mememememe, baaaaah.

Because kellifer_fic told me to:

Sometimes it's ok to pimp yourself out. Post a list of your top five fic-favorites you've written, regardless of fandom or the reason you love them. This isn't about the BEST things you've written, but what you LOVE most. Then admonish your readership to do the same so you can find new stories to read and pimp.

(Okay, I adapted that last bit, but I *love* it when you guys pimp me your stuff. Sometimes you've written so much I've just forgotten gems, sometimes you posted and I missed it for some reason, sometimes you're new to the writing thing, sometimes you write for a fandom I read less religiously... pimp me your stuff anyway! For serious!)

My top five favorites right now:

Penumbra. Possibly a reaction to developing horrendous migraines in my late 20s, possibly related to reading synecdochic's Eurydice series (where they're all as messed up as they ought, by all rights, to be), or possibly related to getting that prompt from her... but this dark, sexy little offworld story crept into my mind and has never really left.

Footsoldiers on Uneven Ground. My friend A, in one of our many discussions of Muslim culture and feminism and Western snootiness (all of which she claims with glee), once quoted an article that said 'We don't need your feminism." That's always stayed with me, that there was more than one way to be strong. This story was partly inspired by the idea of writing Teal'c's mother, ignored by TPTB until the tenth year of telling stories, as a woman embodying dangerous, hidden strength. Not cowed, not lying, but willfully underestimated, and using the underestimation. Also I love that the title for this story never changed.

This is related in concept to: Without Fear of Wind or Vertigo. A Teal'c and Vala story. It should be clear from my writing that I firmly believe Teal'c comes from Strong Women, and Vala, in her way, allows herself to be underestimated in the same way Teal'c's mother did (in my fanon) and Jack does (which never once causes Teal'c to raise an eyebrow.) Vala, this story taught me, is AMAZING. I'm not kidding when I say that, oh, maybe twelve of you have read it, but it is one of my very, very favorite experiences.

Desert Made of Glass. I like this one because it's weird. It's difficult to present something unique in a major pairing in a fandom with so many years of canon and fanfiction. But this is something that didn't exist before, and it's such a fascinating reason to think about safety, and how people can embody that for us even when they are fighting on the front lines and not actually, you know, *safe.*

Into the Breach. This was not only my first proper Teal'c story, but one of my first stories full-stop. I have a vague memory of the prompt of cold hands, and thinking 'you know what would be *cool*..." and having no idea if anyone would read the story ever. Because it was Teal'c, and I hung out with Jack/Daniel OTPers (fiercely *wonderful* OTPers who read my Teal'c story anyway, bless their slashy little hearts) Then the story was one of the ways I met rydra_wong, and it was recced (first time I'd had that experience, I think) and remixed and it still surprises me. A story with no dialog, just one thousand words, and I did something accidentally that I sometimes can't recreate even willfully. And it set me on a path thinking about a character who has been nothing but a gift (no matter how I complain about the story I'm writing now.)

Just in case it's not clear, oh my goodness would I love to talk about these stories with anyone who fancies a comment-chat. I would love feedback, I'd love a fly-by squee, whatever. I really, though, I also want to hear about your stories. I *will* read and comment on at least one, if you point me to the post.

I really need to sort out that CSS coding thing so I can get my webspace up and running too. Ah, well.