Broken Wings (Sentinel zine)
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Broken Wings |
| Publisher: | The Presses |
| Editor: | |
| Author(s): | TM Alexander (author), Carolyn Coulter (editor), Peej (assistant editor) |
| Cover Artist(s): | |
| Illustrator(s): | |
| Date(s): | May 1998 |
| Medium: | |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | |
| Fandom: | Sentinel |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Broken Wings is a Sentinel novel by TM Alexander.
There is both a gen and a slash version. The slash version is 179 pages, the gen version has 175 pages.
The cover and interior art is by KOZ.
This zine was nominated for the 1999 STIFfie for Best Sentinel slash Novel.
The author claims copyright to any original characters in the story. She also includes, ironically, a detailed fan-casted graph of all characters.
Summaries
In the episode "Remembrance," we learn that Jim repressed the memory of finding his football coach's body in the woods near his home. What else has he repressed? This alternatingly heartbreaking and heartwarming novel by Tami Marie, herself a survivor, is a must-read for any Sentinel fan. [1]
In the episode "Remembrance," we learn that Jim repressed the memory of finding his football coach's body in the woods near his home. What else has he repressed? An alternatingly heartbreaking and heartwarming novel by Tami Marie, herself a survivor, is a must read for any Sentinel fan. When a murdered child is found two weeks before Christmas, it doesn't look like Happy Holidays for Ellison and Sandburg. As they struggle to unearth clues about the killer, a second victim appears -- another child, it's broken body abandoned in a cemetery. A young woman claiming to be in touch with "angels" offers help in the case but only Blair can help Jim to deal with a dark, personal demon. [2]
The Editorial
The inspiration for what you are about to read comes from many sources. I am not a religious person in the Christian sense but I have always tried to educate myself about all the world's theologies. My fascination with angels started up last year, when I started doing research for a professional novel. I have always had a tender spot for the clear, perfect notes of a boy's choir; music, when sung in praise of one's faith, can be particularly moving. Especially when it comes from the pure of heart. And that's what children are — or at least, what they sbouJdht.
As a survivor of child abuse, I wanted to touch on something very close to home. This is not a catharsis; it may have taken several years, but the worst of my battles with those demons is over (thanks to a little support from my Sig O). The suffering of children is always a monumental tragedy, one I think we can all identify with...regardless of personal experience.
Recently, I found out that my seventeen-year old half-sister (whom I have not seen since she was two) is autistic. Out of curiosity, I did some research and discovered things I didn't know about this disease (although I did see Rain Man). Autism is a brain disorder that affects the senses. It is as incredible as it is tragic: afflicted children can play the piano like a master without ever having a single lesson, but by that same token they will panic if you rearrange the furniture. They seem to be in touch with another dimension, aware of things we can never even begin to imagine. If only a line of communication could be opened between their world and ours.... This is something I took into consideration for the story.
The idea for Broken Wings came about last December (hence, the holiday theme). It was before we got a little insight into Jim's childhood — but after adapting to the canon provided by that episode, I think it turned out better! The story is set six weeks after the events of "Remembrance" and would precede "Love Kills" by about three months. Because they rarely give us an actual timeline (although you can usually tell what time of year it is by whatever sports the boys are talking about currently), I've decided "Remembrance" took place in the autumn of'97.
I have come to the conclusion that I love the character of James Ellison, Detective and Sentinel. There's so much depth and sensitivity to be mined, here. Not that I don't love Blair — in my opinion, these two men compliment each other so naturally and believably, you just couldn't have one without the other.
Broken Wines marks the twelfth anniversary of my partnership with the one person who decided to take a chance and publish a then-hyperactive fan writer/artist. What started out as a working relationship soon blossomed into a bond of love, creativity and adventure. (Hmm, kinda like Jim and Blair's life!) It is to her that I owe a great debt — as ever — for the completion of this story. Whether I'm bouncing ideas off of her, asking if I should kill the bad guy or just wing him, or just watching her illuminate my words with her lovely pictures, there is never enough gratitude. All I can say is thank you, PeeJ, a.k.a. Paulle, a.k.a. KOZ. For everything.
I would also like to thank Ann Walton for her photos of various angel statuary taken in the cemeteries of England, and during one of our trips to New Orleans (how many hours did we spend in that graveyard, and how many rolls of film did we use up?). If it weren't for her, we wouldn't even be into this fandom...I don't care if I sound redundant, I'm still gonna point my finger and blame her for everything. Neener.
Finally, my great appreciation to Carolyn Coulter and Sharon Garinger for their magnificent help in editing. I don't know what I'd do without a second, third, and (in PJ's case!) fourth pair of eyes! If I could, I'd stand on a street comer in San Francisco and sing "O Canada" at the top of my lungs....
At the time of this writing, it is questionable whether or not The Sentinel be renewed for a fourth season. If it is, we'll celebrate in style. But even if it isn't, I am confident that it will not be the end — for the fans, at least. Love as intense as this just doesn't get forgotten. It's eternal.
Pray for a miracle...and keep the faith.
Sample Interior Gallery
Reactions and Reviews
In the episode "Remembrance," we learn that Jim repressed the memory of finding his football coach's body in the woods near his home. What else has he repressed? This alternatingly heartbreaking and heartwarming novel by Tami Marie, herself a survivor, is a must-read for any Sentinel fan. [3]
This is a good case story wrapped up with Jim Angst. [4]
I was rather disappointed in this one. I mainly read slash, and I bought the slash version of this, thinking there was going to be a complicated relationship between the two. There was only one sex scene in the novel. Now don't get me wrong. I don't think for a minute that it has to have sex in it in order for it to be slash, but it wasn't just that. There was nothing in the relationship that made them seem like anything other than best friends, except for those two pages of sex. The rest of the time, they could have been brothers. If I had bought the gen version of it, I have a sneaking suspicion that it would look exactly like the slash version, with those two pages taken out. Also, if I had bought the gen version, I would have been thrilled with it. This was a well-plotted, sensitive story, that obviously had good psychological backing in the way Jim's repressed memories surfaced during the working of a child-killer case. If I hadn't been anticipating the relationship angle in it, I would have been totally 100% impressed with it. My recommendation for this, would be to buy the gen version of the story, unless you're a devoted slasher. And even if you are a devoted slasher, I'd buy it anyway, otherwise, you'll be missing a really good story.[5]
References
- ^ from Agent With Style
- ^ from Destinies Entwined
- ^ from Destinies Entwined
- ^ quoted anonymously from a mailing list (June 6, 2003)
- ^ Broken Wings, Archived version accessed 3.21.2011