Underneath the Stars

01:53 am

It's kind of pathetic to look back and realize that the last time I updated this journal, thus did a real site update, was almost 3 years ago. I've always talked about how lazy I was about site updates, but that's a new low even for me. There's no denying it with that as a recorded example. I should apologize for the lack of updates, but there wasn't really an opportunity TO update. Along that time, I lost 95% of my steam on writing, and obviously with no writing there are no site updates. That's not to say I haven't written at all in that time, it's just taken me this long to collect everything I've done and get it onto the site.

This site is always going to be my archive for my writing, but I think it's safe to admit at this point that the days of monthly updates are long over. That's why you'll notice that the site has been streamlined a bit, and a lot of worthless content has been removed. Now it's pretty much just fic, plain and simple, easy to navigate, etc. It's still quite a COLORFUL site, but just because it's simple and easy doesn't mean it has to be boring. I've just done away with a lot of extra features, graphics, etc. I switched away from the evil that is Comcast over the past year, and Webpost blocked hyperlinking at some point since the last site update, so a lot of the pic links are dead ANYWAY, but I'm working on getting those restored at some point. I figure at this point in my online "career", anyone who finds this site already knows me, and probably already knows what/who I'm writing about anyway. If by chance you stumble upon me otherwise, hit the contact button if you have questions, I love new readers!

Now, in terms of actual updates, I've done a whole hell of a lot. I'll do it bullet form, so as to not ramble even more than I already have.

• The old "Short Works" section has been eliminated, and the fic that resided there has been incorporated into the appropriate sections.
  
• Eliminated also was the "Site Info" page, the Supernovas (fic picks) and the Hotties O' the Month
  
• The main page has been remodeled to reflect just the fic; hockey, wrestling, and original/other fandoms.
  
• The "My Info" page went from stupid pointless factoids to explanation of me as a writer, and how I got to this point.
  
• The Drabbles (ficlets 100 words and under) were given their own banner, to link to the page where they all are (several new ones were added, and dated as to when I first wrote them.)
  
• The NHL logos that once linked to each team's website have been removed from the Hockey Fic index page.
  
• Series/Multi Part fics in the Original/Other Fic section have been more clearly labeled.

• Airbrushed - Sidney Crosby/Matt Murley ficlet
  
• As Soon As He's Away From Me - Krista Ference 1st person POV, mentions of Andrew Ference and Kris Beech
  
• Bad Puppy - Jared Boll/Kris Russell porn
  
• Candy Hearts - Sergei Fedorov/Nikolai Zherdev ficlet
  
• Greatest - Sidney Crosby ficlet, mentions of Erik Christensen and Ryan Whitney
  
• Jarome - Darkish fic featuring Kris Beech, Jarome Iginla and mentions of Andrew Ference
  
• Sir Sidney Crosby/Gary Roberts, pretty much PWP
  
• Sizzle Sidney Crosby/Alex Ovechkin ficlet
  
• Sometimes - Erik Christensen ficlet, mentions of Ryan Whitney and Sidney Crosby

11:36 pm

I'm not going to make any excuse for lack of updates this time. I was just lazy this time *G*. I didn't have a fic update, so I didn't feel a whole lot of point to doing it, and for that I apologize. I can promise right now, though, that I will have updates for the next two months, because I have got fic stashed away for them. All I need to make them official updates in waiting is HOTM's, but I'm notorious for picking those just a couple hours before the update. So no worries, October and November both will have updates, this I vow.

Anyway, I have a new fic to debut for this update, and it's in a whole new genre for me. I have finally written a full comedic fic/spoof. We all know I've had my porn-corn lines for years, my lame little lines that take the edge off a PWP, but this fic is total comedy from top to bottom. It's called Trish's Angels and you can find the first part of it in the Hockey/Wrestling Crossover section. After much debate, I put it in that section, instead of the Original/Other Fic section. A case could be made for it being there, too, because it's "plot" is mocking my fic On the Banks of the Beach part 1. It's very much like that old TV show Mystery Science Theatre 3000, that used to mock B-movies, except this is obviously in fic form. Such things exist in fic form, I just took the idea and changed it up a bit. The prologue explains the plot way better than I could ever dream of doing, it's a hard plot to put into words. I think it's a damn good one, though, and a great way for me to start out in comedic/spoof writing.

I started writing it last November, in hopes of posting it for OTBOTB's anniversary. But I didn't get it even close to finished in time for that, so I went with the Director's Cut for the anniversary. I just finished this fic this month, so it was quite a long while in progress *laughs*. I really like it, though. There are some parts *I* can't get through without cracking up laughing, so I hope they have the same affect on you. Please check it out if you get the chance, and remember, I live for feedback.

The second and last update on the month, is as always the Hottie O' the Month, and this month he is musician Brad Paisley. I adore his voice, and he's really quite hot once you pay attention. He's not as flashy/trashy as some of the other male country stars out there, but I like him better because of that. I love the pic of him that I used, and I hope you do too. Browse around for more, though, because there are more out there that are equally as hot, plus a lot of adorable *G*.

That's all I've got for you this month. Like I said though, I'll have updates for the next two, so check back for the next 2 parts of Trish's Angels, and as always new HOTM's. For now, remember that I love and appreciate you all immensely. I'll see you in October.

07:55 pm

Crappy update this month. I seem to be alternating like that, one month with a good update, one month with a crappy update. Unfortunately this month is a crappy update, but things look good for August in that case *G*. I just have the new HOTM this month, and he is singer Michael Bublé (as I'm sure you saw on the main page). He's one that may not be hot in the conventional sense, but if you've ever heard him sing, he may very well be the hottest guy in the world. As I explain on the main page, I'm going to see him in concert on the 11th, so he seemed like the perfect choice for HOTM this month. I hope you enjoy him, because I know I do. And seriously, check out his music somehow, he's awesome.

I'm hoping to have fic for next month's update, but as always I can't promise anything. However, I am going on vacation on the 10th, which requires an 11 hour bus ride (from Michigan where I live, to Pennsylvania), so chances are I'll get a lot of writing done then. As always, check back on the 1st to see what's new. Until then, I love and appreciate you all, and I'm sorry this update sucks so much. I'll see you in August.

04:02 am

I don't know if I have the "decent" fic I mentioned in last month's update, but I do have fic, and it's MUCH longer than was Best Birthday Ever last month. But, it's still pointless PWP, so it depends on your definition of decent if that's decent or not. It's called Cum Shot and you can find it, well, in the NEW Hockey/Wrestling Crossover section. I couldn't decide where to put Cum Shot on the site once I'd finished it, the previous Hockey/Wrestling crossovers had been in the Wrestling Fiction section, but this one didn't seem to fit there quite as well. So I decided to make the crossover section, in the interest of grouping all 3 crossovers I've done together, and looking toward the future, when hopefully I'll write more. I don't expect this to create any confusion, but if it does, remember you can always find EVERY fic on the Story Index page.

This month's fic stars Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguin (in the AHL, Pittsburgh Penguin in the NHL) Kris Beech, and WWE superstar Chris Masters, who is also this month's HOTM (as I'm sure you saw on the Main Page). Pictures of both guys can be found, as always, on the fic page. As I said, it's total PWP, but it's the best PWP I've written in quite a while. Do check it out if you get the chance, I think I actually kind of like this one. Heed the warnings for content (though it's not really bad, just graphic cum shots), and if you want a summary before reading, check out the Crossover section. And remember, I always appreciate feedback.

As I mentioned up there, the HOTM this month is Chris Masters. He has got one freaking FABULOUS body, and a nice face to match, and with him being in the fic this month, he had to be HOTM. I love the picture I chose, even though there are better out there. I just like the way his body looks in this one, and the leather pants are a definite helper *G*. I hope you enjoy him, as both HOTM and in the fic, because I know for sure that I do.

That's it for the biggie updates, leaving only the little ones of the HOTM section and the Story Index being brought up to date. I hope to have more fic for you next month (hopefully something that isn't PWP), but at the moment I'm not sure just what that'll be. The projects I've had going are stalled, so we'll see what inspiration hits me with. But Cum Shot got written in about a week, so anything is possible. As always, check back on the first of the month to see what's going on. Until then, don't forget that I love, adore and appreciate you all. See you in July!

11:57 pm

If there's one thing I can say about this update, it's that it's going to be better than April's. It's not my best update, by far, but I am here with a new HOTM, and two little fic projects. The first one is called Best Birthday Ever and you can find it on the Short Works page. It's just a short, crappy little thing I wrote after a recent American Hockey League playoff game. I don't particularily like it, but I do like to get at least one ficlet written in the playoffs every year. There's a much better explanation and summary (along with pics of the stars) on the fic page, so do check that out if you get the chance. Feedback is always appreciated, of course, even if it's to tell me how badly it sucks.

The second project is a drabble, a REALLY old drabble that I just recently realized I'd never posted here on the site. It's from Christmas of 2003, and it's actually one that I really like. You can find that on the Drabble page in the Short Works section. Like I said, it's from Christmas, so it has that Christmasy feeling to it, but it's really cute. I am not good at writing drabbles at all, I'm far too wordy for that, but I like to think this one was pretty good. Feel free to check it out if you want Christmas in May *G*.

Last on the update, as will be the usual now that the Supernova is suspended, is the new Hottie O' the Month, and he is Wentworth Miller, as I'm sure you saw on the mainpage. He's qutie good looking, and I've wanted to make him an HOTM for quite a while (I remember him on Buffy The Vampire Slayer years ago), but I could never remember his name. It took him being in a Mariah Carey video, whom you know I love, to actually learn and remember his name. So I named him HOTM this month, and I think he's more than worthy of it. Even with the big ears.

That's it for the update this month. I hope to have a decent fic for next month's update, but at the pace I write nowdays, I really can't say if I will or not. So check back next month and see if I can get unlazy and actually crank something out. In the meantime, remember that I love, adore, and appreciate you all. I will see you in June!

03:19 am

Okay, I apologize right off by the bat for the crappiness of this update. I didn't have a lot of time in March to get things prepared for this month's update, so really I have nothing for this update but the HOTM. That's because of time constraints, and other issues I had last month, but also because it's getting harder and harder to pick a Supernova every month, because I don't read much fic anymore.

Hockey of course was my most active fandom, and it's really slow with the NHL locked out, so there isn't much TO read, with my interest fairly limited in other areas. So for the time being, I'm suspending the Supernova feature, though I will leave the page up with the past links, because I still think you should read each and every one of them, if you haven't already. This will kind of suck for months like this, when I only have the HOTM for an update, but I'm thinking it'll be okay on months I have fic for the update. And hopefully this will give me more motivation to write, because I don't like leaving y'all with lame updates. You are the reason I continue to write, after all.

That being said, hopefully I will have fic for next month's update. I've got a few projects I'm working on, it just remains to be seen which gets finished. So keep your eyes peeled, like always on the 1st of the month, as I will check back in with y'all then. For now, just remember that I love and appreciate you all, and again I am SO sorry for the lameness of this update. I'll see you in May.

03:44 am

I haven't had what I'd consider a normal update since October 04. There were 2 that were late, then one that was the 4th year anniversary update. I haven't had one that just said "I have fic, so here I am" in a while, so this should be a refreshing change of pace. Unless y'all like me rambling, which is cool too, because I do that without even realizing it sometimes. I'll try not to this time, though.

I've been saying for years that I was going to write baseball fic, and now I have finally done it. It's called Finishing The Start and you can find it in the Original/Other Fiction section. It's staring Detroit Tigers players, as most, if not all baseball fic I write in the future probably will be, and of course you can find pictures of the stars on the page. It's short PWP, and one of the more plotless things I've written since...well, ever. I think it has slightly more plot than last month's fic though *G*. I cranked this out in about 3 hours, which is exciting for me because I haven't been able to do that in years. Give it a read if you get the chance, even if you know nothing about baseball or the people involved. It's fairly generic, so it could be anyone you wanted it to be, I just wrote it with the stars in mind. And hey, my beta liked it, and she hates baseball *G*. So check it out if you so choose, and remember, feedback is always much appreciated.

Usually the second update on the month is the new HOTM, but I have decided not to change it this month. Mark Jindrak is just way too hot to only be HOTM for 10 days, so I'm extending him through March as well. Really, this is a move to save me work, because I have such a hard time finding HOTMs as it is *G*. So we get to enjoy Mark for another month. That is certainly not a bad thing at all.

I did change the Supernova though, if only because I wanted more than MY fic for this update *G*. The last fic was Valentines related anyway, so it fit with February, not so much with March. Not that this month's fic is at all related to March, saying as it's from the NFL Football fandom. Yeah, I know, shocking I'd rec something like that huh? I hate football, really, but this fic is hot as hell. Authoritarian is the word Nifty uses to describe Dom/sub fics, and that one is what this is, so I'll use that word too. If that's not your cup of tea, it very well could be by the time you finish reading this. Seriously, it's one of the best smutfics I've read in probably the last year or more. As I always say, if you're not into the fandom or the stars, just ignore them and read for the writing/sex in this case. And it's a three part fic, so bonus *G*.

That is it for the big updates, as usual, but for the HOTM section and the Story Index being brought up to date. I shocked myself having fic for this months update, so I'm hoping I can do it again next month. But like always, I don't want to make promises on that, my inspiration can leave as quickly as its hit me the last couple days. I can say though, that with the NHL locked out, it's quite likely I'll be dabbling in other fandoms, like baseball this month, and I've always wanted to write some Buffy the Vampire Slayer fic. And of course, I want to return to Original Fiction at some point, be it more of Petals or finally getting back to work on Memoirs. Time will tell how much of this I actually do, but these are the things I'm WANTING to do in the future. Wish me luck, and remember, as always, I love and appreciate you all, and all of your wonderful feedback. I hope you enjoy the new fic, I will check back next month.

05:54 am

I don't think there are words to describe how badly I have sucked in the last few months when it comes to updating the site. I have a ton of excuses, but they'd be just that, so I'm not going to even dignify them in print. Just know that I did have some major computer problems that complicated things (they're all straightened out now), but for the most part I was just lazy. I'm sure that doesn't come as too much of a shock for you, it's well documented how unmotivated I feel to update when I don't have fic to post.

Fortunately this month I DO have something to post, but it's more of an "I'm Sorry For Not Updating For So Long" posting than a project I'm overtly high on. It's called Mirror Mirror On The Wall and you can find it on the One Shot page in the Hockey Fic section. I actually wrote this over a year ago, as sort of an experimental project, trying to write smut differently than my usual style. At the time, I didn't think I did so well, so it was shelved. Well now, a year later I went back and read it, and I don't hate it quite so much. It's still not my best work, but it is what it is: a short experiment in CLASSY smut. There is more plot in the Goalie Camp saga than in this fic, it's right to the point sex, but not in the way that you're used to with me. Check it out if you get the chance, and remember feedback is always appreciated. I'm still not 100% sure on how I feel about it, but if y'all like it, I could be convinced to experiment with that style a little more.

Next update, as usual, is the Hottie O' The Month. I seriously contemplated doing away with the HOTM feature, as when I started it, it was just a way to add space to the Main Page (trust me, it looked all kinds of tiny and odd back in the day). But now after a couple years, it's become kind of a trademark, so I left it. And so this month, the HOTM is WWE wrestler Mark Jindrak. Some of you will remember him from past Wrestling Fiction stories (like Sleeping With the Enemy and There For Me), but for those that don't, just look at the picture and understand. He is a ridiculously gorgeous man, and that isn't even the best picture of him around. Check out his website, there's a ton of pics on there, and 99% of them are hot with a capital H.

Rounding out the big updates this month is the new Supernova. It's hockey fic again this month, but it's a great one. It's Valentines related (yes, I realize I'm updating past Valentines), but not in a sappy way. It's a really inventive and perfectly written fic, so check it out and feedback the author, as she rocks and we need to get her to write more.

That's it for the big updates this week, leaving just the minor ones of the Story Index being brought up to date, along with the HOTM page. I really don't know if I'll have fic to update next month (...in 10 days), but I can promise that I WILL be back to updating on the 1st of the month starting next month. I don't like going without updating, it's just a matter of kicking myself in the ass and getting me to do it, which hopefully I'll be better at from here on out. But for now, I'm going to stop rambling, and just say that I love and appreciate you all ALWAYS, no matter what. I'll see you in March.

01:36 pm

It's been a while since I've been late on an update, and I apologize. But I was fighting a pretty bad case of the flu for a bit there, followed by a battle with the Cough From Hell, so I wasn't feeling up to doing much of anything online, most especially updating the site. So I apologize for the delay, I hope you can forgive me. I'm healthy now, and here to do the rather lame update for the month, and that's really all that matters. We can ignore the fact it's 10 days late, can't we?

Starting off the update for the update this month, because I have no fic, is the new Hottie O' the Month, and he is hockey player Chris Simon. I can easily recognize he might not be for everyone, but *I* certainly enjoy him, and this is MY site *G*. As I said on the main page, I have a weakness for shirtless hockey players in just their bottom gear, and at the very least Simon has a nice body for it. And like I said, in the red pants, he could be Santa, so he fits as the December HOTM. But I will spare us all jokes about sitting on Santa's lap, because I do not need to bring my porncorn lines to the updates. I'll just say that I hope you enjoy him, because I know I do. And now I'll move onto the next update.

And that is of course the new Supernova. It's a wrestling fic this week, but another one of my All Time favorite Christmas fics, from the wonderful author Jai. I posted another one of her Christmas fics last December, and I'm posting the other this year. This one is very sweet and heartfelt, chocked full of great emotions and dialogue. There's a wonderful backstory laced throughout the entire thing, it's just an overall great fic, I love it. It makes me all happy for Christmas, so I couldn't think of a better fic for this month. Give it a glance if you get the chance, I'm sure you'll love it. But pay attention to the warnings, and don't give me or the author flack for the content. If you don't like, don't read. But you'll be missing a hell of a fic if you don't.

And that's it for the updates this month, I'm so sorry. Hopefully next month I'll have fic, but with my current writing rate, I wouldn't bet on it. At the very least though, I'll have a new HOTM and a Supernova, and hopefully an on time update. So check back next month, and until then remember that I love and appreciate you all. Have a great holiday season, and I'll see you in '05.

06:29 am

The time has come for my Big Four Years As A Net-Writer Anniversary update. But it's not nearly as exciting (or as big) as that makes it sound like it should be. Four years isn't that big of a milestone anyway. Next year it'll be five years, and THEN I'll make a big huge deal about it. This year it's only four, so you get a medium sized deal. I like to think it's still a good deal, though. Because for the fic this month, to celebrate the anniversary, I have returned to the banks of the beach. So to speak.

Yes, that's right, I have revived the characters of On the Banks of the Beach to celebrate the anniversary. That was the first fic I ever wrote, but far from a classic, so it seemed right to use them for the non-milestone anniversary. Of the original 3 fics I wrote in November 2000, OTBOTB was by far the worst, and my least favorite. There were so many errors in it, be it grammar, spelling or otherwise, and soooo much I would've changed if given the second chance. Well, I took this anniversary as my second chance, and I rewrote the fic how to how I would write it NOW, and how I should've written it then.

And I've decided to call it On the Banks of the Beach: Director's Cut. It's not really a director's cut at all, it's pretty much a total rewrite but for a few words, but that sounds cooler than calling it a plain rewrite *G*. I like this version so much better, I cannot possibly explain. I took out all the pointless parts that didn't need to be there, I fixed all the horrendous and glaring grammar and spelling mistakes, I gave it more plot. I just made it a drastically better fic. Those of you who have read the original will notice the difference from the first sentence. Those that haven't, I hope you take it as a good fic, because I really honestly like this new Director's Cut. The idea is the same as the original, but the writing is SO much better. I really hope you check it out, even if you're not familiar with, or a fan of my original writing, because I feel it's some of the best work I've written in quite a long while. Also, cosmetically, the OTBOTB page has been recolorized, and a 'thank you' banner has been added. You can see that on the OTBOTB Index Page. Remember for all of this, feedback is always appreciated, even if it's telling me how badly the original sucked *G*.

Next on the update is the new HOTM, and he is actor David Gallagher. As I say on the main page, he's gorgeous, and been HOTM worthy for a long time. He was just under age, so I didn't want to use him. Now I have no such qualms *G*. He's a total hottie, one glance can tell you that much, thus he's more than worthy of being an HOTM. I hope you enjoy him, because I know I do. Of course, with his addition, the HOTM Index has been updated (I actually remembered to do that this time).

Last update on the month, as always, is the new Supernova. This month I'm back to hockey fic, but it's one of my favorites, and one of the most emotionally beautiful pieces of writing I've ever read. It's another one of those fics that's hard to put into words (I know, because I had to ask the author for a summary, and even she had a hard time) but I summed up why I love it on the Supernova page, and I believe that's reason enough to give it a read. You'll love it, because I really adore it, as I do all of the author's work. And remember to feedback if you like it, that's the life blood of a fanfiction writer *G*.

Now that the updates are out of the way, I'm going to end this update on a ramble. First off, allow me to say THANK YOU!!! all for the last four years. You've supported me and my writing through thick and thin, from OTBOTB, to the first wrestle fic (Anything Can Happen In the WWF), to the first hockey fic (Whore of Hockeytown) all the way back to OTBOTB again, and I cannot possibly thank you enough for that. Without all of your encouragement and support, I never would've made it to a one year anniversary as a net writer. And now here I am at four years, and I really, truly owe it to all of you. You all are the reason I write; your feedback and your encouragement keeps me going, even when I'm at my most frustrated points and just want to quit all together. That support lifts me up and past those points, and it's a support that has been there from the very beginning.

I consider myself very fortunate to have the readers that I do, because you all are incredible, and have been since way back in November 2000. I know it may sound cliched every month when I say 'I love you', but I really mean it. I love and appreciate you all more than I could ever say here, you're what keeps me going. And I'm so very grateful for that, because I've imagined my life without writing before, and it sucks. I'm so fortunate, and so glad that I have you around to keep that from happening. I really do love you all, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you so much for everything, and here's to another 4 years *tips my glass*.

As always, I'll see you all next month.

Much love,
James

01:13 am

Happy Halloween!!! 31 days early *G* I love Halloween, and the monthly update time doesn't really let me say that, so I'm saying it now. Yeah, I'm strange, we know this. A Happy October is probably more appropriate, but nonetheless, I'm sticking with Happy Halloween *G*. ANYWAY though, onto the update.

I have fic for this month's update! Shocking, I know, that's happened fairly regularly lately. This month's is called Fall Into The Gap and it is written for Natalie's birthday (you can find it on the One Shot page in the Hockey Fic section.) It stars Andrew Ference of the Calgary Flames (who you will remember as June's HOTM, most recently), and Kris Beech of the Pittsburgh Penguins (pics available on the fic page) from the days when both of them were Penguins. It's a short PWP, but it's fun, and I like it, so check it out if you get a chance. And as always, feedback is much appreciated.

Second update on the block this month is the new Hottie O' the Month, and he is Shane West. Like I said on the main page, you've had to have seen him in SOMETHING, so you should already know how hot he is. Because of that, I went with a pic that wasn't the hottest I found, because I like the way he looks. He's got a sexy, smoldering "you want me" kind of thing going on, and I dig that. And like I say on the main page, I'm a sucker for a guy with a guitar. He's more than HOTM worthy, so I hope you like it, because I know damn sure that I do. With his addition, the HOTM section has been brought up to date (I hadn't done that since JUNE, I suck.)

Last but not least for the month is the new Supernova, and it's wrestle fic this month. But, before you brush it off (if wrestle fic isn't your thing) it's AU (alternate universe), so they're not wrestlers, just regular people. It's hard to put this fic into words, but I think I did a pretty decent job of it on the Supernova page, so feel free to check that out if you so choose. And feedback the author if you like it, she wrote it a long time ago, and I know personally I love feedback for stuff that I wrote years ago.

Speaking of stuff I wrote years ago, it's come to my attention recently that my "anniversary" as a writer on the net is coming up next month. Four years ago, I posted for the first time on Eroticstories.com, it's hard to believe. Especially hard to believe when I go back and read the fics I started out with *G*. I can safely say I'm a MUCH better writer nowdays. But, I still have a soft spot in my heart for those first fics (On the Banks of the Beach, First Day of School [now Petals], and Interview With a Quarterback.) So to commemorate their anniversary, I'm going to do something with one of them. I don't know yet which one, I've got a project started with each of them, actually, but I don't know which will get finished before November 1 *G*. It'd be glorious if I got ALL of them finished, but I'm realistic and accepting of my laziness, so odds are I'll have ONE done next month. It's been over 2 years since I've written Original Fiction, so it should be interesting to see what I can crank out. It's quite exciting for me to be "getting back to my roots". I started in original writing, and I kind of abandoned it in favor of fandom stuff (which I still love, don't get me wrong), but it feels good to be working with my own characters again. I'm pretty jazzed up about the whole thing, so be sure check back next month to see which one I have.

For now though, I will stop rambling (I'll save that for the Anniversary Update *G*), and let you enjoy this month's update. Remember, as always, I love and appreciate you all. I wouldn't be talking about an update without all of you, so thank you. I love you all, and I'll see you next month.

01:49 am

An update on a Wednesday, that seems so strange to me. Ah well though, it's the first of the month, thus I am required to be here giving you an update. It's small this month, back to a ficlet, the Supernova and the HOTM, but it's pretty good nonetheless. Well, the HOTM and the Supernova are, the ficlet I'm not so sure on. That comes first though, of course.

It's called Can't Take That Away and you can find that in the Short Works section. I wrote this back in February, intially as part one of a 3 part series of ficlets about goalies and what they deal with. I only got as far as 2 parts, and this was the only one that was really any good. It's just Curtis Joseph musing about what he went through this year (which if you don't know, I can't explain, look up articles), and how he kept going. I think it's pretty self explanatory for the most part though, so feel free to check it out without looking anything up. It was a good way for me to vent MY feelings on the whole situation, so chock if up to that if it offends you or pisses you off. Remember above all, it's fiction and not real, and Curtis probably doesn't really feel that way about things. But I do, so go ahead and email me if you don't like it, I appreciate the feedback good or bad.

Next on the update this week is the new Hottie Of the Month, and he is gymnast Paul Hamm. If you watched the Olympics, you know who he is. If you don't, just look at the picture and you'll understand. He's one HOTM that is more "cute" than "hot" but nonetheless he is HOTM worthy. I explain his selection pretty well on the main page, I think, but if you're still not convinced, click on over to his (and his twin brother Morgan's) site and check out more pictures. Or search Gettyimages.com (in the Editorial section) for "Paul and Morgan Hamm", the pics there are just yum.

I'm in a very Hamm place in the wake of the Olympics, and it's completely obvious of that fact because Paul (and Morgan) are in the Supernova. As you can easily guess, it's gymnast slash, which is a first for the Supernovas. But it's written by Chrissy, who is an author most of you should be familiar with by now. If you're not, go check it out, because it's stellar. Read the warnings on the page though, and click at your own discretion. No giving me or the author flack for the content, that's just not nice when there are big warnings. I love it though, and I hope you do too. Be sure to feedback if you like it, we need to get more gymnast slash in the world.

And that is the last of the updates for this update. I hope you enjoy the ficlet, and the fic, and Paul Hamm, because I know I do (especially Paul). I'll be back the first of the month again in October, with an update much like this one at the very least. Hopefully I'll have a big fic to post, but I make no promises. For now though, just know that I love you, and appreciate you and all of your support. I'll see you next month.

10:25 pm

Woohoo, two updates in a row on time, go me. I would've posted this one today no matter what I did, because it's the first of the month and the first Sunday of the month, so it was update day regardless. I don't have nearly as big an update as I had last month, just the usual stuff, but I've got a big fic, instead of the ficlet I had last month.

The fic is called The Adventure of Astro Bunny, and you can find it on the One Shot page in the hockey fic section. It's rather insane and pretty pointless PWP, but it's my first all-Columbus Blue Jackets fic (pics of the stars are linked on the page, as always). I went back to the old way I wrote smut, and tried to make this just fun and lighthearted. I think I accomplished that pretty well, so check it out. The whole fic is all about the fun, there isn't one tiny bit of seriousness in the entire thing. My "porncorn" lines as they were coined were a trademark of mine for a while there, and there are a few. So overall I think this is a better PWP than I've written in a LONG time. I hope you enjoy it, and remember feedback is always appreciated.

Second update this week, as usual is the new Hottie of the Month, and he is actor Tom Welling. You might know him from the TV show Smallville, or from the movie Cheaper by the Dozen (which is where I saw him, and thus decided to make him an HOTM.) Like I said on the mainpage, not the best pic in the world for him, but it's the best I found in my long google search. If you get a chance to see him on TV, be sure to look, because he's really much hotter in moving pictures (and probably in still pictures too, I just couldn't find anything that I liked). I hope you enjoy him too.

Rounding out the update this week is the new Supernova. I went back to X-Men fic for this week's update, and picked another fic from my favorite X-Men author The Smooth One. This fic isn't straight up slash (I know, gasp), but more of a bisexual adventure, but I still think it's awesome. I remember reading this way back when, and just loving it to bits, so when I decided I didn't want to rec a hockey fic this week, I went straight for this. Check it out if you get the chance, you definitely won't be sorry.

That's it for the big updates this month. In addition though, the Story Index has been updated to include the Adventures of Astro Bunny, and the HOTM section has been updated to include Tom Welling. That's all I have for you this month, but again I can guarantee I'll have fic for you next month (along with the HOTM and Supernova), so be sure to check back September 1. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy what I posted this month. I love and appreciate you all, and I'll see you in September.

11:54 pm

Wooo, an update on time for once! And this is a pretty good one too, at least on the site itself front. I don't bring much in the way of fiction, but soon I will be debuting a brand new series, so keep your eyes peeled for that. This week though, I only have a little ficlet. It's called Not In The Playoffs and you can find it in the Short Works section. The NHL playoffs bring out the ficlet writer in me, apparently, and that's where this came from. It's not my best work (but then again, a ficlet wouldn't be anyway), but it's fun. A summary is available on the Short Works section (which has been recolorized also, check that out here.)

After fic, as always is the new Hottie of the Month, and he is actor Simon Rex. A lot of you probably remember him from his MTV VJ days (or to a lesser extent, his porn career), but he's in Scary Movie 3 as well, and I just saw that, so he was a good choice for HOTM this month. He really is rather hot (search the net for pics if you don't believe me, see him take his shirt off and yeah, hot), and I think the pic I got is a good showcase for that. It was either that, or this really sexy pic of him shirtless in leather, and I fear Angelfire may've gotten bitchy with that. So he's clothed, but still hot. Check him out if you haven't already.

Now for the rest of the updates. As I'm sure you saw on the main page, and on this page, the site has a new background. This was year's coming, ever since Angelfire changed their Webshell and redid their images. I used a backdoor link to get the same stars background I had always had, because I was too lazy to look for/make another one. Well, Angelfire finally got around to deleting their old images, I guess, and the background disappeared. So, I made another one. And this one twinkles *G*. I thought that was a cool affect to add (thank Animation Shop), and I really do like this background more than I did the old one. It just seems to fit better to me, as it's colorful and has many different sized stars, like real stars, unlike the old background. I suspect the new one may be a little load heavy for a dial-up modem (but everything I use is cable, so I have no real way of knowing. Feedback would be much appreciated), but it looks good once it's loaded, and that's what matters *G*.

It looks good with the new layout of the links on the main page as well. I was never a huge fan of the two side menus like there was previously, I liked the menus going across, so they have returned, just a little differently than before. I'm really obsessive compulsive about leaving things the same for too long, so I can't even promise they'll stay like they are right now for very long, but I do like they way they look for now. They're still divided up by Daydream and Melt Away, but there IS one big change as far as they links go. The Supernovas have dropped down into the Melt Away menu, with the Bored Section being eliminated. Most of the content of the Bored Section was moved to the Links section (which also has been redone), and I felt that the Supernovas looked better on the Melt Away menu, once the Bored Section link was removed. The Bored Section was great while it lasted, but with as much as I neglected the site itself for a while, the Bored Section got neglected for a lot longer. And really, there are more entertaining things to do than fill out my polls when you're bored. So the Bored Section is no more. It's not a big loss.

As I mentioned up there, the links section has been redone. Nothing huge to report, just a couple of new links added, and the addition of the things that were in the Bored Section (like the Webtender drink database for example. Give those a glance when you get the chance, I still swear by everything I have linked.

That is it for the major cosmetic updates. The last few updates this week are just the bringing of the Story Index up to date with Not in the Playoffs, and the update of the HOTM section to include Simon Rex. Then as always, the Supernova is the last update on the week. It's hockey fic again this week, but it's the first time I've ever Supernova-ed a fic that was just released within the last week, so that should tell you how great it is. And again this week, it's from an artist not previously featured on the site. So give it a read, you'll enjoy it, trust me.

That's it for this month's update. I will have fic for next month's update as well, and as always a new HOTM and Supernova. Until then, keep in mind that I love and appreciate you all. I'll see you next month.

12:48 am

I think at some point I said was going to start updating on the first of the month. But then somewhere along the way I confused myself and started thinking I was supposed to update on the first Sunday of the month. Obviously the first of the month has passed, but this is the first Sunday so now I'm here. I think I'll go back to the first next month though.

Anyway, I bring with me a decent update this month. First off, as always, is new fic. This one is called More Than I Can Say and you can find it on the One Shot page in the Hockey Fic section. As explained on both pages, this is my response to the remix challenge that was issued to the hockey fandom. I remixed The Nearness of You by Natalie, and you can find that linked on both pages mentioned above. That's one of my favorite fics of Natalie's, and I tried my best to do it justice with my remix. I like to think I did, as I really do enjoy this fic, so give them both a read. And remember as always, feedback of any kind is much appreciated.

Second update is the new Hottie Of the Month. And he is Andrew Ference of the Calgary Flames, as I'm sure you saw on the Main Page. The boy is smoking hot, it's pretty hard to deny that, especially in the pic I have posted. Don't judge him by what you see on TV, if you've been watching the Stanley Cup playoffs this season that is, because the scraggly playoff beard just doesn't work for him. Just look at the pic on the main page, or click on the link provided, because that's what he looks like normally, and what he looks like normally is quite yummy.

Last update as always is the new Supernova. Back to hockey fic this week, but it's damn good hockey fic from an author not previously featured in the Supernovas, so go check it out, as it's awesome and you definitely won't be disappointed. That's all I have for you this month, except to say that the Story Index has been brought up to date with the posting of MTICS. So I will see you next month, with a guaranteed update as I have some fic ready to be finished between now and July 1. Remember in the meantime, I love and appreciate you all. See you in July.

02:53 am

How badly do I suck, let me count the ways. I think April was the first month in a LONG time, perhaps ever, that I didn't at least update SOMETHING on the site. I didn't even look at the site the entire month, that's horrible for me. But, I just didn't have the motivation to do so, without anything to really post. I'm not going to make excuses, I was just lazy. I hope you can forgive me, because I've got a rather decent update for you this month.

Starting things off, like always, is new fic. Though this month it's not really "Fic" persay, more like Ficlet-let, or a drabble in sensical words. For those of you that don't know, a drabble is a work of fiction limited to 100 words. Quite honestly I feel that they are the hardest things to write, so you probably won't see too many of them from me (you know I've never been good with short fics anyway), but I've written a couple, one of which is now posted in the Short Works section. I'm a bitch and linked you to the Short Works section right there so as to show off the cheesy banner I made for the drabble page. The page itself might look familiar to you long time visitors, it's the same exact template that the What's New section used to be wayyyy back when *G*. Since drabbles are so short, doing sort of a notebook like theme for their page seemed to be a good idea to me, so I hope you enjoy it. I don't expect feedback for the drabbles, but it would certainly be greatly appreciated if you wanted to send some, like always. But there's no nifty feedback button for those, so you'd have to do it the hard way *G*.

The next update I have for you this week is the remodeling of the Hockey Fic page. I don't honestly know what brought this about, I just kinda decided at random one day to do it, and I did, as you can see here. The banners are sorta plain, but they're too the point, and I enjoy them, but I don't deny that they may change in the future. It's a rather simple change, just grouping the Series and One Shot fics on their own page, but I think overall it makes things look better, and the Hockey Fic index isn't as graphic heavy now, without all the invidiual logos to load before each fic. The logos of course remain at the top of the page (reorganized to reflect my 1-30 feelings of the NHL teams at this current time), and before the One Shot fics on their page, but the Series page features the banners for each series (which does include Confessions, keep in mind). And while speaking of Confessions, it DOES have its own banner now, and you can check that out on the Confessions page. I really like it, for it being something I threw together in about 15 minutes earlier today *G*. I hope you feel the same. And please, feel free to contact me if the new layout of things is too confusing, or you just don't like it. Like I said, this isn't something I'm entirely set on, I just decided to do it at random. I hope you like it though.

The next update this week is the new Supernova. This is probably one of my All Time favorite fics this week, as well as the one that inspired me to start writing here on the net, so do check it out, it's stellar.

And the last update this week is the new Hottie of the Month, and he is furniture mogul Eric Villency. Like I say on the main page, I don't know much about him, but hello hot *G*. He used to be a model at one point, but good luck finding more pics of him, because I searched all over hell and found like two. I love the one I've posted though, so give that a glance if you haven't already.

This would be the point where I'd promise new fic, and another update next month, but I'm not going to make it, in case I don't wind up doing any of that next month *G*. All I will say is that I will try, and as I'm participating in a challenge currently, I should have new fic next month. And with it being spring time now, let's home I'm not quite as lazy, and will actually update the easy things to do like the Supernova and the HOTM. I've got a month to get prepared for it, so we'll see *G*. Until then, remember that I love and appreciate you all. Thank you for all your emails of support over the past month, that's what keeps me going as a writer. Love you guys so much, and I'll see you next month (hopefully *crosses fingers*).

09:09 pm

Wow, it has been quite a while since I've done a proper update. I can't apologize enough for letting that happen. Things got a little crazy for me for a while there, and the site got majorly neglected, along with my writing. I just didn't have the time every week to update, and I'm not sure that I will really have the time again any time soon. That's why I've decided to make the site update once a month from now on. Effective next month, the update will be on the first of the month, from now until the time when my life is a little less hectic. But to make up for the loss of 3 other updates in a month, I'm going to try to make the one update extra good. At the very least, every month will bring a new Supernova and a new Hottie of the Month. And hopefully every month I'll be able to bring fic. I can't make promises, of course, but I'm sure as hell going to try. This month, at the very least, I do bring fic for the update.

And that fic is the second chapter of The One, FINALLY, entitled "Do I Wanna Let It Pass Me By?". I'm really liking this chapter, I feel it goes a long way in further establishing the characters and setting up for what happens in the future two chapters. And this one has a bit more fun than the prologue and the first chapter have, which I think makes this one a better read than the others. So check it out, and remember, as always, feedback is appreciated. Especially with this fic, I think it's shaping up to be my best.

As for the other updates this week, there is the new Supernova. And the new Hottie of the Month, as clearly seen on the main page. He is Justin Hartley from the TV show Passions. I've never actually seen that show, but I needed an HOTM, and my friend showed me his pic. He certainly qualifies, so it works. I hope you enjoy him, and if not, help me out with suggestions because I'm so running out of HOTM ideas *G*.

This update was incredibly lame saying as it's been two months since I've updated here. But, I've said everything I needed to, and anything short of rambling on like an idiot couldn't make it any longer. So, in short, I hope you enjoy the fic, and the new HOTM, and of course the Supernova, which I LOVE. And remember that I also love and appreciate you all, and all of the support you've given me over the years. Any questions or comments you have about the new updating system, feel free to email me. Until then, I'll see you on April Fools day for our next update.

07:46 pm

Hola everyone. Just a small update this week. The new Supernova is up, and I HIGHLY recommend you check this one out. It's Hockey Fic this week, but this fic is SO good that anyone who appreciates good writing should just love it. I can't say enough good things about it, so just give it a read and see for yourself. You will not be disappointed, this I swear.

That's all I have for you this week. Next week, however, I should have a new fic, I'm just waiting for it to get back to me from my beta reader. It'll be short and smutty, but I'm trying to get back to basics as far as writing goes, and that's how I started writing fic to begin with *G*. I should have that up next week, but if I don't, as always you can find out why here. Until then, remember that I love and appeciate you all. I'll see you next week.

02:34 am

It's been quite a while since I've updated the site, and for that I apologize. December just was not a very good month for me. It was quite busy with work committments, and personal life things, so it was easy to just ignore the site. I really am sorry, the creation of the Supernovas was so I NEVER went more than a week without an update, and instead I go an entire month. Oh how I suck *G*. But I'm back now, and things are a little more calm, so I should be good with updating at the very least the Supernova every week.

I've set some realistic goals for myself for the coming year, writing wise. I've went through a lot of stages, as far as writing goes in the past few years. When I first started, I could crank out a couple fics a month, if I really applied myself. And they were all usually (at least in those days) what I considered quality work. Then the next year, as I grew more with my writing style, I could get out one GOOD fic a month, and that was fine with me. Then came fandom writing, and with it came so much extra motivation, and an insane workload that I shoved onto myself. There were times when I could get 3 or 4 fics out in a WEEK, and still be relatively satisfied with them. Most of the chapters of Captive Heart were written like that, along with random other PWPs, or ficlets, or one shot deals. I kept up a good pace for a little while there, but by the time all was said and done, I was so beyond burned out. I forced myself to keep going though, and I was still able to crank out some fic I'm especially proud of in the aftermath of that (The Long Goodbye, The One, a few others), but other than that, everything has been what I wouldn't consider stellar by my insanely high standards, and I don't like that. Somewhere along the way, I slipped into "Quantity over quality", and that is just not who I am as a writer. I'm not the type that can write on a deadline, and yet I tried to make myself. That didn't create much good work, so I'm not doing it anymore. I'm going back to the much better system of one good fic a month. If more comes, and it's up to my standards, then good deal. But I'm only shooting for one a month. That's a very realistic goal, as far as I'm concerned. I've done it before, I don't see a reason why I can't do it again. But we'll see, with the way I've gone in the last few months. Keep your eyes peeled.

As for this update, I have a couple minor things. First off, the new Supernova is posted. It's hockey fic this week, and it's much with the yum, so give it a glance when you get the chance. Then, there is the new Hottie of the Month, as I'm sure you saw on the main page, and he is actor Desmond Harrington. I just saw the movie Wrong Turn recently, and he's in it, so now he's the HOTM, it's as simple as that. I quite enjoy him, so I hope you do too. But that's all I have for updates this week, sadly enough. I will check back next week though, and here is hoping that I actually have fic done by then. In the meantime, remember that I love and appreciate you all, and I'll see you next week.

06:38 am

Hey there. I have a fairly sizeable update this week, if you can believe that. I'll start off this week with fic yet again (two weeks in a row, what excitement *G*). This week is just a ficlet though, entitled Paper Airplanes and it stars Rick Nash and Dan Fritsche of the Columbus Blue Jackets. It's just a cute little ficlet in commemoration of Dan's first NHL goal. The Paper Airplanes title is a theme throughout the fic, and certainly one of the more clever things I've ever done, so check it out if you get the chance. No picture of Dan up yet, but I'm working on it. Probably next week, with the holidays this weekend, I didn't have a whole lot of time to go searching. I'll get one though, I promise.

The second update this week is the minor makeover the site has received. I called them major last week, but judging by the standards of the last few major updates, these ones are very minor. As I'm sure you saw on the main page, the site has a new banner. Or I guess rather, it finally has a REAL banner. The old text just wasn't cutting it for me, it was fine for The X Zone, but it just didn't fit Underneath the Stars. So I set out to make a banner, and I like the one I have. That is a picture of the Northern Lights, which really worked with the whole Underneath the Stars theme. I really like that picture, because you can faintly see the stars in the light, and it blends well with the page background. And the font on it really worked well. And of course with that font being on the banner now, I had to change the text headings for the Daydream and Melt Away headers, and I think those look much better than the old way. And rounding out the changes, the counter has been moved to the bottom of the page, as opposed to the top where it has resided for the last couple years. I really like the way everything looks now, but I'm forever tweaking, and stuff may change again before you know it. So keep your eyes peeled *G*.

And the last update this week is the new Supernova. It's one of my all-time favorite fics this week, by one of my all-time favorite artists, so be sure to give it a glance. If you like smut, you will love that, I guarantee. But that is all I have for you this week. I hope you like the new fic, and the new banner, and the Supernova. As always, I will check back next Friday, and remember in the meantime that I love and appreciate you all. Until next week.