Letters from the Bard

December 27, 2001

I'm still diligently working on my new story on my uber site. All I can tell you so far is that our dear captain lands in jail - the is broken out of jail by the Maquis. She is forced to work with Chakotay and they must both face what they feel for Seven of Nine.

May you all have a joyous new year.

JS Stephens


 December 10, 2001

I've finally posted part of a new story on my uber site. You see, Captain Kathryn Janeway still wonders just what Admiral Kathryn Janeway was trying to tell her when she insisted that they use future technology to bring Voyager home early, stating that the Captain would regret not doing so, for she would lose Seven of Nine. Now, back on Earth, the Captain finds that Seven is not as sure of her romance with Chakotay, and is looking to her former captain for answers.

Happy Holidays!

JS Stephens


October 22, 2001

Nope, still haven't written anything new, but I'm in the midst of starting to update my web sites again. I've had several people comment that they can't always load some of my longer stories, so I'm chopping them into chapters. The first round is That Texas Summer, which I've chopped in to three parts. Don't worry, I have the other parts linked at the bottom of each page.

JS Stephens


October 9, 2001.

Whew, another long absence. Sorry about that, but the muses continue to desert me in my time of needing new story lines. In the meantime, check out the new Xena Virtual Season site (http://xwpvs.tripod.com/) for the newest "season".

Also, I've had some problems lately with AOL losing my web sites. I'm starting to mirror my fiction at Tripod on the following addresses:

Peace.

JS Stephens

September 12, 2001

I have no idea what to say.

This tragedy that has befallen the United States will ultimately bring us closer together. I pray that we do not start pointing our fingers at each other, nor that we start lashing out at any religious or ethnic group because they might "be terrorists". Do what you can to support your fellow humans. One way to give is to go to Amazon.com, they are allowing you to donate through your Amazon account.

JS Stephens


August 22, 2001

Oh, dear, I haven't done a darned thing in so long that I'm afraid the web will wither away! Actually, I've been busy melting in this Texas heat, which I decided is not as bad as the heat & humidity of Minnesota. I went to a conference in July in the Twin Cities and nearly died from heat exhaustion. Okay, not literally, but my clothes were damp the entire time. Ick!

JS Stephens


May 31, 2001

I still haven't decided what to write, but I've been playing with the background colors for my cascading style sheets. 

Battle on!

JS Stephens


May 20, 2001

Just some minor cleanup, adding a few forgotten entries to the Xenadex and to the timeline. I'm still trying to settle on a story to write, but I can't decide what to write.

JS Stephens


April 16, 2001

Sorry for the extended absence, I've been swamped at work and at home. But, I do have a new uber story for you called Fight the Good Fight. In this story, Brigid Anderson is handed an assignment to find out why protesters are targeting a campus minister for performing same-sex unions. She is shocked when she learns who is leading the protests. Meanwhile, a figure from Mel's past returns and it's Helen's turn to be shocked at her beloved aunt's behavior.

Again, sorry for the extremely long delay.

JS Stephens


December 28, 2000

This is my last letter of the year. I know I haven't written very much during the last half of 2000, I'll try to be better during 2001. I just found a cute little weather button for my entrance for Auckland, New Xenaland weather. Enjoy!

My holidays were fine, thanks. My partner and I, by strange timing and luck, actually got to spend Christmas with both families. Pwaise Hestia!

Blessed Be for the coming New Year.

Sincerely,

JS Stephens


November 26, 2000

It is amazing how much time a new kitten can take up. My cat and my partner's new kitten have occupied my time, as well as keeping up with the new Xena season, so for some strange reason, I haven't written much. Many apologies.

I do have a new story, Homecoming. I'll try to be better at writing more.

JS Stephens


September 29, 2000

No, not another extended absence with a lame excuse! Yes, I am working on another story, but my life has been extremely busy lately. I've been busy finding a replacement for an officer with my professional association (we had someone move out of state), dealing with the death of our dog (see below) and adjusting to a new kitten. Add new and different responsibilities at work and an enhancement to my earlier LASIK surgery and you get a very busy webmaster. In the past six months, I've gone from "the world is a blur without contacts" to "I can nearly see 20/40". Big improvement. Like I said, I do have another story in the works, but you try typing with a new kitten and your old cat racing around your feet.

JS Stephens


July 29, 2000

Sorry for the extended absence, but I do have a new story for you, Gabrielle. I also wrote a story about losing a dog in Good Old Argo over on my Uber & More site. I have been very busy with work and my professional association, but hopefully will pick up the production of new stories soon. Losing Hoover was much harder than I ever anticipated and I miss him a lot. He used to lay in the floor behind my chair as I spun my tales, waiting patiently for me to turn around and pay attention to me. When he did get impatient, he would poke his cold wet nose against my elbow, capturing my attention immediately. Now, the cat is depressed and my partner and I are pondering getting the cat a pet, perhaps a kitten.

JS Stephens


July 6, 2000

My partner and I had to put our dog to sleep last night. He had lived 15 1/2 years and was finally just too weak and too ill to make it any longer. Hoover, you are the first dog to have ever stolen my heart.


June 27, 2000

If you noticed a glitch in the navigation menu in my Uber & More web, I've fixed it. Amazing what a missing / will do in the coding...

JS Stephens


June 25, 2000

I'm still tweaking the Mythical Babes portion of my Xenaverse -- note the revamped look of the entrance. I've also deleted a few links from my Other Links page -- just a few dead links. I'm going to look for more stuff to link in the future. I have also just revamped my Uber web with cascading style sheets and a few corrections.

I'll start writing stories again soon, but in the meantime, a bit of advice. If you plan to replace the power supply in your sweetie's PC, remember to make sure that ALL internal cords & cables are reconnected. It took me a long time to realize that the cable leading from the floppy disk drive to the motherboard was loose, thus causing a "disk failure" message...<sheepish grin>.

JS Stephens


June 23, 2000

It's too damn hot to do anything, so I've been revamping my websites a little bit. I am in the process of doing a little HTML cleanup, trying to make everything more consistent in the "look and feel" of the webs. I've also revamped my Links page, dividing it into Fan Fiction, Fan Fiction Directories, and Mixed Sites. Since the Muses seem to have taken a vacation, I can't promise any stories immediately, but keep checking back, I may add other features or pages in addition to fiction.

JS Stephens


May 25, 2000

Whew, what a month. Part 5, the conclusion to Marching for Our Lives, is now available. Sorry it has been so long, but with the surgery (see below) and my department moving to a new building earlier than expected, I've been swamped. The story on the LASIK is that I'm having it done in two parts since my original prescription was so strong. The good news is that I'm in the thinnest glasses I've worn since elementary school. The bad news is that I still have to wait two more months for the final correction.

I may not add any stories for a while, I'm also taking over the presidency of my local library association. But, keep coming back, you never know when the Muses will strike...

JS Stephens


April 25, 2000

Part 4 of Marching for Our Lives is now up. I'm not sure when I will get the series finished, I'm having LASIK surgery this afternoon on my eyes. Let's hope that I will have much better vision soon and can eventually break free of the bonds of contacts and glasses forever!

JS Stephens


April 12, 2000

The next installment of Marching for Our Lives is up. Once again, I apologize for the long delay, and I also apologize for the fact that there will be a fourth installment...but life has been hell lately.

JS Stephens


April 8, 2000

Sorry it has taken so long to resume writing, but life has been rough lately.   Look for the final installment of Marching for Our Lives within the next week.

Sneezing and wheezing,

JS Stephens


February 29, 2000

Leap Day.

I finally got around to posting part two of Marching for Our Lives. Brigid find several surprises, including a square on the quilt for someone she knew in the past.

Personally? I've been pretty busy with work and home, including a new computer desk. I also attended the funeral of a former manager from where I used to work, a very strange feeling. HMJ, may you rest in peace.

JS Stephens


February 9, 2000

Dear Fellow Xenites:

Well, the gopher saw his shadow, so I suppose we'll have more winter.

I've started a new uber story, Marching For Our Lives, in which Brigid Anderson is assigned to cover the 1993 March on Washington for Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Rights. Helen Pappas, of course, is concerned that Brigid will come out of the closet and threaten her position at Asbury University.  Part Two to follow shortly.

I hope.

Battle on.

JS Stephens


January 20, 2000

Dear Fellow Xenites:

A very belated Happy New Year! Sorry I haven't done anything lately, but my mother underwent back surgery during the first week of January, so I've been preoccupied. Then, my sweetie and I helped friends move to a new house, and we're to see friends from out of town this weekend. Thus, your truly hasn't had much time for literature!

But, coming soon to a computer near you, a new Helen and Brigid story. I've hinted before that Brigid has been assigned controversial stories for Newstime magazine and this one hits her where she lives: covering the March On Washington, 1993. To top things off, it is a brand new senior editor who assigns the story to her, stating, "I want you to interview the ordinary folks, Brigid, not the usual crew of drag queens and stone butch dykes."

I hope all is well with each and every one of you. As always, feel free to drop me a line at libriscat .

JS Stephens


Go back in time to my letters from 2000-2001 , 1999 or from 1997-1998.

Copyright © 2001 by JS Stephens. All right reserved.