Judge Spotlight - Phoenix Rising

Written by LJ Summers

I met Phoenix Rising (PhoenixRising25 on FFn) when she became my validating beta at Twilighted (where you can find her Phoenix Rising profile with beautiful banners). She immediately struck me as a well-spoken woman with an open mind. She had to have an open mind; I was asking her to validate an Embry/Bella pairing! Though she is an Edward girl through and through, she was kind enough to not only take on my Imprinting: The Mating Imperative series, but also to feature it with a distinctive set of blue ribbons.

She won my undying loyalty, of course!

I soon found that she wrote a lovely OC story, Kindred Spirits, in which there is no Bella, but there is a vampire named Theda who wins Edward Cullen’s heart.  Phoenix Rising is a truly talented writer who knows how to BE a writer, so she continued to present this spirited and compelling OC even though the very idea of Edward being with anyone other than Bella is anathema to fully half the fandom.  I totally respect her. 

Phoenix has tenacity and class. AND she’s got the most delightfully sexy mind!  Not only is she gorgeous (She is! I’ve seen pictures!) but her mind is very good at creative sexual play.  I highly recommend her one-shot, Man Maid in Chicago (Maidward is smokin’ hot!) and her sexin’ up of the Twilight Saga in her multi-chapter fic that reads like a series of steamy one-shots, From the Cutting Room Floor.  Here, she takes the Twilight Canon and squirts lemon juice liberally on some very interesting scenes. Definitely a recommend.

Beyond being a brilliant writer, Phoenix is a talented and insightful beta-reader. I’m not just saying that because she adopted me at Twilighted, either. *wink*  She has been very encouraging and reassuring and accessible (I can almost always find her on twitter) as I have attempted some branching out in my own fanfic. 

She is currently one of the Top Ten Most Prolific Authors on Twilighted.  She is also climbing the ranks at MyVampFiction, so that she has the opportunity to share her award-winning writing with even more appreciative readers. 

My very best favorite of her stories (yes, I have a favorite) is her current WIP, The Disillusioned.

This story is very tricky as it begins and I know her readers were all agog wondering what the mystery was behind Edward’s stay at a mental health facility. Mentalward is hot, by the way... Her Bella in this story is extraordinary – spunky and brave but still very canonical.  Edward is not a Cullen when the story begins, which is a nice change of pace.  Soon, though, the Cullens make an appearance.  Here is an excerpt from The Disillusioned, when Bella and Edward have their first real conversation:

. . .

Edward nodded. "I don't want to break anything else. When I woke up from my change, it was terrible."

I hummed, mulling that over. "If you don't mind me asking, where are your fangs?"

His eyes darted to me; angry green slits that oozed suspicion.

"Dr. Marshall mentioned that you're a vampire," I said quietly. "When I first started here, he briefly went over you and the other three residents so I knew who you were. That's all."

Edward exhaled, obviously relieved. "I don't have fangs. My teeth are really sharp. I guess my saliva is venom now, and I can eat human food, but it…it makes me feel sick."

"Do you drink blood?" I asked, somehow not really wanting the answer. It was pretty obvious Edward was convinced he was a vampire, but I hoped he didn't go to that extreme.

He hung his head. "Just once," he said, standing. Our conversation was over. 

. . .

Phoenix Rising is a truly exemplary woman of the Twilight fandom, and she is writing her own original work!  I hope you will check out her talent and get to know her.  I am happy and proud to call her my friend.