The Athenaeum's Index Of Fiction

Home Fires by Roo     

Xena: Janice and Mel | 1900-1960 | Alternative | Romance (alt) | Novella - 71 pages | Finished | Aug-02 Cast: Janice, Mel, Alice, Jack Honors/Awards:  Fan Favorite In The Category Of Janice & Mel.     Part 1 of the Home Fires Series Series List: Home Fires, Slow Burn
One mile looked very much like another, and yet she had referred to her map only once since leaving the airfield at Birrubi, relying instead on a combination of instinct and luck to bring her into close orbit around Coolinga Station and its current proprietress, Melinda Pappas. She and Janice had not seen one another, or spoken, in more than six months - a fact which both angered and confounded Janice. What had possessed Mel to end up in Australia? She was going to find out.
I for one am a true romantic and love to read stories that move my heart. Home Fires by Roo is exactly what I was looking for. Roo uses wonderful storytelling to bring us a version of the lives of Janice Covington and Meilinda Pappas. The story starts with Janice flying her Electra into Australia to find Melinda, who had left her a "Dear Jane" letter months ago. Trying to understand why Mel denied their love, Janice set out to find her. She now sees that there's another person in MelĘs life and wants to get some answers.Follow the paths of these two characters as they try to find their places again. Within each other's hearts. Can trust be given again?Here's a snippet and a great passage from this story...A different character by the name of Alice, a 13 yr. old is witnessing real love for the first time.--> Love, the way she saw it now, drawn in shades of discretion and restraint, was the whisper drowning out the scream, and the profound silences that follow a lingering touch. Love was the world writ small, two persons standing toe to toe in their last minutes together, scrambling for words as they endured a blistering sun...Now that's good stuff. I highly recommend Home Fires.Cheers Roo! - Di Bauden - Jan 12th, 2003    Home fires is one of the best M&J stories I've ever read (and I've read them all). Roo's M&J are so mature, so real, have such depth, you feel as if you could just reach out and touch them. Roo's writing is exciting, sexy, witty, moving and fun. I couldn't stop reading and immediately started reading the (as of yet unfinished) sequel Slow Burn. Highly recommended, a must, DO NOT MISS! - Anonymous - Jan 20th, 2003    Oh, I can't lay laurels upon the head of a bard for a wonderful sequel without mentioning this story, Home Fires. The characters of Melinda Pappas and Dr. Janice Covington, just barely 2 dimensional sketches in a 44 minute episode have here been fleshed out, given breath and blood, passion, angst, lust...lots of lust. But it's all been so tastefully handled. And believably. That's the real surprise. These two mature women have real issues and though they clearly have strong feelings for one another at the outset, there is a lot of water gone under their respective bridges...and neither one seems inclined to do more than wade for the first 8 chapters. THAT, in my opinion, is real. The writer has taken tremendous care to deliver well thought out, believable dialogue. Mel has left Janice in the lurch, holding a terse "Dear John" letter. Six months later, the redoubtable Dr. Covington confronts the author of her misery, and there is no quick fix. They don't kiss and fall into bed at the end of Chapter One. And there's wit. Mustn't forget the wit. Melinda and Janice as written and realized in this story, by this bard, are smart AND funny...a double threat. I found myself aching for the climax, pardon the pun, in Chapter 10, but also very grateful to the writer, in retrospect, that she took her sweet time getting there with 9 chapters of incredible verbal foreplay. - Buchwhacker - Feb 26th, 2003    great story! one of my favorites infact i think that it is one of the best mel and janice story that i have ever read. - d - Jul-27-2008    This is an unbelievable story. I come back to it so many times it's my joie de vie when things get upside frown. Thank you! You give my life a breath of joy! - Teresa - Sep-21-2013    Probably the best Mel and Janice fanfic I've ever read. It's a shame that it can't be put to film. It has that movie quality to it and, I feel, gives these two characters such flesh and depth that you just wanted to befriend them. - SaffronAJK - Mar-29-2014    One of the best written stories I've ever read. When life becomes a bit too heavy, this is where I come and these are the stories that wrap warmth around my heart and breathe new life into me. ... - Samantha - Feb-28-2016

Slow Burn by Roo     

Xena: Janice and Mel | 1900-1960 | Alternative | Romance (alt) | Short Story - 20 pages | Unfinished | Jan-03 Cast: Janice, Mel Honors/Awards:  #92 in 2003     Part 2 of the Home Fires Series Series List: Home Fires, Slow Burn
This, the sequel to 'Home Fires,' takes the original uber girls to a new level of domesticity, living in a brownstone in Georgetown in January of 1941. Janice rubs elbows with FDR, while Mel works as an assistant professor of "somethin' or other" at the university. However, all is not beer and skittles...read on.
This bard, in my opinion, is on a par with the Great Vivian Darkbloom, and that is saying something. The first seven chapters of this story ring with originality and wit, and Chapter 6? well, Chapter 6 smokes! My one negative comment might be the lack of a recent update. - SuzieQ - Jan 23rd, 2003    Ditto! You need asbestos gloves to handle Chap. 6! The bard is a relatively new find for me and whatta treasure. More, bard! More! - M&JFan4ever - Jan 24th, 2003    Bocce Balls, Batman! I went in search of this story on the recommendation of a friend. Seven chapters into it I am salivating for more of this rich, passionate and literate work. If you haven't read what there is of this story, you are missing something my friends! - HeavyB - Jan 28th, 2003    I've been sitting here, reading over previous comments about Slow Burn and can add my voice to those who call it "rich", "passionate", "witty", "literate". I haven't a clue what the hell "Bocce Balls Batman!" means, but it comes off sounding like a compliment. I read the first chapters of this story and after first registering my disappointment that more chapters are not yet available, I have to say I am enjoying the writer's meandering path to the heart of the story. That's a little misleading. I think the story has many hearts, many paths, and each one is delicately written, intricately explored. Chapters 1 through 7 are just the beginning of what is shaping up to be a first class read. - Bushwhacker - Feb 26th, 2003    I do not like to read unfinished work but i'm glad i read this one. I just wish she would finish it. - d - Jul-27-2008    Great story! I just wish she would finish it. It's worth reading even though it is unfinished. - Jessica - May-28-2011