Specials, expounding upon poor Stacey's dilemma of dealing with Sam's shenanigans, especially his intense interest in referring to her as "Darling." It's especially cute because of the little things biting into the otherwise normal in-universe rehearsal. I think this was quite cleverly written, especially considering its length =)
TITLE - Seeing Red Again (2011)
AUTHOR - snarky_imp
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - General
RATING - K+
WORD COUNT - 1,292
PAIRING - Sam Thomas/Stacey McGill (implied)
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - snarky_imp says she blames me for this one, but I'll happily take credit =) This is a cute little story, told by Kristy, of the part she unknowingly played in helping Sam prepare his proposal to Stacey. She really has a good sense of Kristy's voice, I think, and I was giggling throughout the story as it unfolded. I was only brought up short by the end, when the person Kristy is talking to is revealed, in a wonderfully bittersweet moment. It was unexpected, but not off-putting, and somehow, makes the whole story even more poignant. A beautiful fic by someone who proclaims she's no good at writing fanfic (don't believe her :P)
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