Anyone out there?

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

It's Friday night & B's having a sleep after a very busy week so I can't get at my zine collection, although I know I've got this one somewhere.

Early colonial America. Bodie a blacksmith, Doyle an indentured servant. Shenanigans and accusations.

Author/zine?

Comments

[londonronnie.livejournal.com]

It sounds like a story called 'Solemn Contract' which I read in one of my circuit library batches some time ago.

Unfortunately there was no author's name noted on the copy I borrowed and nothing to indicate whether it was originally in a zine.

Sorry for the limited info!

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

I'm wondering if it was in the ITPI zine I loaned to MargeH - we haven't connected for a swap-back in some time.

Anyway, you've given me the connection. Look here:
http://www.manifoldpress.co.uk/2011/08/solemn-contract/#more-113

[londonronnie.livejournal.com]

Aha! Another one!

Following swiftly on the heels of this -

http://www.manifoldpress.co.uk/category/authors-2/f-m-parkinson/

and this -

https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/new-release-c-1/products_id/847/?zenid=afe74420269200401743dfa49f1969df

Interesting to see that the de-Prosed 'Solemn Contract' got such good reviews. I seem to remember that I wasn't all that struck on the original.

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

I think the situation must hit a kink or something - because I don't remember being impressed by the original either. Of course the author could easily have edited it a lot.

[murphybabe]

Mmmm... don't think so - I think I have read this and I don't have any zines, so it is either online or on the Pros-lib CD.

The one I'm thinking of has Doyle agreeing to go to the US in place of his brother-in-law who had gambling debts (?). Doyle is indentured to a nice bloke but then is sold on to a not-so-nice bloke. He meets Bodie who is the blacksmith. Can't remember what happens next, somehow Doyle sets up as a school teacher but there are ructions and false accusations, he is 'fired', eventually his name is cleared and all is happy ever after with Doyle and Bodie.

Any good? Sorry that I haven't been able to say what it was!

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

That sounds like the one, pretty much.

[murphybabe]

Sorry, have been away. Did you find the actual story you were looking for, or should I do a proper rummage round what I've been reading lately?*g*

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

I did! Thanks for asking :)

Solemn Contract by May

[taverymate.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad, londonronnie, that you came up with the title because while the description rang a bell, the title eluded me. It would have driven me crazy.

Anyway, the story is attributed to May by Proslib and the Hatstand lists. It can be found on the Proslib CD, but as far as I know, it was only on the Circuit and never zine published.

kiwisue, I know it was not in any of the ITPI zines.

May also has another AU historical story - much shorter - that was on the Circuit and can be found on the Proslib CD. It's called As My Colt Begins to Rust. I'll be curious to see if it is further developed or incorporated into a "serial numbers filed off" m/m story that Manifold Press publishes.

Re: Solemn Contract by May

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Especially for the Proslib connect.

I think "As My Colt Begins to Rust" may be a sequel to another riverboat gambler circuit story, "Beau Bodie"? I don't have an author for the latter and they aren't explicitly linked in my spreadsheet, but that doesn't mean there wasn't a connection.

Also curious what happens there - I thought the concept was OK, but NOT a lot like our Lads.

Re: Solemn Contract by May

[taverymate.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. Proslib is a cornerstone of my mental organization for Pros. When I have any questions regarding a Circuit story, my first stop is always Proslib and it's associated lists.

Regarding "As My Colt Begins to Rust", you're right that is part of a sequence but I think the order is the other way round. "Beau Bodie" is the sequel to "As My Colt Begins to Rust" and both are by May. At least that's how Pen's sequel list has them.

I'm not sure I have a paper copy of "Beau Bodie" to verify the order. And at this point, "Beau Bodie" isn't on the Proslib CD, though it may be in the pipeline.

I agree that the stories are very much AUs first and Pros second.

Yay for another Pros fan with a spreadsheet. I often wonder how many of us there are and how differently we utilize them. I've also had dreams of all the spreadsheets and lists coming together and cross-referencing and producing lovely little specialized lists with even more details and greater accuracy. Ah, the OCD dreams of a Pros fan... *G*