Phoenix Short Story Thread - Updated Snippet (February 4)

[Zooeys_Bridge]

sweet! I totally missed a second update so now I get two! Total fluke coming here at a precise enough moment to win a second dibs. I was floating around the internet reading about art law and repatriation. Got good links if anyone's interested.

Speaking of interesting! Your story, Jen! So good (per usual - I don't expect anything else)!

I like what you've laid out here, a broken Willow (in numerous ways, clearly) but a bitter and snarky Willow at that. Couple lines that broke me up:

Great. A hippie.

and

two boys and Miss Rainbow Horsebreath

. Ha! Faboosh.

Willow in a wheelchair. That tastes of backstory, and indeed we got a whiff in this section. I love that the wheelchair detail wasn't apparent in the first update. We didn't need it, did we? We didn't need to see it then. First things first, we got a lick of her attitude, rotten and callous it may be (and I'm super interested to see the dynamics it'll play out with the rest of the gang). Only when it was relevant did you have to describe her wheeling 'round the room and to the table. Well done indeed!

So excited to see where this goes. The gang is all there, I have a feeling it's going to be a treat watching them do their thing. Already

Unfazed, Buffy directed her question to Tara. "Tare, Brad or Matthew?"

Buffy, always being Buffy, not letting Bitter Betty interfere with her fun. [Personally, I loathe Matthew. Between him and Brad, I'll go with Brad.]

[Zampsa1975]

Yay for great update-y goodness... I truly hope Tara manages very soon mellow Willow...

[irishgrl3]

It appears that it is going to take Willow a little bit to get adjusted eh? Of course she appears to be acting her age

The dinner table was hysterical with all the goings-on. Buffy nearly stabbing Xander with a fork was priceless. I saw that one in my head...

Hoping "the blond horsebreath girl" brings Willow around

Can't wait for what's next!
-anna

[Owl]

Hey. I'm still really enjoying this, even more so with each little bit you post. It's got that 'drop us somewhere not quite the beginning and make us work to figure it out' thing you do so well (which has a name, I learnt it, and it's in another language. Latin?...erm, I know this!...en medias res? I think that's it. My English prof would be so proud) and I'm really digging the whole Willow against the world thing, especially in this last part with the group interaction and all.

One thing that made me go huh? F'reals? was:

He was holding his fork in his left hand, cutting the meat with a knife in his right, which Willow immediately recognized as a European custom.

So I looked it up and learnt something new, thanks. I'd honestly never considered the idea of a difference between European and American utensil etiquette. Mind blown.

So, I'll certainly be paying more attention to people's knife and fork habits from now on, as well as eagerly awaiting whatever you next post. Thanks for this.

[Morrigan]

Willow has some serious walls up. It will be interesting to see what you do with these characters in this extremely different setting.

Looking forward to the next snippet.

[LonelyTara]

More Horse please? Don't give up on fan fiction--I know your real-world publishable stuff is important, but we need W/T!

[LonelyTara]

More apothecary please!

[vampyregurl73]

Phoenix,

*Twelve Step meeting scenario* Hi, my name is Heather and I am addicted to Phoenix's writing *Hi Heather*.

The Lamb broke my heart but it was beautiful. It is not hard to see Tara in some sort of nurse/caregiver function given her nature as we know it. We all know what a hellion a determined redheaded woman can be (and if you don't be sure to make friends with one we're great - real ones though bottle types don't count ) and Willow always kicks it up a notch or 10.

I am hoping against hope that you finish Apothecary, that's what actually led me to your other stuff.

Then in your shorts thread, Lightening was sizzlingly erotic but so very sweet at the same time.

Frozen just about undid me , the image of shaving her head for her dying loved one and tossing her ring into the frozen lake.... wow.

By the time I had gotten through Saved I was broken. That story spoke to me for so many reasons that I won't go into. You are the first writer on here to break me with a story.

Then Horse did nothing but make me smile and want to know more.

I hope you can find time to finish both Horse and Apothecary in the near future.