Fic: Terra Firma

[tiredsoul]

Well, I finally got here. First one of “bringing Tara back” on my list.



And it was well worth it. Heck of a page turner.



This story was incredible. The way you wrote each of the characters was both insightful and realistic. I like your version of Tara’s resurrection. Worked very well. Heart-wrenching and poignant both come to mind.



And I do love the quotes you used. Fit so well.



Thanks so much for a wonderful story.



--celia

---------------------------------

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

[EyesLie]

I read this fic on a different archive, I lost the link & spent a long time bemoaning the fact I couldn't let you know how very much your fic had affected me. See, I was a late arrival to the world of Buffy, even later to the more beautiful world of Willow/Tara (caught them at the very end of S5). So before I was truly able to catch even the essence of all that is W/T goodness onscreen, it was snatched away, Tara taken & Willow with her, leaving an ugly scar where she used to be. Your fic managed to bring not only Tara back to where she belongs, but our Willow as well. Thank You. I'm still catching up on our girls relationship onscreen through old reruns of S4 & such, but knowing what's to come it's kinda hard. Reading beatiful fic like yours makes it all worthwile though, so once again with the ever present Thanks.

"'God Baby, I love how you paint things, how you make me see your world' She called me 'Baby'. So, that's one of her pet names for me. We have pet names!" -On Second Thought, by AntigoneUnbound

[notl33t]

One of the best fics I have ever read. I hope you write long and prosper. You're definitely on my must-read authors list.

[Mierke]

Hi tulipp,

I just spend the last three days, every time I had the chance, with reading this fic. I loved it. It was truly amazing. I cried when I read the pain of Willow when she lost Tara, I smiled at the return of Tara, and I felt with Willow the pain and the confusion when she saw her back and "knew" it must be a illusion. You even got me to like Dawn. I never really liked her in the show, but in this fic, I loved her. Thank you for that, and thanks for writing this fic. It was amazing.



=Be yourself. Be in love. We are. - t.A.T.u. =

[Nenyath]

That was such a beautifull story! Nicely ended! I really loved how bi a part Dawn was playing in the story! yeah, simply just nice and soothing! You dont think there would be any more??



Anyway, thanks for keeping me entertainet some good nights! :



See you around like a DVD Tulip!!



Cant hardly keep awake any longer!!

[UnveilTheSoulbound]

This fic?? It's...it's just great... I'm speechless and I don't have anything to say... I really don't know what to say other than... WOW...



This is one of the BEST fics I've ever read... I mean...



Words can never encompass the beauty that you have just revealed in your fic... It's wonderful... It's amazing...



I loved the way you portrayed the characters in the story plot and I really appreciated the way you showed the love between Willow and Tara... Truly and Forever

---

cleanse your mind..mend your soul..pick up the pieces and mend your shattered soul.. -Shattered Soul:Heir of the Black Flame

[UnveilTheSoulbound]

WOW!!! This is one of the BEST fics I've ever read in my entire life! I mean, words can't possibly encompass the beauty of this fic.



I really really loved the way you portrayed the charcters in the story. And I would also like to add that your writing style is just superb. You had me wiping the tears that rolled down my cheeks, especially during the earlier parts of the story.



Most of all, I truly appreciate the way you showed and exposed and explored the love that is Willow and Tara ... Truly and Forever

---

cleanse your mind..mend your soul..pick up the pieces and mend your shattered soul.. -Shattered Soul:Heir of the Black Flame

[WillowRulez]

I had this fic in my bookmarks for quite some time and i never got around to read it. Now that i've finished it, all i can say is: thanks for taking us on such a beautiful journey. You wrote Willow and Tara so... real and amazingly fresh (if you can say that... ) that it was a pleasure to read it.

"There was always this thing in the back of my head. This, you know, voice, saying, like,’what if things get bad, I mean really bad? And what if you can’t handle it?’

[Traveler4069]

While checking out the Extra Flamey Willow and Tara site today I found a story posted by Amberholic. This friend/fan stated the story had been written by Tulipp and with permission it was being posted there. I read the first 6 chapters and was totally blown away, therefore I had to track the story down and have spent today reading it and its feedback until I reached the end. 21/2 years after you wrote it, and it still fills the void created by the terribly written and shown season 6. The grief, joy , understanding and love you gave all the characters was wonderful to behold. Giving flesh to the key that is/was Dawn addressed another short coming in the show. I will not attempt to match or top the praise all of the other fans of this story have given you, but just want to add a joyful THANK YOU for sharing it with us. I will read this story again as it is reposted on Flamey and probably will praise it again but for now, Thank you again



Traveler

[Under Their Spell]

I have no words. Just...thank you.

[chidoll]

'Terra Firma' tied up so many loose ends that were left to flutter abandoned by the writers, and in better and more beautiful ways than I thought possible when I began reading your story. Thank you so much for writing this, Tulipp. It was the healing so many of us needed, after the horror of... well, you know. Your words made every character come alive in my mind, as if I were watching them right in front of me as episodes. You are amazingly talented. I agree with the person, much earlier in this thread, who said that this is a story for someone who loves words. Your writing is so rich, and vibrant, and alive.

Thank you for making it so very obvious that the Scoobies really are a family, and not just a group of friends. Xander giving Tara the money for tuition and clothes and everything that her 'blood kin' took away with them- that just killed me. The angsty parts in chapters before made me hurt for, well, pretty much everyone. Especially Willow. But that scene with Tara and Xander is what made me tear up (and sort of forgive Xander for being such an enormous ass in show as well as your story). Goddess. This is the conclusion/closure we should have had all along (because there sure as hell wasn't anything near sufficient closure in canon >_<). What I wouldn't give for this to have been season 7.

[Miss. Darkmoon]

Wow... this story is amazing... when the stuff about Glory started I half expected it to be some over-dramatized tale of how Glory took over Tara, and Willow got all shattered and such, and more angsty plot-lines like I usually find myself reading, but this story was really nice... refreshing, like everything could work out for the Scoobies after all. Like a warm fuzzY! And W/T lovin' is always welcome too.... lol Seriously, great job and some truely profound writing...

~Miss. Darkmoon

[thedojokid]

Tulipp,
This is one of the first fics I read when I started lurking bout a year ago and I just reread it. You're such an amazing writer! You really brought the characters back to life for me again. And treated them with the respect they deserve.
I know this is five years too late but thank you so much! I hope I can find more of your stories.
Take care,
Ceri

[Fall3nang3l2006]

You are a beautiful writer, and i cant wait to finish this story. :]

[Dana5140]

As a long time fan of jet wolf's The Chosen who was just directed here by one of jet's posters, I put this fic up there with her heavenly writing; it is one of the greatest fanfics I have ever read, one that captures the voices of each character, the world they live in, and is so true to those characters that it brings tears to my eyes. Often.

Just superb!

[Renatecs]

This was an amazing story which i really enjoyed reading. I have to say i really liked your take on things and how you gave Dawn some more depth than they did on the show. How you took more out of her being the Key and her powers. Of course how you brought Tara back was amazing. You described all their feelings and thoughts so well. I liked your story much better than the actual end.

R.

[Guest]

Terra Firma could be described as a piece of art.

Tara's return from her death was heartwarming. Maybe it was a necessity to read such fiction so as to alleviate the pain. It also brought up the notion that an anchor might be lost for a life lesson to be learnt but that in effect, the pain does go away once the lesson is learnt.

I have enjoyed the way you focus on grief. You've mimicked specific aspects of the grieving process to perfection. The sole problem is that I had difficulty in shaking off the feeling of sadness and remorse even with a positive ending.

Vi'

[BeMyDeputy]

Again, my response is just . . . wow.

All that wonderful stuff people said over the past years? Ditto.

[christine]

I broke my 10yr long lurker status to say:
1. I can't believe I've never read this fic before. I've read many, several times, don't know how this one slipped by me for so long.
2. That was bloody amazing. Thank you for sharing your much skilled writing talents with us :-)

[Rauko]

I had been trying to read all the stories in the Pens Recomendation thread for a while, and this is certainly one of the most beautifully written stories i had read. The actions and interactions of the characters are superb, the descriptions and develpment of scenes are wonderful, the tempo of it all keep you mesmerized, the complete fic is like a poem were the grief and sorrow turns into hope and love, and that tinge of sadness (cause nothing could or would be same...) is essential part of the beauty of this fic (acording to me.), and i know im late (really, really late...), to praise and said thanks for this story, but i do anyway, thanks for share this lovely ans beutiful tale, good luck.

[NorthernLass]

Can't believe nobody has posted a comment on this magnificent story since 2012! I read this a few years ago on a different forum and rediscovered it here. I have loved reading it on The Kittenboard, and hearing readers reactions as the story unfolds, and your response to them. Many times I've read a comment that echoes my thoughts and reactions to this story.

Tulipp, you deserve to know that your writing is consistently .....breathtaking. Your words and turn of phrase paint vast landscapes of emotions and relationships and imperfections and humanity. Just awesome. You gave us the story that we deserved to have. Thank you.