Story Recs: Things that Go Bump in the Night

It’s Halloween and not a Hallow in sight! Pam is under strict instructions to leave the razor blades alone and very much away from the candied apples, Eric is rather fond of those teacup humans after all; all efforts to make her smile at said teacup humans, however, went pointedly unnoticed. So, if like Pam, you are stuck at home in the name of teacups and cavity-inducing nightmares, we here at The Directory have a spectacular array of stories in all sorts of exciting flavors to sample. Just remember to listen for that doorbell now and then!  😉

 

If the offerings below aren’t enough, we have to give a special shout out to the Queen of all things Halloween, Carroll E. Stewart, at the very least  check out her somewhat recently finished “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep”!

Story Recs: Demons

 

Though we never quite got to see demons on the show, their unique and rather faint presence was nonetheless intriguing in the books, between Mr. Cataliades and his nieces Diantha and Gladiola we only ever caught faint glimpses (and many a garbled word). Fanfic writers have, however, rather creatively used this unexplored realm of the verse to their great imaginations, limiting themselves not just to those characters but, many new ones, while also exploring the impact on Sookie’s already unique genetic makeup, after all without our dear Mr. C there never would have been a telepath! We should make special mention for the unfortunately incomplete, but, nevertheless, engaging take on this theme in “Drop Dead Gorgeous” by Citrox. Enjoy!

 

 

Story Recs: Of Runes and Myths

If the Supernatural world wasn’t intriguing enough on its own, the rich world Charlaine Harris created gave us a Viking with a history to match. It’s no wonder that these deep roots have caught the attention of many a fanfic writer to wind into wonderfully rich tales that equally became history lessons while providing enjoyable reads! Our most exemplary of these, and an inspiration for this theme is Thyra10’s excellent “Dead with the Vikings,” a joy to read and extremely well-researched with expansive A/N, teaching us more than we ever thought to know about those ancient Norsemen. Thankfully there’s more where that came from and we thoroughly recommend the following, which go well beyond Norse mythology and myth.

 

Story Recs: E&S Partners in (Solving) Crime

 

 

From detectives and investigators to downright criminals, with a telepath and a Viking vampire Sheriff in mind, it’s no wonder that Eric and Sookie can take on many roles. Sometimes working together, sometimes playing off the other, yet always with such promising chemistry we can’t help but get embroiled. Regardless, the books’ origins as a mystery series leave ample opportunity to put our favorite couple together as a crime fighting duo. In the past, we reviewed Seastarr08’s “A Better Man” and Colliding Muse’s “Dodge & Chase,” both wonderful examples of the genre. Also, we can’t help but mention the story we’d most like to see finished someday that promises us all the delight of Eric and Sookie, murders, mystery, and crime is ALH1971’s “The Louisiana Vampire Murders.” In the meantime, enjoy our other favored picks of Eric and Sookie as partners in (solving) crime.

Story Recs: Hollywood

 

New writer alert! Help us welcome our newest member of the Directory, Ladytarara.

 

It isn’t hard to imagine our enigmatic duo doing exceptionally well in the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, be it in the past or now, the Viking has a bit of a fan club, after all. Kjwrit’s much loved “All In” (if you haven’t read it by some miracle, this is clearly your sign to do so now) prompted us to seek out more recommendations in and around tinsel town. It’s safe to say we found quite a bounty and guess what, it’s not all all-human after all, but Happily Ever Afters certainly are abound.

Story Recs: Reluctantly Together

 

While a lingering glance across the room may sometimes result in instant happiness for Eric and Sookie, sometimes it proves to be just the opposite. Whatever the circumstances, the dynamic can be quite intriguing between these two when forced to work together, mostly out of self-interest, while one or both can’t stand the other. Naturally, the animosity is worn down as a certain Telepath shows her charm and we can’t help but to forgive the Viking and his boorish ways. A firm favorite among our contributors is the rather epic “Not From Here” by RouxRoux that has, unfortunately, sat unfinished for quite some time, but unequivocally sets the standard for an Eric and Sookie lost in another dimension where vampires are kept as pets and Sookie finds herself elevated to a rather unique position. They soon end up working reluctantly together while failing miserably on their own. It is well worth the read if you can bear not knowing exactly how it will end, though contours of a HEA are somewhat visible. As always, enjoy our other reading suggestions!

Story Recs: Kill Bill

 

Need we say more, really? A good Bill is no Bill perhaps? A dead Bill? Even better… Undoubtedly the first thought most of us have is what would the world of Sookie Stackhouse have been like with Bill out of the picture. While it is often the narrative that marks the first foray of many fic writers with mixed results, there is something challenging and creative about just as many. We had a hard time narrowing it down (can you tell we really don’t like Bill), focusing on stories where his presence was either non-existent, swiftly dealt with, or simply a lost shadow with no physical presence. Though we like to pretend otherwise, it really didn’t come as much of a surprise that this line-up includes some of the best writers in the SVM/TB fanfic community.

Story Recs: Redeemable Assholes

 

 

There’s no denying it really, whether it was “True Blood” or the Southern Vampire Mysteries, at first meeting, Eric was a bit of an asshole. One that redeemed himself quite quickly or slowly, depending on your view, but a bit of an asshole, nonetheless. While that cockiness may be an attractive charm initially, it will only carry one so far, we never managed to get over Bill all that well, now did we? Some might be unredeemable for eternity, but there is nothing quite as satisfying as witnessing the change, the underlying motivations explored, and extrapolated to uncover a side we’d suspected was there, but never could be sure hidden underneath the animosity. For balance, don’t worry, we’re not just discussing Eric here, though he is an oft-utilised character for this narrative, Sookie can be just as bad, if not worse, while the inventiveness of a fanfic writer can equally turn her charm on a much despised character, allowing us to see them in a completely different light.

Story Recs: Meant to Be

 

 

Sometimes we just want to indulge in the, albeit predictable, narrative that our two favored protagonists are simply meant for one another with the assurance that no matter what obstacles may come or try to push them apart they’ll fight. Not only for their own survival, but, most importantly, for each other. Please indulge our swooning and enjoy some of our picks where, without a doubt, Sookie and Eric know they are simply meant to be…

Story Recs: Dr. Who? Dr. Ludwig, Of Course!

The little doctor, species still unknown, might be a tad abrasive and not much of a Fan of the Fang beyond their useful blood, but there’s no denying she’s an interesting character whenever she ‘pops’ into some of our favorite fanfics, her unapologetic demeanor often putting Pam to shame. While others might simply tolerate her for her healing skills, we readers can’t help but laugh with delight at her appearance and in doing so, she provides for an interesting insert, whether it be as Sookie’s mentor, a money greedy therapist, or the defining factor that brings together Eric and Sookie. Enjoy and be sure to let us know about your favorites with a special place for the one and only doctor!