Saturday, July 31, 2021

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.

This week, our featured author is maniacalmuse, author of The Night She Wore Black, (K)inked, and The Dark Lust. Today she's sharing an excerpt from her new fic, Happenstance

banner by PearlyFox

Happenstance
by
Maniacal Muse

Summary: Craving an escape from the city, Bella invites all her coworkers on an impromptu weekend retreat into the mountains. When the only person to show up is the seldom-seen I.T. guy she’s barely spoken to, will the two of them be able to make the best of an unexpected situation? Bella x Edward, AH/OOC, Romance/Humor

~O*O*O*O~

“I think I need to get out of here, Jess. Like . . . bad.”

My coworker, Jessica, our engineering firm’s Head of Accounting, looks up at me as she spears a cherry tomato with a fork. “You mean the lunchroom?” Her eyes dart around the small space—clean, modern, and well-equipped for an office of just fifteen employees—before settling on me again. “Well, it is a nice day. We could eat outside if you want.”

“No,” I reply, shaking my head with a light laugh. “I mean here. The big ‘here.’ The whole city kind of ‘here.’”

“Oh,” Jessica says, popping the bite into her mouth and chewing as she eyes me speculatively. “Why, what’s wrong?”

I push last night’s leftover pasta around my plate, bored even with that. “Nothing’s wrong, really. I’m just craving a change of scenery. Some new sights, smells, experiences.”

“Is that some weird way of saying you need to get laid?”

Snorting at her assumption, which is all-too-unfortunately true, I shake my head again. “No. Well, yes, but that’s not actually what I had in mind. I was thinking more of a weekend getaway, maybe into the mountains. It’s not that far a drive, and the weather is perfect for it right now.”

“You know what, that does sound good!” Jessica exclaims. “We could all go.”

Wait, what? “Uh, we who?”

She laughs at my confused expression. “All of us here. You, me, Ange, Cyn, Lo . . . make it a fun girls’ weekend.”

I stare at her for a few seconds, turning the idea over in my mind. “Gee, I dunno, Jess. Would that be kinda rude? For half the office to go on a trip and not invite everyone else?”

“Hmm, yeah maybe. So invite everyone, then.”

“Seriously?” I scoff. “Invite the whole company to the mountains for the weekend? What would we even all do together?”

Jessica shrugs. “What would you do without everyone there? Same difference, really.”

“I guess . . .” Her suggestion doesn’t sound terrible. We’re a pretty tight-knit group—or at least, most of us get along well enough—it could be fun to spend some time together outside the office and get to know each other a little better.

“I’ll think it over,” I finally say, “and if it looks like things will work out, I’ll send a mass email.”

Jessica grins widely. “That’s the spirit! It’ll be an adventure. Who knows what might 
happen . . .”

~O*O*O*O~

Be sure and put maniacalmuse on alert. Happenstance begins posting on Sunday, August 1.

Saturday, July 24, 2021

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.

This week our featured writer is the talented pattyrose. She’s brought us fandom favorites like This Is Who I Am, Spin & Sway, Thief of Hearts, and the recently completed Two Holidays and a Funeral. Today, she’s giving us a peek of her upcoming fic, Summer Haven.

banner by pattyrose

Summer Haven
by
pattyrose

Summary: Two, separate lives, being lived thousands of miles apart, forever altered by events beyond their control. Two, separate lives, being lived thousands of miles apart, coming to terms with those events in their own ways. Two, separate lives, converging one summer in a mutual haven.

“Letting go means to come to the realization that some people are part of your history, but not a part of your destiny.” – Steve Maraboli, Author

I have a thing with the theme of Destiny.

Destiny is defined as “The fixed order of things; invincible necessity; an irresistible power or agency conceived of as determining the future, whether in general or of an individual.”

In other words, as defined, Destiny is predetermined, and no matter what happens in the past, present, or future, one’s destiny is fated. 

Destiny can therefore also be a tricky concept, one that’s hard to swallow or even appreciate because who the hell wants to be told that no matter what happens, will happen, or has happened, where you end up has already been decided?

Except, what if destiny isn’t necessarily a fixed, invincible loss of autonomy, as defined, but simply the ultimate definition of…whole? What if your destiny isn’t something or someone you’re bound to inevitably find, but rather something or someone you could conceivably go through life without knowing, while still leading a relatively happy and content existence?

Even more, what if destiny isn’t overt? What if you think you already met with destiny?

She spoke as if she were discussing something as innocuous as the fall weather outside, as incidental as the leaves cascading beyond the windows, the billowing breeze scattering them and portending the long winter ahead. Never mind that those leaves were once an integral part of the whole, and that with a brittle, unexpected snap, they’d cracked, shriveled, and disappeared from the Earth like specks of dust so minuscule they may as well have never existed.   

What if by thinking you already met your destiny, whether for good or bad, you shut your eyes when it does arrive?

Once, during one of those visits up to Forks before my parents’ divorce, there was a meteor shower we watched from Godpop’s back yard. The meteors shot by so fast, those burning minerals moving so rapidly that I feared they’d shoot right down to Earth and through me and singe me to ashes.

‘Don’t be scared, Bella,’ my godpop said, kneeling down so he could meet my wary eyes, his chocolate ones warm and calm. ‘Do you know what meteors are?’

I shook my head, and when his whiskers twitched from side to side, I reached out and pulled on the rough strands, straightening them, using their unruliness as an excuse to keep my gaze from straying upward.

‘They’re just stars that already burned up a long, long time ago, and now, they can’t really hurt us.’

‘No matter what, Godpop?’ I asked tearily.

‘No matter what,’ he assured me. ‘Now, their only purpose is to illuminate the path for the stars that’ll come after them.’

It’s frightening, right – the thought that something is out there that’s meant just for you, yet you may never actually find it? Even worse, you may never even know it’s missing. But, if the stars happen to align in just the right manner, and one, simple summer night, when you’re least expecting it, you stumble upon that destiny…

“…not from around here…” I heard whispered. “…look at his city clothes…”

I ordered chicken tenders and fries for Trist – not the healthiest option but something I knew he’d eat without complaint if he happened to wake up hungry – and a chicken salad for me. Then, I took a seat on one of the counter-level stools and tuned out the furtive stares and hushed whispers while scanning my phone for messages that needed answering. There were a few from my parents, from Kate’s parents, from my sister, Alice, from Kate’s twin sister, Tanya, and from a couple of friends. I sent out short replies alerting everyone that Tristan and I had arrived safely and that I’d be in touch within the next couple of days. 

The woman behind the counter reappeared, and I pocketed my phone as she handed me my to-go bag along with a friendly smile.

“Here you go, honey.”

“Thanks.”

“You need anything else?”

“Uhm…actually, can I please have some plastic utensils?” I was in no mood to dig through boxes and bags back at the house for utensils.

“Already put some in there! Ooh!” she exclaimed, “But I did forget the ketchup packets. Can’t have tenders without ketchup! Let me go grab you some.”

While she disappeared again, this time to find ketchup – and it would’ve indeed been a tragedy to unpack Tristan’s tenders without ketchup – I sat again. That was when I inadvertently honed in on a conversation occurring a few stools down from me...and a voice that seemed to cut through the rest of the clatter.

“Emily, I’ll be fine, really.”

“You should let me call them to come get you. You’re in no shape-”

“No, Em.”

“But your balance…”

“So, I’ll sway and stagger a bit from here to home. Maybe hit the floor once or twice. Nothing new, and no biggie. I’ve had worse.”

“Bella, that’s not funny.”

The person…Bella chuckled. “Admit it; it’s a little bit funny.”

At those words, I looked up. The other woman, another server behind the counter, was in about her early twenties and speaking to a woman…Bella, who sat a few stools down from me, gripping the edge of the counter with both hands. From my angle, she was slim and unremarkable, dressed like the poster child for a female lumberjack, with the requisite flannel checkered shirt paired with denim shorts, and a set of scuffed black combat boots. Her dark hair was swept up in a haphazard ponytail. When her boots hit the floor, she swayed unsteadily on her feet. 

“Whoa.”

Apparently, Bella had pushed back one too many. I snorted quietly to myself, noting how even a town this small and remote had its requisite drunks.

“Don’t call them, Em. They all worry enough.”

Her voice had a pleading quality to it now, and I watched with an inexplicable sort of fixation as this Bella person staggered her way to the exit by clinging from one stool to the next. I considered offering my assistance – not in the form of a ride home, no; but perhaps by offering her Uber money. There had to be Ubers in this town, right?  

In the next moment, it hit me: 

If a town this small had your typical drunks, it would also have all other forms of vice and crime. And if it had crime, it had criminals, some of which might very well be maniac kidnappers.

‘Tristan, the chief here is the chief of police in Forks...’

That’s what I’d told my son, but Jesus, what the hell did I know about this Charlie Swan beyond what he and his wife told me? What proof did I have that any of it was true? What if he wasn’t really the chief of police? And so what if he was? For that matter, what did I know about his wife beyond the fact that she’d rented me a house via emails and texts? 

I’d left my son alone in a car with a total fucking stranger.

Panic sent bile welling up to my throat, concurrently shooting adrenaline through my limbs. 

I rushed toward the door, all fucking thoughts of ketchup annihilated. The hammering of my heart and the throbbing in my temples blurred my vision so that when the drunk, staggering woman – Bella – who was apparently still attempting to find her way to the door, stumbled out in front of me, I plowed into her, hard. The to-go bag of food between us bore the brunt, smashed between our chests.

“Oof!”

“Ow!”

After our collision, I instinctively grabbed her by the waist before she could go down – by her own admission, nothing new to her. Then, in one hasty and impatiently ungraceful motion, I set her solidly back on the nearest stool. 

“Watch it!” I said sharply.

Her head snapped up.

Two brilliantly onyx eyes, more like black holes absorbing all constellations in their orbit, met my eyes. It was only later that night, while alone in my new bed, and with the knowledge that Tristan was safely in his bed, that I’d stopped to think about those eyes. They were amazingly deep and unclouded, especially for a drunk individual. It was as if…they’d swallowed up all light from the rest of the universe. Had I not been in the midst of almost blinding fear, I may have become completely lost in those eyes. 

Because no matter what destiny is not, what it is, is the other side of the coin, the electric charge on the opposite side of the magnet, it’s the pull that keeps you coming back for more.

And that’s why I have a thing for the theme of Destiny. Because although two people may conceivably go through life just fine without meeting with it, when they do find their destiny…ohhh

There’s nothing they can do to resist.

xx~OO~xx

Summer Haven will begin posting on Monday, July 26th. Be sure and put pattyrose on alert so you don't miss out!

Monday, July 19, 2021

What we're reading in TLS this week:

We’ve got a great lineup for you this week! We have new fics showing a lot of promise and several newly discovered older ones we’ve been enjoying. We think you’re sure to find something you will like, maybe even a new favorite! Don’t forget to encourage and support the author with some love in a review, and remember to let them know where you saw them recommended. Enjoy! 

♥ Six Dlbfive



A Centennial Secret by 2brown-eyes
An investigation in the rural woods of Northern Canada reveals a century long secret. Once uncovered, the path to eternal happiness won’t be smooth for two long lost lovers. Rated M

Be The Thing That Buries Me by staringatthesky
Because a vampire Rosalie came across a human Emmett. An alternate Twilight tale. Rated M

Bonne Foi by Amethyst Jackson
AU. Edward Masen was changed in 1918 and abandoned by his sire. He feeds on human blood, unaware of any other way…until he stumbles across college freshman Bella Swan for a night that will change everything. Rated M

Compass by anna.who.was.mad
On the cusp of her thirtieth birthday, travel blogger Bella Swan is ready to set down roots after a decade of being on the run.When the boy she (sort of) hated in high school crosses her path, Bella quickly learns that exotic locations have nothing on home-grown love.
Rated M 

Edge of the Night by love-tart
Bella and Edward couldn't be more opposite. She's a rich heiress and successful businesswoman in her own right. He's a detective that's seen way too many bad things happen to good people. Fate puts them in each other's path, but the road to happily-ever-after could be a rocky one. Rated M

Entrapment by jemster23
For Bella Swan, desperate times call for desperate measures. For Edward Cullen, family is everything. *Voted First place in the Twilight Family Affairs contest* Rated M

Free by cynosure23
Bella has never been free. But maybe Edward can change that. Rated M

High Maintenance by daisyandphoebe
As a young father who’s not sure where he belongs, Edward’s just trying to get through each day. His daughter is his life and all he thinks he needs. When the girl with the broken oven and busted fire alarm flips his world, will he invite her into his life? Will she choose to enter? First Place Judges’ Choice, First Place Public Vote in the Ho Hey Contest. Rated M

My Best Friend's Brother by Eep118
When the Cullens moved in next door, I knew Alice and I were long lost sisters, but Edward was no where near a brother to me. Between hair pulls, teasing nick names, and Saturday night sleepovers, we spend our early teens growing into best friends and secrets. What will Alice think when she finds out Edward and I have been sneaking more than glances since we were 13? LEMONS. Rated M

MVP by AKABrattyVamp
"Baseball is 90% mental, and the other half is physical." -Yogi Berra. Rated M

Not Time by Mcc101180
There are people who are unlucky in love, and then there is Bella Swan. Not only has she had a string of failed relationships and seemed to be a magnet for losers, but she has failed to see what's right in front of her in the form of her newest best friend, Edward Cullen. What happens when a couples' camping trip shows her that it isn't a matter of luck but instead timing? Rated M

The Devil Next Door by NightBloomingPeony
Bella has had fantasy after agonizing fantasy about her new wickedly-sexy bronze-haired neighbour, who never leaves his house before sunset. One evening, she decides to risk it all and follow him into the dark for a night that will forever etch itself into her memory. (My entry for the "Bodice Ripper's Contest", winner of "Best Dirty Talk" and "Cliffhanger Queen" awards) Rated M

Monday, July 5, 2021

What we're reading in TLS this week:

Let’s ease into Monday with a fresh batch of recs from The Lemonade Stand! There’s something for everyone with this list. Be sure to let the author know where you saw them recommended when you leave a review! Happy Reading! 

♥ Six Dlbfive


A House is Not a Home by AgoodWITCH
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13890686/1/A-House-is-Not-a-Home
Keeping the town of Forks safe was Chief Cullen’s job. But when a tragedy strikes, he has to learn how to cope when nothing feels right. Everything reminds him of what he lost and what he can’t move on from. *character death and dark themes* Rated M 

Breaking Waves by RMacaroni
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13905658/1/Breaking-Waves
She seeks action. He wants peace. When marine biologist Bella Swan and retired surfer Edward Cullen find each other in Costa Rica in the middle of a conflict between environmentalists and turtle egg poachers, Bella might just get more than what she bargained for. Rated M

Burning Saints by LayAtHomeMom
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12547589/1/Burning-Saints
As this saint burns, so will burn my soul should I betray the oath of Omertà. I enter alive and will have to leave dead.

Daughter of Three Suns by hikingurl
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13813297/1/Daughter-of-Three-Suns
On a desert world ruled by three suns, tradition demands that a girl must journey alone into the scorching heat to find her destiny and soulmate. It wasn't always this way. The seers say that Bella is the one chosen to fulfill the prophecy that will restore balance to the world. But is she prepared to pay the price that will be asked of her? Rated M

Found Missing by Lily Jill
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13903936/1/Found-Missing
We hear it outside again. Tentative steps. Contemplative. Calculating. It's the sound that tells me it's him. It's the sound that tells me he's found me. Except he doesn't find me dead like I wanted him to a year ago when I left him. It doesn't matter now. I'm no longer missing. I'm found. And now, I'm as good as dead. DRABBLE. Rated M

Judas by drotuno
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13779288/1/Judas
The sky opened five years ago, destroying more than just cities and buildings. It eradicated the thin veil that protected humans from the monsters. When society fell, those monsters starting hunting, and so did I. Someone had to protect humans from the beasts they never knew existed. Those monsters call me Judas…because I am one of them. AU ExB Rated M

Meet Your Master by PearlyFox
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13906837/1/Meet-Your-Master
Two Dominants meet their match, knowing submission is a gift. Is either one of them ever going to gain absolute power? Rated M

Parma High by Mrs. Brownloe
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13615794/1/Parma-High
A fresh start for new teacher, Bella, who arrives in sunny Parma to teach English in the local high school. So used to going with the flow, she was curiously dissatisfied with her life. Will she continue to settle for Comfortable or will she find Amazing. Rated M

The Forbidden Alliance by Jgaff
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13870182/1/The-Forbidden-Alliance
Bella discovers her father is in debt to Edward Cullen, the Missouri King. Her problem, daddy, plans to sell her to the elderly corrupt Mayor to cover his debt. Edward Cullen discovers the Sheriff’s plans when Bella unexpectedly falls into his hands. Now Bella, a pissed-off prisoner of the King, puts Edward in a touch situation as he struggles to resist the forbidden. MOBWARD. Rated M

The Haunting of Bella Swan by Ericastwilight
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11549142/1/The-Haunting-of-Bella-Swan
Edward Masen had seen and heard a lot things since the day he died, but didn't stay dead. Nothing prepared him for her. Rated M

Two Holidays and a Funeral by pattyrose
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13750643/1/Two-Holidays-and-a-Funeral
College graduate Bella Swan's introduction into the world of adulthood is marked by a married two-timer, an aristocratic eavesdropper, and a couple of best friends across the pond who try to keep her sane. Canon. AU. All Human. Rated M

Vengeance by fanficsR4nerds
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13876846/1/Vengeance
Lex Talionis; punishment reflecting the nature of the transgression it is punishing. The law of retribution. The law of Vengeance. When a powerful mob Queen crosses paths with an undercover agent, they find their worlds suddenly balanced on the precipice of a knife. Giving into any temptation could destroy them both. Rated M
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