Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Fanfic Related 25th Annual Kerth Awards 2023: Activity—Writer’s Year in Review

So many stories, so little time! Now is the time to catch up on our reading before Kerth nominations begin.

Authors, this is your chance to pitch the stories you wrote this year to readers who might have missed them when they were originally posted!

Please post ONE reply with a list of your favorite things you wrote in 2022. Then give us 1-3 sentences each to tell us what makes it special. It doesn’t have to just be a summary of the plot – it’s okay to tell us what you like about your story! Are you proud of your shocking revelation twist? Do you think your Henderson kicks ass and you had SO much fun writing Martha? Is your story so full of WAFFy goodness that it promises to melt even the iciest of hearts? This is your chance to say so!

Important note: We’d like this thread to serve as a year in review guide written by the authors, so please don’t reply to these posts. This will help us keep the thread easy to navigate and keep story pitches from getting buried in conversation. We’ll have a separate thread where readers can chime in and tell us what they loved this year! Any reader feedback posted here, will be moved to the Reader’s Year in Review.


Have a question? Ask it here! Or you can PM any of the K-Com members or reach out on Discord too! You can also send an email to us here: Kcom@kerthawards.com

The Kerth Committee
(Sara, Michael, Annie, and lovetvfan)


Other 2023 Kerth posts…
Kerth Announcement Post / Index
Eligible stories list
Official Kickoff Post (Schedule and Categories)
Eligible Fanart and Opt-In Opportunity
Take the Poll: Ceremony Dates and Times
Official Nominees for 2023
2023 Ceremony Information — Where and How
The Winners! That’s a Wrap!


Activities
25th Annual Kerth Awards 2023: Activity—Writer’s Year in Review
25th Annual Kerth Awards 2023: Activity—Reader’s Year in Review
25th Annual Kerth Awards 2023: Activity—Kerth Challenges

Okay, I'll be first especially since this has been up here for few days already. I took a few years off from writing Lois & Clark and this year I have written more than I ever did before. But there are some I am really proud of.

The New Year's Series. I had to get into the mind of the character that season. What was the relationship like? Who were they during that season? They never celebrated New Year's on the show, so what was happening between those episodes.

New Year's Season One

New Year's Season Two

New Year's Season Three

Shake Your Love was new territory for me. I don't usually write steamy stories. This was new territory for me. And yet I actually enjoyed writing it.

Shake Your Love

Okay, I'm new here, but I'll give this a go!

I wrote A LOT in 2022...but I think these few here are my favorites:


Of my shorter stories, I really like my Wishes series
Wishes Series

There are three short stories in this series, each one told from a different perspective. Wish Upon A Star is told from Lois's POV, while Wish Heard From Afar is from Clark's POV and Wish Straight From the Heart is from the POV of their young son, Jon.

Wish Upon A Star
Summary: Lois and her son Jon make their annual Christmas wish. Will they finally receive the Christmas miracle they’ve been hoping for?

Wish Heard From Afar
Summary: In this companion story to Wish Upon A Star, Clark returns from New Krypton on Christmas morning to find an unexpected and precious gift.

Wish Straight From the Heart
Summary: In this companion story to Wish Upon A Star and Wish Heard From Afar, young Jon Kent learns that his Christmas Eve wishes might have had more power than he’d imagined.


And for my longer stories, I wrote Anchor: Part I -- Clark Kent and Savior. Both of these were fulfilling to write for different reasons...

Savior is probably one of my favorite stories (that I've actually finished!) so far. I loved several things about it, particularly Clark's developing superpowers (first flight scene!! Ahh!!) and then how he grew and healed throughout the story. I also loved putting together the last few chapters (ack, don't wanna give spoilers!).

Savior
Summary: As night falls on an old abandoned warehouse just outside Metropolis, Lois finds more than just a front-page story when she helps rescue a man who’s been imprisoned and subjected to unthinkable torture for nearly fifteen years. What will become of him as he’s thrown into a world he hasn’t seen since his too-short childhood? And how will Lois reconcile her complicated feelings for him as their friendship grows?


Anchor has been such a trip for me to write. It started out as a little idea in my head and grew and morphed and then grew more... For those who have read it already and have read part 2 and know there's also a part 3...maybe you understand why Anyways, in Anchor I, I love how I portrayed AltClark and then...the twist that apparently NO ONE saw coming about mid-story (again, ACK, no spoilers for those who haven't yet read it!).

Anchor: Part I -- Clark Kent
Summary: A tragedy in another universe threatens all life on that universe’s Earth. Can Clark Kent AKA Superman save the world and set things back on the right path while finding a place for himself at the same time? An alternate universe story. Part 1 of 3.


Thanks to everyone who has been so welcoming of me to this community, and happy reading to all!

-Bek

Here goes....

The favourite fic I wrote for 2022 wasn't supposed to land in 2022. Thanks to a bout of Covid that knocked me flat right after Christmas, the last chapter wasn't posted until 2022 making it ineligible for last years Kerths. Aftershocks will hold a special place in my fic writing heart for many years to come. Why is it so awesome? We follow several characters point of view during and after the wedding, including Lois, Clark, Perry, Henderson, and Martha as they try to wrestle with the aftermath of Clark's Kryptonite exposure and the fallout from the almost wedding. My favourite bit? Chapter 6. It's an unexpected revelation....

I wrote two comedies that I love: The Interviewee and Kryptonite Coffee. I always love a good chuckle and hopefully these made you smirk. They were short, which challenged my rambling muse and a refreshing break from working on some of the longer fics.

Another short was Wish Upon a Perseid, a nice short fluffy fic to warm the heart on a cold winter night.

Not Your Girl surprised me as there aren't many fics set around 'Wall Of Sound.' How could Lois or Superman let it go that Stokes calls Lois 'Superman's girl.'

Yikes... I wrote a TON this past year. I’ve been so grateful to be writing again and enjoying it so much...so I’ve been really loving everything I’ve written, but there are some that stand out from the crowd for me for various reasons. So, here they are!

___

Ahhh, this one is hard to say why without spoilers. But it was a different experience for sure when the muse popped out and said, “Hey, we’re writing first-person, present tense.” It was definitely a bit angstier than I’d thought it would be, but it ends on an up note!

Because I Secretly Looked for Your Order (22 kB/3,999 words)
Summary: Lois holds grudges and Clark makes excuses, two indisputable facts. But when the two collide, will they find their way through to the other side? A story spawned from QueenoftheCapes' title generator.
___

I had an amazing time rewriting this scene from Lucky Leon and fixing it! I feel like I did a really good job of recreating the actual scene at the door that starts us off, and then letting Lois wrestle with her emotions, finding a balance between nervous tension and anticipation. Then, of course, letting them have their first kiss more like they should have.

Coffee With Clark (15 kB/2,682 words)
Summary: What if Lois had second thoughts about slamming the door in Clark’s face...right after she’d done it instead of the following night? Is there any way to un-slam a door? A Lucky Leon episode fix-it scene!
___

Gahhh! This one just...this one *really* hits me in the FEELs with one of the core aspects of L&C’s relationship. It’s a bit angsty—light angst—but oh...the payoff. This is one of my favorites I’ve ever written, for sure.

Drinks After Work (15 kB/2,528 words)
Summary: From the creator of Wherever You Will Go...In a world where Clark has stood her up for the last time...A mysterious phone call. An earth-shaking revelation. Beverages.
___

Um...holy episode extension/fix-it... THIS is how the episode should have ended—extended by...oh, however long that would be time-wise. Let’s just say that married flirting and foreplay is HOT, especially when superpowers get involved. I’m always a wee bit shocked (and embarrassed, shhh) that I’ve written so much smut this past year, but this is one of my favs!


Fade to Black: AKA The Surprise Party (nFanfic only) (35 kB/6,189 words)
Summary: This Fade to Black takes place at the end of AKA Superman and continues from there. Perry, Jimmy, and the rest of their friends and coworkers decided that the only way to throw Clark a surprise party is to surprise both Lois and Clark. But it's been nine days since they've made love, and they think they're alone...Find out what happens during the party, after they're interrupted. Will Clark survive the night and get his birthday present?
___

Writing with my twinnie! This is our second official work together, and I just love how well we manage to write together (can you even tell who wrote what?? Sometimes we can’t either! ). I absolutely LOVE this story for explaining away the Pearl Jam first date nonsense, and then... we managed to maintain this flirty tension and waffiness throughout the WHOLE story.

Frankly My Dear, I Don't Like Pearl Jam (107 kB/19,607 words)
Summary: When Clark asks Lois on a date, he wasn't expecting her to say yes quite so readily. So much so that he didn't actually have a plan. When he panic-buys two tickets to Pearl Jam, finds himself feeling very much a fish out of water. Still, anything is worth it if it means a date with Lois. After all, they appear to be her favourite band...A look at what might have happened if their first date hadn't been postponed in "The Phoenix.”
___

Okay, this one is definitely a favorite from this year—top 3, maybe? The ultimate PML episode rewrite...and...I just had SO much fun writing it. The sexiness, the waffiness, the FEEEEELS. It’s nfic only, sure, but it ended up being SO much more about the feelings and emotions, too. I’m really proud of how well-rounded this one came out.

Intoxicated (nFanfic only) (286 kB/50,611 words)
Summary: A double-dose of Miranda's pheromone perfume renders Clark just as intoxicated as the rest of the newsroom—intoxicated and deeply in love with Lois Lane. Without their usual inhibitions to hold them back, how far will Lois and Clark take their relationship? And will sobering up derail them...or just make their relationship stronger?
___

I didn’t mean to write this one, but GAHH, do I love the emotions in here—Clark’s self-recrimination, Lois’ staunch defense of Superman, and of course... well, the ending! A bit of humor and light angst with a happy ending. I really am fond of some of the turns of phrases that showed up and how this just flowed so easily as I wrote it, which I think shows in the way it reads.

Pheromone, My Love (39 kB/6,901 words)
Summary: Clark may not have been affected by Miranda's spray, but that doesn't stop him from letting his emotions get the best of him.
___

Technically an AU, I suppose, since this is juuuust before/during the beginning of the Pilot, and things will definitely be different. But ohhhhh the flirty tension in this one! SO much waffiness!

This Is Not A Date (60 kB/10,525 words)
Summary: Celebrating her latest story success, Lois meets a handsome stranger in a bar, a stranger who has come to Metropolis to interview for his dream job. It's not a date...but could it be fate?
___

Okay, this one is definitely one of my all-time favorite versions of L&C I’ve ever written! It’s pretty much just all waffs and flirty tension and GAHHH. Like the best first date ever and a fantastic revelation and kissing (and more than kissing).

Yours to Discover (for Queen of the Capes) (167 kB/29,331 words)
Yours to Discover (for Queen of the Capes) (nFanfic) (​​32,794 words)
Summary: Clark drags a reluctant Lois along to Canada for a journalism conference. Before they go, Clark works up the courage to ask Lois out on a first date while in Canada and she says yes! When Lois has a sudden change of heart about attending the conference, Clark assumes it’s because of their date. But what if Lois has a secret of her own?

___

Oh, this one...is probably the hardest and longest I’ve ever worked on a story; it was definitely fic as therapy for me, so it’s the one that means the most to me. It’s a long haul, but I like to think it’s worth the journey, especially if you like a full range of emotions and character growth. Over the last year and a half, I’ve really grown an affinity for writing Martha, and I think she’s amazing in this story.

So Far Away (472 kB/82,877 words)
So Far Away (nFanfic) (88,228 words)
Summary: Clark finally made it back from New Krypton, but how can he ever hope to adjust to life back on Earth after everything that happened up there? Can he be the same man Lois fell in love with, be a father to Kallie...be Superman? Or will his own demons defeat him when everything he used to know seems so far away?

Wow, so I wrote more than I realised I did!

I wrote three stories this year for the Fade to Black Collection of Nfic stories.

My first one was Fade to Black: Virtually Impatient (nfic only).

It was a pretty standard take on what might happen if Lois and Clark couldn't get the virtual encounter out of their minds and wanted to try for the real thing lol. Lots of fun to write!

Then I jumped on the "Pheromone My Lovely" bandwagon with Fade to Black: Not Just Pheromones, My Love (nfic only).

ksarasara challenged me to write a Fade to Black story for season 1 and this felt like the most obvious choice. My thinking was: what if Lois was left hurt by the fact that Clark was "scientifically" not attracted to her, while she was left dealing with residual feelings after the perfume incident? I thought it was a good set up for an Nfic encounter even in season one! I even snuck in a little "revelation" at the end!

And speaking of Fade to Black challenges, ksarasara and SuperBek challenged me to write a "Fade to Black" for the episode "Seasons Greedings" and I couldn't pass that challenge up so I wrote Fade to Black: Seasons Feelings (nfic only).

This is by far my favourite of the Fade to Black stories. I really enjoyed the mood and tone of this piece. While technically an Nfic, the sex is definitely not the heart of this story and I also managed to sneak in a revelation here. It's probably my favourite revelation so far. It's sweet, and moody and waffy!

And speaking of my partner in crime, ksarasara, we wrote two things together this year. One, was this weird and strange little tryptich of ficlets which we ended up titling At the Beginning With You.

They are...not quite poetry and not quite prose. It started with Queen of Capes' title generator. I wrote a piece called "Why I will Hurt You" from Lois' POV after Lex asked her to marry her and Clark confesses his feelings. I couldn't help but go for this odd little stream of consciousness in the first person (which I NEVER write in). ksarasara continued it with Clark's perspective and we finished with the final story tying it together. It's a bit experimental but I really enjoyed what ended up being the end result.

The other story we wrote together is also one of my favourites: Frankly My Dear, I Don't Like Pearl Jam.

I was watching "The Phoenix" one day and though 'wouldn't it be funny if we had seen them go to Pearl Jam and they hated it'? So I messaged ksarasara and basically voluntold her she was writing this story with me. She was skeptical at first, but eventually I convinced her to get on board and wrote this absolutely hilarious and very waffy story of what might have happened if Clark had indeed taken Lois to see Pearl Jam.

One of the Kerth challenges last year was a song lyric challenge. I was listening to Bon Jovi's "Open All Night" when I saw the challenge posted and I thought the song would make a really good story: Open All Night.

The song is from the perspective of a man who meets a woman in a bar and sees just how vulnerable. He recognises that the last thing she needs is another pick up line and he himself is terrified of falling in love with her but at the same time he knows it's too late. He's already gone. And I thought about "That Old Gang of Mine" and what might be the reason that Lois ends up in a bar late one night only to have Clark walk in to find her. I hadn't meant for it to be a TOGOM fic but it just sort of happened and when I wove the lyrics in with it, it just sort of fit. It's a bit angsty and a little melancholy with a revelation in it. So if you're in the mood to be a little bit sad, this is your fic lol

Then there's That Thing You Blue (nfic only).

I wrote "That Thing You Blue" as a gift to AnnieM, Kathy Brown and ksarasara who have told me many times that they find a man in baseball pants attracive and that Clark would look good in baseball pants. I personally do NOT get the attractiveness of baseball pants. AT ALL. But I thought it would be funny to write a smut fic where Lois sees him in his "other" blue uniform and jumps him. Just smut.

I only managed to get one fic written for ficlet Fridays so far. A Family Tradition.

I am not good with "short" so I struggle to come up with ideas. But one day we were getting ready to put our Christmas tree up and this one came to me (in large part, because of my own family's history with Christmas traditions). I got the idea to write this fic as a means of showing that generational curses can be broken. It's short, sweet with a tiny bit of angst. Under 1000 words so my only real 'ficlet'.

Kiss Me was my ficathon gift to CarrieRene

She asked for a story about a library, not in Metropolis and with a Kiss. So I came up with the idea of Clark taking Lois to Smallville to try to save the library -- a place that holds special significance to his parents. I hadn't really meant for the story to go in the direction it did (the karaoke was completely out of left field) but I do really like the way it turned out. Very waffy, very sweet...and another one of my favourite revelations.

And finally:
Federal Disaster (nFanfic)
Federal Disaster (gfic)


This is my monster opus -- the longest thing I have ever written in any fandom (I think). I got the idea after writing the Fade to Black for Virtually Destroyed. I wanted to explore the idea of Lois dealing with her fears of intimacy and I thought it would be interesting for Claude to return just as she and Clark were getting ready to become truly intimate. I meant for it to be a shorter story. I certainly didn't mean for it to have an A plot, but before I knew it, Lex was back, there was a threat to the President's life and Lois and Clark were working through serious trauma. There's angst, trauma, sexy times and waffs. It's been the hardest thing to write and one of the most rewarding.