TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Feature

 

The Lemonade Stand has spent so many years bringing you the best the Twilight fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you even MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE, and now we're lucky enough to share previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction.

Today we are featuring the amazing drotuno, author of fandom favorites like the Gravity Series, the Angel Series, Once Upon Another Time, Man Behind the Mask, and Masen Manor. She has graciously agreed to share a sneak of her upcoming new fic, Common Ground. 

banner by Lizzie Paige

Common Ground

by

drotuno

Summary: Common ground or mutual understanding – the ability to find a shared event, feeling, or mind-set. Detective Edward Masen rarely cared about finding common ground with anyone, but he may find he has no choice when it comes to solving his current homicide case. AH/ExB/Rated M

~oOxOo~

The sun tried to peek through the early morning drizzle of Seattle as I made my way across to the park. I pulled my truck up next to the Crime Scene Unit’s van, reaching into the console to pull out a few pairs of rubber gloves.

Garrett was standing by my door when I opened it.

“Who’ve we got?” I asked him, pulling on the gloves.

“Maria Navarro. Originally from Texas. Twenty-seven. Her throat was cut, so she bled out.”

“Here?”

“Looks like it.”

Nodding, I gestured for him to lead the way. His former partner had retired six months ago, and I’d put in the transfer from Narcotics to Homicide. Garrett Spears was a few years older than me. He was tall, lean, and as laid-back as someone who’d smoked a joint, though his came naturally. His wife, Kate, was expecting their first kid by summer, and he was obnoxiously happy about it.

I ducked under the crime scene tape, ignoring the media and waiting for the coroner to finish making an assessment. Once he stood up, I stepped closer to the body.

No wounds showed other than the slice across her neck. The ground beneath her was saturated in blood, so she did die at the scene.

“I know her,” I said, glancing over my shoulder to Garrett.

“Yeah, she’s from your old department, I’d guess.” He pointed to the track marks along the inside of her arms – and probably between her toes if we took her shoes off.

“Mmhm, she’s a dancer down at The Inferno, but she had lots of extracurricular activities – online adult entertainment, part-time prostitute, and drug mule. Nasty drug habit – heroin. All under the watchful eye of James Hunt.”

“Fuck me,” Garrett hissed.

I gazed back down at the victim, pulling out a pen from my pocket to shift her hand a little. “She’s holding something,” I stated, waving over one of the CSI techs. “You might want to bag her hands. She’s got something in a grip.”

“Will do, Masen,” the young girl said, taking a few photos before pulling out a bag to cover Maria’s hands. She looked nervously to me. “We’re just about finished processing, which means we’ll be moving her soon.”

Nodding, I stood up and walked the whole scene. As the morning got lighter, I could see that they’d picked the perfect location to kill her. She was on the bank of a small pond, not easily accessible from the park’s walking trail. The park was known for drug deals – nothing big, just weed and a little coke. 

With a glance around, I saw a middle-aged man holding the leash of a black lab.

“Let me guess. The dog found the body,” I asked her.

She smiled. “Good guess. He’s the one who called 911. He said his dog went after a duck, and well, there you go.” She gestured to the body. “She’s soaking wet, and rigor has already set in, so she’s been here several hours. Overnight.”

“Thanks…”

“Jessica.”

“Thanks, Jessica. Can you let me know when you’ve processed evidence? And a tox report too?”

“Yeah, yeah. For sure.”

Garrett stepped up as Jessica started to turn the body over to document more pictures.

“It doesn’t bother you that every female on the fucking force knows your name, yet you pay zero attention to that shit?”

Raising an eyebrow his way, I shrugged a shoulder. “Why would I give a shit?”

~oOxOo~

Remember to put drotuno on alert so you don't miss out! Common Ground will begin posting soon.

TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Feature

The Lemonade Stand has spent so many years bringing you the best the Twilight fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you even MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE, and now we're lucky enough to share previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction.

Today we are featuring the amazing drotuno, author of fandom favorites like the Gravity Series, Man Behind the Mask, and Masen Manor. She has graciously agreed to share a sneak of her upcoming new fic, Once Upon Another Time. She's promised this one is something different and we can't wait to see where she takes us!

banner by Beffers87

Once Upon Another Time

by 

Drotuno

Summary: We’d promised each other in blood and ink to return if the threat ever came back to Forks. My breath caught at the sight inside that box. I reached in and picked up the ornate brass key with a note: “Keep it safe. Keep it hidden. It’s started again.” AU/ExB 

~oOxOo~

EDWARD

I thumbed through my journal, pondering the point of it all. Was I writing to me? Was I documenting something no one would believe? Or was I simply sinking into memories just to keep it all close?

Shaking my head, I sat back in my desk chair and stared out into the city. Seattle at night almost seemed peaceful. It wasn’t, but it looked that way from thirteen stories up.

There was a time where my life wasn’t surrounded by buildings and glass. It was surrounded by trees and rain, immersed in friendships so deep that we were practically family. Blood didn’t mean shit when you had friends who would die for you. In fact, sometimes, blood wasn’t worth knowing. I also remembered a time when night was far from fucking peaceful.

A knock tapped lightly on my home office door, snapping me out of memories I either needed to get down on paper – or at least a computer document file – or forget completely.

“Come in,” I answered, smiling at my assistant.

“You’ve got mail, Edward,” Garrett said, holding up a stack of envelopes and a magazine or two. But the interesting thing was a small box on top. I didn’t remember ordering anything lately.

Garrett was a good guy, young, using his time with me to learn. He wanted to be in publishing, maybe editing, not to mention write screenplays – Kevin Smith was his hero, where Stephen King had always been mine. He was a sophomore at UW, and working as my assistant was earning him experience. I had a feeling I wouldn’t have him much longer. He’d truly outgrow getting my mail, managing my schedule, and answering calls soon enough. He was too talented for that.

And really, I could do those things for myself, but the English Lit professor at UW was a friend, so he would send me his newest and brightest for experience. Marcus had done the same thing with me when I’d entered his classroom, and now I was published, with two books on the bestsellers list. 

I held my hand out. “Thanks, Garrett,” I said with a smile, taking the stack from him. “If you want, you can cut out early. How’s Katie?”

“Stunning,” he answered immediately, nodding a little. “Yup, she makes me feel dumb as a fucking rock.”

Laughing, I nodded. “Yeah, a pretty girl can do that to a guy.”

Suddenly, memories of dark-brown hair and even darker brown eyes flooded me. First kisses and secret smiles, laughter and adventure, tears and moving away – it all came with the thought of her. She was a girl I’d loved my whole life, it seemed.

“You hear from her lately, Ed?” Garrett asked sadly.

“Not in a long time,” I muttered, frowning down at the pile of mail. “Too long.”

I tossed coupons and insurance ads into the garbage, set bills and bank statements aside for later, and studied an envelope and the small box.

“Does she know?” he asked, pointing toward my bookshelf. 

Snorting, I shook my head. “Does she know she’s the basis for my life’s work?” I clarified, and when he nodded, I smiled sadly. “No, probably not. I don’t even know if she reads my shit.”

He cracked a smile. “Fair enough.”

Garrett’s first day was question after question concerning my book series. He wanted to know why I wrote supernatural thrillers and how I got my ideas. He wanted to know the basis for my work, including all the key players. But specifically, he wanted to know who the gorgeous and brilliant brunette was, if she was real. 

She was very real. 

And I told him a few stories, using real-life relationships as a teaching method for the future writer. What he loved even more were stories about my friends growing up, which was probably why my journal was calling to me.

I picked up the box, turning it over, and my eyebrows shot up at the return address.

Forks.

“I wonder…” I mumbled, using a letter opener to cut the tape. 

My breath caught at the sight inside that box. It was something I hadn’t seen for ten years. A glance at the calendar made me shake my head. Not quite ten years.

I reached inside and picked the ornate brass key up out of the bed of wadded-up brown paper. It was heavy, tarnished a little, but the sight of the cross made my brow break out into a sweat. 

With a shaky hand, I reached in to pick up the folded note inside the box.

Keep it safe. Keep it hidden. It’s started again. – J 

“Oh, fuck,” I whispered, crumpling the note in my hand.

Without realizing it, I rubbed my fingers across the ink on my chest over my heart. Ink that just happened to match the fucking key in my hand. 

“You okay, boss?” Garrett asked. “Dude, you just went white as a sheet.”

Swallowing nervously, I nodded. I set the key down on the top of my desk and reached for the plain white envelope. It, too, was postmarked from Forks. I ripped it open, pulling out a few clipped articles from a newspaper.

Four Campers Attacked by Bear in Olympic National Forest, No Survivors

Local Man Goes Missing, Feared Animal Attack

Forks Sheriff, Charlie Swan, Dead at 51

My ears started to ring, my vision went a little dark, and deep down, I was fucking angry. But what was overriding all of that was pure fear.

~oOxOo~

Remember to put drotuno on alert so you don't miss out! Once Upon Another Time begins posting Sunday, August 14.

TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Feature

The Lemonade Stand has spent years bringing you the best the Twilight  fandom has to offer, and we are delighted to have the chance  to offer  you even MORE. We've enjoyed watching stories grow and develop from  first post through COMPLETE, and now we're excited to share  previews of  the stories that will  soon be your new addiction.

I was late to the party with falling in love with MercWard, but once I dove in, I was ALL IN. I read all four series back to back to back and fell hard, much like everyone that reads drotuno’s writing. She writes the perfect Edward in MercWard. He’s a strong alpha-male, loves his Bella an indefinite amount, he’s faithful & has a healthy appetite for loving up his wife, loves his family beyond measure, & he’s an all-American hero. What more could you want?! 

When I finished the 4 series of MercWard, I begged Deb to continue. She told me with good humor, “Get in line”, because most of her readers have begged for more from this amazing writer. Our wish has been granted and I am beyond excited to feature this Sneak Peek Saturday with drotuno!!

banner by Beffers87

Heaven & Earth

by drotuno

Summary: Gravity Investigations, busy as always, takes a protection detail that results in more than just a paycheck. Edward and Bella, separated by 70 floors of Twi Tech Tower, must fight to stop what could be an act of war. 5th in the Gravity Series. Canon Couples, AH. Rated M

~oOo~

Liar, liar pants on fire, that’s what I called myself as soon as I realized there could be, might be, maybe another Gravity story. I swore to myself there wouldn’t be another one, yet here we are. Number FIVE. I could blame a million things, but really, all it took was a couple of movies and Beffers87 playing around with a few manips and pictures, and I was suddenly making notes, working on an outline, and shaking my head at myself the whole time. And Bethany wanted to add “fifth and final, and this time she means it” to the banner, but it wouldn’t fit.

My worry was that adding another to this series would be too much, or it would lose something, because I’d left the crew in a good place in the last one. And honestly, I wasn’t even going to write this one unless the plot was good enough or could work into the original chemistry that the others had. In fact, I tucked the idea away for months, because I was working on two other stories at the time. However, like most plot bunnies, this particular one wouldn’t shut up. It sat in its tucked away file, pounding to be let out. And finally, in perfect Mercward attitude, I said, “Fuck it.”

Heaven & Earth picks up two years after Fire & Ice. It has been three years, technically, since I pressed complete on that one, but storyline wise, it’s been two years. For those trying to do the math, that makes Edward and Bella thirty-seven, Bethy ten, and Sammy six.

With a new story comes a new adventure…and new characters. In Fire & Ice, we lost a member of the crew, Kurt Varner, who moved away with Irina. We catch back up with the Gravity crew trying to fill that slot.

~oOo~

Once the door was closed to Bella’s office, Alec gestured to each of us. “Dean Carver, meet Edward and Bella Cullen. They own and operate Gravity Investigations.”

“Nice to meet you,” he greeted, shaking our hands.

He waited until Bella sat down before taking a chair across the desk. I resumed my position behind her, leaning against the filing cabinet. He was younger than me at thirty-two, but only by about five years. He wasn’t all that big of a guy, but it was obvious he kept in shape. I suppose he’d be considered a decent-looking man, but his eyes were sharp as hell. He was assessing us just as much as we were assessing him, which I could admire. With light-brown hair and fair skin, he had a youthful look, which would come in handy with some cases.

Alec had been leading the interviews all damn day, so he continued to do so here, but I noticed he was a little tougher with this guy than some of the others.

“I brought you in here today because I think you’d be a good addition to this crew, Dean. I’ve seen you work, and it’s similar to the way we do things. I know you’ve had some training. Tell us a bit about it,” Alec requested, sitting back in his chair.

Bella stayed quiet on this one, opting to listen as she flipped through his file.

“I was born here in Washington, played high school baseball until I discovered martial arts,” he started, and I could see this guy wasn’t loud or gruff. He was a bit like Jasper, soft-spoken and observant as fuck. “I joined the Marines right out of school. I did two tours, and I was stationed in Afghanistan, Japan, and South Korea. I was a part of an elite team. It didn’t have a name until about two years ago – Raiders. Navy has their SEALs, Army has their Green Berets, Marines classify themselves as elite to begin with, but they needed a recon team. That was us.”

“You’ve seen some ugly shit,” I pointed out, glancing over Bella’s shoulder at his file again.

“Ah, yeah, definitely, but so have you guys. Chopper pilot in Afghanistan. You’ve seen action, too.”

Alec grinned, nodding that Dean had done his own homework, and Bella tilted her head at the guy, finally speaking up.

“You trained to be a Seattle cop. Why didn’t you continue?” she asked him.

“I wasn’t a good fit, Mrs. Cullen.”

“Bella, please,” she said, sitting back in her chair.

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered, and she grinned at my soft chuckle. “Ma’am” wasn’t a word she liked all that much, but she was used to being surrounded by military-minded men who couldn’t or wouldn’t answer her any other way. “I’m not built to issue speeding tickets or separate marital/domestic disputes. I’m not black and white enough for that. I tend to think a lot in gray areas.”

~oOo~

As always, research is paramount when starting a new case, but it’s not easy keeping up with this crew, even for someone as qualified as Dean Carver, but Edward gives him the rundown on how things work around there in Chapter 2.

~oOo~

“My suggestion is to run as deep a background check as you can on everyone Jin-Sang has traveling with him. You’re looking for any connection to North Korea – anyone who escaped, still has family on that side, and even if they were born there. You’ll want to know. They have a tendency to sneak…well, spies, for a lack of a better word, over into the South and even through China. They use family to threaten or coerce people into giving up information. That civil war will never end.”

I glanced over at Dean, who shrugged, adding, “Better safe than sorry.”

“No, you’re good, man. It’s what we do around here. Everyone in this room, and some not here, bring some hefty shit to the table,” I told him, pointing to Alec. “Alec, here, specializes in black ops, silent entry, and ground attacks. Emmett…our in-house weapons specialist and bomb expert. Jasper over there…sniper.” I placed a hand on my chest. “Chopper pilot, black ops.” Grinning a little, I shifted to the ladies. “Now, here’s where shit gets interesting. Alice over there – certified genius, member of Mensa, carries an eidetic memory, and the best hacker on the goddamn planet. Don’t trade stock on Wall Street. She hacked that shit at twelve years old. Two-point-three million dollars disappeared into the wind. Poof!”

I leaned back in my chair with a smile at Dean’s shock. “Pixie! Where’s the money?”

“What money?” she called back with a laugh.

“No fucking trace,” I muttered, pointing to Makenna, who smirked my way. “Makenna – also extremely good with computers and technology – has a unique talent of being able to remember and draw to photo-like quality any face…of anyone.”

Dean’s eyes drifted to my wife, Mickey, and Rose.

I barked a laugh. “They’re beautiful. They’re deadly. All three. Mickey can open any door, lock, safe, or car without even breaking a sweat, but she’s deadly with weapons and stealth. Bella – trained FBI, martial arts, and a fucking phenomenal shot. Best aim I’ve ever fucking seen, and that’s not because she’s my wife. That’s the truth. Ask anyone. Rose keeps us on the straight and narrow, keeps us from running over each other and from killing one another.”

Dean chuckled, giving a respective nod my way. “Definitely more than a PI job.”

“You have no fucking idea.”

~oOo~

Heaven & Earth will start posting on Sunday, and it will most likely continue as a once-a-week update, simply due to my work and real life schedule. It’ll post on fanfiction.net, my blog, and FictionPad.com. And thank you to The Lemonade Stand for always welcoming Mercward back with open arms.

Until Sunday… Mooches, Deb ;)

~oOo~

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for more MercWard! Be sure and put drotuno on alert and get ready for the excitement of what drotuno will do next!

♥ Nic 

TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Feature

The Lemonade Stand has spent years bringing you the best the fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE in The Nursery, and now we're sharing previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction.

This week, the lovely drotuno, author of the brilliant Man Behind the Mask, shares a little detail on her upcoming story A Few Tables Away with us.

A Few Tables Away

SUMMARY: Edward spent most of his life trying to be invisible until he got to college. All alone, 3000 miles from home, there’s only one person he wishes would see him. His Library Girl, just a few tables away. AH/Rated M/Canon couples 

~oOo~

This idea started when someone posted a meme on Facebook containing a letter. It was the sweetest, shyest, most honest thing I’d ever heard – whether it was real or not. My head locked onto it and didn’t let go. It’s the only thing in the fic I didn’t write, but I wish I had. 

To the girl at the table near the back of the library,

I almost asked you what was wrong the first time I saw you crying. Then I saw the book you were reading and realized that you were crying because of it. And I was interested, because I’d never read anything that moved me that much.

I checked out the book you were reading, and guess what? I cried – just a little – too. That’s how it started. Every time I go to the library, you’re almost always there, usually with a completely new book. Sometimes you smile, or laugh out loud, or cry again, and when you do, I check out the book you’re reading.

That was it, really, until I realized how gorgeous you are. You’re not pretty in the normal kind of way, but God, when you smile, it lights up your face in the best way. 

I wish you’d notice me, sitting a few tables away from you, reading the book you were reading a few days ago. I wish you’d smile at me. I don’t have the guts to talk to you. I’m afraid you won’t be anything at all like I imagine.

One of these days, I’ll work up the courage and I’ll ask you about what you’re reading. And maybe you’ll smile that gorgeous smile and tell me all about it, and then we’ll talk about all the books we’ve read. But until then, thank you for the book recommendations. I love them.

Love, the boy a few tables away from yours

This boy in the library got into my head and wouldn’t leave, and the ideas ran the gamut – shy boy, confused vampire, back to shy, somewhat awkward human guy. That last one was the winner. It also didn’t help that when I showed Beffers87 the letter, she immediately had an idea for a banner – title and all. It’s gorgeous, along with the manips she made to put it together, so there was no fighting this plot bunny.

A Few Tables Away is set in a fictional town and college in my home state of Florida, though there are some canon touches here and there. I wasn’t expecting the turns this story took, but I hope you give Bookward a chance. 

The story will go live Sunday the 9th (tomorrow), and I’ll update Sundays/Wednesdays as long as my schedule holds true. I want to thank TLS for inviting me again. Here’s a bit of Chapter 2…

The weather in Florida was still warm, though with September almost over, I was told that the heat would lessen soon, that fall would bring less humidity. I was looking forward to it, if only for the change from what I was used to; it would be interesting to see the holidays wearing short-sleeved shirts instead of heavy coats and even heavier boots. Because there wasn’t a chance in hell I was going home for Christmas.

The coffee shop was pretty busy, with plenty of people taking up the tables outside and the sofas and chairs inside. Most of them were probably college students, though there were a few I’d guess were in high school, too. Sunset Roast had free WiFi, so the younger people of Glenhaven took advantage of it.

Jasper was running the counter when I stepped through the doors, and he grinned my way. “Ah, there he is. I’m glad we haven’t scared you off yet.”

Smiling a little, I shook my head. “No, sir.”

He snorted, gripping my shoulder. “I’m about five seconds older than you, bud. No ‘sir’ needed.” When I nodded again, he chuckled. “Actually, I’m only about two years older than you. What are you…eighteen? Nineteen?”

“Nineteen.”

“Ah, yeah…well, I’m almost twenty-two, so… Don’t ‘sir’ me.”

Grimacing, I said, “Habit.”

“And it’s a good one, Ed. But save it for the old lady at the bakery for extra donuts or the old man who runs the flower shop when you need somethin’ for your girl.”

“I don’t… I mean… There’s no…”

His brow furrowed at me, but a half smile played on his lips. “Good-lookin’ kid like you? Pfft… Shit, you’ll be knockin’ them off with a stick before your first semester is over.” I could only stare at him in confusion, which seemed to amuse him more, but he changed subjects quickly. “Oh, hey… I was putting your file together. Come with me. I need to talk to you before you get to work.”

I started to panic, thinking I’d done something wrong, but he’d said I’d be getting to work, so I figured I wasn’t fired…yet. “What’d I do?”

He led me through the kitchen and down the hall to his office. Papers and files were strewn all over the top of his desk, which made the neat freak in me break out into a sweat and swallow thickly. I shifted on my feet, gazing down at my sneakers as he shuffled through some stuff, only to slap down a manila file folder with my name on it.

“Listen, I was doing the paperwork on you, and I noticed you didn’t put down a name and phone number in case of emergency.”

“There’s no one to call.”

Jasper stared at me for a moment, and I frowned at his finger pointing to the blank line on the application. He opened his mouth and then shut it, only to say, “Where’s home, Ed?”

“Washington. And everyone I know is too far away to do anything about any emergency.”

Jasper sighed, falling down in his chair. “I gotta have somethin’. Even if it’s your roommate.”

My nose wrinkled as I shook my head, and I thought it was pretty damn sad I didn’t have Ben’s phone number, but I didn’t think I’d need it.

“Parents? Mom or Dad?”

“No… N-No mother, and my dad wouldn’t care if there was an emergency.” The truth came flying out of my mouth quicker than I could pull it back in, and Jasper flinched. “If I give you my brother’s number, just…don’t bother to call if something happens. He’ll just…freak out that he can’t do anything. Then he’ll call my sister, who will… She’ll panic. I…”

Something akin to pity warmed his usually jovial, easygoing blue eyes, but he nodded, pushing the file toward me. I jotted down Emmett’s name and cell phone, looking back at him.

“And I thought my family put the fun in dysfunctional.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “From what I can see, you’re pretty normal, so… I probably win.”

 .

Don't forget to pop Deb on alert so you don't miss out! 

♥ Kim 

TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Feature

The Lemonade Stand has spent years bringing you the best the fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE in The Nursery, and now we're sharing previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction. 

This month, the talented drotuno, author of the incredible Masen Manor, shares a little detail on her upcoming story Man Behind the Mask with us.

Man Behind the Mask

Summary: What you see isn’t always what you get. By all appearances, Masen lives the life of sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll. He’s living the dream that has turned into a nightmare because his life - and his reputation - is not his own. There must be more to life than tour buses, groupies, paparazzi, and slimy record producers. AH/ExB/Rated M

~ooOoo~

I want to thank The Lemonade Stand for their support. Always. When I was asked to provide a sneak peek for this story, I laughed, because this new one was completely done for the fun of it.

Rain Must Fall was intense to write, emotional, not to mention I’ve been going through some stressful “real life” changes with my work schedule and moving and all around just…stuff. And while I always say I’m taking a break, this time I was able to really relax into something. I took my time writing it and didn’t even consider posting until I was about halfway through it. 

My pre-reader, Pamela Stephenson (DrivingEdward), has been asking for a Rock Star Edward for as long as I’ve known her. I just never had the plot. When one finally popped into my head, I wasn’t sure it would work, but it does…at least, I hope it does.

It’s no secret that I love rock music – classic rock, metal, 80s hair bands, etc. I’ve used music before in other fics, but this would be the first time that music and lyrics would play a major part. I didn’t want to imitate any particular group or singer, so Edward and his band, Radiant Eclipse, are sort of a combination of a lot of groups, but a little bit of made-up stuff, too.

I also didn’t want to follow what had been written on this topic before – drugs, women, miscommunication, cheating, angst, heartbreak, etc. If you’ve read anything of mine before, you know I have “rules” I follow, and the subjects of rock-n-roll and bands and relationships tend to break those rules, so I needed to find some sort of middle ground. I know there are fantastic Rockerwards out there with deep, sad topics, but in trying to be unique, I think the plot grew out of that – where what you see isn’t always what you get.

Let’s meet Edward – or Masen, as he’s known around the world:

“Thank you, Seattle! Good night!” I cheered into the mic, reaching down to slap the hands of screaming fans on my way toward the side of the stage.

“Awesome as always, baby brother,” Emmett said with a grin, handing me a towel and a bottle of water. “C’mon. We’ll get you backstage.” He led me through the throngs of people, reaching female hands, and busy crewmen as I wiped sweat from my face and chugged the whole bottle of water. “Damn tight after a few months off, yeah?” he asked, holding my dressing-room door open.

“Yeah,” I rasped, pushing by him for more water.

When there was a knock on the door, Emmett went to tend to it as I fell down onto the sofa. Fuck…live shows were the best part of my life. My heart raced, my adrenaline was still pumping, and I felt like I owned the damn world. It had been months since we’d played a live show, and it would be another few months before we picked back up touring. It was off the stage that shit got…messy.

“Hey, babe,” Emmett sang, letting his wife into the room.

She kissed him and then turned to me. “You have an interview,” she stated without much pause, slipping into the role of Radiant Eclipse’s manager with ease. 

“Now?”

“Aro set it up before talking to me about it. She’s just outside.”

Wincing, I shook my head. “Aw, hell… Who is it?”

“Jessica Stanley from Music Mania Magazine.”

“You’ve got to be kidding!”

“Afraid not, brother-in-law,” she sighed wearily. “I tried to reschedule, but it just won’t work.”

“Fuck.” I raked a hand through my hair. “Can’t Jasper do it?”

“I’m sorry, Edward, but I need you to do this. They want Masen. They want the front man.”

I met her gaze when she used my real name, not the stage name. Only those who truly knew me called me Edward, and I never used it in public.

“Apparently, Aro gave her exclusivity to the first interview since you’ve been home. Hell, yes, she’s gonna want details of the last few months. However, I want you to push the album you guys are about to finish recording, not to mention the tour coming up.” Rose sighed again but smirked at me. “She’s a fan, so use that shit. I saw her out there – front row and center. I’d be surprised if her panties are still intact.”

Snorting into a chuckle, I fell back against the sofa, but I checked to make sure that I had everything I needed for this godforsaken interview.

Rubbing my face, I groaned but then mumbled to her to give me a second. “You stickin’ around for this?” I asked when she walked back toward the door.

“Nah, as much as I’d love to see her face when you do this shit, I have to make a few calls, but if you’re good, I’ll send your girls in to save you,” she teased, which made me laugh. She glanced at her watch. “What do you think? Thirty minutes?”

I nodded to her. “Fair enough.”

This Edward is very special to me, simply because he wrote himself. I had intended for him to be a touch different, but when I sat down to actually start typing, he developed into something unlike some of my past Edwards. And in a very good way, I think. As you can see, there’s more to him than meets the eye. He has a few secrets. He has to put on an act for certain things, and it starts to wear on him.

On the other side of this is Bella, and she turned out to be so much fun to write. We get to know her in Chapter 2, but I wanted you to meet her, so here’s a glimpse of their first meeting:

“Bella. Bella Swan. Now…let me get you another beer, and you can tell me why you look like someone kicked your puppy…”

My eyes stayed locked on the gorgeous girl across from me. Girl. The word made me scoff internally, simply because she had to be somewhere near my own age – mid-twenties – so she wasn’t a girl. But she was, indeed, beautiful. It was natural, too. I’d seen so many fake, surgically enhanced women that taking in Bella Swan’s fresh face was like a deep breath of clean sea air. She was smooth skin, a petite, shapely body, dark-brown eyes, and a small smile quirking up on her face as I simply stared at her.

Snorting, I shook my head. “It’s all bullshit,” I muttered, swallowing the last of my beer in three large gulps, only to set the mug down.

“It usually is,” she agreed.

Grinning down at the bar top, I nodded. “Yeah.” I glanced up when my mug was taken gently from my hand and a new full one took its place.

She went back to stocking bottles and clean mugs and followed that up by wiping down the bar. I forced my eyes to stay on the mug in my hands, not the poor girl who was kind enough to save me from the paps. I was just about to thank her again when the TV’s broadcast caught my ear, if only because I heard my name.

“Radiant Eclipse put on a comeback concert tonight in their hometown of Seattle. Front man and songwriter, Masen, who is only two months out of his stint in rehab, led his group in a performance of their chart-topping, critically acclaimed hits.

“Masen, who was arrested for DUI several months ago, took to the stage tonight in his usual wild manner.”

My eyes narrowed on the TV as they showed parts of that night’s show. We sounded tight, though the video was shaky and most likely someone’s damn phone. They switched from Radiant Eclipse onstage to what looked like the photos that Laurent had snapped in my dressing room with Jessica. The prop bottle of whiskey was in my hand, and I was shirtless and working the poor journalist.

“It seems nothing changes about Masen…”

I’d almost forgotten about Bella, but her cleaning had stopped and suddenly the TV’s sound clicked off, leaving my idiotic face in various places up on the screen in silence. Grimacing, I forced myself to meet her gaze, expecting disgust but only seeing curiosity and maybe a little pity.

“Fun, huh?” I asked before drinking from my beer again.

“If I judged everyone who had problems, I wouldn’t have a business,” she said softly, but it was the sweet blush on her face that made me chuckle.

“Very true, Bella.” I took another drink but glanced at the TV, where they were still talking about me. I saw Heidi and the asshole she was seeing now. I’d had suspicions that she was fucking around with her costar, but seeing it was not as upsetting as I thought it would be, or maybe I felt validated. “And if I believed everything everyone said about me, I’d either be the second coming of Christ…or the Devil himself.”

The sweetest giggle met my ears, and I grinned her way, shrugging a shoulder. Sweet God, she was stunning when she smiled. It took over her whole face and caused the most adorable scrunch in the middle of her nose. Suddenly, I just needed her to know something.

“Not everything you see is…the truth,” I sighed, waving a dismissive hand toward the infernal TV.

Bella studied my face, draping a white towel over her shoulder. She took the remote and turned the television off. “Well, if you want to talk about it…” She smiled so sweetly. “They say your bartender is better than a therapist.”

Laughing, I shook my head. “My therapist was bought and paid for by people that simply needed me out of rehab in order to continue my job. I’m a fucking dancing monkey.”

“I doubt that,” she countered, leaning a hip on the other side of the bar. “The dancing monkey part, anyway. However, I’m only the cost of a few beers, for which you are paying this time.” She stepped around the bar, and my eyes followed her as she flipped off the “OPEN” sign and clicked the lock on the front door. “Now you can’t be interrupted.”

These two make me smile – and for completely different reasons. I hope everyone else enjoys them, too. The story will go live tomorrow – Sunday, the 22nd – and will probably follow my usual twice-a-week posting schedule.

...

Don't forget to pop drotuno on alert so you don't miss out!

♥ Kim 

Welcome to TLS Nursery!

Welcome to TLS Nursery!

Here we nurture all of the newborn stories (stories published within the last thirty days or so) that we love! Everything in our nursery has been read and approved by a few, or a lot, of the TLS ladies, and we think you'll enjoy cuddling up to these babies as well.

As ever, there are some incredible stories to check out this month.

Remember to leave these lovely ladies some love, and let them know TLS sent you!

Have an amazing Christmas!

Kim

XOXO

Gothic by author-self-insert

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10732208/1/Gothic

Ten years ago, Edward was accused of murder and Bella was his alibi. Now, the murder remains unsolved and Bella hates Edward. Can a penchant for gothic mystery, a hearty dose of lingering hostility and the desire for a clean conscience really be enough to right old wrongs?

Breakfast in the Dunes by Miss Baby

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10786919/1/Breakfast-in-the-Dunes

They were the most unlikely two people to fall in love; one a driven student on the brink to greatness, the other a jaded rock star on the road to ruin. But when hopes, dreams and the New York State Division of Parole force them together, fate takes over and hate soon grows into a different sort of passion.

Kingdom Come by katinki

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10782569/1/Kingdom-Come

-Refusing to pursue her, he left Forks to face forever alone. Six years have gone by, and the day he dreaded the most has now come to pass. -When he didn't show up for class, she was left confused, not understanding why he had to go. Though time passed and her life went on, she never forgot him. -A mysterious package arrives in the mail and it changes everything. AU.

The Flower Girl by winterhorses

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10835178/1/The-Flower-Girl

As a florist, Isabella plays a role in many significant events, interacting with people during their best moments and their worst. She keeps a part of herself emotionally protected—until pediatrician doctor Edward Cullen and his significant other move into town. Soon, she realizes that doing her job will mean causing her own heart pain.

Rain Must Fall by drotuno

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10751629/1/Rain-Must-Fall

It's always been said that Mother Nature finds a way to assert her power. This time, she unleashed something that walls and fences couldn't contain. Separated by an entire country, Edward and Bella must fight to stay alive in a world determined to destroy them, a world Edward must cross to get to his family, and a world where the dead don't always stay dead. Rated M AH/ExB

you are here by bicyclesarecool

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10783211/1/you-are-here

A cross country road trip with Edward Cullen? Not exactly at the top of Bella's to do list, but she's out of options and he's got a working truck. Can they put the past aside and make it through the week? Rated M just in case. ah, ooc exb

SoCal by Krazyk85

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10810837/1/SoCal

Being with them wasn't the problem. Losing me was. A life filled with sandy beaches and sunshine, I felt safe. Nothing bad happens here in SoCal except bad mexican food. Or so I thought. This is not your everyday love story. Based on the movie Savages. For Kninut, an Edward, Bella, Jasper- polyfic

The Age of Innocence by pattyrose

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10815898/1/The-Age-of-Innocence

On the eve of the Second World War, young Isabella has been taken from all she knows and is now stepdaughter to one of the richest men in America. Spending her summers in Washington State, she's unaware that this is where she & a young boy will find their fate, where childhood friendship will mature into the fiercest love: a love that must endure the end of innocence. Rated M. E&B.

REVIEW: Masen Manor by drotuno

Some stories have such a big following that it’s hard to remember where you first heard about them because every-freaking-body you know is reading them.  They're the stories that are recognized by initials or stand-apart details and are immediately connected to an author's name. They get you talking, screaming, and swooning about fic, and often become the standard by which other stories are compared. These are those stories.


We've invited four guest reviewers to share their thoughts on some of our recent ‘we can’t stop talking about them’ favorites.

Masen Manor by drotuno

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10108743/1/Masen-Manor

Masen Manor, home to a prestigious boarding school, Masen Academy. An immortal hiding from the world has his faith tested by a hundred-year-old fortune and a broken, silent girl. AU…E/B…Slightly OOC…Fiction M - Romance/Supernatural - Bella, Edward

Nat (evilnat)~

It's no secret that I am a huge fan of drotuno's Gravity Series, which, in my opinion, is one of the best action series in the Twilight fandom, so when Deb teased us with a banner for Masen Manor, I was all-in, even before chapter one was posted.

Masen Manor is an sweet, well-written, exciting read. Edward is complicated and brooding, protective and passionate, and Bella is intelligent and sweet, yet broken. She's one of those characters that you can see growing stronger with each chapter and you just know that when the action kicks in that she's going to really come into her own.

I like how the storyline touches on a lot of canon elements, but has it's own life with an original backstory, and it's not a simple storyline either, there's a lot of effort and detail put into this one. Much of which is still unfolding twenty-eight chapters in.

With a huge cast of characters, and a lot of likeable and love-to-hate supporting cast, it shows that this story is planned out perfectly. You can tell Deb knows what she's doing. It's also got a lot of mystery and keeps you guessing about what's about to happen with each plot twist.

I would recommend anything that drotuno writes, but in this case I'd say that you wont be disappointed with Masen Manor if you are unfamiliar with her work. If you like protective, vampy Edward, UST, chemistry and a Bella that has so much potential to be a really strong protagonist, you will love this story.


Becca/GothicTemptress ~

There is something extremely captivating about Masen Manor, written by drotuno. The enchantment begins at the very beginning of the story, where we are introduced to a Bella that does not speak. Learning about the traumatic event that led to her with-holding her voice for so long, the readers are truly pulled into the magical mystery that develops as each chapter reveals small clues, building slowly as the romance and UST simmer in the plot. This story progresses at a meticulous pace because there are many junctions to the motives, actions and reactions of the characters - the weft of this carefully woven story is slowly plaiting into a design that is beautiful and quite addicting, exciting me every time I see an update alert come into my in-box.

Vampireward will steal your heart in this story, especially when he accepts that changes are coming to Masen Manor, and embraces the gift of happiness and companionship that has literally come through his front door. Watching Bella's emotional and physical transformation has been one of the most moving parts of this story so far. The motion of drotuno's loom seems meticulous and thoroughly balanced, and while I have no idea where this story is going, I look forward to seeing how the counterbalance of the various characters will deliver justice and resolution to the mystery in motion. The textile-quality of this story is tangible, quite easily felt by readers and formed carefully weave by fastidious weave as the softness of the “hurt/comfort” eases the harsh realities that constrained Bella to that realm of silence. Wrap yourself up in this story and see what I mean. You won't be disappointed!


Fanfic Maplestyle ~

One hundred years ago, forced out of his house by an abusive father, Edward Masen meets two very different women. One a fortune teller, who foretells his death, and death herself. Fortunately for us, his death is not of the permanent kind. With the help of kind Doctor Cullen, Edward awakens to find his life altered forever. He awakens as a vampire.

Edward, remembering the events of that fateful night, tells Dr. Cullen about the predictions made and eventually they come upon the woman again. She retells Edward’s fortune and it hasn’t changed, 100 years from the date of his change he’s to meet his soulmate, a beautiful but scarred swan.

One hundred years later, enter Bella, an extremely talented, extremely broken young girl. A tragedy has taken away her ability to speak, whether she can’t speak, or won’t speak I’ll leave up to you to discover. Invited to join the prestigious school, run by the Cullen’s she accepts her position and the beautiful, scarred swan and Edward are on a crash course to meeting.

One of the things I love the most about Drotuno’s writing, are her characters. She gives us, not only strong Edward’s, but strong Bella’s as well. This story also brings us a fantastic array of side characters, including a likeable Jake, that’s right, a likeable Jake. A quirky Alice, who helps Bella learn the ins and outs of the Manor, as well as helping her to avoid trouble in the form of classmates that are not understanding of the fact that Bella doesn’t speak and label her a freak. She gives us a Jasper who is fighting his feelings, but extremely loyal to his family and in my opinion, one of the best written Leah’s ever.

I have a lot of favourite stories written by Drotuno, in fact I’ve read her Angel and Gravity series at least five times. I have to say though, that Masen Manor, so far is my favourite Vampward of hers. I urge you to read it and come along for the ride. Drotuno really knows how to suck you in, she writes in a way that makes you fall in love with the good characters and wish death on the bad ones.

If you haven’t read Masen Manor, what are you waiting for? If you haven’t read anything by Drotuno before I urge you to catch up on Masen Manor, then read through her entire list of stories. You won’t be disappointed.


JenRar ~

If you’re a fan of Drotuno’s writing, especially her Angelward and Mercward series, as well as her short standalone, Hard to Love, then her latest, Masen Manor, is a great one to read because it’s kind of a mix of the three. Edward is a vampire (and we know how well she writes those!), while Bella is a human who’s had a traumatic past and is a little…damaged. Much like they did for Edward in Hard to Love, the other characters support her and love her so much that it makes you just want to cry sometimes.

There’s also a great blend of canon and AU, which makes for a lot of nods to our favorite parts of the books, but also gives readers some fun twists. Edward can read minds. Alice can see the future. Jake is a wolf, but he’s Leah’s son, and Leah is a future-seer herself: she reads tea leaves, crystal balls, and tarot cards. Rose and Emmett are great people in Masen Manor. You still manage to love them, though, even though they’re human and, sadly, not a huge part of the story as a whole.

The best part of this story, though, is the relationship between Edward and Bella, as always. The way they love one another is truly one for the ages. He worships her without being smothering, while she is able to lean on him while learning to be strong herself. It’s a slow, smoldering relationship that burns hotter and hotter with every chapter, yet underneath all the heat and lust is a bond of friendship and love that can endure anything.

Masen Manor is one of my favorite stories Deb’s ever written, and if you haven’t jumped on it, you’re missing out!

Welcome to TLS Nursery!

Welcome to TLS Nursery!

Here we nurture all of the newborn stories that we love! Everything in our nursery has been read and approved by a few - or a lot - of the TLS ladies, and we think you'll enjoy cuddling up to these babies as well.

As ever, there are some incredible stories to check out this month.

Remember to leave these lovely ladies some love, and let them know TLS sent you!

XOXO

The Almost by lola-pops

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10130854/1/The-Almost

Flannel. Weed. Nirvana. One fall day changes everything. Five friends navigate high school, relationships and their futures.

Isabella by suitablyironicmoniker

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10087055/1/Isabella

In the Cornish countryside of 1804 England, a foreign visitor brings Isabella to reconsider the inexplicable occurrences she had always taken for granted.

After the Gold by DH78

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10140179/1/After-the-Gold

This little story was born out of late night Twitter conversations and gushing over Meryl & Charlie, the fabulous American gold medal ice dancers. We ship them. Spangly wanted it written. So it shall be done. So can childhood friends become more? We say HELL YES.

Bachman Twilight by Mortissues

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10173973/1/Bachman-Twilight

Four love stories and centuries of drama combine to create a unique family.

My Ex-con by counselor

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10093961/1/My-Ex-con

Edward is fresh out of the big house and Bella is his new boss.

Go Fish by rubyblue9696

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10019837/1/Go-Fish

Life may seem mapped out and on the straight-and-narrow, but just when you think you see your own big picture, fate comes in to play with an animated deck of cards and tells you, simply, to please 'go fish'. Who knew it would all start with a can of worms? WARNING: Over 18 Only for Language/Lemons.

Anything But Mine by WitchyVampireGirl

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10038504/1/Anything-But-Mine

It was the summer before their senior year of college; Edward wanted one last summer of fun and relaxation, Bella was running from the pain of the last few months. What they found was everything wanted and so much more. But will it last past the summer or fade like the setting sun?

Reign by RuthlesslyYours

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10020142/1/Reign

Be humble. Be Sweet. Speak of womanly things. But above all give your king anything he seeks. Lady Isabella Swan of Devonshire does none of these things.

A Light in the Darkness by JenRar

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10108747/1/A-Light-in-the-Darkness

On one of history's darkest days, Edward finds his other half. Bella wakes to find that her guardian angel may just be a figment of her imagination. A journey of two lost souls as they find the light when darkness surrounds them.

Compassion Holding its Breath by maruxf

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10042678/1/Compassion-Holding-its-Breath

Twilight always felt as if it had started from a much more "adult" place than the books showed; as if an editor had said "this is good, but let's clean it up for young adults." But really...why is Bella so insecure and where does Edward's self-loathing truly come from? Rosalie's festering hostility? Esme's truncated yearnings? Carlisle's regrets? This is a grown-ups Twilight.

Paladin by meeky311

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10040153/1/Paladin

A paladin, by definition is any determined advocate or defender of a noble cause. Bella, a coffee barista and Edward, a Seattle detective come together through a common goal, but end up getting a little more than they bargained for. Can they become the fierce defenders they need to be for the most noble cause of all...saving the world? Romance, suspense, humor and all of the above.

Still Waters by monamumbles

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10115223/1/Still-Waters

The things that go bump in the night are probably your friends.

My Backwards Walk by musicalvoice

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10123818/1/My-Backwards-Walk

Despite Edward's best attempts, he and Bella aren't together. But every Friday, like clockwork, she ends up at his apartment in the early hours. This is a story about wanting, having and the messiness it entails.

The Opposite Effect by staceleo

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10109250/1/The-Opposite-Effect

Bella Swan didn't believe that opposites attract, until Edward Cullen and his awful hair came into her orbit. A comedy about finding love in the most unlikely of places.

Masen Manor by drotuno

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10108743/1/Masen-Manor

Masen Manor, home to a prestigious boarding school, Masen Academy. An immortal hiding from the world has his faith tested by a hundred-year-old fortune and a broken, silent girl. AU…E/B…Slightly OOC…Rated M

TLS Fics of the Week 7/9/13- 7/15/13: The Fab Five

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