altariel: (Default)
altariel ([personal profile] altariel) wrote2012-01-14 01:50 pm

More to celebrate

Today is the 10th anniversary of my joining fanfiction.net in pursuit of Tolkien fanfiction. And by gum did I find it. First Dwimordene's astonishing stories about Denethor and Finduilas and Boromir and Faramir, and then I started reading this amazing, exciting, breathtaking, brilliant story by Isabeau of Greenlea about a Ranger of Ithilien called Hethlin, and the Chicken Man (the real hero of the siege of Gondor)... A week or so later I found myself sitting at my desk at the department not much looking forward to seeing my PhD supervisor, and I started scribbling down a few lines in first person that eventually became The Fire Sermon... and then A Game of Chess began to write itself. (The PhD thesis not so much, but that seemed to sort itself out in the end.)

So here's to a DECADE of Tolkien fanficcing, with the best partner-in-crime that a Faramir fangirl could hope for, and the fellowship of so many fabulous people keeping me company on the Road. Some of you have become dear, dear friends, and I couldn't imagine myself without you.

Upon the hearth the fire is red,
Beneath the roof there is a bed;
But not yet weary are our feet,
Still round the corner we may meet
A sudden tree or standing stone
That none have seen but we alone.

Tree and flower and leaf and grass,
Let them pass! Let them pass!
Hill and water under sky,
Pass them by! Pass them by!

Still round the corner there may wait
A new road or a secret gate,
And though we pass them by today,
Tomorrow we may come this way
And take the hidden paths that run
Towards the Moon or to the Sun.

Apple, thorn, and nut and sloe,
Let them go! Let them go!
Sand and stone and pool and dell,
Fare you well! Fare you well!

Home is behind, the world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread
Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight.
Then world behind and home ahead,
We'll wander back to home and bed.

Mist and twilgiht, cloud and shade,
Away shall fade! Away shall fade!
Fire and lamp, and meat and bread,
And then to bed! And then to bed!

[identity profile] just-ann-now.livejournal.com 2012-01-14 01:56 pm (UTC)(link)
Happy fandom birthday! Your presence has enriched us all.

[identity profile] altariel.livejournal.com 2012-01-15 12:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you. I think we have a smashing fandom.
(deleted comment)

Re: Happy Birthday!

[identity profile] altariel.livejournal.com 2012-01-15 12:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much, Juno! :-)

[identity profile] aliana1.livejournal.com 2012-01-14 02:10 pm (UTC)(link)
*Applauds*

And like I said in my earlier post, thanks for inspiring *me* on ff.net a few years later. Fandom is all about paying it forward, and you've paid it forward and then some!

[identity profile] altariel.livejournal.com 2012-01-15 01:47 pm (UTC)(link)
*huge grin!* It's a great fandom.

[identity profile] jhall1.livejournal.com 2012-01-14 06:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Not having encountered you online until six or so years ago, I was under the impression that you had been writing Tolkien fanfiction for ever. :) So far I've only read a fraction of what you've written, but I've been very impressed by what I have read, and I must make an effort to read more.

[identity profile] altariel.livejournal.com 2012-01-15 12:09 pm (UTC)(link)
It feels like I've been writing it forever, although it turns out to be only 25% of my life! ;-) I think you'd really like Isabeau's writing too, if you have time to read more fic!

[identity profile] espresso-addict.livejournal.com 2012-01-15 01:43 am (UTC)(link)
I recall having a conversation just before the first film about LotR fanfiction -- there was a little, but nothing I'd ever enjoyed much (it was all either very worthy or graphic dwarf/elf porn, as I recall) -- it feels a lifetime ago.

[identity profile] altariel.livejournal.com 2012-01-15 01:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Dwim's stuff was manna. Ten years!

[identity profile] dawtheminstrel.livejournal.com 2012-01-15 01:44 am (UTC)(link)
Happy anniversary! Your stories gave me great pleasure, though you and Dwimordene between you made me throw up my hands at the thought of writing about Faramir, my favorite LOTR character. How could anyone compete? May you write many more.

[identity profile] altariel.livejournal.com 2012-01-15 12:53 pm (UTC)(link)
I feel like that about Dwim's writing too! But the more the merrier - here's to another decade, at least :-)

[identity profile] illereyn.livejournal.com 2012-01-15 04:53 am (UTC)(link)
:D

Happy anniversary! And may I just say how grateful I am that you came into fandom. Your stories have made my life more interesting!

[identity profile] altariel.livejournal.com 2012-01-15 02:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! And this gives me the opportunity to thank you also for all your wonderful reviews! :-)

Cheers! *clink*

[identity profile] dwimordene-2011.livejournal.com 2012-01-15 03:02 pm (UTC)(link)
I remember finding both your stories and Isabeau's around this time - I'm pretty sure I found Fire Sermon on break in the secondary file storage room and that I was a little late getting back to work (and didn't care, because so was everyone else).

Re: Cheers! *clink*

[identity profile] altariel.livejournal.com 2012-01-15 03:49 pm (UTC)(link)
*clinks glass*

Checking publication dates at ff.net, I see Captain began on January 19th, and The Fire Sermon the 31st. I remember sitting at my desk in the room adjacent to this one reading Love Sweet as Poison and feeling the whole of Tolkien's world opening up for me in a completely new way.

Re: Cheers! *clink*

[identity profile] dwimordene-2011.livejournal.com 2012-01-15 05:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Here's to another ten years of subcreation!

[identity profile] vasiliki.livejournal.com 2012-01-15 04:29 pm (UTC)(link)
You're making me nostalgic! :D

I'll never forget how we saw Sean Bean in person, and how I pulled an all-nighter marathoning QaF at your place! <3

[identity profile] edge-of-ruin.livejournal.com 2012-01-16 01:02 am (UTC)(link)
Ah happy memories! And the responsibility of being charged with the task of taking that photo ....

[identity profile] altariel.livejournal.com 2012-01-16 07:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Gosh yes!

[identity profile] vasiliki.livejournal.com 2012-01-20 02:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Hee, you did a good job! :D

[identity profile] altariel.livejournal.com 2012-01-16 07:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Hee! I'm sitting on the same sofa upon which you pulled that marathon!

[identity profile] edge-of-ruin.livejournal.com 2012-01-16 01:04 am (UTC)(link)
Wow a decade! And I can genuinely say it's one that changed my life ;-) Thanks to all my lovely ficcing friends.

[identity profile] altariel.livejournal.com 2012-01-16 07:40 pm (UTC)(link)
*hugs you* :-)

[identity profile] lhun-dweller.livejournal.com 2012-01-17 02:52 am (UTC)(link)
Happy anniversary!

[identity profile] altariel.livejournal.com 2012-01-17 10:08 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you!