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: 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: Amnesia

 

It may feel like a cheap soap-operatic trick, but the old amnesia trope has inspired many a great fanfic as well as being the foundation on which the Eric/Sookie ship was born in canon. Proving just how versatile amnesia can be, it doesn’t limit itself to simply Eric, vampires, or other supernatural creatures. Frankly, it was hard to choose from the many offerings out there, and a special mention, of course, must go to jc52185’s “Amnesia” trilogy, not only for its name, but for the intriguing and intelligent approach to the subject, breaking our hearts and warming them, all at the same time. We’re certain that the ever-convenient case of amnesia will continue to pop up here and there, causing laughs, heartache, and a few tears along the way that come with forgetting and remembering all at once…

Story Recs: At Sea

 

We’re reaching for further horizons with the prospect of embarking with a certain Northman, be it as a pirate, sailor, or fellow passenger. Whether or not in the realm of the supernatural or the high seas, is, as ever, always an intriguing background to these tales that go beyond the classic bodice ripper imaginations of Gran’s favorite books. For those looking to expand their horizons even further beyond the E/S realm, we’d also highly recommend “A Pirate’s Life for Me” by Addie Logan, an altogether original reinterpretation of the genre, starring Buffy and Spike.

 

Guaranteed to evoke the soft, warm, and the fuzzies…

 

A Guy with Skills by Suki59

 

Sookie and Eric are plane-wrecked on a romantic tropical island.

This is in response to the weekly one-shot challenge. Here’s what we were given…Aren’t you one of those guys? Those guys with skills? You send them into the wilderness with a pocketknife and a Q-tip and they build you a shopping mall. You can’t do that? E/S, rated M, ONE-SHOT

Story Recs: Fixing the Fuckery Beyond the Final Season

 

The last time we looked at those brave souls who took on the impending doom known as Season 7 and preemptively sought to rewrite the inevitable wrongs that the last and final season promised. This time we’re taking a closer look at our favorite stories that took what that last season handed us and methodically set to rights the epic fuckery, using it as a point for launching an entirely restored and altered ending.

Second Chance by Alh1971

 

Eric visits Sookie on her deathbed. TB One-shot, with elements from SVM. E/S, rated T, ONE-SHOT

 

Season 7 left Eric and Sookie with a gap too wide to cross. Sookie, unwilling to embrace her supernatural self, hangs on to her illusions of a ‘normal life’, and Eric chooses to say ‘goodbye’ rather than have his heart destroyed once more. This was a most dismal ending for Eric and Sookie shippers… but what might they have done otherwise if given a second chance? In this little gem, Eric movingly reflects so poignantly upon their past choices while he sits with Sookie at the end of her life. Our couple is finally able to find closure after a lifetime of regrets, and, in that magical reconnection, one ray of hope emerges out of the ruins of their troubled past, a touching hope that might just grant them a second chance.

Story Recs: Back to School

We’re getting back to business!

 

While most of us are more likely to be returning a child to school than ourselves, that doesn’t deter us from indulging in a little taste of a Professor Northman or the thought of a fair, but just, (two)-thousand-year-old Maker helping us on our way into the next stage of (un)life. Learning and progressing is a part of any story and character development, but it can also be the story on its own, so today we focus on stories that carry that spirit, be it reliant on a mentor, teacher/student, or Maker/Childe relationship. After all, there’s no one we’d rather greet again as we say goodbye to the heat of summer with the sensation of a bit of cool skin and find ourselves right back where we wanted.  

 

Hey, they may be human but they’re still our Eric and Sookie!

 

The Expert by Seastarr08*

 

Sookie is an editor looking for an author to write a big book, a book on human sexuality. Eric just happens to be a professor of psychology, specializing in, well, human sexuality. Only Professor Northman doesn’t want to write a book. Will they be able to reach a compromise? AH,E/S, rated M, -COMPLETE-

 

The Expert’s Professor Northman is one of our favorite AH characters in the SVM fanfic fandom. His vampire-like qualities; strength, wisdom, arrogance, and aloofness, along with his very human compassion and vulnerability are retained without making Eric seem sappy. Sookie is a smart, ambitious acquisitions editor who tries to build a working relationship with the reclusive professor while discovering what a Professor of Human Sexuality actually does. Seastarr08 gives us believable and complex characters that care deeply about one another while dealing with difficult situations. Sookie leaves a loving marriage with Bill for surprising and understandable reasons. She and Eric must both navigate carefully around this fallout while their work together grows to be so much more than either expected.

Story Recs: Fantastic Felines

Fantastic Felines: An Eric who purrs… how ever can you go wrong?

 

An agile grace, a hint of fang, a contented purr, and a touch of fur… Wait, what fur? Yes, we’re talking felines, not vampires… well, there are some vamps still available below because while we like petting the kitties and will playfully endure the bites, we haven’t descended into full on bestiality here at the Directory. However, we do have a selection of some awesome stories that feature some magnificent cats and pussies (and, no; we’re not talking the babe ‘magnet’ violet-eyed, genie-trousers-wearing pansy that’s not even good enough to be a rug) as an integral part of the tale. Claws will come out, tummies will be rubbed, and pussies will be stroked while loving licks are returned and… Oh yeah, there are some cats too!

 

On a Hot Tin Roof by Jillian K

 

Sookie loves Eric. He is beautiful, blond, and used to getting his way. He is also her cat-that is until Amelia decides to experiment. Now Sookie has to contend with a tall and sexy human man who insists on sleeping on her bed and claiming her as his. AU, rated T,-COMPLETE-

 

”On a Hot Tin Roof” gives us a delightfully funny insight into a world where Eric is a very possessive cat who will protect what is his no matter what it takes. Throw in a scrawny stray cat (who else but Bill), a touch of Alcide,

Story Recs: Epic Eric

Because sometimes Eric can be just that little bit MORE!

 ­

-Epic Eric-

 ­

The man is already epic, you say? Yes, this is undoubtedly true, and when we decided to counterbalance our beloved Supercharged Sookies with some much needed Epic Ericness, we actually struggled to match the stories by the numbers because what exactly constitutes an Epic Eric? By our definition, it is an Eric with just that little bit extra that puts him well above the rest, making him that much more from the get go, and who are we to say no to more Eric?

◊

­

­

Stories high in fantasy elements, often a rich Alternate Universe

 

Beholden by ElfChef

It’s hard being a telepathic barmaid but Sookie Stackhouse can’t complain. She has a nice life in her small town. It all goes up in smoke when a fairy blackmails her into marrying a vampire. A vampire that could care less who she is or what she feels. Watch their unlikely story unfold. This isn’t an easy love story but then again love and life seldom are. AU, E/S, rated M, -COMPLETE-

At the start of this tale, we are introduced to an Eric with a necessity to keep a tight control on himself and everything around him, one containing an anger that threatens to unleash at the slightest trigger. An anger that hints there is much more (and there certainly is) to this not-so-average vampire. In this constant state