Fan Fiction

Join us to discuss Jane Austen’s unfinished novel Sandition! Jane completed the first 12 chapters before her death. There are many versions of Sanditon that have been cowritten and completed by other authors. **Please make sure your version contains Jane’s original 12 chapters, as our discussion will be based on these.

For our second meeting let’s read The Devil In The White City by Erik Larson. Synopsis: Author Erik Larson imbues the incredible events surrounding the 1893 Chicago World's Fair with such drama that readers may find themselves checking the book's categorization to be sure that 'The Devil in the White City' is not, in fact, a highly imaginative novel. Larson tells the stories of two men: Daniel H. Burnham, the architect responsible for the fair's construction, and H.H. Holmes, a serial killer masquerading as a charming doctor. Burnham's challenge was immense. In a short period of time, he was forced to overcome the death of his partner and numerous other obstacles to construct the famous "White City" around which the fair was built. His efforts to complete the project, and the fair's incredible success, are skillfully related along with entertaining appearances by such notables as Buffalo Bill Cody, Susan B. Anthony, and Thomas Edison. The activities of the sinister Dr. Holmes, who is believed to be responsible for scores of murders around the time of the fair, are equally remarkable. He devised and erected the World's Fair Hotel, complete with crematorium and gas chamber, near the fairgrounds and used the event as well as his own charismatic personality to lure victims. Combining the stories of an architect and a killer in one book, mostly in alternating chapters, seems like an odd choice but it works. The magical appeal and horrifying dark side of 19th-century Chicago are both revealed through Larson's skillful writing. - John Moe https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/397483.The_Devil_in_the_White_City

*Root* is a game of woodland might and right. Stalk the woods as one of the Vagabonds, seize the initiative with the Eyrie birds of prey, rule over your subjects as the Marquise de Cat, or command the Woodland Alliance to create a new order. With creatures and cunning, you'll rule a fantastic forest kingdom in the ultimate asymmetric board game of adventure and war.

Hi everyone! I'm doing things a little differently this year, partially cause we're celebrating on a Sunday. First during the afternoon will be a supercharged open house, with Rock Band upstairs and other video/board games downstairs. Details on the usual stuff for that below. Around 6:30 PM we'll move to Breakers Sky Lounge in Herndon for dinner, drinks if you want them, and KARAOKE starting at 7:30 PM! Photo ID's required for that and they have a dress code of no tanks, flip-flops, or sweatpants. I can take up to 4 people over there if absolutely necessary. **Both primary COVID-19 vaccinations are REQUIRED to enter. No vax, no entry. No exceptions.** Please preferably share your vaccine status in the #vaccine channel on our Discord, either via [https://vase.vdh.virginia.gov/vdhapps/f?p=545:1](https://vase.vdh.virginia.gov/vdhapps/f?p=545:1) or photograph of your vaccine card. If you're not comfortable sharing your status online, you can also physically bring your card. Dave & Buster's is fair game but I do ask that you mask if possible if you're not vaccinated. Attendees come at their own risk. 1. **Both primary COVID-19 vaccinations are REQUIRED to enter.** No vax, no entry. No exceptions. 2. **IF you are up to date on your COVID-19 vaccinations** (meaning you either received your primary doses between two weeks and two months prior to the meetup, OR a bivalent vaccine), then masks are OPTIONAL. 3. **If you received your primary COVID-19 vaccine doses but are not up to date,** then you are REQUIRED to wear a mask. (This includes eating or drinking; please exit before you remove your mask to eat or drink, and secure it back on before reentering). Feel free to ask Courtney any questions about the above. Please preferably share your vaccine status in the #vaccine channel on our Discord, or if you're not comfortable doing so you can physically bring a vaccination card. In terms of setup, I have a TV for videos and general gaming, a monitor in a different room for smaller games, let's plays, and streaming, and a projector in the loft for movies and larger games requiring more space like Dance Dance Revolution, Just Dance, and Guitar Hero/Rock Band. For consoles I have PlayStations 2 through 4 plus a PS TV, Wii/Wii U, Switch, and PC. I often move my consoles around (either for let's play or streaming purposes or to bring them other places), so if you can't find what you're looking for just ask. I don't own any XBox consoles but you're welcome to bring yours if you'd like! Extra consoles, controllers, games, and screens are always welcome; just let me know in advance if you're able so we can plan for it. :) My game & console/controller list is here: [https://docs.google.com/document/d/11LvIAgla39HtYpx9PLf6AaVj7DI3i7ypox8qSj23SCo/edit?usp=drivesdk](https://docs.google.com/document/d/11LvIAgla39HtYpx9PLf6AaVj7DI3i7ypox8qSj23SCo/edit?usp=drivesdk) When you arrive please park in a space that does NOT have a number; if those aren't available we have lots of open street parking within the Penderbrook community (I'm right in the middle so either side is cool; parking on Center Way or the middle of Penderbrook Drive is best) but please don't park on a yellow curb or you might be towed! You'll want to turn onto Golf RIDGE, and then onto Golf TEE where I'm the first house on the left. When you enter walk all the way up and to the right; look for the Super Mario Bros. doormat. I'm about 10 driving minutes from the Vienna/Fairfax metro station. Please follow the group's rules & guidelines below: [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PS-UUkkFQ1JDaMp7pCTSGMu2Rqm58X7srdCzhN0Y-xA/edit?usp=drivesdk](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PS-UUkkFQ1JDaMp7pCTSGMu2Rqm58X7srdCzhN0Y-xA/edit?usp=drivesdk) I also have a few more guidelines, but they're pretty easy to follow: 1. Gaming equipment are not toys. Please be responsible with other people's controllers, consoles, games, furniture, etc. Accidents happen, but if you continuously break things you won't be allowed to use people's equipment. 2. Try and keep a positive atmosphere. A lot of people attend the group to escape from their daily lives. Don't feel like you need to leave your problems at the door, everyone needs to vent once in a while, but please attempt to not do so the whole meetup. We're here to have fun after all, so try and keep it that way! <3

Having secured a secret entrance to the Wreck of the Returned, the Starfinder Society is finally ready to launch a rescue mission into the Wreck, to liberate the lost Starfinder Zizenzi and the countless other citizens of Akiton who’ve been abducted by the Functionary’s forces and await forced conversion into mindless servitors of the Wreck. While numerous teams prepare to enter the conversion facility, First Seeker Sarmak has tasked one special team with breaching the conversion facility’s central control room and dispatching the cure to conversion through the ventilation system. If successful, all the converted innocents within the Wreck will regain their autonomy and break free from the Wreck’s control. Unfortunately, the central control is sure to be heavily guarded… Prepare for battle, Starfinders! A Starfinder Society Scenario designed for 3rd through 4th-level characters, playable in 2-3 hours. This is an adventure in the ongoing Invasion's Edge metaplot. Written by Matt Morris.

**\*TO ATTEND GET TICKET At** [https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13508#tix](https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13508#tix) (Multiple Meetup groups are co-organizing so the RSVP's shown are just a very small portion attending. We'll have at least 20 registered.) Our last online Bingo Night Party was such a BIG hit, we're doing it again! Do you like to play BINGO or want to just do something different?! Then you will LOVE this event! Here is your opportunity to have some fun playing our Live "Bingo" game. You will also get to socialize and make other friends from the comfort of your home. Prizes included Amazon gift cards, free future events and more! This completely online event will be LIVE and you will be able to see and hear the other participants while playing. You will either need to print or draw out your bingo cards. We will email you with how to get it after registering. You can have more than 1 person on your team as long as they're from your house and use same device. Friends/family around the country can also play. They would just need to also register for a ticket. This event will be held on Zoom which you would access through your computer/webcam, or via your phone/tablet. On day of the event, you will get a secured Zoom link and link to print out Bingo cards. \*RSVPS ON HERE ARE NOT REFLECTIVE OF ACTUAL ATTENDANCE as this is a multi group event. Cost: $15-$20 depending on how early you register. **\*TO ATTEND GET TICKET AT -** [https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13508#tix](https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13508#tix)

Open gaming at Panera! New players welcome. We have many games on hand or you can bring your own. We are happy to teach or learn one of yours.

We are going to talk about the books we read—any books, from any genre. Whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, classic literature or something modern, everyone is welcome to share their thoughts, impressions, and favorite passages. It’s a relaxed and friendly conversation where we can discover new ideas and enjoy each other’s perspectives.

We will meet outside as long as the weather is nice. If not, we will move inside. Look out for a comment the morning of each meeting with our exact location. As we are meeting in person, please remember to bring something to read as we usually spend some time sharing our current reads and/or reading when meeting in person. As a reminder, there is no assigned reading; please bring whatever you are currently working on. This group is super casual, sometimes we read and sometimes we talk the whole time. **** NO SHOW POLICY: Due to the high number of members on the waitlist recently we are having to reinstate our no-show policy. If you sign up and no-show to 2 events you will be removed from the group. Reminders are provided weekly to change your RSVP to allow those on the waitlist a chance to come to the meet-up, no 3rd chances with be given. Please be considerate to your fellow members. Thank you! I look forward to reading you!

Don’t miss your chance to check out the INCREDIBLE pop-rock Moon Landing Duo at The National Harbor Stars & Smiles Foodie Festival June 14th at 2 pm! (Set time subject to change). Featuring @shelleystarofficial and @alanxtra, this pair is truly out of this world! 🌎

**Join us in Falls Church for conversations that go beyond small talk.** Higher Grounds – Falls Church is where this growing network of gatherings began: a space for thoughtful, authentic dialogue about what matters most. Whether we’re exploring the nature of happiness, the challenges and possibilities of midlife, spirituality, culture, capitalism, parenting, or the role of art and travel in a meaningful life, every conversation is shaped by the people in the room. There’s no set leader or rigid agenda—just a shared commitment to listen as much as we speak. We start with brief introductions focused on what makes you *you* (not your LinkedIn bio), then dive straight into whatever is on people’s minds. The direction of each meetup emerges organically, making every event unique. MANDATORY: PLEASE REVIEW OUR COMMUNITY GUIDELINES IN THE GROUP DESCRIPTION. Everyone is expected to engage in respectful conversations and listen deeply as well as share. We have a zero tolerance policy of sexual harassment and hate speech. Come ready to share, reflect, and connect with others in Falls Church who are also seeking deeper conversations. **Suggested Questions: Life Stages & Transitions** 1. What did you think you'd have figured out by now that you're still completely winging? 2. When did you realize your parents' advice was for a world that no longer exists? 3. What are you finally old enough to stop pretending to care about? **Suggested Questions: Identity After the Roles** 1. Who are you when nobody needs anything from you? 2. What dream keeps resurfacing even though the "practical" time has passed? 3. How do you handle having the freedom you always said you wanted? **Suggested Questions: AI & Being Human** 1. What human experiences will AI never truly understand? 2. If machines handled all your have-to's, what would you actually do? 3. What becomes more precious as everything becomes automated? **Suggested Questions: Belief & Meaning** 1. What certainties have you given up, and what rushed in to fill that space? 2. How has knowing someone who died changed how you live? 3. What do you believe now that would shock your younger self? **Suggested Questions: The Modern Psyche** 1. What anxiety do you carry that previous generations didn't have? 2. Which of your survival strategies are you ready to retire? 3. What uncomfortable truth about happiness did it take you years to accept? **Suggested Questions: Work & Purpose** 1. When did you stop believing that your job would complete you? 2. What would you do for work if money and status weren't factors? 3. How has your definition of "making it" changed over the years? **Suggested Questions: Relationships & Connection** 1. What relationship dynamic do you keep recreating, and why? 2. When did you realize your parents were just people trying their best? 3. What kind of loneliness doesn't go away even when you're with others? **Suggested Questions: Time & Mortality** 1. What are you running out of time to say or do? 2. How differently do you spend your time knowing it's finite? 3. What will you regret not trying, even if you fail? **Suggested Questions: Society & Culture** 1. What social convention do you follow even though it makes no sense? 2. Which generation do you understand least, and what might you be missing? 3. What aspect of how we live now will seem insane in 20 years? **Suggested Questions: Personal Philosophy** 1. What rule for life did you create after learning something the hard way? 2. When did you stop believing that everyone else had it figured out 3. What paradox about life have you learned to live with?

Attend a free seminar on how to have successful and lasting relationships. At this seminar you will learn: How to spot and handle negative and toxic relationships. How to get through the "rough patches" in a relationship. How to choose the right people to work with. The three things that make or break any relationship. How to make a good relationship great. All are welcome. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there. Hosted by the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.

This is a free, in-person meeting on the subject of betrayals, losses and how to get over them so you can build lasting relationships. Burdened by a stressful relationship? Unhealthy relationships can trigger feelings of anger, despair or self-doubt. They can create dwindling spirals of fights and seeking to make-up, or trying to “pin the blame” on someone or something. If you don’t find the RIGHT reasons, or select the correct sources of the problem, the problem can just get worse and worse. Whether in love or personal ties, with friends or at work, our life really IS affected by the quality of our relationships. Good ones can promote pleasure and survival while less optimum ones can lead to annoyance, anger, self-doubt, stress, or even affect our health and ability to survive well. Whether you are suffering from a divorce, or a painful break-up, don’t know who to trust (or who to CHOOSE) as a partner, friend, boss or employee - the anxiety of relationship troubles can really make a mess of things. Maybe you’ve suffered a betrayal, or are dealing with hostility or criticalness or invalidation. Dwindling relationships can involve destructive behavior, where we hurt those we love, or start succumbing to self-destructive thoughts, attitudes or behaviors that spiral out of control and affect much more than our immediate relationship. Past losses in love or life can affect how we act or react to new people and situations and hold us back from even starting to create new, possibly great relationships! How can one get back onto a saner course of action? Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life: human relationships! Break free from self imposed limitations Here we will discuss: • How to “erase” the trauma of past hurts and betrayals so that one isn’t always repeating past mistakes. • Why and how do the negative emotions of others affect you? • Why is my partner withdrawing and what can I do about it? • Why do we sometimes feel compelled to hurt the ones we love? • Fights & arguments - what's really behind them? • What underlies “corrosive criticism” or the need to invalidate self or others? • How one can stably change one’s outlook on life so they can affect positive change? • Where do compulsive destructive behaviors come from and what can be done about them? • How to form closer bonds & keep growing the relationships with the people you care about? • How to enhance one’s own ability to survive and create positive healthy relationships whether in love, family & friendships or in work, business or one’s career? Relationships can be hard and life itself IS challenging. Why not arm yourself with the knowledge and breakthroughs that have been made about the mind, mental reactions & interpersonal relationships, so that one has better awareness and control over themselves and life in general. Learn where painful experiences are “stored” and how they can unknowingly affect us. You will also find out how one can “erase” those past painful experiences so that one is free to move forward without being tripped up by the past. Learn too, about what can lead some people to become “toxic” personalities and how to identify those traits in others so you won’t be tripped up trusting the wrong person. Our free Meet-ups occur in a safe environment where one can learn, without fear of judgment or criticism, and without the recommendation of harmful mental techniques or therapies, just how YOU can get yourself onto a happier & more successful path: in love & in life. We look forward to having you join us! This class is sponsored by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.

Join us for an Opening Night showing of the super-hero action-adventure, SUPERGIRL! Get in early because this series is just getting started! Hot on the heels of last year’s excellent SUPERMAN comes what should be another fun adventure! Here’s a description, trailer and plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, joins forces with an unlikely companion on an interstellar journey of vengeance and justice when an unexpected adversary strikes too close to home. The film is directed by Craig Gillespie, written by Ana Nogueira, and stars Milly Alcock, Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, David Corenswet and Jason Momoa. TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1-pfiVMKAs PLAN: Please purchase your ticket for the 7:00pm showing and meet in the lobby area between 6:40 and 6:50pm! It’s in their largest theater on their biggest screen but advance ticket purchase is advised for this Opening Night showing! Once you have yours, please list your seat number in the Comments below. Possible pre-show bite. That part will be confirmed/announced as the date gets closer. Look forward to seeing you there, Dan