Love Bade Me Welcome

Zine
Title:	Love Bade Me Welcome
Publisher:
Editor:
Author(s):	P.S. Nim
Cover Artist(s):
Illustrator(s):	no art
Date(s):	June 1990
Medium:	print zine
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	Beauty and the Beast (TV)
Language:	English
External Links:	online here
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Love Bade Me Welcome is a het 242-page novel by P.S. Nim. It has the subtitle, "Beauty and the Beast (TV) Consummation Novel."

The flyer emphasizes that it is "a non-comedic adult novel."

"The Retractable Willie"

The zine is fondly referred to by some fans as "the zine with the retractable willie" referencing the fact that in the story Vincent, like some cats, has a retractable penis. Other fans are quick to point out that unlike cats, it is neither barbed, nor does it have an inability to extract.

More more discussion regarding Vincent Wells' beast qualities, see Vincent: The Beast.

Summaries

... introduces an interestingnew character, Dr. Elizabeth Sprague. Vincent turns out to be less than human anatomically but Dr. Sprague, a veterinarian, fixes the problem allowing him to consummate his relationship with Catherine.

The story spins off from "Nor Iron Bars a Cage," continues through a most memorable V/C trip to CT. Includes the character Liz Sprague, a non-nonsense retired zoo vet who befriends Vincent. In this zine, V has some non-human sexual characteristics. Includes non-explicit sex.

Flyer

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  page one of a flyer

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  page two of a flyer

Reactions and Reviews

Unknown Date

Love Bade Me Welcome mentions some startling aspects to Vincent which hadn’t been addressed before: the word "retractable" springs to mind!

1991

Attention, B&TB fans who didn't enjoy the consummation scene in "TLBL." This novel, by the author of "Beauty and the Yeast" and "The Absurd Season," has a warm and wondrously funny love scene (several, in fact), which will really light your imagination and set it spinning. I can absolutely guarantee that you have never read a B&TB consummation story quite like this one before.

The opening scene is borrowed from the episode "'Nor Iron Bars a Cage," in which Vincent has been captured by two anthropologists, and is being very cruelly mistreated. Enter one no-nonsense veterinarian/zoologist, a real character, who comes to his rescue and sets his world upside-down. Vincent, Catherine, and their relationship will never be the same again. Father, too, finds out some things about his foster son that he undoubtedly "always wanted to know, but was afraid to ask." We learn quite a bit about "what makes Vincent tick," and an excellent story of Vincent's origins can be conjured up from the facts we are given.

"Love Bade Me Welcome" is 242 pages of pure gold, which will leave you guessing from moment to moment. This zine novel is of standard size, with rather small print, but it is easily readable. It is also very well put together, and the proofreading has been quite thorough. There is no art except the sketch that appears on the cover, but it is not missed. You can't go wrong in purchasing this zine, which I would rate as "R." Once you start reading it, you simply can't put it down, as a more lively combination of warmth, humor, drama, and action is not to be found anywhere.

1997

There's a reason why this novel wins a lot of awards: it's a great novel with outstanding characterizations and the most memorable and humorous speech V has ever been given. V's a lot less human, physiologically, than we thought, and it takes a feisty vet - Dr. Elizabeth Sprague (also a love interest for Father) - to recognize and deal with the fact. Story spins off from “Nor Iron Bars a Cage,” continues through a most memorable V/C trip to CT. Afflicted with many highly embarrassing ailments (Dr. Ruth - oops, Dr. Sprague - to the rescue), V likes to lay his head in Liz' lap a lot and is very biddable; C is bouncy, amused, loving...and uninhibited compared to you-know-who. They're like a couple of teenagers.

That's a controversial one in fandom. Seems people either loved it or hated it (or the idea of it :) I personally probably wouldn't have liked it had the idea been described to me, but she did it so well and everything ended up so in character that I loved it. It's one of my all time favorites, and I always wish she'd done more in this vein (i.e. serious as opposed to humorous).... the controversy tends to center around P.S. Nim's interpretation of Vincent's biological makeup :> Just a slightly different design that has more to do with form than function and in my opinion doesn't change the essential nature of the story. That's a must for my enjoyment of it.

Like I said - I loved the story. It's one of my favorites. Look for a used version at the con, Janice, and check it out :>

I have that zine and it happens to be the most wonderful, informative...rational zine I have ever read...and believe me I have read a lot. I could never part with this sweet story.

You're right, this particular zine was probably one of the most discussed zines ever written. And fans either truly loved it or absolutely hated it. I don't think I've ever talked to anyone who was middle-of-the-road on this one. A couple of years back when I was lending zines to a lady who had just discovered B&B on the SCIFI channel, I recommended this one heartily. Unfortunately, she did not share my enthusiasm. She thought it was just plain shocking. But then, she also said she thought the digest zine I wrote, How Shall I Love Thee, Catherine??? was also very shocking. She must have read Nan Dibble's review of it, I guess. I decided that if she found my zine and Love Bade Me Welcome "shocking" for whatever reasons (reasons she never really did fully explain to me) that I had better not introduce her to the Tunnels of Love series.

I happened to be one who loved P.S.'s novel, and have read it several times over. The premise regarding Vincent's origins did not bother me a bit and the love scenes were some of the sweetest, most romantic (not to mention funny) I've ever read. I also enjoyed her satirical ones very much, and I'm a big fan of her very different artwork. She's one of the few artists who can seem to nail Catherine's image every time.

I loved the drunken poetry and love scenes. I loved the fact that they were able to get away for an extended period of time, and the bickering between Liz and father.

I didn't care for Liz handling Vincent the way she did (I know it was her job, but still....). I didn't like how Vincent seemed to react to her the way a pet does for it's master. I also didn't think Father should be with her when Mary is still around.

So I am middle of the road on this one. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it was a good read. A lot of useful information about Vincent, but a couple of character flaws I didn't care for.