A couple of great reads for a cold winter's day =)

Title: Steel and Salt
Author: Scribe Figaro
Universe: Canon
Genre: Romance
Rating: Y
Warning: Citrus
Pairing: Miroku/Sango
Word Length: 4,815
URL: http://www.mediaminer.org/fanfic/view_ch.php/164651/581058/
Author's Summary: Miroku recovers from the injuries sustained with the group in the Oni's Stomach. After awaking to Sango's vigil, the two decide to share some well-earned intimacy. Canon, or close enough to it.

Why I'm recommending this piece: Because for all I love the Mir/San corner of fandom, it seems a grand majority of the authors who currently reside here are afraid to write intimacy for this pairing. Don't get me wrong - higher rated fic doesn't automatically mean greatness...and, after all, I also write mostly T-rated fic myself - but its refreshing and exciting to see someone else's take on the sort of intense, romantic, sexual bond these two form over the course of the canon story and beyond. This piece is set around mid-manga, after the end of the first anime, and it slips into the universe so well. It's beautiful, erotic, and mature all at once, definitely a rare trifecta to find in any fandom. There's a reason we like to call Scribe Figaro the GOD OF ALL MIR/SAN FANDOM, and he just proves his worthiness with this piece =)


Title: A Pillow of Twisted Grass
Author: Milareppa (zigsa)
Universe: Pre-canon
Genre: Drama
Rating: K+
Warning: A bit of violence
Pairing: Miroku/Sango
Word Length: 11,921
URL: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5633658/1/
Author's Summary: As two children struggle with the hardships life throws their way, they have no way of knowing how the physical distance separating them hides their shared destiny.

Why I'm recommending this piece: This is one of the most beautiful yet haunting pre-canon stories I've ever read. The author traces the childhoods of Miroku and Sango, finding and illuminating those key events which define them as characters, and shape the destinies we begin to glimpse as they're introduced into the manga. It's full of recurring motifs, drawing on the canon as well as Japanese culture, and the end result is something I'm just a sucker for - learning how and why characters find each other and what ultimately brings them together.


As always, you can also check out my recommendations post, which I try to update as I find wonderfully fantastic new fics worth sharing and squeeing over :D

I have really wonderful readers and reviewers for my work, and I'm always looking for ways to show my appreciation for them and the feedback they give me. This can be tough sometimes, especially when they don't write/post stories themselves, but then ~ what am I, if not creative? :P

*pulls out pimp hat*

One of my favorite readers is *janey-in-a-bottle. If you're on dA, you might have seen her crocheted emoticons, which were put up for a Daily Deviation one day last week (they are awesome, LOL, especially the lovey-dovey one). She has entered one of their many contests over there, and because the competition is so fierce, she's setting her sights on the Community Choice award.

Every favorite received for "Dream in Progress" between now and 11:59:59 PM (PT) December 22, 2009 will count for the Community Choice placement.

So, if anyone on my wonderful LJ f-list has a dA account, would you consider clicking over to her piece and giving it a fave? I, personally, would've fave'ed it anyway because I think its amazing (I swear - its like she drew my own thought processes when it comes to creativity o.O)

While you're there, take a minute to check out the rest of her gallery ~ she specializes not only in crochet items, but also amazing scenic photography - and there might even be a bit of fanart stashed away in there! ;)

[And, while I'm working it here :P I invite you all to take a gander luxken27_fics, which has a holiday-inspired layout that's hopefully a bit easier to read.]

The last few days have been really tough, but as always, there's a light at the end of the tunnel! This time, it came in the form of a beautiful little oneshot by our resident fluff queen, knittingknots. I clicked on a whim, and my depressed mood was immediately lifted. If I could reach through the screen and hug her, I would.

This is definitely one for Sesshoumaru fans ~ One Morning's Surprise

Also ~ I have updated my recommendations list to reflect some of the beautiful work coming out of iy_themes. If any of you out there are inclined towards fandom awards, you should consider some of these pieces ~ they are more than worthy of wider fandom recognition :)

My inbox has been a fount of fangirl-squee-inducing awesomeness these last few days. I swear, its like the universe is against me getting anything of use done, LOL :P But even after mega-long gushing reviews and extra squeeing at their LJs, the cup overfloweth. So I'm grabbing my pimp hat and swaggering down the sidewalk to offer you guys some tasty, tasty fic not of my own making.

~*~
Title: Identity Crisis
Author: eggplantlady
Rating: Y
Pairing: Mir/San, Inu/Kag
Summary: When Sango's confidence is shaken, she struggles to find her way back to being the woman she was.

Chapter [17] Summary: Naraku is a sneaky bastard; gifts from friendly demons often come in handy.

Link: http://www.mediaminer.org/fanfic/view_ch.php/146538/571730

Extra pimping good line: "We can't keep doing this," he said, hating himself with every word. "It's too dangerous. Until Naraku is slain, we cannot take the chance of being distracted at a critical moment, or worse. If you were to become pregnant…" He could not continue, horrified at the thought of Naraku torturing Sango while she was with child, least of all his child, and it seemed Sango had heard enough as well.

~*~
Title: Love's Smirking Revenge
Author: langus_fiction
Rating: X
Pairing: Inu/Kag
Summary: Inuyasha Takahashi is a beat down detective heading the most publicized Yakuza murder investigation of the year. Kagome Higurashi is a journalist who likes a good mystery. When the two clash over the murder investigation will sparks fly or will they get burned?

Chapter [24] Summary: Ultimatum - Kagome returns from the hospital to find an empty apartment and no one waiting for her. It's time to make a change, but will it be the right one?

Link: http://www.mediaminer.org/fanfic/view_ch.php/134603/571803

Extra pimping good line: “Is this real?” she managed to whisper.

“What-?” Koga's expression shifted from concern to confusion.

She swallowed a hiccup and tried again, her voice stronger this time. “I mean this - me being here. Is this real, or is it some kind of elaborate illusion my subconscious cooked up and I'm actually lying in a coma in a hospital bed somewhere?”

He shook his head and his hand gently squeezed her good shoulder.

“Kagome, it's not possible,” he promised.

“How can you be sure?”

“Because,” he answered simply, “if this was all a figment of your imagination I wouldn't be the one standing here with you.”

Because I love sharing my gifts with my f-list, I'm taking the opportunity to direct eyes towards the newest gift!fic aimed my way. "Waiting With Me" was written by psyco_chick32, in reciprocation for two icons requested during the drabble meme. I sought to give her a challenge, but it morphed into something so much more than that: a little humor, a little angst, and a whole lotta chemistry.

You can read the fic at MM.org or FF.net. Want an example of how to write an alternate pairing in the canon universe, and get it spot-on right? Look no further than this :)

This is just another example of the awesome writers I'm lucky enough to know and interact with on a daily basis. You guys seriously rock my socks, and make me proud to be a part of this fandom!

I was lucky enough to win a gift!fic from landofthekwt during his fandom anniversary/celebration of writing his 200th fic earlier this week. I requested something humorous, centered around Miroku, and kwt did not disappoint! :)

Inspired by the Queen song of the same name, you can read his fic here: Fat Bottomed Girls

Thanks again, kwt!! It was just what I needed after a long and stressful evening :)

Heh, this quarter/term of awards nominations is pretty crazy, especially if you are aligned with pairing-centric sites as well as the iy_fanguild and fa_awards. The Feudal Association term just finished, but it's already time to nominate/second again at the IYFG, Eternal Destiny, and Dokuga. Would it be too much to ask for some variation in the calendar, LOL?

I've been doing my part, though - here's the list of my nominations thus far:

( Eternal Destiny: January 2009 term )


( Dokuga: 1st Quarter 2009 )


( IYFG: 4th Quarter 2008 )


I've also been lucky enough to be on the receiving end of the nominations this term :) Thanks so much to everyone who's given my stuff a bit of consideration! :)

Eternal Destiny
Best Love Story: Memento Mori & Perfect Kiss
Best Fairy Tale: Memento Mori

IYFG (still to be seconded)
Best Romance - Inuyasha/Kagome: Memento Mori
Best Short Short: Forbidden Desire

I'm still amazed at how well Memento Mori has been received - it's so much the little drabble that could, LOL :) I'm really excited to see the nod for Forbidden Desire ~ it's a true drabble (100 words), it was originally penned for a contest prompt, and it's more sensual than my general fare. My collection of contest entries is by far my largest output of work, so for any of it to receive a fandom-wide nod is really, really exciting for me :D (Perfect Kiss was also originally written for a contest.) I approach writing for contests completely differently than writing an 'original' story - in the former, its the challenge of writing for a prompt within certain (sometimes strict) restrictions, whereas in the latter its more a struggle to contain my muses and keep the piece internally consistent in plot and characterization.