The Tribe of The Big Round Bellies

Once the Wedding Vows has been taken care of the next thing your woman will start hinting is that it is time for you to start a family.

You might try to suggest a dog would be a perfect match - how about helping out a lovely creature from the animal shelter? Well if that does not work out I guess that you have to start reading up on immaculate conception or perhaps just get your ass down to the local hardware store ... or wherever you go to get your cooking utensils ... 'cos you will be needing a Turkey Baster!

On the other hand when I think about it all the fan fic's I've read featuring a pregnant woman I can't say that I've ever come across any Turkey Basters or the likes, so I guess that there are other ways to get the deed done?!  

Now settle down and let me run through the stories with a pregnant protagonist and let's see if there are any turkeys running loose.

Usually the conception in question is quite natural - if I may say so - as in Man and Woman get close and rather personal. Now don't shoot me - I'm only en innocent bystander telling you what I've read (!) If you don't believe me then look up "Strings Attached" by Inyx. I don't think that it gets more natural than an awful lot of alcohol and an one night stand! With Inyx it's the getting up close and personal with your room mate / (girl)friend of seven years that might prove a bit difficult. Look up the review if you want to know the details.

You still don't believe me ? Ok then try "An Innocent Heart" by Heike Freudenmann and G. S. Binkley. This time it's not an one night stand but a steady - but soon-to-be ex-boyfriend -  that does the deed and puts Kim in a family way! So where do we go from here ? Will Kim be "doing the right thing" and make up with her ex or can she pursue a life as a single mother.... I think that her childhood friend Robin will help her make up her mind - look up a review here.

Luckily enough even devious boyfriends like Tucker Dane's Steve in Larisa's "Blue Calm", who sets out to get Tucker to marry him by getting her pregnant by "accident", can put into motion a change that will give us a lovely f/f romance and the start of a happy family of two mothers. Well in the case of Tuckers new love - Duncan - you might wonder if it's just the luck of genes of if she herself - Duncan that is - "fathered" the child 'cos Tuckers baby daughter looks an awful lot like our Dunk!

If you are "into" devious boyfriends you could also look up Terri, who ends up staying with the wealthy Noemi while she carries her child to term, and if you want to know how that happened and if Terri is going to move on when the baby is borne, you'll have to look up Katia Ruiz's story "Noemi" for your self.

I can think of just one more story where the expecting mother got pregnant the natural way and that's "When We Met" by B. Soiree. As I remember its an awful long story that takes you through the hardship of pregnancy and setting up family life with a newborn baby, but don't worry there is still a little time for romance now and then.     

Now if you are looking to get pregnant with a little help from a very good friend and a doctor you could look up "A Place to Dance" by Ali Vali. This time "the getting pregnant thing" is very well planed, but there is still the small question of putting the news to your partner.... It's really not as odd as it might sound and "A Place to Dance" is a favourite of mine so don't hesitate to look it up if you have the urge for a good romance.  

While we are on the question of favourites I might as well mention "All That Matters" by SX Meager. I know that this is another very long story, but that can't be helped as SX Meager is the master of the long winded romance. Should you have the time then look in on the life of Blair and her husband David who is out looking to have a bit of help with the "getting pregnant thing", which lands Blair with a divorce and on the road to become a single mother (!) ... you might ask how that happens and as you can imagine I won't tell you! I will however let you know that Blair has a very supportive - and surprise - lesbian friend Kylie who lends the pregnant Blair a helping hand when she leaves David. Look up the women while Blair is carrying her child to term and see if Blair is lucky enough to score the "girlfriend" job with Kylie.

You still haven't got enough of all the round bellies getting bigger and bigger and .. ? ... ok then look up Keegan and follow her as she is carrying her child to term as a single mother... hm you want some romantic action as well - don't worry Keegans former girlfriend Gwen is around and she is trying hard to persuade Keegan that what she should take a chance on love, and I ask you who can say no to an offer like that when it's put forward by "America's Sweetheart" ?

If you think that children are a great part of the equation of love and romance then look up the list of stories that I've put together in Listmania or my ramble on this topic. 

Ramble - Soccer, Pictures and ...

From The Big Picture at Boston.com

Its not like Soccer is a big theme in the world of f/f fan fic so if you want to play ball you are much better off if you pick a basketball or perhaps a softball for you entertainment. 

On the other hand it seems that the Women's World Cup - which just took place in Germany - has produced an amble amount of pic's displaying fit women taking part in ball games so I thought ... why not share a link.

If you want to look in on the fighting in The World Cup you could look up The Big Picture at Boston.com. While you are there you might want to take a look at the pic's from Pride or on a quite different note ... pic's form The World's Most Dangerous Countries for Women ... I'm warning you this last group of pic's is not a pretty sight to see.

While we are on the  subject of pictures you might want to know that Sarah Waters' "The Night Watch" has made it from page to screen, but judging from the review posted at AfterEllen.com it's not a TV adaptation quite as successful as "Tipping the Velvet" or "Fingersmith".

Further on Sarah Waters .... you can catch a few of her suggestions for your summer reading posted on AfterEllen.com if you follow this link. I for one will put J. Courtney Sullivan's "Main" on my "to do list" - I really did enjoy her first novel "Commencement" featuring the lives and love of four women grads from Smiths College.

As this ramble started with a picture I think that I ought to leave you with yet another link to pictures you can explore try dykestowatchoutfor.com and don't worry I'm not sending you off to look up dirty pic's. This is Alison Bechdel's website exploring her comic strip "Dykes To Watch Out For" - if you like comics  you can search the free archive for strips.

So why this ramble ? Well I'm really not a soccer fan - never could understand why 2 times 11 women would run around for ONE ball ?? ... Give the girls something to play with !! No I'm not thinking that kind of balls ..... !!! So again why the ramble ? Well actually as an excuse to point you in the direction of "America's Sweetheart" yet again. This fic feature a couple of ex-soccer players - one even an Olympian.

I know you probably just finished the fic as I mentioned in my last ramble ;-) If you did like it you might want to let the author know ? You can find a mail address for Catherine Burk in the comment to the story. I hope that all your appreciative mails might lure CB into finishing and posting a new fic for us !

If Soccer is not your game - you can find a few other sports themed fic's on the Listmania page among others "The Deal" by M. Ryan. This is a real gem even if golf is not your sport. The romance is great and you might even find the added theme on the life of women in Newsbizz catching.

And to leave you with a little something .... you might take Pride in this ... they do seem to have fun!

Boston.com from Athens Pride

Ramble - Revisiting Old Friends!

Do you ever get tired of exploring new territory ? Meeting new people ? Do you sometimes just long to wander around all the safe haunts ... to go to that place by the river you know is so tranquil, to have a drink at the café that you know serves the best coffee, to meet up with the friend you know will make you laugh and kick your butt because you need it ... again!

In RL we can't always lounge around in the safe places, we have to venture out into the unknown, be daring, try our hands at things that we don't know if we can do, but in the world of fan fiction we don't have to be daring all the time. Sometimes we can just sit back with an old favourite fic and enjoy a good read - no harm in that! Let someone else struggle with all the new stories for a little while.

If you feel the inclination to visit with a few of my old friends from the mushy part of the uber fan fiction universe feel free to join me as is ramble down memory lane .....

This time my ramble takes off in Michigan with Keegan the pregnant ex-soccer player who still has a flame burning for her former partner Gwen "America's Sweetheart". However much I think that even expecting mothers should keep up with their exercises this is not about exercise or sport for that matter, but a mushy romance that will show us that it's possible to win back the love of your life if you are willing to risk your heart - and I guess that some things or rather some women are worth a bit of a risk.

Hmm I just realized that I never put "America's Sweetheart" on the Top10 page - what a miss - even with some rough spots in the dramatic parts of the storyline - this is a gem - if you like mushy romance.

If mushy romance wont satisfy your cravings you might want to wander down a little dark side street .... this is where you'll find the mushy romance with an erotic twist or maybe it's the other way around ... erotica with a romantic twist?? Anyway don't read these stories at work .... never did understand why anyone would take time out to read fan fiction during office hours - sorry I have high work ethics .. perhaps be course I love what I do?? 

"Caution: Under Construction" .... don't worry this is not an unfinished fic but an extra long and well crafted story by Vertigo sporting the ultimate butch construction worker Sheridan, her rather undisciplined dogs and a long legged brunette Keefer that proves to be just the thing Sheridan needs to quit her habit of playing ladies for one night stands. The women are sweet, the romance mushy and the sex scenes plentiful!

If you are still struggling to keep warm take a few step farther down the little dark street and look up Wilder and her long time friend Darcy while they take an almost scientific approach to establishing whether sex with a woman is more pleasurable than with a man. You might take a guess at the outcome before you look up "Unlimited Sexual Favours".

Let's move back up toward the main street where the light is better and the atmosphere less steamy ! This time lets knock on Delaney's door, she is a player like Sheridan, the butch construction worker from Vertigo's "Caution: Under Construction", and like Sheridan she has a soft heart under her tough exterior, but it's well hidden and even her friends aren't quite sure that she has one. The woman to teach Delaney to play by a new tune is Hannah. A sweet woman who needs a friend and certainly shouldn't be used for an one night stand, but that's all Delaney is about isn't it ? If you want to know what made Hannah vulnerable and how Delaney tackles the new challenge then look up "Endgame" by Meghan O'Brien.

The view is even better if we aim for high ground or perhaps even the summit of Kilimanjaro. If you feel like taking a real hike whiles relaxing on the sofa then venture out with Mary Kate when she decides to follow her dream of trekking to the top of the Kilimanjaro. This is not just an adventure but turns out to be a well crafted romance when Kristin joins the trekking party on "The Road from Kilimanjaro".

I have several "old friends" that I revisit from time to time, the above mentioned fic's are just the one's I have revisited recently. If you want to know a bit more about the stories mentioned before you venture out for a first time visit then look up the reviews by way of the author tags. 

I would love to know if you have a favourite story that you revisit from time to time - maybe I've missed out on something ;-)

Game, Set and Match by Ali Vali aka A. Valdivia

For some the World Cup (football / soccer) is the focus of attention right now, others might spend time watching the Wimbledon tennis tournament and some - like I - am waiting for the cyclist of The Tour de France to get on their bikes and pedal out of Rotterdam in The Netherlands on July 3rd.

If you get tired of watching the sports on TV, you might want to take a little time with a (fan) fic touching on a sport theme. So I invite you to pick your favourite game on the list below and to relax while you “watch” the ladies work out!

How about starting off with a game of field hockey ? If you like this game or if you are just curious as to what it’s all about, you might look up “The Player” and join Gil and Emma while they play the game and get to know each other – review.

Should field hockey not be to you liking, you could look in on "America's Sweetheart" by Catherine Burke a sweet romance written on the backdrop of women’s soccer in the US (review).

If golf is your sport – you can stop by “The Deal” by M. Ryan (review) in this story you’ll be treated to an almost play by play run through of the game, while you follow Kaz’s in the world of News.

“The road from Kilimanjaro” (review) might be somewhat off a strict sports theme, but if you are not too keen on chasing after a ball you might like to go hiking up the mountain slops of Mt. Kilimanjaro or journey along on a safari with KG MacGregor, while Mary Kate and Kristine get acquainted or perhaps you would rather join Ryan and Jamie on a bike ride in the “Beginning” of their rather long relationship in SX Meagher’s ”I Found My Heart in San Francisco” series – by the way - you’ll find plenty of sports played out in this series as Ryan is a real sports jock (review).

“Blue Calm” by Larisa will give you a touch of the atmosphere on the beaches of Hawaii while Tucker learns to navigate the waves on a surfboard and Dunk takes her last win in the Pipe Master Competition (review).

Finally I’ll leave you on Centre Court with Parker King and her racket as she whacks the ball and let it fly past the player on the other side of the net to win the women’s singles final in Wimbledon. Parker is the “bad girl” of the tennis world – dating and discarding women as “just another notch in my lipstick case” (That’s a new one … I think?) and it’ll take a transatlantic flight and a disastrous - but funny - meeting with a blond pilot to changes Parkers lifestyle.

Emily - the blond pilot in question - on the other hand takes her love life serious. Returning from a three weeks stretch of transatlantic flights she meets Gail - her partner of three years – for a short vacation at a rented beach house to reconnect, but this is just another disaster waiting to happen as Gail’s long time habit of drinking becomes unbearable.

Luckily enough it turns out that Parker resides next door to the beach house that Emily rents and I guess that that is all the invitation needed to start Parker and Emily off on the road toward friendship and perhaps, who knows something more. Hey don’t get too excited – you’ll have to watch the ladies work through some misunderstandings before they can walk the path laid out, but that’s just the way it is in romantic fiction !

Ali Vali has penned a number of stories among these “A place to dance” which is the one I like best, but “Game, Set and Match” is a nice romance with a sprinkle of drama and a bit of funny dialogue that’ll keep you well entertained. Just bear in mind that Ali Vali has a tendency to be a little lax with the editing, which might be slightly confusing at times.

In case you are wondering - I do know that you can find a ton of (fan) fic’s on the theme of women’s basketball. I might get around to do a list of basketball fics later – perhaps when the indoor season knocks on the door again.

America's Sweetheart by Catherine Burke

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue – no sorry we’re definitely not preparing for a marriage ceremony or the likes - not for the first couple of hundred pages anyway. But we are in for a story along one of the oldest – but I guess eternal – storylines, the one of love lost and found. Furthermore we do have a new setting for the story, as we are touching on a sports theme and ,for once, it’s not basketball or softball but women’s soccer and in the US of all places. If you want borrowed I guess you’ll have to look closely at the characters and see for yourself if they are original or not.

And as for blue, well I would say that Gwen is blue. The All American Sweetheart was left by her lover of 3 years – Keegan – just as they and the American women's soccer team was to begin the Olympic Games – no explanation whatsoever. Five years later after the finish of her career in soccer and on her way to a new life in the sports commentating business, Gwen is still thinking of Keegan… and who wouldn’t be as she seems like the perfect girl – don’t they all?!

Still clueless about the reason why Keegan left her, Gwen has moved on with her life and then again, not really. She hasn’t found a satisfying relationship but hides in a semi-closet with her friend Bob - a star hockey player - as a cover. The two of them put on a good show of dating and being in love, but when Bob is traded to a club in Michigan, Gwen’s life is thrown up in the air.

In Michigan, Keegan lives alone and has just decided to get back intothe business of dating, which is just a little bit surprising as she is also 12 weeks pregnant, but I guess that a ready made full family packages could appeal to some. This is the situation when Gwen rides into town to do a publicity event and decides to get in touch with Keegan. From here you are on your own … keep your eyes on the ball and follow through.

I found “America's Sweetheart” a good read, regardless of the fact that the author goes a bit overboard in describing the wickedness of Gwen’s mother. I know it’s fiction but sometimes a storyline is better of with a sort of understated drama and angst instead of the grand fireworks. The story of how Gwen connects with Keegan again is well crafted, and a nice gallery of family and friends supplies little twists and side stories that lend substance to the novel. So, all in all, a story worth your time.

I’ve followed up on the author to see if she posted another fic, and she did. Catherine Burke just recently finished posting "With All of My Heart" at The Athenaeum but, please, don’t waste your time on the new story until it’s been through a serious bunch of beta readers who can help smooth out the rough spots in the storyline and do a lot of much needed editing. In my opinion this story was just posted too soon, as I do believe that the author has the skills to turn out a good romance yet again.