What Women Want

Some women might want Mel Gibson !? If that is the case then a few hours with "What Women Want" - The movie ;-) - might be the thing, but maybe your interests lie elsewhere ?

Judging from the statistics on Fan Fiction Reader's Corner "What f/f Readers Want" is this:

A story with a "Women Who Went West" theme preferably penned by B L Miller or Ann McMan and if that's not on offer they will take on a story with "White Coats, Warm Hands and Wondrous Hearts" - the theme where you find all the doctors and nurses milling around the ER.   

I prefer the "White Coats" to the "Gun belts and Horse saddles" ... maybe I'm just not getting the "leather" thing ? Anyway there are amble chance to pursue both lines of interest in the fan fiction universe. If you need guidance look up the theme section in "Listmania".

On this note I might say that "Listmania" is the most used feature on this site followed closely by the "Top 10s". So I'm thinking that maybe I ought to put a bit more time in on tuning up these pages in the future ... well we will see.

Now back to the statistics ... ok I know it is a boring theme ..... but you are free to skip this post ... if you are still with me it is by choice, so there is really no reason for you to complain!

It is really not surprising that "Jericho" by Ann McMan is placed third on the list of post most read at The Corner. I think that this story and pen are among the best liked new stories/pens that has emerged recently. Well "Denial" by Omega13 might be in a close run with "Jericho" I just haven't reviewed it at The Corner - it's a loooong story.

What I find more surprising is the fact that B L Millers and Verda Fosters story "Graceful Waters" is not only the second most used google search that brings readers to The Corner, the post I wrote on this story is also the second most read post on the site. 

Why the surprise ? Well among B L Millers stories I prefer "Crystals Heart" to "Graceful Waters" as I think Crystals Heart" has a stronger storyline and further B L Millers stories are not recently written they are like what ... 10 years old? The stories hold their own even after this time, but I'm surprised that the stories are still so well known and sought after. 

Well the reason for the many searches for "Graceful Waters" might be that the story is no longer that easy to find as it has been taken offline, but I've used some of my "Tools of the Trade" tips to find a still working link and posted that with my review.

While we are on the note of B L Miller, I might mention to those of you who prefer the Western themed stories that B L Miller and Verda Foster penned "The Western Chronicles" sporting a good hearted gunsling and a young women in a bit of a bend. You might like to follow their journey towards ... well they are travelling towards a safe place, but they are also working on the romance thing, so I guess that they have a somewhat dual goal, but are that not what this is all about ... setting out in one direction and picking up something wonderful on the way ?  

To get back on track - What This Woman Wants from her online LesFic reading is mushy romance, in a contemporary setting, with a strong storyline, a few well developed characters and if the writer throws in some humor and a well crafted dialog .... then I am pleased ;-) I guess that I might be a bit demanding when you take into account that I'm talking free online fiction, but I'm allowed to wish  - am I not?

I do actually get what I want now and again - look up the "Top Ten" page or the stories with **** or  *** stars - they qualify as really good reads.

And no I still haven't been doing much reading lately, but I did stop by for a reread of two of my favourite online fic's recently. You might want to look them up if you have the time: 

• "The Harvest" by G. E. Birch qualifies as a TOP TEN mushy read - it's a "Jumping the Fence" kind of story with the necessary angsty parts on the road towards happy ending

• "Rumors" by Badsquirrel is an old time favourite - you wont find a softer, all butch woman than Kelly anywhere - don't miss this story - its romance and humour in a will written combination.

Blazing Dreams by Larisa

Are you into construction workers and the likes? You know the strong butch woman with powerful forearms, muscular thighs and perhaps a stocky build, the women who are really soft at heart when you get past the tough exterior? Well if you are then you have amble chance to meet a woman of your heart in the world of f/f fan fiction.

You might already know some of my favourite characters in this genre - how about Sheridan in Vertigo’s “Caution: Under Construction”*, she is not only good at putting up drywall but also an imaginative lover, or Branson in Larisa’s “Phantom”*, who looses her heart to a farmer.

Actually you’ll find a huge number of these big softies in the stories by Larisa, like Taylor the cement truck driver in “Kicking and Screaming”* who will win a toaster own and the heart of a rather confused straight woman, Rouge from “Rough Warrior” who comes to the rescue with her strange truck when Taylor needs a friend, or Ed in “Haunted Past” who mourns the loss of her wife who left her because ... well you’ll have to look up the story if you want to know why and to learn if she will ever return.

You’ll probably find the farmer Elise in “The Harvest”* by G.E. Birch a bit less butch than Larisa’s characters but she does have a trade that requires quite a bit of muscular power, and a heart looking for someone to love. If you find female farmers who wears their hearts on their sleeves alluring you could also go meet up with Eunice in “Fenced Fields”* by Dee.

Should you prefer the female characters with a tough job on the sea you might want to look up Captain Cordie in "Beneath the Surface”* by Barbara Davids, who will take you and Piper sword-fishing which proves to be no easy trade.

As I said the butch women are plentiful in f/f fan fiction and if you want them at the roughest go look up the ones in the Larisa Universe. They all have big hearts that needs a special woman to love, and more often than not it’s great fun to watch how the romance unfolds.

If you know all of the stories mentioned above you could try Larisa’s “Blazing Dream” sporting not one but two women with a strong connection to the world of construction, but maybe you should take a quick peek at life in the woods before you decide to venture out. The first thing that you’ll notice is the sound of axe and chainsaw that create a steady flow of noise from dawn till dusk as Rowan tries to fight of her demons by cutting and splitting logs.

If you choose to stay home to have some peace and quiet, I know someone who will venture out - that's Brandy - she has just inherited a rather run-down property from her aunt, and now she is looking to spend some time fixing it up with her next-door neighbour Rowan looking on.

If it wasn’t for the noise of Rowan’s axe and chainsaw or the occasional gift she leaves at Brandy’s door, Brandy wouldn’t know that anyone was around watching her work, that’s until the day - months later - when she slides of her roof only to be caught in Rowans strong arms! From then on thoughts of soft black hair, blue eyes and a gorgeous body crowed Brandy’s dream, but it will take Latisha the Queen to bring Rowan out of her hiding and into Brandy’s life.

“Blazing Dream” has a standard Larisa storyline, a funny dialogue, weird characters and a couple of woman who really needs someone to love. So if you like the strong butch characters in a funny setting, and can accept a fast moving romance - you could venture out into the woods with Brandy, Rowan and Latisha the Queen.

* These stories have been reviewed at this site and at Fan Fiction Reviews. You can look up the reviews by way of the list of author tags.

The Harvest by G.E.Birch

Are you ever in a mushy mood, like on a rainy Sunday afternoon, feeling sorry for yourself because the weekend is almost over and another workweek is looming ahead? What will make you feel better - a cup of tea, a hot shower … well, if you have a soft spot for a heartfelt romance like I do, maybe “The Harvest” will.

I can’t really tell you much about the storyline as it's almost pure and simple: the story of how to women meet and strike up a friendship that leads to so much more. There is no drama, no complex plot to follow or thorny road to walk for the characters or you. It’s really just a sweet love story, moving slowly along, with a slight bump on the road that makes you read faster, just to make sure that this is a “classic” romance, with a happy ending.

So how do I know that you will like the story – well, I don’t – I just know that I did, and if you are anything like the romance freak I am, then I’m positive that you will find this worth your while.

The setting is what I would define as all American, as in Illinois way out in the countryside where the farmers – including Elise - grow the crops that keep us fed. Carolyn is the out lesbian from Chicago that strikes up a friendship with Elise, while spending her summer on the neighbouring farm. The supporting cast of friends and family are there, but not very dominant in the storyline, they are all a nice and accepting bunch. The story has a few smaller mishaps in timing, editing and such, but nothing that really takes away the joy of reading it.