Welcome to Cheshire Crossing

~Cheshire Crossing~
By Andy Weir & Sarah Andersen
Amazon ~ Powell's

The three meet here, at Cheshire Crossing--a boarding school where girls like them learn how to cope with their supernatural experiences and harness their magical world-crossing powers.

But the trio--now teenagers, who've had their fill of meddling authority figures--aren't content to sit still in a classroom. Soon they're dashing from one universe to the next, leaving havoc in their wake--and, inadvertently, bringing the Wicked Witch and Hook together in a deadly supervillain love match.

To stop them, the girls will have to draw on all of their powers . . . and marshal a team of unlikely allies from across the magical multiverse.


I actually came upon this book when I was searching the library catalog to put an early hold on Project Hail Mary. So when I pulled up Andy Weir on Libby, along with his other sci-fi novels, this one popped up. A MG/YA illustrated fanfic about Alice, Wendy, and Dorothy exploring multiple universes together? Uh, sounds kinda crazy, but sign me up!

Flick and Swish - A Wand Review

For those of you who don't know, I am a Potterfan. I own two copies of each of the books (one hardcover and one paperback), I have two shelves dedicated to HP-related nick-knacks and swag, and I've attended a convention half-way across the country.

So it should come as little surprise to most of you that I own a wand. I've owned a wand since my senior year of high school when I received an Alivan's wand for my birthday. As I'm not really one for cosplay, it's mostly been a shelf-sitter, though I did take it with me to Chicago for the Terminus convention in 2008. Still, on my trip to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter I had every intention of buying a new wand, one that was 'official', but after a horrendous experience on the Hogwarts ride I declined supporting the park further.

Fast-forward to last year and the release of Pottermore. My favorite section thus-far has been the extensive wand-lore section, detailing each wand wood Ollivander uses and why. The site assigned my wand as Laurel, which fits me pretty spot-on:

It is said that a laurel wand cannot perform a dishonourable act, although in the quest for glory (a not uncommon goal for those best suited to these wands), I have known laurel wands perform powerful and sometimes lethal magic. Laurel wands are sometimes called fickle, but this is unfair. The laurel wand seems unable to tolerate laziness in a possessor, and it is in such conditions that it is most easily and willingly won away. Otherwise, it will cleave happily to its first match forever, and indeed has the unusual and engaging attribute of issuing a spontaneous lightning strike if another witch or wizard attempts to steal it. [Pottermore]

And so I've been doing my best to save money to one day purchase an accurate wand, either from Pottermore or some other artisan. In fact, there are quite a few wandmakers (and artisans of other spiffy HP crafts) on deviantART, and I've taken to following a few both there and on Facebook.

One of the artisans, Rumble and Roar Wandmakers [Facebook, dA], held a contest a couple weeks ago and I was lucky enough to win one of his basic in-stock wands. Between the available wands [Oak, Poplar, Cherry or Walnut] I decided that Oak was the best fit:

A wand for good times and bad, this is a friend as loyal as the wizard who deserves it. Wands of English oak demand partners of strength, courage and fidelity. Less well-known is the propensity for owners of English oak wands to have powerful intuition, and, often, an affinity with the magic of the natural world, with the creatures and plants that are necessary to wizardkind for both magic and pleasure. The oak tree is called King of the Forest from the winter solstice up until the summer solstice, and its wood should only be collected during that time. It is said that Merlin’s wand was of English oak (though his grave has never been found, so this cannot be proven). [Pottermore]

And upon its arrival late last week, I became the proud owner of two wands:

Oak, 12 1/2 inches, sturdy and balanced

Cherry & Maple, 13 1/2 inches, surprisingly swishy

The Rumble and Roar wand is on the left, the Alivan's is on the right. As you can see, each is very distinct and has its own endearing characteristics.

The RaR Oak wand is hefty—not too heavy, not too light. The handle stretches nearly half-way up the wand, giving it a good balance in the hand. The longer handle does make it look a bit stubby, but as I tend to rest my index finger just below the double rings, I'm pleased with the increased area providing me a stronger and more confident grip.

The visible wood grain is simply gorgeous. There's no mistaking this for a resin or clay wand by a cursory glance. The feel of the wood is unmistakable as well. It's sanded down and coated, yes, but there's still the rough natural feel of wood and the grain throughout the handle and shaft. What's more, this is one solid piece of wood. It's been coated in different finishes, but you can tell that the grain not only continues from top to bottom, but is seamless as well.

Finally, though it's not easy to tell with a picture, the wand is not perfectly finished. In a 360 degree rotation, there are inconsistencies: the top section of the handle, just before transitioning to the shaft, is not the same width all the way around; the wand proper doesn't taper off uniformly toward the tip; and in the right light you can see a noticeable ridge near the top of the wand. But in my eye, this only serves to highlight the wand's uniqueness, its character, its handmade charm. It simply seems more authentic to the technically inept wizards of olde that a wand wouldn't be completely smooth, evenly tapered, or without a crook, bow or notch here and there.

The Alivan's Cherry and Maple wand, on the other hand, is practically flawless. It's been sanded down so finely that I can only find one teensy rough patch at the tip. Most of the wood grain (though I don't know if those trees have as distinct patterns as oak) has either been sanded away or coated over, such that the couple distinctions on the handle look more like flaws or damage than part of the wood itself.

The wand is extremely light, probably half-that of the oak despite its increased length. This could be because the wand is thinner overall, and for more of the length (having a shorter handle), or because cherry and maple are simply not as dense (again, I don't really know woods). The significantly shorter handle does give it a more traditional appearance, but it is slightly too small to fit my hand throwing off the weight ratio slightly. It feels more like a toy than a tool.

Finally, there's the fact that it is made up of two separate woods. While this does give a very striking and pleasing appearance, there is the fear of a separation. I admit that I have tested the connection a bit and found a little give when twisting. Granted, I'd never try or want to try to actually break the wand, but it does seem more likely than if it were one solid piece. On my cross-country trek, I had this wand wrapped up in more padding than I did my laptop.

Now if nothing else, Alivan's has blown everybody else out of the water with their packaging and branding.

Your Alivans wand comes complete with two piece blue Collectors Box, Velvet Wand Satchel with satin lining (embroidered with gold Alivans crest)...and a numbered Certificate of Authenticity which (on the back side) details the magical properties of your chosen hardwood. [Alivan's]

So where does that leave me? Well, I have two wands each with their own pros and cons. The Rumble and Roar wand looks authentic and feels sturdy enough for conventions and travel, but does have a rougher texture and is a bit asymmetrical. The Alivan's wand looks much more polished and display-worthy, but is a bit light and seemingly fragile for my liking. For the time-being I'll be holding on to both, though if I find a Laurel wand at LeakyCon this summer, I might consider parting with one...

Regardless of my preferences, though, both companies offer customization and other products (brooms, pipes, WB licensed merch, sonic screwdrivers...), as well as excellent customer service and even the occasional contest for a free wand. So if you're in the market for a wand of your own be sure to check out these Master Wandmakers before you make a decision.

F is for Fanfiction

That's right. Fanfiction. Boon of some, bane of others. Is it ripping off published works, or adding to them? Does it aide to a career of writing or one of theft?

Many an author has said something to the effect of, "And I finally had to let it go," or, "And then it was out in the world and out of my hands." Once you've completed your last edit, there's really nothing you can do (barring, of course, the 100th Anniversary edition) and your work is now in the hands of readers. You've released it to the masses for them to read, interpret, and enjoy.

But some authors feel a line is crossed once their characters move from the pages of their story to the pages of someone else's. I mean, it's understandable that you wouldn't want your baby (a common metaphor used for stories) playing around with the wrong sorts of people; they're bound to feel protective. After all, you raised that character from page one. You spent hours upon hours crafting his personality, her look, its way of speaking. And now someone else thinks they can pull the strings? It's an outrage!

But, not 2 seconds earlier, didn't you say you'd released it? That your work (and the characters) was out of your hands?

...Well, yes... But that was before thousands of people started desecrating it!

With the internet boom, there are hundreds thousands a huge number of sites dedicated specifically to hosting fanfiction, not to mention others which host it on the side. Where before you wrote it maybe for your group of friends, or a fan-group that met once a month/year, now you can post it for millions to see. It's as good as being published!

Well, maybe not, since the majority of fanfic writers don't get paid for their work. And the fact that the majority of the pieces I've seen all offer disclaimers at the beginning, stating that the characters/universe is property of its respective author.

I'd even venture to say that the majority of fanfic writers only have the utmost respect for the author. They write because the characters have struck a chord within them and they merely want to show their appreciation and creativity.

And some authors get it. Tamora Pierce, author of a plethora of YA fantasy, states on her website that she is fully supportive of fanfiction:

     As long as no one tries to make a profit from fanfics based on my work, I don't mind in the least. What I do mind, and what my publishers will mind as well (and they're the ones with the attorneys), would be if someone tried to sell work using my characters, maps, etc. That's copyright infringement (the fancy term; the unfancy one is "theft"), and the result would be ugly.
     On fanfics in general, I think they're one way to develop your skills as a writer. Sometimes it's easier to keep a story going if you don't have to create the setting and some of the characters yourself. I'd hope that sooner or later people writing fan fiction would branch out into creating their own worlds and books (hey--I need something to read, too!), but at least they're having fun as they write fan fiction. Besides, when I was a kid, I wrote "Star Trek" and Lord of the Rings stories--we just didn't call them "fan fiction" back then.
     At the risk of using a cliche, some of my best friends are fan fiction writers. Well, when they're paying you to do it, it's called "tie-in" writing. My friend Josepha Sherman has written two "Star Trek" books, three "Highlander" books, "Buffy" and "Xena" books--and her own books as well. The tie-in books help to support her until her own books start earning royalties. I know others who write "Spiderman" books, "Buffy" books, "Star Wars" books, computer game tie-in books . . . We all have bills to pay, and that's how they pay theirs. And a lot of those tie-in books are pretty good!

And Diane Duane's message boards display a similar support:

     No fiction writing of any kind is to be posted on this board.
     DD pays for this board. She likes to come here and read posts. And if she read your fiction, there could be problems. Since she pays for this board, we should make it simple for her not to be tripping over problematic material by making sure it's not here.
     While DD, as a Star Trek author, is well aware of the allure and appeal of writing fan fic, and is thrilled and delighted that she and the YW books may have, in some way inspired you to go write your own stuff, if you put it here, you can open her up to legal implications that could jeopardize her career. We know that you wouldn't be the one suing her in court for stealing your ideas, but all it takes is one nutball (cf. all those folks who have gone after J.K. Rowling because they think they wrote Harry Potter). And if you post your stuff, it could encourage that nutball to do the same. There are other places, like nanowrimo, fanfic sites, or livejournal that are far better for this.
     But yes, write like a fiend! Wizards are good with words. That many of you would also be writers was just in the cards. Just don't post it here.

Wait, so the author can't even read the fanfiction? Back to Tammy for more detail:

As for reading fanfics, I must abstain, politely. There's the time factor, for one, as in, I don't have any. More importantly, though, sometimes in the heat of the battle with a book, we grab any idea that surfaces, without necessarily knowing where it came from. I've since gone back to find things I've fitted to my use in books and movies I read years ago. I can't take the chance that someone else's ideas might enter the stew where my creativity happens, to surface years later: that's how writers get sued for copyright infringement/theft. It's nothing against fanfics or their writers, and everything to do with me covering my behind.

So, I guess it makes a little more sense that some writers would be so against fanfiction, since they can't/shouldn't even read what's out there. It's one thing knowing that your kid's getting a tattoo, it's another if you have no idea where or what the tattoo is.

As for myself, I have written 5 fanfics. I know, GASP! My first was based on the Extreme Ghostbusters cartoon, and it was written in freshman year of high school. My second was a 'missing' scene in the Big Wolf on Campus tv show written later that year. Then came my first literature-based work, a 'final book' of sorts to end the Everworld series by K.A. Applegate. Unfortunately I never got past the first chapter. Same went for my Kim Possible fanfic...and my most recent attempt at an LXG fanfic.

Now I'm more in-tune to my own fiction and I don't see continuing these projects. Well, maybe the LXG one, if I get some more inspiration/time/motivation. Mostly I see these as exercises in plotting, characterization, and writing in general. Going back to what Tamora Pierce said, it's much easier to get things started when you already have a character talking in your ear about what they want to do. But now my own character's taken priority, and she's brought a megaphone.

As far as reading fanfiction goes...I'm not really into it anymore either. There were a few I used to follow religiously, I avoided some genres like the plague, and was completely uninterested in others.

Harry Potter fanfiction (which is HUGE) never appealed to me because I wasn't interested in any stories but the original. I also didn't like the way other writers portrayed the characters. Having mortal enemies snogging each other out of the blue is not my idea of a good story. Meanwhile, I'm very involved in a Harry Potter role-play community who take original characters (OCs) and manipulate them in Harry Potter's world, so to each her own.

Well, what do you think about fanfiction? Have you dabbled in any, or do you stick to more traditional sources of fiction?

Some F Books I've Read:

A Fantastic F Group:

The F Font: