[spotlight story] My Brother's Keeper

[zulu.livejournal.com]

Title: My Brother's Keeper
Author: shutterbug_12
Pairing: Gen: House, Cuddy, Wilson.
Rating: R
Length: 24 814 words.
Spoilers: None.
Summary: An on-the-job incident forces House to experience his life beyond the visible spectrum; Cuddy and Wilson struggle to guide him through a darkness that neither of them can see and preserve the world that House remembers.
( Excerpt )

shutterbug_12's My Brother's Keeper is an incredibly intense experience. When House loses his sight in an accident, the result is a reevaluation of his entire life, especially his relationship with Cuddy and Wilson--the only two people he might trust enough to help him. All three grow and change as House first despairs, and then begins the long road to an uncertain recovery. Throughout the story, shutterbug_12 uses detailed, precise description to draw the reader in to a sightless world. A particularly intimate moment is when House remembers Stacy in an attempt to forget everything going on around him...and only partly succeeds. My Brother's Keeper is a wonderful example of a hurt/comfort story; the hurt is the catalyst to show each character in sharp perspective without any over-the-top gratuitous torture, and the comfort grows naturally out of the characters' relationships, providing a very satisfactory denouement.

You can leave feedback for shutterbug_12 here.

First Artist: wihluta

The disjointed, distorted effect really conveys the trauma that they all went through.



Leave feedback for wihluta here.

Second Artist: virvavirva

The rain on his face is just amazing. And his eyes even look a bit unfocused, like he's looking through something rather than at something, which, considering his condition, is perfect.



Leave feedback for virvavirva here.

Third Artist: mem_vermelha

Cover art with an excellent choice of images.



Leave feedback for mem_vermelha here.

[spotlight story] The Open Road

[zulu.livejournal.com]

Title: The Open Road
Author: pun
Pairing: House/Wilson
Rating: NC-17
Length: 25 000 words
Spoilers: Through season three.
Summary: Wilson goes along for the ride.
( Excerpt )

The Open Road is the consummate roadtrip fic. pun combines the best of the travelling tropes--sleeping together in tiny rundown motels, country fairs with carnies, and being trapped together for hours in the car--with a wonderful exploration of House and Wilson's characters at a crossroad in their relationship. The road itself is a character; pun does a marvelous job of evoking the changing setting. The disconnected mood of the story fits Wilson's POV perfectly, as he follows House's lead and tries to understand his motives. This works especially well during their intense first kiss and Wilson's subsequent confusion. The sex scenes are incredibly hot, but they don't discount the importance of the way House and Wilson's friendship is changing. In the end, The Open Road leads to a conclusion that feels flawlessly appropriate.

You can leave feedback for pun here.

First Artist: thedeadparrot

I feel like it has real mood, that dusk-ish moment when cars begin to turn on their headlights.



Leave feedback for thedeadparrot here.

Second Artist: leiascully

I tried to get some salient elements of the road trip in: the red Corvette, the cheap motels and diners, the span of middle America.



Leave feedback for leiascully here.

Third Artist: mem_vermelha

I love the intimacy of peeking in at House and Wilson through the window, and the post cards are great too.



Leave feedback for mem_vermelha here.

[spotlight story] In For A Pound

[zulu.livejournal.com]

Title: In For A Pound
Author: deelaundry
Crossover Fandom: Stargate: Atlantis
Pairing: House/Wilson, McKay/Sheppard, House/Wilson/McKay/Sheppard
Rating: NC-17
Length: 20 500 words
Spoilers: Through "Whatever It Takes" for House; through "Quarantine" for Stargate: Atlantis.
Summary: Two days, four men, one California King mattress. Sometimes two and two can add up to something more.
( Excerpt )

If you have a great love for both House, M.D. and Stargate: Atlantis, then you'll love a crossover between them that brings both fandoms' favourite characters together. In For A Pound is deelaundry's extension of a 'verse started with the story Out Of The Blue, and it involves House, Wilson, McKay, and Sheppard meeting up and deciding to spend the weekend together engaged in every indecent and salubrious activity they can fit on a list. deelaundry's dialogue is well done, and the interactions between House and Sheppard are amusing. The moment when House and McKay play the piano together is particularly endearing. In For A Pound is a fun romp of a story, wherein each character and each pairing is given its own moment and individual dynamic. deelaundry takes great delight in offering up every possible fantasy for the reader's delectation, and the result is explosive.

You can leave feedback for deelaundry here.

First Artist: yevgenie

House and Sheppard's expressions fit so well. And Rodney's smile is gorgeous.



Leave feedback for yevgenie here.

Second Artist: thedeadparrot

The sexiest G-rated art I've ever seen. That rumpled bed, looking only recently abandoned... mmm.



Leave feedback for thedeadparrot here.

House Big Bang - ROUND TWO!

[zulu.livejournal.com]

The first round of House Big Bang Challenge was a huge success, bringing thirteen new Housefic novellas of at least twenty thousand words each and nearly thirty pieces of art into the fandom. The novellas in the archive represent the variety of ships and genres in the fandom, and range in subject from canon to crossovers to crack--and the art is just as varied and just as terrific. In fact, the entire challenge was was such fun that we're doing it again.

The general rules and timeline of the challenge are as follows, but they may be subject to change/revision when the Official Sign-Ups, Rules, and Important Dates are posted.

Challenge Rules for Writers
1. Stories must have a minimum length of 20 000 words. There is no maximum length.
2. Stories may be any genre: gen, het, boyslash, or girlslash.
3. The story's central element must relate to House, MD, and its characters. Crossovers and alternate universes are permitted.
4. Stories will be posted to a central site on the day the challenge goes live, with links to the summaries in this community for feedback, but afterwards may be posted to your personal journal or site.
5. The stories MAY NOT be posted, in whole or in part, prior to March 29, 2009. You may, of course, share with betas, but please keep your story under wraps as much as possible, so that the artists/vidders can make their choices anonymously when the time comes.
6. All stories must be betaed before final posting.


Challenge Rules for Artists and Vidders
1. You agree to create at least one piece of art or a vid to accompany one of the Big Bang stories.
2. Art can be of any type you wish: orginal illustration, cover art, photo manip.
3. Art or Vid can be of any rating you choose, provided that it is not more than one rating higher than your chosen fic. For instance, if your fic is G, gen, you cannot make shippy art or rate higher than PG-13.
4. You will be able to post your artwork or vid at your livejournal or site after the challenge goes live. If you'd rather, we will host your art at the Big Bang site.
5. Art and vids may not be posted unlocked anywhere on the web, in whole or in part, before March 25, 2009. Posting to betas or regular small audiencing groups is excepted, but keep the numbers down.


Round Two will begin sign-ups for writers on AUGUST 19, 2008 and run until SEPTEMBER 1, 2008. As of today, you have a whole month to decide if you'd like to be among us, so get that thinking cap on! More reminders will be posted as the deadline for sign-ups draws nearer.

Here are the Important Dates to know for Round Two:

August 19 - September 1, 2008: Sign Up Period for Writers and Artists
February 1, 2009: Finished stories are due.
February 1 - February 15, 2009 - Artists and vidders claim fic summaries.
March 15, 2009 - Artists' and vidders' submissions are due.
March 25, 2009 - Archive goes live.

[spotlight story] Strings

[thedeadparrot.livejournal.com]

Title: Strings
Author: queenzulu
Pairing: House/Foreman
Rating: NC-17
Length: 40 000
Spoilers: Through "Euphoria".
Summary: Because after Foreman fucks up, he might actually be teachable. Because House is the best one to knock him down and then show him what a moron he is. "Because he could be better," he says, and he hates that it's the truth, that he's telling it to Cuddy like it matters.
( Excerpt )

queenzulu's Strings is an addition to her Percussion-verse stories, which follows the relationship of an alternate universe version of House and Foreman, where Foreman was not hired on as one of House's fellow, but in fact, works in PPTH's neurology department. Strings itself deals with an alternate version of the episode Euphoria and explores the impact of such an intense event on House and Foreman's burgeoning relationship. As in most of her stories, Strings benefits greatly from queenzulu's keen ear for dialogue, light sense of humor, and sharp attention to detail. The emotional beats of the story ring true, warm and painful in turns. All of their characters get their moments to shine, to come alive. Foreman's father in particular is well-drawn for a character who has only had a few appearances in canon. We, as the readers, already know how this story goes, but that doesn't mean it's not worth telling again.

You can leave feedback for queenzulu here.

First Artist: tli

The expectant, uncertain way that the vid leaves us before fading to black makes you want to read the story.



Leave feedback for tli here.

Second Artist: leiascully

The cover captures tension among the characters, and the color is beautiful and evocative both of the strings instruments and the feel of the story.



Leave feedback for leiascully here.