STORIES

Beyond the Stained Glass

an arc of stories

Character Studies

tunnel dwellers, helpers, friends … their histories and memories

Episode Expansions

what happened before, after, in-between … what might have been

Illustrated Stories & Challenges

tales told with pictures and poetry
challenge submissions

Drabbles

Stories told in exactly 100-words

a WFOL activity

Beyond the Stained Glass …

an arc of stories beginning after the events of A Kingdom By the Sea. In this universe, neither The Hollow Men nor the season 2-ending-trilogy of episodes occurred. Vincent did not have the dark breakdown in the deep cavern; Catherine did not come to his rescue … there. Instead, Catherine’s “I wished it were you” – her admission after having kissed Elliot Burch – is most definitely granted, and their lives go forth together.

These stories introduce original characters beyond those familiar from the episodes and a community outside the perimeter of canon, one based both in the northern tunnels beneath the Bronx and up-top in the neighborhood of Woodlawn. So you don’t get lost, they’re best read in order. (The mid-arc, work-in-slow-progress Iron Behind the Velvet, is a very long but unfinished novel. Skip on to the following stories if you want – they don’t super-depend on Iron/Velvet.) And though the character studies, episode expansions, and illustrated tales are stand-alones, they do – or can – exist within the same universe.

Character Studies …

Several of these were originally published at Winterfest as part of The Hearthside Stories; a few more were submissions to group projects hosted on the fan site Everything … While they are stand-alone tales, not dependent on the reader having read the Beyond the Stained Glass series, nevertheless, they all occur within my particular continuing classic universe. They run the gamut from a Vincent’s-childhood story to an Isaac what-if-he-knew.

The Winslow stories are part imagined history, part episode expansion, and Jamie’s story dovetails with his. They’re best read in order and are so captioned. (A third Winslow story is found in the Episode Expansions). Sebastien’s story is, in a small but respectful way, an homage to Roy Dotrice’s wartime experience.

a close-up of Winslow, his expression pained and dismayed with himself after having spoken sharply to Kipper

the wind ... blowing in the same bare place

First in the Winslow series. 

Jamie looking wistfully into the distance after Winslow

Still Can't Say Goodbye

Jamie’s story, but also part of the Winslow series

Sebastien in conversation with Father and Peter, the initial three "who knew"

Badges of Grief and Patience

Sebastien’s story

Isaac in the doorway with Catherine when Vincent turns to them

On the Other Side of This Ragged January

A Valentine’s Day story … a further Sebastien’s Story 

Isaac in the doorway with Catherine when Vincent turns to them

Through Grace and Circumstance

Isaac saw; he knows. 

Catherine peering into the broken headlamp taken from Vincent's shelf; Vincent behind her

The Broken Headlamp

Reflection and prediction – a childhood story

Episode Expansions …

Many of these stories first appeared as submissions to projects hosted on the fan site, Everything …, some of which also appeared in Winterfest libraries. But I do love imagining further moments, and so I’ll be posting additions to this section now and then. The powers-that-were just didn’t go far enough!

The odd story out, There Will I Make Thee Beds of Roses, is my oldest, my very first fan fic, written in 1990, written to fix what happened in third season. (It’s kind of an episode expansion, I suppose.) I didn’t know the terminology when I wrote the story, but it’s not a SND, rather a continuing classic story, set in a universe similar to the one I’m working in today. Feel free to skip over the too-long literary excerpt!

Catherine with Vincent, his cage unlocked, and later with him in his chamber, reading

With Whom But Thee

Nor Iron Bars a Cage – the long walk home

Catherine with Winslow, and her face is dirty; later with Vincent, her face is clean.

The Love, the Hope, the Prophecy ...

Shades of Gray – a missing moment
A story in the Winslow arc 

Vincent and Devin at the secret door

The Pause

Promises of Someday – Catherine is … … … more than a helper

Vincent carrying Stephen back to his house, Catherine walking by his side

Residuum

Down To a Sunless Sea – afterwards

Vincent in two images - about to sit down on his bed, then settling in

O Sweetest Song

Labyrinths – Vincent’s bed squeaks!

Vincent carrying Stephen back to his house, Catherine walking by his side

And the Wind Moves Them ... Beyond the Kingdom

A Kingdom by the Sea – after Catherine’s long walk home

Catherine and Vincent in an intimate moment, holding hands, their foreheads touching, behind them the waterfall

There Will I Make Thee Beds of Roses

An alternate ending to Season 2’s Trilogy

Illustrated Stories …

I taught myself Photoshop once I started writing fan fic, and some of these are first experiments with the program and different techniques Some of the stories are supposed to be humorous, though I don’t think I’m particularly funny. (I tried!)

The postcards between Brigit and Catherine were part of a larger WFOL project, but they herald a fuller and independent tale yet to be told. The Lake House story was originally the framework for a Winterfest Poem of the Day project. A couple stories were originally created as the basis of Winterfest Treasure Hunt activities at the old Imagine That and at the Crystal Rose Lending Library site. I think – hope – they’ll all make sense just on their own.

Father is holding his head, looking dismayed, a teacup in the forefront

The Tunnel Tea Tempest

Kids today! Father has issues.

Devin at the airport counter where he says he's still looking for that mug o'beer

Still Looking For That Mug o'Beer

Devin has a new career!

Devin in a chef's hat, Vincent holding a mixing bowl

Cooking Up a Good Story

Devin offers Vincent some culinary advice

a stamped postcard, text reads: Brigit and Catherine

Between Brigit and Catherine

A story told in postcards

the lake house in Connecticut as it appeared one autumn night

A Dream Come True

The Lake House in Connecticut

Challenge Stories … Singular Stories …

Stories set outside the Beyond the Stained Glass universe, written in response to prompts or themes issued by CABB and Tunnel Tales. If I can ever make these part of the main story arc, I’ll move them to the appropriate category, but for now, they’re one-offs – something I wasn’t sure I could do! It was fun, and I’m looking forward to doing more.

Devin at the airport counter where he says he's still looking for that mug o'beer

At the Gate of the Year

New Year’s Resolutions, Above and Below

Devin at the airport counter where he says he's still looking for that mug o'beer

A Night As Dark and Glittering As This

An April 12th Anniversary Story

Devin at the airport counter where he says he's still looking for that mug o'beer

Fortune's Favours

A Summer Heat Challenge Story

Winterfest Drabble Challenges

Debuting at WFOL 2021 – the daily challenge to write an exactly 100-word story incorporating three given elements. Some were real head-scratchers! (And some I never managed!) They’re super-short stories in their own rights, but they’re also plot bunnies begging for attention, wishing themselves larger. One day!! 🙂