Words beneath a dappled sky

Though few can understand how we complete one another;
And they stare at us in wonder as we walk the city streets

One of those ultimate friendships in literature, the bond that grew between this most unlikely pair.

Two Such Friends
( we are lessened when we are apart )

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A Birthday Party reaps a harvest of the last peace-time toys Dale would know for a long time.

Art is so often an outgrowth of times of peace, when people can stop worrying about survival long enough to indulge in something just for the sake of beauty. This looks at the history behind (and after) the marvellous toys that were brought in and distributed at the Party Tree.

The Toy-Makers of Dale
( The toy-makers of Dale knew and remembered )

Fallen, fallen...

Chasm is a brief mourning piece after the loss of Gandalf, so suddenly taken from them, and is essentially Frodo's point of view but could apply to Aragorn as well. With it is Mirrormere, a little different from my usual writing in that it dives more deeply into symbolism and philosophical thinking - part of me likes it and part of me thinks it needs work because I was 'trying too hard'. I think I was reading things like Thanatopsis at this time and it shows.

Chasm
( I cannot see for my tears )

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Mirrormere
( Blind to the longer tale we are of, Fated to hold the fleeting )

A/N: A small collection of Thanksgiving-themed drabbles for Middle-earth.

( Sam and Rosie )

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( Aragorn and Arwen )

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( Gloin )

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( Shelob )

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( The Travellers )

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( Barliman )

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( A Brace of Coney )

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( Faramir )

Formerly burgling hobbits are never trusted...

Title:: Stone of Erebor
Characters: Bilbo, Bombur, Nori, Dori, Gloin, Gimli, Dwalin, Bifur, Bofur, Dain Ironfoot, and a cameo of sorts for Thorin Oakenshield.
Wordcount: 70,776 (in 25 chapters)
Summary: Having left the Shire for good, Bilbo finally visits Lonely Mountain and his old friends, but Dain is suspicious of a non dwarf among them and when something goes missing, Bilbo finds himself drawn into ensuring its return.

2nd Place, MEFA 2007, General Mystery category

A/N: This is a gap-filler - I couldn't find any fic exploring my favorite hobbit's retirement trip and finally decided I would have to write it myself. My first attempt at anything like a mystery, and a fun exploration of how I imagine the Dwarves and their world to be. It has a companion piece added later for those wanting more Dwarves, the lighthearted "Bombur's Diet".

It being 25 chapters, I'll merely link to it:

Here at Stories of Arda: http://storiesofarda.com/chapterlistview.asp?SID=3903

Here at Fanfiction.net: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2456490/1/Stone_of_Erebor

Because Tolkien tells us in the intervening years, 'nothing of note' happened.

Might as well kick off this listing with the behemoth that started it all (yes, I went from mostly just writing poetry to deciding to write a 'story' to it turning into a novel that took a year and a half to finish - I've since learned to yank on the Muse's reins a little better). This led to my discovery of ff.net and other jolly places for writers.

Title: Nothing of Note
Wordcount: 171,634 (or thereabouts)
Summary: Bilbo Baggins faces his 98th year with a local adventure that leads to his eventual selection and adoption of an heir.

At Stories of Arda:
http://storiesofarda.com/chapterlistview.asp?SID=3900

Or here it is at fanfiction.net, if you prefer:
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2405289/1/Nothing_of_Note

Like the later Stone of Erebor this was one of my "gapfiller" pet projects, a look at the process that led up to Bilbo deciding to make the (rather notable) step of choosing an heir, then following through with it. It is Bilbo-centric and includes an extended spring journey to the three Towers and back again, as well as an interlude in Buckland, a Dwarvish visit and other events, all within the bounds of the Shire.

I have intent to eventually go back through and provide some much-needed editing, but for now it has to wait. Fair warning, this is a whopping 70 chapters plus an Epilogue.