Fandom: Canadian Actor RPF/Anthropomorphic
Pairing: Hugh Dillon/Mike Stand
Length: 847 words
Author on LJ: helens78 
Author Website: Fic on DW or AO3
Why this must be read: I didn't think I'd have an entry for Crossover Day, but then I looked over my rec list and realized that this gem of a story would qualify. Helens78 does a brilliant job bringing Mike (Microphone) Stand to life here, and its desire to be handled just the way Hugh will handle him--with a physicality that's um, sexual.  This was a great prelude to the Headstones reunion concerts earlier this year, and a reminder that Hugh really knows how to handle a microphone.

( A preview... )

You can read Sound Check here on DW or AO3, and please remember to leave feedback for the author.

Fandom: ANTHROPOMORFIC
Pairing: R/NC-17
Author on LJ: nundinae
Author Website: None
Why this must be read: My original rec for this story read: *sporfle*.

Yeah, it's a bit light, isn't it? But, see, once you read this story you'll totally see why words failed me: to say anything about it is to ruin the conceit. And that? Would be a shame, because the conceit is hilarious. Plus, nundinae includes a killer pun at the end, and that is never a bad thing in my world!

R/NC-17

It's actually Friday here already, and I won't be online tomorrow, so here's my final rec for Anthropomorfic.

I've had a blast with this rec set, and I hope you've all enjoyed the ride too. See you all in January, when I take a turn at the wheel for NCIS.

Happy New Year!

Vidder: Jason Wishnow
Musical artist: Blake Neely
Pairing: Oedipus/Jocaster
Vidder on LJ: None
Vidder's website: The New Venue
Why this vid kicks ass: The disclaimer for this vid reads, "This movie contains scenes of vegetable sensuality." Seriously, how can you resist that? It's a triumph of epic cinema, not to mention a classic of the tragic-potato genre, and you should already be off to look at the site and right-clicking and saving.

The Story of Oedipus, in 8 Minutes, Performed by Vegetables

Fandom: ANTHROPOMORFIC (BARBIE)
Pairing: Ken/Blaine
Author on LJ: fryadvocate
Author Website: Memories
Why this must be read: I love this cracky character study of Ken going through his mid-existance crisis. There's just so much love in me for this. I love Ken's expressions, which it's taking all my will-power not to spoil for you. I love how Barbie is this invisible black hole that all the other characters swirl around. I love the extrapolations the author makes, which explain so much about the Barbie world. And most of all, I love the sly commentary on the ethics of the Barbie franchise.

The Best Part of Breaking Up

Fandom: ANTHROPOMORFIC
Pairing: And/Or
Author on LJ: matociquala
Author Website: Elizabeth Bear
Why this must be read: If you love language, as I surely do, this story will make you shiver. It's the story of two words, And and Or, and how they come together for the first time. Elizabeth Bear's writing in this is stunningly evocative and no matter how many times I re-read, I always end up thinking "wow".

And/Or

Fandom: ANTHROPOMORFIC
Pairing: Good/Evil
Author on LJ: phinnia
Author Website: Tangential Curve
Why this must be read: You just know this one is going to end badly, don't you? Ah, but the journey! The journey is everything, and in this timeless story phinnia will rip your heart out, stomp on it, and leave you feeling bitter and ashamed. But, you know, in the best way!

midnight in the garden of good and evil

Fandom: ANTHROPOMORFIC
Pairing: Qualitative/Quantitative
Author on LJ: makesmewannadie
Author Website: mmwd's writing
Why this must be read: I adore odd-couple stories, and this is the oddest couple of them all. Boggle at the miscommunication! Snicker at the differing worldviews! Be utterly charmed by makesmewannadie's wicked sense of humour.

Qualitative/Quantitative

Fandom: ANTHROPOMORFIC
Pairing: Author/Muse
Author on LJ: edoraslass
Author Website: Henneth Annun and FanFiction.net
Why this must be read: I don't really feel much need to sell this one, because, hey, if you're an author you're already clicking this baby, and if you're not, you're moseying on whatever clever thing I put in here, and really, that's just how it should be. stares balefully at muse

Author/Muse

Fandom: ANTHROPOMORFIC
Pairing: Iron/Shirt
Author on LJ: skripka
Author Website: along the rim
Why this must be read: Mmmmm. This is surprisingly sensuous, and the sexual imagery is wonderfully apt. Kudos to skripka, as she actually makes housework seem like fun.

Iron/Shirt

Fandom: ANTHROPOMORFIC
Pairing: Spork/Fork/Knife
Author on LJ: solargoth
Author Website: None
Why this must be read: No rec set is really complete without a tragic love triangle, in my opinion. Fortunately, solargoth has provided me with the perfect story with which to fill this essential niche. Look, I can't even begin to do justice to the emotional depth of this piece. It's glorious. You should go read it right now. The end.

Love Song to a Silver Spork

When I first started putting this rec set together I had to make a hard decision: namely, would I include anthropomorfic stories from established fandoms (such as this one I recced on the van while driving for BSG03)? In the end I decided that as December was Small Fandom month, I could only rec stories with small-fandom protagonists. Which works out well, actually, as it means I can rec this delightful story about a muppet with a big destiny...

Title: Viper by fox1013
Pairing: None
Author on LJ: fox1013
Author Website: Inner Geekdom
Why this must be read: Okay, so Pepe the Prawn? It turns out he's a kick-ass viper pilot. No seriously! Read on, and discover how he fearlessly does his bit to help the BSG crew battle the Cylons.

*wipes away tears of mirth*

Viper

So far, all the stories I've recced have starred concepts as the main characters, but the next couple of stories are all about objects...

Fandom: ANTHROPOMORFIC
Pairing: Spoon/Fork
Author on LJ: oneko_briar
Author Website: None
Why this must be read: Short-short stories are such divine mouthfuls when done well, and this tender morsel manages to describe a whole relationship, complete with a twist ending, in just seventy-three words. Mmmmm.

Spoon/Fork

Fandom: ANTHROPOMORFIC
Pairing: Character Death/AU
Author on LJ: cmshaw
Author Website: cmshaw's fanfic
Why this must be read: What a brilliant, brilliant piece of meta-writing this is. It's dark and creepy and unbelievably disturbing (you have been warned), and the ending is just knock-your-socks-off superb!

Character Death/AU (Warning: Character death!)

Fandom: ANTHROPOMORFIC
Pairing: Drarry/Snarry
Author on LJ: elanah
Author Website: Memories
Why this must be read: If you've ever read any Harry Potter slash this story will make you cackle with gleeful delight, as these two emo pairings whinge at each other about their respective fangirls.

It's Not Fair!

Fandom: ANTHROPOMORFIC
Pairing: Wrong/Wrong
Author on LJ: makesmewannadie
Author Website: mmwd's writing
Why this must be read: If there can actually be a BNF in a fandom as small as Anthropomorfic, then makesmewannadie is definitely a contender. Every one of her stories is comedy gold, but I've chosen this one because... oh, God. This is so, so wrong. And yet... guh! How did she manage to make it so hot? This is the fic that will change your views of mpreg forever. Caveat Lector!

Wrong/Wrong

Fandom: ANTHROPOMORFIC
Pairing: Het/Slash
Author on LJ: pauraque
Author Website: Under the Skin
Why this must be read: The age-old battle of shipping versus slashing is duked out in this short, but brilliantly funny, grudge match. Who will you be barracking for?

Het vs Slash

So, you're probably looking at the fandom name right now and wondering, What on earth is ANTHROPOMORFIC? Is it rare anime? Kid Lit? Postmodern stories about anthropologists? Or what?

The answer: none of the above (although if anyone has a pomo story about Daniel Jackson? I want to read it!).

Anthropomorfics are stories that use inanimate objects or concepts as protagonists. You think that sounds dull? It's not, I promise. Anthropomorfics will steal your heart. They are cracktacular, they are nearly always supremely clever meta about fandom cliches, but most of all, they are immensely inventive fun.

The fandom is so small it really only has one LiveJournal devoted to it, anthropomor_fic, which is a tragedy, but I will refrain from waxing maudlin about the sad lack.

ETA: Thanks to mikou for pointing out the specialist Anthopomorfic community, mac_hearts_pc. And to virtualinsomnia for pointing out mcgriddlefanfic.

Anyway, now that you're up to speed on the basics, on with the recs...


Fandom: ANTHROPOMORFIC
Pairing: Canon/Fanon
Author on LJ: virtualinsomnia
Author Website: Insomniac-Supergirl.Net
Why this must be read: This is, perhaps, my favourite anthropomorfic of all time. Why? Because I've always secretly wondered how canon feels about fanon: about the invasion of boundaries, the transgression, the power dynamic and who is really in control. And after reading virtualinsomnia's take on those thorny problems, I'll never look at fanfic in the same way again. "The Corruption of Canon" is a must read for every fangirl. It's glorious.

The Corruption of Canon

Title: The Ways In Which Music Can Help Heal A Broken Heart by l_s_q
Pairing: Elijah Wood/unidentified character, Elijah Wood/iPod, Elijah Wood/Vinyl LPs
Author on LJ: l_s_q
Author Website: leather_hips
Why this must be read:

Well... It's a crossover of sorts... I know it's not exactly what people might have expected for this crossover contribution but when you think about it, Apple products and most particularly iPods do tend to have their own little fandom out there. Plus they have such a perfect place in the fic that I'm forced to consider them as real characters rather than as just appliances, hence the idea to rec this today.

Now why should you read it? Because it's good, that's why. It's crack fic without being all that much on crack, hot as all hell even though we're talking Elijah and an inanimate object... and it's just... it just is. and it would be a shame to miss out on it because it's a real fun read, so there.

The Ways In Which Music Can Help Heal A Broken Heart