Leaves of Grass by Nauticalmass

Leaves of Grass by Nauticalmass

Official Summary:
After returning from Italy, Bella's not sure if she can still love Edward. The next morning, she awakens in an unimaginable time and place: Houston, 1862. When she encounters a member of the Cullen family as a human, how far will she follow her heart?

Review:

Jasper.....

*Sighs...fans self...Sighs*

*drools...sighs...*

Okay sorry about that, I had to collect my thoughts!! As you can probably tell, I am the resident Jasper Lover. Well, honestly I am a bit of a Twi-slut, cuz I would happily have any or all of the Cullen Men.

Now down to business: Leaves of Grass is an exceptional story. It is unique and filled with history. There are a few time-travel pieces featuring Edward, however this is the first that I know of featuring Jasper. Being from Texas and extremely familiar with Houston/Galveston area, I can tell you from first-hand experience that Nauticalmass described the landscape perfectly. I could almost feel the breeze sweeping over the cotton fields.

The story opens with Bella and Edward after the trip to Italy, having the conversation about Bella's future. Edward being Edward, tries to delay the inevitable, but Bella being the strong and determined character that she is meant to be is unhappy with his avoidance. After a very cryptic conversation with Alice, she falls asleep and wakes to find herself in Texas smack dab in the middle of the Civil War. At first she has no idea why she is there or what has prompted her to dream of such a strange time. She fumbles through until she finds herself face to face with gray-eyed, human Jasper.

His hair was a little darker blond but still had a slight wave to it as it curled around his ears. The lines of his face were not the hard, granite edges I knew but still strong and masculine. More surprising even than his gray eye color was the slight stubble on the side of his face, indicating that either he hadn't shaved since this morning or that he was rushed when he did it this evening. My fingers practically itched to touch his face, just to see if it felt warm. He had a square jawline, a faint indentation in his chin, and high cheekbones with cheeks that were beginning to flush.

"Um," Jasper stammered, looking away and reminding me that I wasn't hiding my stare from him. "You clearly know who I am, but should I know who you are?"

"Oh, yes, of course. Sorry," I said shaking my head. "You're Jasper, and I'm Bella. Bella Swan. Well, it's Isabella, but just Bella. Please."

I sounded like an idiot.

"Well, Just Bella—Bella Swan—it's nice to meet you," he said, taking my gloved hand and kissing it.

I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks and felt foolish. I couldn't believe Jasper Hale—Civil War era Jasper Hale—just kissed my hand. It was something that always looked over the top in movies, yet when Jasper did it, it was so natural that he looked as if he had invented the social convention himself.

"How do you know the Whitlocks?" I asked him as he dropped my hand back to my lap.

"I'm Jasper Whitlock. I'm sorry, when you called me Jasper, I assumed you knew that," he said, looking at me curiously.

"Whitlock?"

Jasper Whitlock? Of course, he wasn't Jasper Hale.

Through the course of a week, Jasper and Bella become friends, they discuss the war and Jasper's plans for after its end. When it is time for him to return to his troops they begin writing letters.

I love this break that Bella gets, away from the Cullens and Edward. It gives her a chance to grow and realize that she is more than what Edward needs and Edward is not enough to keep her happy.

As I reread his words, I had to set the letter down on my bed and press a cool hand to my flushed face. I couldn't believe how Jasper's letters affected me, and I clearly affected him as well. Whenever Edward complimented me, I felt uncomfortable and embarrassed. Edward might have meant what he said, but I had the inability to interpret his comments as more than simple niceties. Jasper's flattering words made me feel a strange confidence, though. I was able to believe everything he said, and when he told me I was beautiful, I felt beautiful. Knowing he saw me that way didn't make me want to turn and hide behind my hair as I might have once done. I realized that I wanted Jasper to think those things about me. I liked how Jasper saw me, and I liked how he made me see myself.

As their relationship progresses and time passes, Bella forgets about Vampires and the fact that she is not in her own time. She falls into a routine and a comfort until it all comes to a stop and she is quickly reminded of Jasper's change. Try as she might to stop his fateful ride into Galveston, she was too late. Jasper meets Maria and the future is set in motion. But what about Bella stuck in 1862??

This is an awesome WIP, I am on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how Nauticalmass will transition back into the current day, if at all. What will become of Alice and Edward, and will Jasper and Bella get their Happily Ever After??

Must read to find out!!!


Author Interview:

What gave you the idea for this story?
I absolutely loved Tkegl's Edward/Bella time travel fic "Beyond Time." It was so wonderfully researched and well crafted that it inspired me to go on the hunt for a time travel story featuring Bella and Jasper. Then, I was really disappointed that I couldn't find one of the same historical caliber. I pouted for a while, but it finally occurred to me, when reading the Civil War-era sagaCane River by Lalita Tademy, that I should attempt to write one myself.

Are there any fanfic authors that inspire you?

There are of course the goddesses of time travel, Tkegl and Amethyst Jackson ("Only Human"). I also really admire MerinaGreen, whose "Running" painted such a vivid landscape for her characters that it had me thinking of Siberia at the oddest moments; Janna Banana, whose "When Darkness Turns to Light" is a story I return to reread every few months; Elise Montgomery, whose original characters in "Mary, Full of Grace" have so much depth, it makes me wonder why they aren't a part of canon; and McGee42, who, in her every story, amazes mewith her ability to think outside of the box.

What was your main inspiration for your lead characters?

I love stories that focus on Bella's strength, and I really wanted her to open her eyes and be more self-aware in this story. Stephenie Meyer so perfectly captured the frenzied and sometimes blind qualities of first love, but I wanted Bella and Jasper to have a relationship that started with friendship, something missing from the story of Bella and Edward.

We don't get nearly enough Jasper in the saga, so I got to play with him a little more, especially human Jasper. As a human, I wanted him to be a more vulnerable character than perhaps we are used to seeing from the Major in fanfic. I wanted him to be on a somewhat equal level with Bella, though you'll find, in this story, Bella is really the one calling all of the shots

What do you think it takes to make a fic special and stand out to a reader?
To truly stand out in fandom, stories need to be well thought out, researched, and truly crafted. The best stories are those where the author has a clear vision of what they want to happen and follows that, instead of perhaps pandering to the desires of their readers. I often find that the authors of the fics I enjoy do an even better job with their plots than whatever I could have imagined happening.

What did/do you find the hardest about writing this story?

At first, I thought I might have a difficult time incorporating the historical facts into the story without it becoming dull. However, the hardest part of writing the story was laying a plausible foundation for a relationship between Bella and Jasper without damaging the canon characterizations of Alice and Edward. In many Bella/Jasper fics, Alice and Edward are vilified or completely out of character, and I really didn't want to do that in "Leaves of Grass."

Why do you think people should read this story?

The premise of "Leaves of Grass" is largely different from the other Jasper/Bella fics in fandom, and because of its delicate treatment of Edward and Alice, I think it could make a good introduction to B/J fics for the uninitiated canon-shipper. It is also features a more mature and natural relationship progression between the two lovebirds, allowing Bella to really discover who she is an individual before committing herself to anyone.

What cliches do you feel authors should avoid while writing fanfic?

There's a fine line between working within the basis of canon and being a slave to it. Bella doesn't have to bite her lip in every scene, nor does Edward need to constantly pinch the bridge of his nose. Alice shouldn't always be hyper and demanding to play make-over or shop, and Rosalie shouldn't slap Emmett upside the head in every scene. The list goes on and on. We're all reading fanfic because we want to explore the possibility of something new, and that's what authors should provide.

Do your RL friends and family know about your love and obsession with all things Twilight?

My friends and family all know that I am definitely a Twilight fan. Everyone has either been invited over for the DVD release parties for each of the movies or begged to play one of the saga's trivia board games after a bottle of wine. However, the only person who knows I write fanfiction is my husband, though I would share that information with certain friends if it ever came up in conversation.

Do you have any other projects going on? Any planned for the future?

This summer, I'm researching and outlining a piece of original fiction set at the start of the twentieth century. In terms of fanfic, I'll need to take a short break when "Leaves of Grass" is complete, but Jasper's story has been nagging at me. I'll eventually write his side of "LoG," his time with Maria, coming to the Cullens with Alice, and when he met Bella again in the present day.

Do you have anyone that you'd like to thank for helping and supporting you through this fic?
I have an absolute dream team working behind the scenes of "Leaves of Grass." I have two amazing betas, JointGifts and McGee42, who have both gone above and beyond in terms of being excellent sounding boards and double checking certain historical facts. My pre-reader, JaspersDestiny, deserves monuments in her honor for all of her fabulous ideas that have found their way into my story.

When you aren't writing which fics are you reading right now?

I am currently reading "Someday" by Duskri123, "Conversations with my Killer" by Oracle_Vas, "Decay" by HammerHips, "Distant Starlight" by ClandestinePen, "A May to December Romance" by Positively 4th Street, "Fridays at Noon" by troublefollows1017, "Dear Mr. Masen" by jendonna, "Sins of the Piano Man" by solareclipses, and "Slow Burn" by givemesomevamp.

How were you introduced to the fandom? Do you remember which story was the first you read?

After reading Breaking Dawn, I was left disappointed and slightly aghast at what happened (and what didn’t). I went online to find reactions from other readers and stumbled across fanfiction. I started reading a few missing scenes and canon EPOVs, all mainly by Blondie. Then, I started reading alternate endings and other E/B AU fics before blissfully discovering the fabulousness of Jasper/Bella. Now, I’m just starting to read some darker fics and, at the insistence of others in the fandom, the occasional AH story.

Is there any information that you would like to share that was not already covered?

I also need to thank so many of my readers whose thoughtful comments and reviews have helped me feel confident about my ability to research and write my own fiction. A huge thank you goes out to all of the girls on the "LoG" forum thread for all of their love and support.


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@SheshaLesha

Posted in: AU,Bella,Drama,Jasper,PoW,Romance,Shesha