The Reading Room - A look back at our beginnings

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

A Single Blue Tongue of Flame by carabele was the first story posted for our initial event, the Groundhog Day Challenge.  For the next few weeks the Reading Room will be taking a look back at the stories that opened up our comm and defined who we are within the MFU sites here on LJ.  We're about writing, and offering a steady calendar of opportunities for those who want to write and those who enjoy reading the results.  We've grown and learned from the process and each other.  I think that's a really good thing.
A Single Blue Tongue of Flame

Zaporoche~ an Illya backstory ~ chapter 6

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

link to chapter 5: :http://section7mfu.livejournal.com/225696.html






 At the end of his first lesson, Illya stroked the horse, talking softly to Grom and feeding him a carrot or two as he brushed  him down.

"See," Mykola said, "You have become one with him. He looks into your eyes, see. Return his gaze, let him know you are in charge, but are still his friend. There is no greater feeling than being in touch with your horse and he with you...except that of being with your woman, and seeing your son born."

"Thank you Ivan Petrovich, I will have to take your word on the other things, but yes, there is nothing I can compare to riding this horse. It is like he is in my head, and I can feel his thoughts as well."

"You haven't had a woman? How is this possible for a handsome fellow such as yourself?" Ivan half laughed at him as he slapped his thighs.

( Read more... )

( Link to Chapter 7 here )

The Randomness of Life~ Chapter 25 for a Little Drabble do Ya Wednesday

[mlaw]

 




  Prompted by: Witch-Wife ~ Edna St. Vincent Millay

And her mouth on a valentine.

Her lips were so soft, so desirable when we kissed. They were mine or so I thought the times when I was able to see her, my Marion.

Yet there was something in her eyes, it was distant. She was lost someplace else when we made love.  

I gave her all I could.

.

Or steps leading into the sea.

I would watch her walking in the sand as the waves would gently roll in, stealing her footprints away as though they had never existed.

“Illya,” she would whisper, reaching her hand to me, sometimes I would grasp hers.  I sensed something was wrong, but she would not say it.

.

And she never will be all mine.

I think back now, and should have guessed why she said good bye. What I had to give her was not enough.

 

Marrying her had many risks of leaving her a young widow... and what if there were children?

No, Marion was never meant to be mine, nor I hers. Sigh.

Solo~for Picfic Tuesday 1/22

[mlaw]

 Warning, some angst and torture.


He woke up with his wrists bound, dangling on a hook hanging from the low rafters in a dimly lit stucco hovel, his vision was blurry, and his head   pounded from whatever he'd been drugged with; he was only too familiar with the after effects of THRUSH drugs. The air around him was heavy with humidity and was permeated with the musty odor of moldy straw and palm fronds, no doubt coming from the primitive roof. There was a metal table standing nearby, with grisly looking implements all lined up in a row on top of it, and beside it on the dirt floor was a brazier filled with red-hot coals and an iron rod smoldering among them.

This wasn't the first time he'd been in such a precarious position, but at least he had been on assignment when it happened. This time he'd been on a beach relaxing and doing some reading, laying in a lounge chair wearing nothing but a pair of black bathing trunks and soaking up some sun. Sunbathing wasn't his favorite pastime, but the breeze coming off the Pacific ocean made it comfortable.

HIs plans for the afternoon had included some scuba-diving, but apparently that wasn't going to be the case....

( Read more... )

Napoleon Hood and his merry agents~ for PicFic Tuesday 1/29

[mlaw]

 


A group of Section II agents were gathered at training site at a remote location in central New Jersey, part of a Naval Weapons Station, located along the bayshore and a place UNCLE would often use for training purposes.

The station was divided into two sections of the base were connected by a military road and rail line, both patrolled regularly by Military Police. Public access to the area was by special permit only as the waterfront pier on the bay was where military munitions were off-loaded and disposed of. It was rumored nuclear weapons were handled there as well.

The remote outdoor facilities were made available to UNCLE by the US Navy for use by their agents for interim training, rather than sending them off to the secret facility on Survival island in the South Pacific.  On this occasion, the agents were practicing the use of a very old fashioned weapon, the bow and arrow in an outdoor setting rather than using the indoor range at head quarters.
( Read more... )

Zaporoche~an Illya backstory~ chapter 5

[mlaw]

 link to chapter 4: http://section7mfu.livejournal.com/223039.html

 

Yuli Borisovich removed his hat, and put his bandura down on top of its case, he looked to the elders seated on either side of him and there was much discussion among them.

Standing beside the elders was a man wearing a white lambswool Cossack style hat, dressed in a colorful jacket. He watched Illya's every move, and was presumably a body-guard.

The elders asked Illya questions, being leery of a Russian, until Illya spoke of Father Demya. They seemed to react well to that information and after what seemed an eternity, it was finally agreed upon teaching the young Russian. The way Illya spoke of the priest as well as Zaparoche on the island of Hortitsa were what won them over.

( Read more... )

Zaporoche~an Illya backstory~ chapter 6

[mlaw]

 link to chapter 5: :http://section7mfu.livejournal.com/225696.html






 At the end of his first lesson, Illya stroked the horse, talking softly to Grom and feeding him a carrot or two as he brushed  him down.

"See," Mykola said, "You have become one with him. He looks into your eyes, see. Return his gaze, let him know you are in charge, but are still his friend. There is no greater feeling than being in touch with your horse and he with you...except that of being with your woman, and seeing your son born."

"Thank you Ivan Petrovich, I will have to take your word on the other things, but yes, there is nothing I can compare to riding this horse. It is like he is in my head, and I can feel his thoughts as well."

"You haven't had a woman? How is this possible for a handsome fellow such as yourself?" Ivan half laughed at him as he slapped his thighs.

( Read more... )

The polls are closed.

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

We asked the question: Do you comment?  View the results here
Please understand that the following is an editorial response.  I love entitlement.
In a nutshell, most people comment in order to encourage, while a portion feel that only the most exceptional story deserves commendation.  Considering how few stories garner remarks throughout LJ and beyond, most of us are, apparently, falling short of that mark.  I'm not sure if that viewpoint encourages writers to do better or simply shrug and walk away.  It is, in the end, a good thing that the key impetus for writing is the enjoyment of getting a story told, regardless of who else enjoys it.  Brava to the bold.
Many feel that a Kudos button would be helpful 'sometimes', but several are vehemently opposed.  Don't push the button if you hate the story.  
My mother had a friend when I was growing up, and she had an interesting sense of humor.  I recall one of her stories: When confronted with a couple's new infant, who was according to her narrative definitely not cute, she simply replied, "well, that's a baby!".
Perhaps we need a button to convey that same response.  I believe the parents were still proud of their accomplishment, and none the wiser.

Reminder: QuoteME Challenge

[carabele.livejournal.com]

This is just a reminder that the first challenge in the new QuoteME series here on section7mfu kicks off later in this month of February. So stretch those fingers and get to typing those tales!

The guidelines for QuoteME: Challenge 1 can be found here.

Reminder: QUOTEME Challenge

[carabele]

This is just a reminder that the first challenge in the new QUOTEME series here on section7mfu kicks off later in this month of February. So stretch those fingers and get to typing those tales!

The guidelines for QUOTEME: Challenge 1 can be found here.

Once In Love With Amy

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

Who is Napoleon's Aunt Amy?  She is mentioned once in the Return Movie as the benefactress who leaves Napoleon the penthouse apartment.  Other than that, she's all in our imaginations.  Mine came up with this, first as a little Christmas offering, but now I think a limited series.  So, here are the first and second episodes of Once In Love With Amy.
~~~~~:

Once In Love With Amy 

 And So It Begins...



( Read more... )