This page is reserved for WookieeHut's Latest News & Weather for the calendar year 2007. The listings here will always be two months behind the current news, so check Latest News & Weather for the latest stuff!
December 16, 2007
Every journey has a beginning and some even have good intentions ... like more frequent postings! And sometimes the beginning has to end, and the end is a beginning. ShadowChaser promises that though Tycho's tale of Rated R level suffering and torture in X-Wing: Lusankya must eventually end, and what an ending! Chapter 15 isn't so much an ending, as the prelude to a new beginning. Catch it now and read that final line ShadowChaser wrote long ago, and finally got to use. Thrawn McEwok would surely agree that endings are simply a way to clean the slate and start again in a Brave New World emotional baggage and all. The series is Rated R to NC-17, depending on the chapter. Part 1 is Rated R — be grateful we're starting you easy! Gillian F. Taylor gives us a new beginning for Wedge Antilles, even amidst the many ends even a hero must face. She suggested that A Future to Hold be part of a Wookiee Hut Christmas posting ... it's even Rated PG making it entirely appropos and a good idea. And being that the Admin 'Droid has not been posting regularly (bad EV9D9!) it's a good idea to post a few extra tales, and hope that it will placate the loyal readers of this site. Well, we'd certainly think our Christmases had all come at once to get extra fanfic; wouldn't you agree? After all, it's high time we got the second half — Take 2 — of Astronut's The Talk posted. We'd seen how Wedge handled his daughter's first date pre-date, and now we get to hear his post-date explanation about the birds and the bees ... and try not to giggle as you think of him saying, "Look at the SIZE of that thing!" In the similarly named 4-part tale by Iella, she rewrites a "missing scene" she'd written for posting on Wookieehut (called Star by Star, v. 14.01). The Talk: Part 4 at least lets us know that the kids are all right, and as usual, are brighter than their parents. But knowing how Anakin's fate ended makes this tale of hope for the future all the more poignant. In contrast, we're still in the middle of Kidan's Jade's Scion, meaning that we are in the midst of many beginnings ... like who is Sannah? She sure seems wiser than her swim-buddy Valin, that's for sure. This series, like Iella's, are Rated PG, though rather provocative. It's the hallmark of Wookiee Hut, we hope, to provoke. And if our absence of postings provokes you to holler at us, please do! Sometimes time just passes so quickly by ... like the birth of a baby ... to observing the child's struggles with love and life ... to responsibility thrust upon them ... to death, sex, torture, and the near- and after-death experiences of our favorite characters. Enjoy the "GFFA Fanfic" in Stories & Things and may you have a happy holidays full of wonderful fic and gifts of all sorts!November 27, 2007
To those of us who admire the American way, last weekend was Thanksgiving. Quite frankly, many of us love this "eating holiday" better than any other, if only because it's all about celebration without the obligations of gift-giving and payback. Of course, we know that payback is always a good plot core for many a tale; it never gets old. Just like Thrawn McEwok tales just get better when investigating the forbidden and the unthinkable ... and the ultimate payback. Shadows is a "strong" Rated R, being that the tale is twisty and bendy as well as erotic and unexpected. And Astronut also writes about the terrible and the unexpected, and a potential for payback that makes you wonder and think. As for the children who hear this tale, you may lose sleep over The Izzard's Tale. We hope this Rated PG fireside tale inspires your dreams and visions, in the way they should! Like Kidan writes for Valin, the 9th Chapter of Jade's Scion. It's Rated PG and we hear some of you are clamoring for more Stories & Things? It's not the authors' fault, for they produce well and prodigiously! Now that the holidays are in full swing, posting to the 'Hut regularly may be a pipedream, but we'll try to do it, honestly! It's a promise we intend to keep, but you know about intentions ... Like when Luke intends to do a good job helping to raise his sibling's children by serving them Spicy Pita Crispy-Snaps and Olive Dippity, but ends up getting yelled at. Even though he's not in the wrong, in this Hut Cuisine mini-set piece of recipes for an excellent party or snack food. Perhaps he dreams of races as ancient to him as chariot races might be to us, for all he was allowed to experience and see. At least, we know we always have, ever since TPM introduced that sport, we were Podracing Into the New Millennium! Fans (who call themselves Podracin' Fools) sent in an old scan of their 1999 Christmas card, and we think it's swell! Okay, so Christmas is coming, with all the present-giving, guilt-ridden, stress-filled baggage, but if we had podracers, it'd be way better! Enjoy the Art & Stuff and start thinking of your holiday cards lists — and happy start to the holiday season!November 11, 2007
It's Armistice Day: the 11th Day of the 11th Month, the day which ended "the war to end all wars": WW1. Alas, the fact that it now has a number means that not only was there a WW2, but that the potential for world wars is numerically infinite. The GFFA (and most other works of fiction) demonstrate that a state of war is a state of tragic normalcy; an essential part of the human condition, perhaps. Even the good guys will partake in war strategy for the greater good, or perhaps for their own selfish good? Kidan shows that a hero who is skittish about the dark side will still sacrifice those he loves. Thoughts of a Fallen Hero is Rated PG, but the contents will be excruciating. And though the hero in question put the choices in motion, the fact that others retreated from him or did nothing makes them complicit in his decision. And if you have sensitive thoughts which may be important, do you keep it to yourself? Or only sort of keep it to yourself? Corran Horn was never known for subtlety, but he will find "the way" to convey what's needed, pointing out that for some, the Only Way Is Up. It's Rated PG but the awfulness of the thoughts implied can be terrible, no matter how it's presented. Though war is not the most awful thing for some people ... especially if you're the father of daughters! Is it better to do battle, or to be responsible for giving your first-born child The Talk? What if you screw it up? That's why this is Take 1. In addition to delivering the discomfort felt by a loving father, Astronut writes this trial of Wedge Antilles in style and suppressed hilarity in this Rated PG tale. In addition to these excellent "GFFA Fanfic" in Stories & Things, we see how war affects Leia and Han. Of course, they have spent their whole lives with the galaxy in a state of war ... but how do they keep their marriage intact in the midst of constant battle? Sometimes small things count for a lot, like talking about their memories of happier times ... or art. Remember that their honeymoon was spent chasing Killik Twilight, and we bet Han would save his attempts at creating art for when they matter most. Thus his depiction of their "vacation" as Leia suffered Healing On The Cinnabar Moon, a special Art & Stuff painting by MaceVindaloo. Some battles can be averted with quick thinking and some hands-on experience, too. Like when your babysitter (Wes Janson) suffers from a combination of confidence and incompetence and tries to take a decent recipe and makes it something inedible! Wedge is kind of used to saving the day in his many years as a soldier for the New Republic, but now add Saving the Dinner: Mac 'n Cheese to his resumé of awesome accomplishments! It's a Hut Cuisine recipe, and we bet it's something many a soldier in the field would have loved to go home to — good or bad! Take a moment to thank the veterans in your life, past, present, and future, whether here, or in a galaxy far, far away.October 28, 2007
It's an interesting phenomenon that a song will convey more emotion than the words themselves, and thus the category called "songfic" is well-known in fanfic. Many of the stories in the 'Hut could be classified thus of course. Our newest takes place in Distna shortly after the battle rout suffered by Rogue Squadron, and the title will evoke plenty of emotions in those who've heard the Simon & Garfunkel poem/song, I Am A Rock. Gillian F. Taylor's Rated PG songfic will churn some memories and hearts, just as Iella's Timewalkin' puts some humor and clarity into Jacen's situation with sort of the inverse of a sonfic — the filk! It's Rated PG because it could be taken as a bit racey and memory-provoking, too. Unlike Ben Whitesun's taking his prisoner to his home. Is it important that she doesn't remember this place ... or is she doing this on purpose? Chapter 8: Ben of Jade's Scion actually starts to reveal quite a bit, and the reader is left wondering a lot in Kidan's Rated PG AU tale. All of these "GFFA Fanfic" in Stories & Things will have you humming songs from the past, and maybe into the future, too. Speaking of the future, isn't the concept of "hope" one for the future? That's what Molly Weasley is trying to convey to the newest member of her family when she endeavors to feed the stressed-out multitudes without violating Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration: Pasta Salads. She gets to push her suit for the next generation, even as she cooks and explains to Fleur about when food should be replicated, and when it should not. It's a cheeky Hut Cuisine "Set Piece" and is set in the early part of the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. We all have to have a reference to create these fun creations on the 'Hut, whether fanfic, filk, songfics, recipes, or doodles. Inspired by Iella's Time Walkin', Diana's scribble from the back of a napkin is finally scanned. Sorry for the delays, but now that the staff scanner at the 'Hut is installed and working, more art should follow! Which is a scary thing ... just wait — you'll see in future installments!October 14, 2007
Few things have pissed us so many of us as much as what happened in "Star by Star" ... how many of us would have thought Darth Cadeus would have been so much cooler if it'd been his brother? Anakin continues to haunt us with the what ifs, as well as the missing moments. Iella's Part 3 of The Talk is typical of her careful, well-written, sensitive treatment of a subject both poignant and uncomfortable. This Rated PG story dealing with the GFFA equivalent of the "birds and the bees" promises to be continued, and even though we know the ending, it still can turn out differently. Like Kidan's A Twist of Fate where the "what if" is tossed up and beaten up a bit. Heck, what if Leia had chosen Isolder? What if Corran had his head up his butt too deeply to see past Mirax's paternity? Kidan's Rated PG response to a challenge might've happened, that's what! Or perhaps, like Shadow Chaser's Legacy of the Force: Opposite Sides could explain how friends could become enemies, and how a terrible tragedy could explain — and save — that friendship. This stand-alone story is actually part of Shadow Chaser's Ruminations series, which brings the author's thoughts on missing moments and explains why ...? All of these "GFFA Fanfic" are listed in Stories & Things and provide much food for thought. Like an anonymous vendor's political statement to Stop Wars, proving (of course) that our GFFA obsession is not a cultish thing, but something nearly every person can understand. Though it was not created as "GFFA Art," we consider it an artistic statement, and thus list it in Art & Stuff. And you know, the common experience in a powerful thing, in that it conveyes myriad thoughts by a single signal. The humble hotdog is ultra-American, reviled and beloved in turns by both people inside and out of the United States. But within that strange country called New York City, the hot dog takes a an almost holy air, whether dirty-water-dogs or sidewalk stands in the legendary and ubiquitous Papaya Dog. We bet there are places like this all over the GFFA, too — local yet transcendentally universal. And like the efforts of the 'Hut authors, incredibly satisfying!September 30, 2007
Sorry for leaving you all in suspense ... we had a HutCon last week and enjoyed meeting face to face and getting to know one another, especially since we write tales of knowing some characters in both biblical and secular senses ... and we know you want to know how it all washed for Wedge and Tycho in Gillian F. Taylor's shocking ending of 770, and so we present both Part 4 and Part 5. It's Rated R for this "evilfic" challenge result. You know it'll be juicy! And it's likewise as unexpected the result of Wes's loss of his ability to fly in Astronut's answer to another "evilfic" challenge, called Revoked, where the rather tense conclusion in this Rated R tale — Part 3: Wedge — may even rattle your perception of what evil is possible in the face of a perceived desperation. These two fanfic authors have given Hutties many thrills, and may they continue to do so! As for a different kind of evil, there are those who fell for the dashing hero of the Rebellion via his Imperial "Wanted" poster. Oh, behave! To help swallow that evil, there are two beverage recipes this week. One is a health-giving infusion of heat-producing spices, and unless you have an aversion to them, we suggest you spend the upcoming winter brewing and sipping Kicky Ginger Honey Lemon Tea. It's the secret to Han and Chewie's good health while the rebellion's finest suffered sniffles while sequestered on Hoth, and it was Leia who caught them at it and spread the news to others! Or perhaps something more party-appropos, a drink with a name which would bring fear and chills to some, but this one is festive and includes ice cream, so these are Spiders that Ron Likes. "Ron" is Ron Weasley from the Harry Potter 'verse, of course. For though we are first and foremost a Star Wars crew, our members are diverse and talented and simply can't be contained in just one galaxy ... though we will meet up now and again in our world :)September 17, 2007
For the denizens of the GFFA, "walking the walk" is often easier than "talking the talk," regardless of what the talk is about. Of course, some wouldn't listen anyway, especially if the topic is too personal to be comfortable to talk about. Lando Calrissian feels the need to tell Han's son a thing or two; perhaps Anakin has too many father figures? Iella's Part 2 of The Talk is Rated PG, despite the personal nature of the required talking-to. And sometimes, we need to get talked-to in order to come to our senses, especially when one is in really awful despair. Wedge does the right thing to lay his head at the home of friends who can talk him into letting them help. Part 3 of Gillian Taylor's tale, 770 is Rated R, though this section is more "PG" than the others, it's very intense and you should keep in mind that other chapters are less ... happy. For less happiness more immediately, look no further than Shadow Chaser's long-in-coming Chapter 14 of XWing: Lusankya, the tale of Tycho's torturous time in Akri'tar, that story heavily implied by the Rogue Squadron novels, but never told. No one better to torture Tycho (in a Rated R kind of way) than Shadow! Seeing him treated like this, it's a little like death, we think ... at least as Kidan looks at Anakin Solo's death through the eyes of his Vong-formed former lover. It's Rated PG, though the bittersweet emotions may stab a bit, the way Autumn Winds can tear through one's body, as well as one's soul. Actually, good barbecue can be soul- and body-feeding, too. So it's appropos that this relatively new eatery is called Soul Fire, because it's good in that slightly uncomfortable but very very good way. Rather like how we like our GFFA, eh? Whether as "GFFA Fanfic" from Stories & Things or Hut Cuisine "Noshery Reviews," keeping it spicy and soul-touching is what we live for!September 3, 2007
Gillian F. Taylor set up a situation where Wedge Antilles makes a horrible mistake, and in his nobleness, he internalizes the blame. We expect that from him ... is there a way out this time? Part 2 of Gillian's tale, 770 is Rated R for the upcoming emotional intensity ... so read up and keep with it — you know you want to. Just like you want to know what happens next in Astronut's Revoked. The First Part (called Hobbie) of the tale set up another unthinkable but inevitable situation. The Next Chapter (called Wes) delivers a new shock, but leaves you wondering what the concluding chapter might bring. The tale is Rated PG, but we wonder, should it be higher? The feeling of anticipation is part of the fun in many things, we think. Kidan's ongoing Jade's Scion has Jysella wondering a number of things, as she answers her kidnapper's question: Is she a prisoner, a hostage, or a guest? One wonders if a PG rating can be appropriate, between the lines! "GFFA Fanfic" in Stories & Things is often edgy and often silly and always entertaining! Food reviewers often feel this way, especially when a restaurants undergo a revision in their identity, like at Washington DC's Dr. Granville Moore's Brickyard which isn't owned by a doctor, offers no medicinal options (other than a nice brew), and purports to be Belgian in a neighborhood of ill repute! But that's the adventure of a "Noshery Review," and if you're in the capital, you can decide if that means it means "get in there," or "get away!" Ron Weasley ran away from his friends, but wanted to return. He couldn't until they said his name (names are powerful and effective in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, remember?) but he did, at least, use his time well by acquiring the skills to create what he thought his sister-in-law had called Stew Brunswique, a flexible way to feed many people, especially if they are really really hungry. In a way, it would feed more than one kind of hunger, eh? Like the 'Hut feeds our desire for decent fic, GFFA or otherwise!August 26, 2007
Life is a challenge. Whether we read about the GFFA and are inspired of death, battle, etc. or need to get a meal on the table, life is about challenges: big and small. For the likes of Leia and Han, who have extraordinary children and who's fate is to suffer for them, ordinary things like The Talk one gives to one's children about "the birds and the bees" take on additional significance and irony ... Iella promises more of this Rated PG tale, though like all of her work, it's stands alone very very well. There are also the challenges of aging, even though some of us never really grow up. Astronut takes of the "EvilFic" challenge from Downtime in her series, Revoked. The challenge requires involvement of "the Fab Four," and her first chapter of this Rated PG series is called, Hobbie. Gillian F. Taylor also took up the gauntlet thrown down by Downtime (the terms of the challenge are limned at the start of her tale), and wrestles with the challenges of ambition and pride, mixed to provide a potent evil brew. Her story, 770 investigates not only the uncomfortable, but the unspeakable acts which evil can push a person. The series is Rated R for the evilness of the findings, though you'll need to read the series to discover just how evil members of the Fab Four might be! Start with Part 1, which will challenge you to believe this might be happening to Wedge! Kidan is challenged by a movie quote: the requirement is to use an assigned quote to write a EU-based fanfic. We're assuming you can guess the quote just by looking at the title, Play It, Sam. It's Rated PG and makes us hum, "... it's still the same old story, the fight for love and glory, a chance to live or die ..." Any good fanfic will not only challenge your knowledge of the GFFA, but will get one's creative juices flowing in response. So, we can't really fault George Lucas's failings as a scriptwriters or director, since he did inspire these Stories & Things, and many ideas in traditional and non-traditional ways. For instance, it's known that Pooja Naberrie was a senator at the same time Leia Organa had been one. Would they have met? Would Pooja's grandmother have met her other granddaughter? All from the challenge to use up a bumper crop of zucchini! It's that time of year in the northern hemisphere, after all, so take note of both the recipe and story in Zuccha & Mint in Hut Cuisine. After all, challenges do tend to make one hungry!August 12, 2007
We've been cheating on the GFFA with our love of Harry Potter in past weeks, it's true, but we always return to our greatest love. That's a theme in tales — both fanfic and canon — as well as in our lives, no? And "GFFA Fanfic" in Stories & Things is the first, intense, enduring love! Take for instance Gillian F. Taylor's delicious Slash / NC-17 four-part tale of love, shocking and twisted, in ways you may not have expected. Tycho absorbs Wedge's depression, to devastating effect: Folie à Deux. Be prepared to weep as you read Part 4. You'll weep for ... everyone. There isn't weeping in Kidan's Jade's Scion ... yet, though in Chapter 6, we meet Sannah, the last Melodie of Yavin 8. Go ahead, go get your Jedi Academy books and brush up, while Valin starts his search for his kidnapped sister. It's Rated PG. For a lighter love story, Diana writes a tale based on an overheard elevator conversation. Aamzing where some tales come from! So it's not as incredulous as it seems, but it's appropriately goofy when Wedge Antilles promises his wife — again — to Cleave Only Unto You. Despite the opportunities for naughtiness, it's Rated PG, much to some readers' disappointment, but to the relief of many others, we're sure! For more Rogue goofiness, just add Wes and Hobbie to a mixture of Wedge and a serious request for the miscreants to consume Good For You Steak & Salad & Mushroom Red Wine Sauce. Admittedly, this Hut Cuisine does take advantage of silly comic relief, but the steak is very very good, a version of the Italian tagliata, so it does have good pedigree. Remember that name and company doesn't always tell the whole story, like the situation of the Daisy May BBQ Cart in midtown Rockefeller Center. Find out more about the best pulled pork sandwich in NYC, it's a "Noshery Review" and will help you stretch your dining dollars as you head pellmell to the end of summer. Just try not to get too carried away when returning to your first love!July 30, 2007
One thing that marks Wookieehut is our inability to reject tales simply because they are not GFFA, or GFFA-standard. We're okay with posting the raunchy, the silly, the different universe. It keeps our passions alive, donchaknow? Even if its inappropriate, like Cerebel's Turned to the Sky as Slash / NC-17, but that shouldn't stop anyone from wanting to read the ongoing angst between Wedge Antilles and Tycho Celchu in this "GFFA Fanfic" in Stories & Things! Just try to be broader of mind, instead of being comfortable esconced in what you feel is right. For those of you who said ridiculous things like, "Snape is bad," you had better have read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows before you read Diana's As Long As She Lives unless you want to suffer spoilage. It's a Harry Potter wizard world "Other Fic," again in Stories & Things. Mind you, we wanted this tale sooner, but she dragged her feet, much as Valin is dragging his in Kidan's Valin, the fifth chapter in Jade's Scion. The latter two tales are Rated PG and in Stories & Things, in case those sorts of thing are important to you! For the GornPod, honesty is food is surely important, and his experience in Spain's Comerc24 — presented by a disciple of El Bulli — proves perhaps that "molecular gastronomy" is still suffering rough edges and bumps. The results are uneven, but like many things, this "Noshery Review" admits that the experience tends to falls apart on overanalysis. Just as well that in the future, the 'verse just simply mashed a bunch of good stuff together and came up with a cuisine which could be called Mexinese ... or perhaps Chixican? It tastes good and could very be the common man's fodder for its cheapness and opportunism. The "Set Piece" and individual recipes are logged in Hut Cuisine. (Notice how we covered the GFFA, Serenity / Firefly, and Harry Potter? It makes for a rich amount of fun!)July 22, 2007
In the post-world of the NJO events in Vector Prime, a lot of what we felt and thought about the core and Expanded Universe characters shifted and moved. Do you remember the shock of Han's action when Chewbacca died? Sure, he'd be heartbroken, but he did a terrible thing as a parent and husband. Iella remembers and wrote Leia (Post Vector Prime) as Drabbles, that 100-word form defined by TFN fanficdom. The result is a poetic, rhythmic prose which often reveals more than undefined forms, and we feel our hearts breaking anew. Kidan writes an AU story dating from the end of the NJO of the feelings of Anakin Solo for his wife, in The Last Weapon. Like his namesake, he doesn't get it, for his greatest asset is passion and love to the extreme. Perhaps this predilection becomes stronger in many directions as the result of a Skywalker-Solo co-mingling. Both tales are Rated PG, though we know emotions are not rated, so be prepared for pulled heartstrings! One could argue that passions of fans runs equally deep, and those from the Harry Potter world can be as intense. A couple of weeks ago saw the opening of the movie, Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix which had its ups and downs and was a thoroughly enjoyable preparation for the final book of J.K. Rowling's 7-novel epic, Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows, which caused tensions for many because we simply needed to read it and know! It did bring to mind stories and fun from the past, like Kelly Grosskreutz's cross-over fanfic series called Harry Potter & the Star Wars Relation and her essay (where she touches on the right answer but rejects it for good reasons), My Thoughts on Severus Snape and Diana's earlier Snape is a Plant. Other conversations later in the publication sequence have touched closer on Snape's feelings toward the Evans-Potter family. It all goes to show that we like a good tale with twists and turns and mysteries, and we like the coming of age and good versus evil struggle, whether on a grand scale or within a person. We'll even stay up all night to read 'em! It's the thing that keeps fans rocking, even after the series are over and the questions settled and threads tied up. So keep checking for fanfic and all other content at the 'Hut!July 17, 2007
It's hard to sleep sometimes; last week the cinematic interpretation of the book HP & the Order of the Phoenix came out in movie theatres. This weekend, HP & the Deathly Hallows — the final book in the HP series — comes out ... best catch sleep when one can, but it IS summer and we don't want to miss any of it! Though sometimes, sleep is not so beneficial, no matter how tired one is physically ... as Wedge knows in Part #3 of Folie à Deux, Gillian F. Taylor's Rated NC-17 / Slash story of an ultimate love, in a way. Sleeping forever may be desired when one is haggard and frightened and mentally ill, but for some of us, there is no time for sleep! Take someone like Mirax Terrik Horn ... she doesn't seem to sleep at all, does she? Corran thought he was all that until he met her, and all he can relate to a younger man in need of advice is, I Thought I Was Tough. Kidan's tale of almost-loss is Rated PG and offers a bit of lightness for those for whom a little sleep would help clear things up, if only they'd take the time. Take the time to check out "Reviews" and "GFFA Fanfic" in Stories & Things; it won't be a waste of time! But really, it's nice that if we ourselves cannot take the time for nourishment and care, that someone else will take the time to do something nice for us, eh? Especially when reaching a significant birthday, imbued with some meeting or sentiment. How about love for your fellow man? It's not naughty, not in the least! It's about the time Hobbie Klivian made The Perfect Birthday Cake for Wes Janson, who was blue about turning older and not having a lifemate. If only he understood the meaning of such words, but it's his nature to be a bit dense, just like this yummy confection made of cake and ice cream, all in one! But you know, sometimes perfection is not only not possible, but not even desired ... like the confused restaurant called Red Lantern Thai, which is named for a Chinese movie, has an interior reminiscent of 1960s era Polynesian Tiki culture, and was mostly empty. But we've learned that an empty restaurant is not always a bad one, as in this case. Read all about it in this Hut Cuisine "Noshery Review", before you settle for a contented sleep ... and watch out for HP reviews (and red herrings, or the lack thereof!) soon ...July 2, 2007
Love, when given without thought of reward, is sometimes a surprising thing, but sometimes it's just disappointing. Often, when love is given selflessly, the giver receives as much as the recipient. Such was the hope of an old woman entrusting the tale of her life debt to a young man who would change the galaxy. Only time can tell if the Border Wulf's sacrifice will make the young man understand the nature of love ... it's the latest of Iella's Fallout Vignettes, tales incidental to the main plotlines of the GFFA. That makes them no less brilliant, of course, and though it'll pull on your heartstrings, it's safely Rated PG. In contrast, a rather intense little tale involving one Jedi with a broken heart, another Jedi with broken bits, and A Little Love ... is Rated PG-13 for it's violence, or maybe for its violent eroticism? Kidan sure does put a lot of faith in the power of bacta! Let's hope a follow-up tale is in the works, one involving more broken bits when yet another Jedi finds out what's going on? Teehee! Both of these are Stories & Things entry, found under the heading of "GFFA Fanfic," of course! Though not all stories need to have broken things in them. And not all of them need be traditional fanfic — to whit, Hut Cuisine has many a tale wrapped around a recipe, or "Set Piece" like the Solo's Provisional Supper, where Han begrudgingly allows Leia's co-workers into their home, as long as he can make the supper! One has to wonder what a scoundrel like him could be up to, but Leia's guests are terrifically pleased at the fare. We think men like to surprise and delight their womenfolk, but sometimes they get tired of living the lives they are dictated and they just want to get out on their own for a bit. You think that's what Vader was thinking when he snuck out to go shopping? How you do hide a cyborg with his own iron lung? How often, we wonder, would a fellow shopper in housewares run into the likes of Vader in Disguise? He, so in love, ended up disappointed, and perhaps a bit of shopping was needed to get him out of his melancholies?June 24, 2007
Just because some terrible events have come to pass in the GFFA and made ongoing tales AU, it doesn't mean it negates what we do here at the 'hut — post whatever we can, whenever we can, regardless of the ratings or the "canon-ness" of the tale. And we'll use any media we want, too, whether it be recipes or art, but fanfic remains our core being with work from great authors. Gillian F. Taylor's Rated NC-17 AU multi-part tale Folie à Deux would not be acceptable in many places, and the 'hut is glad she wrote it! Not only is Part 2 a story containing normally forbidden Slash, but it deals with a hero acting with unstable selfishness, dragging down others with him. Yeah, misery does love company, and you'll be glad to see this brand of misery in story form. Of course, sometimes misery can be assuaged or dispelled by having company, like the rather possible-in-the-realm-of-canon tale by Kidan called Jade's Scion, but that doesn't mean it isn't provocative and kind of fun, filled as it is with teen angst moments (arguably a great GFFA tradition)! Chapter 4: Ben shifts the view from the kidnapped to the kidnapper and has pleasant confusions to recommend it, and it's Rated PG. Ben's grandmother, Leia, is also guilty of teen agnst in her day, too, and she also finds that company is a good way to sooth the offended soul. It just takes going the Extra Miles to make one's self happy. It's a Diana tale, so it's expectedly Rated R, advocating naughtiness in an uptight world. Though rules and laws are created to help most of the population most of the time, because taking the law into one's own hands can have devastating consequences. Luke finds this out the hard way, and is forced to understand again the Jedi Order's demand that no attachments be made (impossible though that is to our human natures). His therapy is in the form of comfort food, Smashed-up Cauliflower Cheese to help him deal with his rather self-inflicted (though manipulated) smashed-up life in the aftermath of the events in Sacrifice. Some might say Lukes choice of vegetable might be atonement enough, and there is the arguement that we sometimes tackle onerous tasks as a form of focus or penance. Perhaps that's why Wedge Antilles decided to take on a seemingly small project requiring the removal of old insulation by hand? He had such a miserable time of it that he ended up appealing for help from Wes Janson and Hobbie Klivian, who'd created The Wedge Bagger, which turns out to be a double-entendre. Misery may love company, and often the company fulfills what we really need and want ... so share your misery and write an angsty tale, for the fun of it! (We promise we'll post it.)June 14, 2007
Okay, we dont normally worry about spoiler alerts because seriously, we're fans, right? I mean, we KNOW but we want to know more, and thus we resort to the creation and consumption of fanfic. But Shadow Chaser's Legacy of the Force,
Sacrifice: Helping Hand, part of her one-off tales in her Ruminations series, pulls no punches and if you didn't know the nature of Jacen Solo's studies, you'd be shocked. We warned you! It's Rated PG, though you might feel yourself aghast. Mind you, in her alternative universe, Iella likes to leave Jacen aghast at the sissier moments of his life. He wears shorts and is generally clueless about women and life, though he's a galaxy-renown xenobiologist in her AU series At the Oasis tales. Though it's called Not For the Eyes of Younglings, this Rated PG story is certainly a fun read for kids of nearly all ages. Paddy Solo, after all, took the happenings in stride, unlike her "Unca Jacen" who seemed to not really know his way around ... well, you know. The tale is written to occur after The Legend of the Abominable Roon Mudman but before Bikini Detective. We love Iella's titles as much as her tales, very provocative! Though not all males of the Skywalker line are so hapless at proposals or at thinking on their feet. Kidan answers a challenge to write a tale, "where no one gets killed, and everyone lives happily ever after." He answers it with his short and sweet The Graveyard, which isn't as grim as it may sound, even though it does involve theft, the Millennium Falcon, and parents perhaps long-gone. It's rated somewhere between G and PG, so you know that this tale is safe for younglings, mostly. What is not safe for younglings are boozy desserts, like an elegant fruit salad splashed with a sophisticated brandy or wine. So instead, create a dessert that looks and tastes sophisticated, but refrain from being too grown up and enjoy the refreshment of Csillag's Lemony Minty Melon Salad, which she attributes to Yoda during his exile on Dagobah. Though that would have been difficult, perhaps more difficult is hiding in plain sight, like Wedge Antilles did when he was working for Ysanne Isard. You remember Colonel Antar Roat, a man so maimed by war, yet he repeated to the customs agent on Coruscant, "I live to serve ... I live to serve ..." New contributor Astronut decided she needed to see Wedge in a beard ... and as a cyborg ... heck, we all do, don't you think? Now you know how he managed to sneak through — twice — as an Imperial officer on behalf of others. Hey, that's not a spoiler!June 04, 2007
Being that we're the hut o' the wookiee, it seems appropriate that we should always Let the Wookiee Win, especially if threatened with an NC-17 tale. Yes, you'll want to read it, even though it involves our favorite princess with a couple of different species ... it's the "lost moments" you know must've existed before that skyhook got blown up in "Shadows of the Empire," right? Author Xizor Transport Systems wishes to remain anonymous; it's not the first time people we know (or thought we knew) have turned out to be different ... Kidan has an ongoing tale called Jade's Scion, where the child of prominent Jedi prefers a life of anonymity. Heck, we all do, right? In Chapter 3: Jysella, the titled Jedi and her quarry don't realize who the other is ... a hint, his name is Ben Whitesun. Rated PG and building tension, you know that people deal with stress and tension in different ways. And heroes don't always do it heroically ... Gillian F. Taylor investigates the frailties of Wedge Antilles in the Rated NC-17 / Slash series, Folie à Deux. The First Part is erotically fulfilling and psychologically unsettling ... as all great "GFFA Fanfic" should be, which is why we have Stories & Things to house these and other great tales! We also run into other tales at the movies which are similarly disturbing ... are you better off having watched some movies? The Poughkeepsie Tapes is a "mockumentary" but it's also a murder / imprisonment mystery horror (is that a genre?). It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, where Attack of the Clones had also premiered a long time ago ... It's an independent effort (like ATC), and surprisingly creepy and inspiring ... watch out for some creepy tales! But in the meantime, check out the "Movie Reviews." Speaking of ATC, when Padmé fell in love with Anakin, she must have known it would not be easy to endure the separations or the inability to communicate. Clever girl that she was, she took to coding her messages in a variety of ways, including recipes! She did overthink the secret message encoded in Fig Crumble, but it was delicious and her secret husband enjoyed the care package. Remember to be clear when there are important messages to be delivered, but if you can't be, at least serve a yummy dish! And remember, always let the Wookiee win!!!May 23, 2007
Some fanfic authors are so prolific and so compelling that in a sense, they have become their own canon. Other authors pick up from their work and write in their portion of the universe. And sometimes, a successful fanfic author ends up being mocked! But it's okay when she does it to herself, eh? In other branches of the SW Fanfic 'verse, Iella is called Tahi, and she wrote a tale of being Shirtless in Coruscant, which is a Rated PG tale of self-generation canon and awareness. You'll enjoy it, just like we enjoy any and all of Iella's tales! What a treat to receive a tale from her (especially love what she did to Jaina. And when it rains, it blessedly pours, and Csillag — another "classical" 'hut author who likes to fill in holes in canon (whether it be GFFA or her own). She favors tales of pilots and Imps, in a Rated PG way. Her pilot of choice is Tycho Celchu, everyone's favorite former Imp (except for those who favor Klivian, of course). It's Part 2 of an ongoing tale called, appropriately enough, Defection, and as you might expect, is the interface in the time between when Tycho was a loyal Imp, and then a disloyal one. It's fun to intervene in the GFFA lives, whether canon or AU, and Kidan's tale is a short and poignant one, where the coldness of a sad situation ends badly, though Melting Ice ends up taking the form of some sort of revenge, me thinks! It's Rated PG, though it's sad. All of these are "GFFA Fanfic" in Stories & Things and it's just what you need ... especially considering we didn't post the past week and a half. Sorry!! We know that life is busy for lots of people, but it's been so busy that some of us haven't even managed to grab a meal at our respective homes this week. If we could, we'd need good food, and something fresh to contrast against the bad stuff we've been eating! Veggies, for example, though something more interesting than the usual bland fare. And most of us would be happy to take fare offered by the companion Inara Serra: spicy, fresh, enhancing ... much like her! She creates Non-abused Vegetable Flesh Pesto which does sound titillating, eh? It's useful, for you can make a number of recipes with it: sandwiches, pizzas, pasta ... and that's why it's considered a "Set Piece" in Hut Cuisine. Or else you may prefer to run away to some foreign clime and forget about us for a while? Too much? Something inbetween, perhaps? How about a place that is purportedly a wonderful Italian restaurant? We say pur-por-ted, you say po-tah-toe ... Bellavitae at least sounds like a nice getaway, even if the food disappointed those who wrote this "Noshery Review." It's located on an old street, tucked away inconspicuously. And we believe if "bread, wine, and thou" are the only requirements to a good date, then a bit of prosciutto wouldn't hurt, either! Enjoy yourself and don't look too hard at incongruities, lest you realize you're actually living a tale in someone else's 'verse!!! (Or get so overworked that you leave loyal 'hutties in the lurch. We said we are sorry, and we mean it!)May 8, 2007
Things don't always go as they should, but does that mean that's bad? Tycho had been captured by Isard, and if imprisonment was not enough, she released him back to a distrustful New Republic. He was under house arrest (just in case) and faced an interminable future with nothing to do ... till Wedge decided he needed Tycho, to re-form Rogue Squadron. It's a tale we all know well, but Tycho would have felt scared and uncertain, and he might have needed some convincing to be the squadron's XO. And if you're a Huttie, you know that Wedge would do something Rated NC-17 to get his way, by having his way with the Alderaanian of his dreams ... yes, it's Cerebel, with Lightyears From Here, which is a Rated NC-17 / Slash tale, so watch where you click! (Though those of you who don't, you better know what you're missing!) It may be squicky to some, while a "Marakin" tale (as in "Red & Dead" pairing fame) will creep out others ... but despite that it's Rated PG / Squick. And it's a Kidan tale, so you know it'll be kind of clean, right? It's cleansing in some ways, and called Rain, and it's actually a very sweet tale. Unlike Diana's Lady On A Box, which ranges from Rated PG to X, so be sure to check out the rating before you click! This one is less "severe" than other chapters, though it's still kind of disturbing to see inside of Erisi's head. The Rated PG part of the tale is called, 7: Perchance to Dream. Let's hope that Diana doesn't leave the next story installment for too long! All of these quality "GFFA Fanfic" can be found in Stories & Things, though you know by now that not all fun tales are the bailiwick of that section of the 'Hut. Gillian F. Taylor crafted a wonderful lamb toy for the child of a friend, and it was so adorable that it took only a little work to make it a GFFA-tale based "DIY," which are housed in Art & Stuff. The toy in question has a mysterious Red Stone around its neck. Those of you who have read the Jedi Apprentice series might recall where you might have seen that stone before! What goes around comes around, remember that!May 1, 2007
Sometimes, it's important to take a break — whether short or long — for those creative fanfic juices to start bubbling and breaking the surface again. Csillag, who's tales many of you enjoyed reading (in particular, A Promise Kept, or Hobbie's Saga where she creates her own branch of personal canon) is back with a tale which is the prelude to another "Prelude", which details the when and how of Tycho Celchu's Defection from the Empire ... and you know that her tales are emotive and Rated PG, which makes them safe, sane, and consentual. Not that dangerous, crazy, and forced is all bad. Well, maybe it is ... Diana heard a song by Beck called "Girl," which sounded like a lighthearted love song, but the words were much, much darker. And it made her realize that this was likely how Myn Donos dealt with his discovery that Lara Notsil and Gara Petothel were actually the same person ... though not if he had anything to do with it! The Rated R tale is called, innocently enough, My Sun-Eyed Girl, though the "suns" Myn refers to are more likely to be shot through a laser-site! Just like Ben Skywalker might be shot through a window ... well, no, not like that. But in Kidan's tale, Japor, the murders have already been committed, but there is more going on and its vaguely familiar ... read Chapter 4, which is Rated PG-13. Of course, all "GFFA Fanfic" are listed in Stories & Things, for easy access any time. In Hut Cuisine, Corran Horn proves that if you have a well-stocked pantry, you can feed all manner of guests and impress them, especially if they are turned away from a an exclusive restaurant. He's simply being a gracious host, because he gets to eat his favorite Birthday Club Dinner for a mere fraction of the cost Mirax intended to pay to entertain these guests. That would put the sun in anyone's eyes, eh?April 23, 2007
We've all heard the saying, "'Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all." It was written in 1850 by Alfred, Lord Tennyson in memoriam of a close friend's death ... and has been paraphrased and misquoted since then. Still, it's all sage advice ... but not perhaps while it's happening to you! Gillian F. Taylor applies it to the heartache Iella Wessiri caused herself when she couldn't so much as start an experimental romance with Wedge Antilles ... and found herself regretting it, and despite her loss of her first husband, she is left questioning if it is Better To Have Loved? It's moving and it's Rated PG. Cerebel investigates the love lost — yet inexplicably found again — between Wedge and one of his pilots; it's a sort of reflected echo of what Iella might have felt when Diric returned "from the dead," and Wedge's response is just as understandable. This one is Rated NC-17 / Slash; it's stirring and emotional and hot, as expected from a story entitled, Collisions Written in Fire! In contrast, Kidan's ongoing murder mystery, Japor looks at the love of a cloistered group and the unrequited love of a boy for the many in his life. Chapter 3 attempts to pull together many threads, but disturbing connections can break them instead of joining them. This tale is Rated PG-13 for some of its disturbing themes, and it's not over yet! All of these "GFFA Fanfic" reside in Stories & Things, and you'll be able to enjoy others listed there, too. We're not ALL about the GFFA, remember — we also enjoy hanging out in other parts of the fantasy 'verse. Being that we're post-easter, you may find yourself with a lot of spare eggs ... and if they are uncooked, you may feel compelled to scramble them up for breakfast. But instead, follow Wash's desire for the more-complicated-to-make dumplings and instead make the literally descriptive Tamagoma'dillas Negi-negi which is sort of a quesadilla, breakfast burrito, side dish ... it's many things to many people, but mostly, this Hut Cuisine recipe is simply good, even for supper. And the dipping sauce is great served with hard-boiled eggs, too! But if you prefer a simple springtime feast, may we suggest the Spanish countryside? It's full of young cider in big barrels, and the siderias feature simple grilled fare to accompany their beverages. There are many, but we happened to stumble into Sideria Sagardotegia in the Basque countryside. This "Noshery Review" details exactly the type of place you'd want to be when sharing a meaningful meal with someone you could have loved ... or should have.April 16, 2007
Now and again, 'hutties do write PWPs (as in, "Plot? What plot??") in order to get one's smutty inspirations down onto written form. Often, it's too good not to share! While others discretely "fade to black" when it comes time to elucidate the smut? Why? Sometimes they have to (some forums and sites have ratings caps, for instance), and other times, it's too embarassing ... or sometimes, a story just gets in the way! Gillian F. Taylor navigates around the need for a tale by writing for an Adult Fanfic Awards ceremony, starring Wedge, Tycho, and Wes! And it's Rated R / Slash for some of the more explicit things the MCs do in the name of a nice piece of smut! So think a bit before reading Downtime's Adult Awards Ceremony ... it's saucy and full of mostly-nekkid man-pilots! But if you're a more visual type of person and perhaps need a visual aid, try the titillating R-rated "GFFA Art" (in Art & Stuff) that we call Wedgie Wedge. Now some have argued that it's not "art" because it's a screen-capture, but who can argue that having an maintaining a divine rump is not an art form?? ... The Awards Ceremony is "GFFA Fanfic" in Stories & Things, as is the "fade to black" style of suggested smut from Kidan called, Senatorial Oversight. It was part of a roulette challenge and he drew Kyp Durron and Viqi Shesh. Eeuw! But, as we said, it fades rapidly to black, so it preserved its generally safe PG-rating, even if the idea is kind of icky! At least "icky" doesn't stop anyone from writing ... like Diana, who had been accused by some fans of being evil and leading a life that leads to plotbunnies. She denies it, donchaknow, and to prove she is a GFFA Fanfic girl more than she is a smutprincess, she does write canony tales like, Just a Moment, where Luke whines, Anakin plays righteous ... and she does put a time-travel twist into it though, like she sometimes does. It's Rated PG, so you won't have to avert your eyes or anything. She does state that this is her response to Vader's abrupt change of heart as he neared death; she has written other tales addressing this inversion. So don't say she can't! Just like Luke won't let his students get away with being squeamish about stuff; after he, he survived Master Yoda's kitchen! And the young Jedi candidates must do the same when they create the recipe for SpagBog which sounds awful (especially if you are from down-under or maybe from Downtime, even?) but actually has many virtues, including that it's tasty. Create your own snakes from this Hut Cuisine offering, and maybe if you're of age, you can think of other types of *ahem* snakes, too ...April 9, 2007
Story ratings run the gamut from "for everyone, including impressionable children and their folks," to "uh oh ..." At the 'hut, we try to make sure we know the difference, so be sure to check the rating if you're sensitive to that sort of thing ... here, we'll start you easy this week: Kidan has a new tale that was spawned by a discussion between him and EwokThrawn about how Tusken Raiders dislike 'droids. You know that's likely to create a funny story complete with jungle-style drums playing in the background. And it's Rated G, so you can enjoy this tale with your young'uns and squeamish males alike, about The Droid and the Little Tusken Raider. A nice bedtime story, though it might remind you that the older Tahiri would become merged with the penultimate 'droid haters later in life — the Vong. But for now, it's rated for everyone to read without trepidation. And though this next tale is Rated PG, that fact that it's called Wild Card and is authored by the juicy Annallisa throbs with the promise of a more dangerous rating in subsequent chapters ... read it now, and get excited for the next chapter, too! And what would the 'Hut be without some naughtiness, verging on a PWP ... but sometimes, that's what works for any of us, whether as a nice bought of hardcore storytelling or as inspiration for other things. New author Cerebel enjoys depicting how Wicked senior pilots can be, and do you really need to be told that this tale is Rated NC-17 / Slash?? Tsk, if so, then you don't know the 'Hut very well ... so you should hang out at the "GFFA Fanfic" page index and read tons more Stories & Things so that you're solidly well-acquainted with our style of creativity! We can also be pretty bitchy, too, like when a restaurant which SHOULD know better serves food that isn't well prepared or well served. Of course, the more you spend, the more you expect, and the more likely you are going to be disappointed. It's not just restaurants either, it can be expectations based on shipping things, or hiding them and expecting your recipient to find it and react with glee. And when the reaction doesn't come, you wonder where is that @&^#*% package??? Time to get a sleuth onto the case, and we called up on River Heights' best for the solution to Nancy Drew and the Mystery of the Hidden Streusel. Wouldn't Hannah Gruen be proud! It's actually a cheeky parody, and not a story, but a "Recipe" in Hut Cuisine, which also where the restaurant with the bad food and service — 700 Drayton — is reviewed. If a review is negative, should we put a rating on that? Especially if cussin' is involved, maybe? Then again, keeping the ratings with the Fanfic may not be a bad idea.April 2, 2007
Not long ago, a reader wrote in asking when Annallisa would be back with another chapter of Corsex, that