Since the Cartographer story Anne recced is still incomplete, I decided to put off my anticipation issues by reading some of sam_storyteller's older stuff instead.

I'm about a third of the way through "Laocoon's Children, Year One" and am absolutely loving it. It's an AU HP fic; basically, it's The Sorceror's Stone if

1) Lucius Malfoy was put in Azkaban years ago, and Draco was raised by an increasingly neurotic hemit in Narcissa.

2) Sirius was never falsely accused, Peter Pettigrew escaped and at some point kidnapped both Harry and Neville for some scary magic involving blood-letting, when they were 8.

3) After that event, Neville moved in with Andromeda, Ted, and Nymphadora Tonks, and Harry went to Wales with Sirius and Remus.

It's neat. Some interesting elements (minor, minor spoilers, but you'll know this less than a quarter of the way through the book, follow):

* Harry, Neville, Draco, and Padma Patil become friends on the train. They are sorted one into each house - Draco argues himself into Hufflepuff because he really doesn't want to follow his family, Harry goes into Slytherin, and Neville and Padma are Gryffindor and Ravenclaw respectively.

* Snape rather likes Harry, having met him and established a liking for him during the events of 2-3 years ago, I think. Backstory still unclear.

Anyway, it's cool. I recommend it highly, so far. Whatsmore, it appears to be continuing, as Year Two is slowly approaching completion (mixed with the Cartographer story). I kinda hope it continues all the way through, a slightly different tack on JKRs stories. That would be neat.

Gris, have you read "Stealing Harry?" It's the story that sets up "Laocoon's Children." The guy's Discworld fanfic is also extraordinarily good.

I'm reading "Stealing Harry" right now and have been wondering what's up with Draco. OK, I read the whitefont, because I'm like that. I read the last pages of books first, too. I want to know who's going to die so I don't get too tense waiting for the axe to fall.

Oh, this is the same person as Sam Vimes? Huh.

"Stealing Harry" is a great read. I was thinking about it the other day when the book club thread brought up the issue of home-schooling in the HP-verse.

Gris, have you read "Stealing Harry?"

No! I shall! Though I have to finish this one first, though, because I'm already into it.

I wonder if I could hire Jim Dale to do some freelance audio book work for fic. Though I imagine he'd be rather bemused by the sex scenes.

I read the last pages of books first, too. I want to know who's going to die so I don't get too tense waiting for the axe to fall.

My sister! I also check to see if any beloved animals are going to get killed off in a tragic manner. I have a serious problem with Pet Death in stories.

I also check to see if any beloved animals are going to get killed off in a tragic manner. I have a serious problem with Pet Death in stories.

My sister, back! I always get very nervous in thrillers when the hero has a pet, because I expect the villain to do something nasty to the poor critter. One book I read had the something nasty turn into a major motivation for the hero, because the hero really loved his cat was very, very pissed about what happened. Granted, "You son of a bitch, you killed my cat!" doesn't have the same epic ring as "Hello, my name in Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die," but it was gratifying to see Pet Death taken serious.

(thinks about how I love my pets) (Thinks about how I love my dad) Works for me, Connie.Connie, I know I'm all "George likes Greek carrots," and recommend him ALL the time, but Pelecanos always fucks up animal abusers. You might be be able to kill a *guy* in his DC and not pay any price that isn't between you and your God, but kiss your butt goodbye if you kick a dog. Also, if you don't tip. (That's why he is the best Fiction-Writing BF ever.)

FWIW, I have happened across stories and story fragments that I've written and had no conscious memory at all of writing them. The only proof I've had was that they were filed away with the rest of my stuff. The story fragments were the most frustrating, especially when they were pretty good, because I'd read to their end and then be all "and then what happens?" without a clue.

On the other hand, if I'd copied down a paragraph or two of somebody else's writing? (There are writing teachers who suggest this, btw.) Transcribing is a slow and torturous process for me, so actually I'd be more likely to remember doing that than writing something of my own....

I was looking through some stuff off an old disk the other day and ran across my one ill-advised attempt at writing Angel fanfic. Sadly, I do remember writing it—there's never any Lethe's bramble around when you need it.

There's a reason I keep my creative writing efforts to short format spoof recaps these days.