Denouement

Writing the Gabrielle/Xena Trilogy is my swan song in writing Xena fan fiction, and I hope you liked it. You may be surprised that it was not the television show per se that inspired me to write my own stories, rather it was other bards on the Internet. Writers like Joanna, Ella Quince, BL Miller, and Bardwynna showed me that there was a whole universe of stories out there besides what was presented on television.

Of course, these Internet stories would never be able to come to life without the stunning acting abilities of Lucy Lawless and Reneé O'Connor on the television show, and I thank them humbly. You brought these characters to life, and without the two of you, fan fiction would never have been possible.

I believe that the Sapphic Internet stories written during the first and second seasons were probably the best stories ever written for the show, on or off television. The philosophy of Xena and Gabrielle not as fellow travelers, but a couple in love, was a stirring one for many Xenites, myself included. We saw hints of that love on the television show, but it really blossomed (so to speak) in romantic fan fiction.

I would like to thank MaryD's, Tom's Xena Page, Lynka's, The Scroll Society, and XenaNet UK for graciously posting my stories on their websites. Many others linked my stories to their sites, including Shadowfen, Barron Chugg, Ultimate Index, Athenaeum, WarriorHaze, ROCFanatic, and Starpoet. I consider it an honor to be associated with all of you, and I mean that.

I would like to thank Cleanthes, Mardi, Michelle, and Roxann for their wonderful help in proofreading my stories. These stories were immeasurably helped by your input. I would like to thank Lunacy for her glowing reviews of Verse & Vignette and The Trial of Xena. Her compliments on my writing meant the world to me. I would also like to thank Bongo Bear for reviewing Book One of the Gabrielle/Xena Trilogy, as his hilarious list of Amazon clichés was an inspiration for this work.

I would also like to thank all the writers of Sapphic Xena fan fiction. For you had dared to believe that such a pure, all-encompassing love could exist between two people. What could be more wonderful? It's the love between Xena and Gabrielle that counts, and I thank all the fan fiction writers for sharing Xena and Gabrielle's love with us.

Most importantly, I would like to thank all of my readers from the bottom of my heart, for it has been your compliments that have kept me going as a writer. I have made a lot of good friends in the past year, and I value your friendship. I know there are many better fan fiction writers out there, but your praise has been very gratifying nonetheless, and I thank you.

Finally, I want to assure you that I am not leaving Xena fandom. I am simply changing from Ogami the writer to Ogami the reader. There's a whole lot of other fan fiction out there, and I intend to catch up on it. And if you spot a new author in your own reading, send him or her a complimentary note. For you will give that new writer the courage to write another story, then another, and so on. After all, it worked with me!

Thank you,

Ogami
January 1999