JadedPhoenixBurning

Our thoughts and prayers are with you JPB. You know what they say.....having a long streak of bad luck means that you're due for a long streak of good luck. It's the law of averages. I have a feeling that things are going to change for the better for you. If that's true I'm well over-due! LOL! I did have a little bit of luck this week. I was able to get 16 Easter Egger Chicks for $20. My hubby and I had just finished building the chicken run earlier in the day before I broke my ankle. Jaded Phoenix - I am so sorry to hear that you and your husband are having a hard time right now. It has to be hard when one of you are having a hard time, but both of you at the same time? Duke type luck if I ever heard of it. I hope and pray that your ankle will heal well and quickly and that your bad breaks will soon turn good. Thanks for the prayers to both you and Roger. Please keep my son in there too. The poor thing didn't know who to try to help or what to do. He did pretty good though. He is used to having to "babysitting" his daddy after he has a seizure. __________________

I know that there are a lot of churches in my area in NC that are sending 18 wheelers filled with supplies and we have linemen that go to my church that have been sent up to help with the power outages. Here in my part of the east coast we just had rain and wind though some folks at work that drive a ways said they had snow at their houses. Still keeping everyone in prayers that are trying to recover.

I'm just sitting here trying to write but I don't trust myself to post any of it right now since I'm hyped up on vicadin; not that it has helped the pain at all. I stepped off of my back patio yesterday just before supper and my ankle turned. I HOPED that it was only a bad sprain since I don't have insurance. About thirty seconds after I went down my husband went into one of his walking around seizures so I had to try to keep him from wandering too far while I myself couldn't get up on my feet. After about twenty minutes I got myself inside and called my mother-in-law and she came over. After making sure my husband would be alright she took me to the hospital (YAWN-long wait). We then learned that my ligament tore a chunk of bone off. So now I get to hop along for the next six weeks or so. My MIL did offer to let me take her mother's spare wheel chair with me to work on the weekends since it's rough trying to hop at all but doing so for four floors every hour will just be plain painful. Anyway, once my head isn't fogged with pain or medication I hate to read what ever I put on paper.

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Happy Birthday!

I don't know about streetlights in other areas but the ones around here are put on timers at the power company so that all of the ones in the area come on at the same time. Its not an easy matter of just asking a neighbor to turn theirs off for a few hours. I am surprised that the company didn't have the neighbors to sign off saying that you didn't care about the placement of the new light. For me, I've always lived out in the boonies and there is nothing like watching the night sky away from the city lights. I'd be bummed too if someone took my sky away.

AW! Adorable!! (BTW: I'm surprised I can see the pics since I usually can't see any on this computer on this site. LOL!)

I've moved my story "Words spoken in Jest" over to the site. http://dukesofhazzardfanfic.com/ Let me know what you think. I've tried my best to keep the Dukes in Character despite a rather unusual story-line. I should say, though, that it is actually a spin off of my first story-line where things didn't end quite so happily and it was written for the fans of that story that didn't care for the ending that I gave it. I may submit that first story (I broke it up into three when I first wrote it) later on but for now I've decided to just post the stories that all run into one series. The next story is more of a Luke centered fic for the fans that like reading stories about him and then there will be a story for the fans of Bo.

I've written three chapters so far but I'm not sure that is enough to post here on this site. Check back later for them though.

Well, the writer thing was a common thing for a lot of shows. A lot of shows of the era had inconsistencies. LOL!! I would have liked to have seen more of Darcy though. Imagine the story lines that they could have had if they had written in "Grasshopper" (Darcy's Handle) into more episodes.

HBD Brian!

I'll be putting this story on the back burner due both to the lack of interests as well because I need to concentrate on my original fic. I've had some interest in it and once it is completed a writer that has been reading through my Dukes series plans to pass it along to her editor.

Way to go!

Would you believe I'm just NOW reading this? LOL!! Better late than never I guess. Thanks to everyone that posted. Oh, and I've started a new story for Coy and I've posted the prologue on FFnet but I don't want to start posting the chapters until I get a beta since Coy is not my strong point. Anyway, I'm also taking my OC that I created in my Dukes series up to this point and evolving her story a bit. Making her a completely stand alone character and I plan to post her story on Fiction Press. For those that have read the series, they'll get a better appreciation for who she was and where she had come from. Those that have never read the series though (I hope) will find her story a bit intriguing though the story will start out a bit dark.

Reading through various fanfic sites it seems clear that many stories like to depend on the same old cliches which (to me) make them extremely boring. Many times while reading I'd love to just shout, "Show some originality people!" LOL! Anyway, I figured that maybe a thread devoted to listing some of these general cliches that over-run our fandom and perhaps discuss the reasons why those cliches are over-used. I'll start it off: Luke always seems to be getting a head injury of some kind. Someone gets sick and the whole family is worried for the family member from the very first chapter. One of the fellas or more are in a car accident and end up an a coma. A girl shows up out of no where and one or more of the guys fall madly and instantly in love with her for no apparent reason at all. (No character development before they are in "Love"). If the story involves Coy, Vance, Luke and Bo; a lot of writers like to make it where they are at odds with one another despite there is nothing in the show that would point to that. In a lot of stories Bo is written to have asthma even though it was never mentioned in the show simply because John Schneider had it as a child. He also admits that he was a chunky kid but no one ever writes Bo as being overweight. And then of course there are the Enos/Daisy stories that always end up with the same results. Personally, it has gotten to the point that if there is even a HINT of the story following down one of the above paths I won't even open them up anymore.

I figured that I'd put up a sample of the story to see if anyone would be interested in helping me as a Beta. Any thoughts or suggestions (Even if you aren't interested in being a Beta) are welcomed. **** Coy walked up the old drive that was nearly non-existent after all of these years. Trees had grown up just like he'd known that they would have. If someone hadn't known that a house used to be up this way they would never have found it. Coy picked his way through the thick undergrowth until he finally came across the first remnants of an old burnt out cabin in the woods. His mother had loved living out here. She hadn't wanted to live in a more traditional farmhouse; said that living out here felt more like her home where she'd grown up in the mountains. Coy smiled as he remembered his mother and how much his father had loved her. Here in the small cabin under the shade of the trees that surrounded it there had been many great times. Coy didn't know why he'd felt drawn to his childhood home; even when he'd come to stay with Jesse while Bo and Luke were off in NASCAR he'd steered clear of this small corner of the Duke Farm. He suspected that it had something to do with the funeral that he'd come to Hazzard for. He knew that his uncle wouldn't live forever but he really hadn't expected to get that call while he was up in Detroit. Coy and Vance had made it a point to check in on their uncle every chance that they could. It just didn't seem right that their uncle was now gone. Now out of the original eight Duke Boys there were only two left; two of the first Duke Boys that tore up the back roads of Hazzard in speeding automobiles. Coy walked over to the remaining hearth where the fireplace had stood and sat down while looking around the old burned out room. Sitting here he could almost see himself sitting in front of the fire while playing with his toys as a child. Then there was Vance after his parents had died when he was six. He'd come to live with his family even though Jesse and Lavinia had been willing to take him in. Coy's parents had insisted that since he already had the Bo and Luke (Daisy came in less than a year after Vance's parents died) that they should raise Vance. Vance and Coy got along just like brothers anyway so it was only right that they should be raised as them as well. Coy recalled as he and Vance would roughhouse and come running through the room at high-speed while playing or fighting. It seemed just like yesterday… Coy sat in front of the warm fire with his wooden cars while he listened to his father on the phone. At five years old he didn't understand most of what was said but it didn't stop him from listening anyway. "Jack and Caroline are what?... But how… Is Vance alright…Then he's…But Jesse…Yes I know full well that you always take it on yourself to look after everyone but in this case… Jesse…Jack's my brother too ya know which means that I'm just as much Vance's family as you are…No that ain't what I mean but you've already got Bo and Luke to take care of…Vance can share Coy's room. Just like they do when he would come and spend the night. You know these boys are nearly inseparable…Yes I'm sure. You and Lavinia have your hands full as it is…You know that Helen will agree to it to; she's always loved Vance and you know it…Alright, I'm on my way." Coy then watched as his father walked into the modest kitchen and talked with his mother briefly before he left out the back door and drove off. After he was gone his mother came in and sat on the couch to watch her son play. He noticed that his mother looked like she'd been crying so he left his place on the floor and climbed up in his mother's lap. She'd hugged him close to herself and only later did he find out what had made his mother so upset. Earlier that day Vance and his parents had been in a car accident; of the three only a six year old Vance had survived. He'd been thrown clear of the accident just before the car had tumbled down the side of Iron Mountain. That had been the only saving grace; sparing the young boy from suffering the same fate as his parents. So after Vance was released from the hospital the Dukes mournfully set about the task of planning a double funeral for Jack and Caroline Duke. Meanwhile, Vance was moved into Coy's room; his new home on the Duke land.

Also, I'm still looking for a good title for a Coy based story so suggestions welcomed.

I'm getting ready to gear up to write a story featuring Coy and am looking for a fan of Coy that could possibly help me beta my next story. Any takers? I'm not looking for a "Pre-reader". I want someone that can be critical (but tactful, not just plain rude) to help make sure that story flows well.

So what did you think of Sonny and James? I know you said it was your first Dukesfest. But have you met any of the cast at like car shows or what not before this? Sonny was pretty cool and I was surprised by the bear hug that he gives when you get his picture taken with you. I'm not a big touchy feely type person so it was probably good that he did it too fast to be uncomfortable. LOL! As for James, I liked him except for the comment that he made to another when asked if he ever thought about painting a certain type of picture and he responded "It depends on how rich you are." o.O was you able to see the jump at 5:30. Nope. I got in line to get Ben's autograph instead. I had a time with the start of the line since when the signs were put out I stood at the sign and didn't move for the next two hours. I had ridden with Dixie that day and didn't want to make her wait to go back to the hotel. Anyway, some moron claimed that I jumped the line and I was told to go back to the end of the line by the staff after the guy *****ed a fit (He had about 20 items in a cart that he wanted signed). Still, I didn't complain too much since what was the point? But there wasn't that many folks in line yet so I figured that I'd still get my picture signed in short order. HOWEVER, little did I realize that the few folks that were waiting in line each were saving places in line for multiple folks. Despite the fact that there were only about 15-20 in line before the end of the jump the line did not move at all for an hour due to the influx of extra people in line. It was obvious that Ben couldn't understand why the line wasn't moving much despite the fact that the back of the line had been cut off before I got up to him but more folks were in line than before he had a staff member to cut it off. He was a good sport though and didn't rush anyone and was polite and personable. So how was your experience with Tom? I heard negative and positive and neutral. It was rushed. I rushed into his line the second day when the gates opened with Dixie and we got a picture taken together with him but there wasn't the feeling of really getting to meet him. And that was at the beginning of the day where he hadn't been signing for long. Still I'm glad that I did get the chance. What exactly do you get in his fan club? I got a bumper sticker, a signed picture of John then and now, signed up for emails and numbered card with his picture and signature on it. I'm number 108. Not bad for $20. And I wish you all the best with publishing your story and all once you get it finished. Can I ask what it is about? I have a couple that I'm working on. One is a SciFi fic that sort of takes the "Life ain't always greener on the otherside" to a different level. Though I'm working on taking the Duke element of my series on FFnet too since I've had a lot of comments about it and how they'd like to see the before story of my OC and I really do think that it wouldn't be too hard to "File off the serial numbers" and make it stand on its own. So I guess it depends which one is finished first. I did have a publisher interested in the scifi one years ago but it was destroyed and now I'm trying to revive it from memory.

Sorry about that. I don't know why but my forum was deleted so I guess the address was given to a new one. I've had a lot of things getting deleted lately. Even a whole chapter on a story that had been completed for two months. Someone asked me if I knew what had happened and I didn't. The reviews are still there but the chapter had been replaced with a different chapter. o.O Anyway, there wasn't a response to the challenge anyway. I have two chapters up on mine but have been distracted from posting the next chapter which will be called, "You don't know Jack". http://www.fanfiction.net/Dukes-of-Hazzard_and_Fairy-Tales_Crossovers/238/892/

Ah don't ya just love the inconsistencies in the show. LOL! Thanks. So it would depend on if you go my sound most of the time or the misprinted credits! LOL! And even then they can vary.

I never could find a first name for Doc Appleby neither but in my fanfics I gave him the first name of Irving. It just seemed to fit as I was writing. Now I want to confirm one thing as well. It was my understanding that Mabel was the madam from "Daisy's Song" and Maybelle was the telephone operator that also just happened to be Boss's cousin. There are a lot of sites out there that have contradictory views on this subject so I figured that I'd ask the "Hazzard Experts" so that I'm not wrong if I point out such discrepancies. The operators were Maybelle and Gussie/Gussy weren't they? Just making sure. After all, if I'm wrong I'd like to go and fix it in my own fics.

Nice to meet'cha. Grab ya a jug of mock-'shine and enjoy.

I'm glad that you had such a good time. I was there too for my first D.Fest. I was there with DixieDavenport. We should have all gotten together. I went with my husband who was not a fan really but he was a good sport and sat in the tent while I got Sonny and James's autographs. I was in Catherine's line for over an hour without it moving before I hopped out. I noticed five hours later that the folks that were behind me still looked like they had about another two hour wait on Saturday when my husband asked to leave. He stayed at the hotel Sunday so I was able to stay longer then. I remembered to use my handicapped place-card Sunday since Saturday I didn't and I literally had to walk from the very back of the lot. I also remembered to take my chair in for the wait. Dixie and I waited together for Tom's line from the very beginning; we had about a two hour wait and that was after rushing there from the very beginning. We got our picture taken with him together and then we cooled off under the tent for a while then looked at the cars and such. When I saw that John's line was down from where it had started I jumped in to meet him. I had his signature already since I'm a member of his fan club but I wanted to meet him and tell him that he inspired me to go back to writing after seeing an interview he'd done a few years back and it was posted on Youtube. In that interview he said that if there was something that you felt that you just had to do then do it. He said that everyone has one thing that they love to do so much that they'd do it for free. Well, I suppose that writing fanfiction would qualify for that. When I told him that I currently have readers in eighty-five countries he gave me a big high five. I also told him that my next project is to finish my own original story and try to get it published. Meeting John was definitely my highlight of my trip. Despite the fact that his line was busy he still stopped me so I could explain how he was responsible for me going back to writing. There was so much that I wanted to tell him but I knew that I had to be courteous to the folks that were behind me in line. Again Catherine's line was too long to get into but I did notice for the second day in a row one of the reasons why her line was so slow. It was common for the staff to take handicapped kids and let them cut in line. Now don't get me wrong, I understand the desire to let the kids see these actors. My own son is autistic but there was something that I noticed during my hours of waiting. There were a number of children that I saw taken to the front of the lines multiple times; only they had different adults with them each time. In essence, folks were using their kids to get to the front of the line. That irked me to high heaven. There were times that there were as many as four groups to get their picture taken with Catherine for every one person that she was taking from her line. Like I said, my son is autistic but I would have never used him just to cut in line. In fact I allowed him to stay home with his grandparents since I knew the long lines would push him to his limits. I think that some sort of system was needed to avoid the abuse of the allowances given to these kids. Perhaps a different color of a mark for each actor made on the armband so that the helpers could look at the band and know what tent each person had already gone to. Of course I might have noticed all of that happening since I am paid to notice stuff like that at work and come up with solutions to avoid hold-ups due to lines not running smoothly when I was assigned at my last post. Maybe if there is another D.Fest I'll send in some suggestions. Couldn't hurt. LOL!

NP, Garret! I just read over my past posts and I'm like, "DANG! I shouldn't have rushed out a reply without editing." LOL!! Excuse all the typos. Anyway, if the story will turn out so different then leave the old one up and if it is incomplete just put an AN at the end saying that you plan to do a complete rewrite. That way folks that are enjoying it now can read what is already up and they'll know to look for the next story once you are ready to post. IF I decided to take the first one down I'd wait till I could replace it. (Shrug) But others might do it differently. As far as write what you know...UH... Not always. Otherwise we'd never have Sci-Fi or other works of fantasy. My own story will be a Sci-fi story yet I've never gone to another planet (Despite the fact that some may think I act like I'm not from this world at times ). And I didn't know that it was the story that I would write until I started writing. Sometimes writing is planned out like someone using a map to take a trip. Other times its like just choosing a little dirt road and finding where it goes because you have nothing better to do. Both can be fun. Just have fun and worry about the rest later.