So, life (and another fandom, don't hate me!) has kept me really busy lately, and I've fallen behind again. So there's no new episode this week. BUT there's some stuff you can be doing instead:

1) Visit our FORUM. Now that we've finished the first half of the season, it would be a great time to talk about the stories you've read so far! What have you loved? What have you hated? What do you want to see more of/less of? I've stared a thread in the "Worlds of Beginning of Line" forum to start you off!

2) Spread the word! If you like what you're reading here, tell other Caprica fans you know about it! Our FB Fan Page is HERE, and our Twitter feed is HERE. Pass the links to those around as well as the link to this site. There are plenty of people who don't know about the site, but should, and I can only send out links so often. Uncle Sam Needs You! Uncle Sam Adama, that is! :)

3) You can read The Five interview (no longer The Friday Five/Artsy Mondays as they won't always be up on Fridays/Mondays as sometimes the writer and the artist are the SAME PERSON) for RYAN LAWRENCE author (and screencapper) of the fabulous Amanda story, "Punishment," which you can read in our STORY ARCHIVE. Take it away, Ryan:

1) If you had to choose ONE, what's the most important thing people should know about you?
That's a tough question! The best answer I can come up with is that I come from a place of honesty. If I hold anything of utmost importance in my life it's to be truthful, both to myself and to others. I've had to swallow my share of nasty truths and I think throughout season 1 of Caprica every character had to do the same. Maybe that's why I'm drawn to Battlestar in general - it's always shown the truth, be it ugly and menacing or the ray of hope beaming into the tunnel.

2) Favorite thing about writing fan fiction?
This was my first shot at it! I think my favorite part of this experience was taking my love for a character (Amanda) and giving them a new perspective. I chose to do a story on Amanda because viewers of the show criticized that she only cried and smoked in every episode. I felt this was a shallow interpretation of her and wanted to tell her story. I'm very happy with how it's turned out.

3) Least favorite thing about writing fan fiction?
I think getting the details hammered down was the most arduous task. Fans have a keen eye and they will notice everything. I was very concerned that someone might say, "But Amanda couldn't be pregnant at that time," or point out a flaw in age. I hope I mapped it out well enough so there's never that moment of, "Hey, wait!"

4) Of all the characters on Caprica, why did you choose to focus on Amanda in this way?
I think I chose Amanda because she's been shown to be a mixed up, hurting person. Maybe I'm ignorant of the variety of people in the world, but who hasn't at some point in their lives been able to relate to that? I have many times through my life and I wanted to paint her picture a little more clearly. I think a lot of people didn't buy the idea that "she's just crazy". I thought making her feel guilty about her brother's death would flesh out her insanity a little more. It doesn't help that she's with a maniacal (but loving!) person like Daniel.

5) If the technology were available, would you want to be resurrected as a skin-job cylon?
As long as I could form new memories and have a fully functioning brain I don't see why I wouldn't want to be. There are too many interesting things here on Earth now for me to imagine ever being bored. Besides - then I'd have plenty of time to continue the stories of Caprica!

Remember when Caprica used to air on Tuesday nights? Well, here's the next best thing! Our latest story at BOL is up, and it's a great one by Abby Geiger, proving that this woman can do more than just draw! It's a Tad Thorean-centric story called "Purpose", and it features beautiful art not only by Geiger, but by fellow Quebecer, Elizabeth Louvaris! And remember, you can discuss the story with other fans in the BOL Forum!

Also, WE'RE OFFICIALLY HALFWAY THROUGH SEASON TWO here at Beginning of Line, and I couldn't be happier. I'd love to take this time to thank all of my writers and artists without whom none of this would be possible. Here's to the next nine episodes and to completing a second season of Caprica. Someone had to do it! :)

Enjoy!

Your Guatrau,
Teresa

I told you we'd be keeping up our regular pace from now on! :) Please enjoy Episode 8 of our Caprica Season 2! It's called"Punishment," and it's written by Ryan Lawrence, one of the biggest Caprica fans ever, and the proprietor of The Caprica Times.  He also did the screencaps for his story, and he managed to capture some really lovely Amanda moments! And as for our commercial break, we return to one of my favorite ads, created by Janice Orlando.

As always, please remember that our Forums are there for your enjoyment! Feel free to discuss this, or any episode...or anything at all, really. :)  FYI - I'm leaving the discussion thread for "The New Guatrau" in the CURRENT STORY discussion open, too, in addition to the one about "Punishment," since "The New Guatrau" hasn't been up a full week yet. And spread the word about our little site. I'd love to spread these Caprica stories far and wide!

Your Guatrau,
Teresa

Hey there! So, um, I forgot that I had to do one of these. :) But as every other writer so far got to do this, and will continue to do this, I thought I'd get mine in, too. My story is complete now, after all. :) So, without further ado:

1) If you had to choose ONE, what's the most important thing people should know about you?
That I am tolerant and open-minded. I am very, very reluctant to judge anyone based on what they believe, the lives they lead, etc. I don't know if it's the writer in me, or the fact that I used to be an actor - but there's something in my make-up that makes me always want to understand people on their own terms rather than form an opinion of them. I think this is why I liked Caprica so much - the characters were so fascinating even when they were morally questionable. Also, Atticus Finch will always be my hero. :)

2) Favorite thing about writing fan fiction?
Getting to actually put down in words what is usually going through my head when I'm watching the show anyway! :)

3) Least favorite thing about writing fan fiction?
Wishing I'd come up with characters and stories this good myself!

4) Of all the characters on Caprica, why did you choose to focus on Tamara in this way?
I'd always sort of resented the focus on Zoe during the show, when there were two daughters in V-World. I was always compelled by Tamara, because she seemed to accept V-World in a way that Zoe didn't, and I found that fascinating. What kind of person accepts existing only as an avatar? It struck me as a really Zen position, and something that wouldn't necessarily occur to a teenager. Zoe seems like a typical teenager, just always defiant. Tamara, despite her girlish, high voice and  her more demure style of dress, seems to me like the more mature of the two. It also seemed like a grounded way of being that was informed by her culture and upbringing. Had Caprica gone on, I would've been curious to see what kind of life she would've made for herself in V-World. Would she have continued on with Zoe? Would she have gone back to her life as the heroine of New Cap City - half of the Avenging Angels? Or, would she have done something else entirely? I chose the third option, and I think that I came up with something that was both true to her character and true to where she ended up at the end of Caprica. I hope people enjoyed it!

5) If the technology were available, would you want to be resurrected as a skin-job cylon?
Definitely. I really, really enjoy being alive. Unlike several respondents to this question, I actually do believe in God, even if I don't know what God is. I don't believe we just stop. The thing is, I believe that this world, this universe, our bodies, our hearts, are minds are here for us to enjoy the hell out of them. And I plan on enjoying all of that for as long as I can. And if that means my consciousness has to be contained in a synthetic body, then so be it! It probably wouldn't be forever. After all, I'm sure there comes a point after a couple hundred years where you just wanna stop. But it'd be nice to know that I could decide when that point was and not have it decided for me by my failing body.

Your Guatrau,
Teresa