Introduction(01-02)
HeartBrkn's Head (03-177)
HeartBrkn's Stories
Acknowledgments
Articles
Biography

Introduction

^[01] The first thing you will notice about Heartbrkn is that she's sweet, nice, honest, and just very neat to be around. This gentle person can also give you one big momma wampum of a THUD! The type where you slide off your chair and hit your head on the monitor.

^[02]She's a full time mother, worker, webmistress, and from I've been seeing lately, sportscaster. Go WNBA!! (Women's National Basketball Association). Michele, (Heartbrknbard) is just a beautiful soul and just such a pleasure to know.

HeartBrkn's list is:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/heartbrknsplace

HeartBrkn's address is: Kimsgrl@aol.com

HeartBrkn's Head

AMY MURPHY:
^[03] Why did you start writing?

Gabrielle picks up Xena in a tavern.

HEARTBKRN:
^[04] Well to be honest with you I started writing to fit in with my girlfriend at the time. She was/is heavy in to Xena and I wasn't. I couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. So I watched a few eps and figured "what the heck", so I started writing. Well needless to say I fell in love with X and G and writing.

MURPHY:
^[05] If you had to do it all over, would you be a bard? Would you write?

HEARTBKRN:
^[06] Yes, I would. I get enjoyment from writing.

MURPHY:
^[07] Give us a brief day in the life of Heartbrkn?

HEARTBKRN:
^[08] Sleep, work, eat, sleep, work, eat, work, work, work, and eat, did I mention work? Oh I do fit writing.

MURPHY:
^[09] How do you handle stress?

HEARTBKRN:
^[10] I don't.

MURPHY:
^[11] Years from now, how would you want to be remembered?

HEARTBKRN:
^[12] As a wonderful mother, great travel agent, and the amazing Heartbrkn bard (laughs).

MURPHY:
^[13] What is your pet peeve?

HEARTBKRN:
^[14] Wet towels on the bed, and an unmade bed.I make my bed every morning.

MURPHY:
^[15] Who is Heartbrkn?

HEARTBKRN:
^[16] Heartbrkn is a Mother of 2 beautiful children. I reside in NYC and I am a travel agent.

MURPHY:
^[17] What do you see yourself doing in the future? Future projects?

HEARTBKRN:
^[18] I see myself going back to school and making it big! Hopefully opening my own travel agency.

MURPHY:
^[19] How do you handle depression?

HEARTBKRN:
^[20] I don't,I threw her out years ago.(laughs) I don't get depressed. Life is too short.

MURPHY:
^[21] What advice can you give to future writers?

HEARTBKRN:
^[22] Write how you feel, and put feeling into your writing.

MURPHY:
^[23] What has the show Xena meant to you?

HEARTBKRN:
^[24] It has meant a lot to me. I have made a whole new family for myself just by the fans and the bards. It has been wonderful just as they are.

MURPHY:
^[25] How do you feel about its end?

A bittersweet ending.

HEARTBKRN:
^[26] I don't want to talk about it. I am really sad about the whole thing.

MURPHY:
^[27] What are your dreams? Hopes? Wishes?

HEARTBKRN:
^[28] My dreams? Hopes? Wishes? Hmm, I wish the best for my children and world peace.

MURPHY:
^[29] Who do you trust?

HEARTBKRN:
^[30] My girlfriend.And my close friends.

MURPHY:
^[31] What would you say every writer needs?

HEARTBKRN:
^[32] A good beta.

MURPHY:
^[33] What makes your best friend your best friend?

HEARTBKRN:
^[34] Because she is who she is. She doesn't judge me. She listens to me and tells me if I am right or wrong.

MURPHY:
^[35] Could you or have you ever experienced, you or someone else reading one of your stories aloud in the public? What did/would you feel?

MURPHY:
^[36] NO, I haven't.

MURPHY:
^[37] What's the most romantic thing anyone has done for you?

HEARTBKRN:
^[38] Ask for my hand in marriage on New Years (millinium)in a tux (all by surprise), down on one knee, shaking like a leaf!!

MURPHY:
^[39] What theme would you like to tackle in your next work?

Mel and Janice puzzle things out.

HEARTBKRN:
^[40] I thought about doing a Mel and janice, maybe.

MURPHY:
^[41] What was the last thing that made you smile recently?

HEARTBKRN:
^[42]My son screaming in front of all his friends, "I love you ma!!"

MURPHY:
^[43] What made you angry?

HEARTBKRN:
^[44] My job.

MURPHY:
^[45] You now have absolute authority over the world. Omnipotent in all areas. (Congratulations) What's your first move?

HEARTBKRN:
^[46] Legalize same sex marriages.

MURPHY:
^[47] Do you have stalkers? If so, how have you handled them?

HEARTBKRN:
^[48] No, thank God.

MURPHY:
^[49] What stupid thing did you do as a teen?

HEARTBKRN:
^[50] Drugs.

MURPHY:
^[51] What, if anything, can stop you writing, if only for a while?

HEARTBKRN:
^[52] My health.

MURPHY:
^[53] What to you is the worst feeling in the world?

HEARTBKRN:
^[54] Loneliness. Betrayal.

MURPHY:
^[55] The best feeling in the world?

HEARTBKRN:
^[56] Love, contentment.

MURPHY:
^[57] Favorite song of the moment?

HEARTBKRN:
^[58] "How Wonderful Life Is" by Elton John.

MURPHY:
^[59] What is the first thing you think of in the morning?

HEARTBKRN:
^[60] "Oh sh*t, work again?"

MURPHY:
^[61] Is there one part of the writing process where you usually get stuck? What have you tried to change that, successful or not?

HEARTBKRN:
^[62] Yes, the sex scenes, believe it or not. So I practice (sex) and get all the ideas right back.

MURPHY:
^[63] Does the best writing flow for you, or does it come from rewrites?

HEARTBKRN:
^[64] Flow.

MURPHY:
^[65] Which part of writing do you enjoy most and why? (e.g. Taking the original notes, final rewrites...)

HEARTBKRN:
^[66] Actually, putting it on the Internet.

MURPHY:
^[67] How often do you think about a piece when you're working on it and when do you think about it?

HEARTBKRN:
^[68] I think about it all the time.

MURPHY:
^[69] When someone walks into your bedroom, what are the first 5 things that they're likely to notice?

HEARTBKRN:
^[70] My cast iron canopy bed, Gina Gershon pictures everywhere, lots of candles, Judy Franseconi (artist) pics, and me!!

MURPHY:
^[71] Do you feel in control of your writing, or do you get carried away by your inspiration or characters?

HEARTBKRN:
^[72] I'm in control.

MURPHY:
^[73] If you consider yourself to have a muse, what exactly do you mean?

HEARTBKRN:
^[74] Hmm, not sure.

MURPHY:
^[75] Tell the truth--are you your favorite writer, or in your own top five? Why or why not?

HEARTBKRN:
^[76] Nope. I think there are so many better then me out there.

MURPHY:
^[77] Would the world be a better place if women ran it or would it be basically the same?

HEARTBKRN:
^[78] Why better of course.

MURPHY:
^[79] What is your favorite spot where you live now?

HEARTBKRN:
^[80] The beach.

MURPHY:
^[81] What books are you reading now? What about it/them is holding your attention?

HEARTBKRN:
^[82] I am reading Patricia Cornwell. The way she is in control and so smart, holds my attention.Also I love Harry Potter, the fantasy of it just puts a grin on my face.

MURPHY:
^[83] What would your friends say is your worst trait?

HEARTBKRN:
^[84] Hey, I don't have any.Ok, really? Ummm...I have the worst PMS.

MURPHY:
^[85] Do you type with your fingers on the 'right' keys?

HEARTBKRN:
^[86] Nope not at all.

MURPHY:
^[87] What is the longest any plant in your home has been with you?

HEARTBKRN:
^[88] Still with me. 15 years. A wondering Jew...takes one to know one.

MURPHY:
^[89] Do you have any particular bedtime rituals (glass of warm milk, etc.) that you follow every night?

HEARTBKRN:
^[90] Nope.

MURPHY:
^[91] If you find a spider in the bathtub, do you help it out or squish it?

HEARTBKRN:
^[92] Yuck, squish it!

MURPHY:
^[93] What was the last thing you bought that you really didn't need?

MURPHY:
^[94] Sandals.

MURPHY:
^[95] Have you ever smoked cigarettes--explain

That Mel sure looks like a tough cookie.

HEARTBRKN:
^[96] Yes. Just quit. (1 month)

MURPHY:
^[97] Who is your favorite Greek God?

HEARTBKRN:
^[98] Don't have one. (G)

MURPHY:
^[99] Why do fools fall in love?

HEARTBKRN:
^[100] Because they're fools.

MURPHY:
^[101] Do you keep a diary and if so what do you call it? If so, what effect has it had on your writing?

HEARTBKRN:
^[102] Nope.

MURPHY:
^[103] How has online writing affected your life and how you see yourself, your goals?

HEARTBKRN:
^[104] It has made me a more experienced person.

MURPHY:
^[105] What skill would you like to have that you don't have now?

HEARTBKRN:
^[106] Better writing skills.

MURPHY:
^[107] Who is your real life hero and why?

HEARTBKRN:
^[108] My dad, because he is the best man alive

MURPHY:
^[109] What fan fiction story touched you so much that you still remember it vividly?

HEARTBKRN:
^[110] There's alot. Too many to list.

MURPHY:
^[111] If you could only choose a single climate with no variation would you prefer it to be sweltering hot or freezing cold?

HEARTBKRN:
^[112] Hot! Hot! Hot!

MURPHY:
^[113] What is the first thing you notice about someone when you meet them?

HEARTBKRN:
^[114] There hands.

MURPHY:
^[115] Have you ever done something that accidentally caused something really bad to happen to someone?

HEARTBKRN:
^[116] No thank God.

MURPHY:
^[117] How is $25 well spent?

HEARTBKRN:
^[118] On food.

MURPHY:
^[119] Would you rather live in a sociable suburb, or alone in the deep woods?

HEARTBKRN:
^[120] Suburb.

MURPHY:
^[121] What literary character did you most identify with as a child?

HEARTBKRN:
^[122] None.

MURPHY:
^[123] What is the source of your inspiration?

HEARTBKRN:
^[124] All the bards.

MURPHY:
^[125] Where do your ideas come from?

HEARTBKRN:
^[126] Real and fictional experiences.

MURPHY:
^[127] What do you find most satisfying about your job?

HEARTBKRN:
^[128] All the letter of recommendations I get.

MURPHY:
^[129] What are the three things you enjoy most about writing?

HEARTBKRN:
^[130] Satisfaction.

MURPHY:
^[131] What were your favorite book, TV show, and movie when you were a teenager and what do you think of them now?

HEARTBKRN:
^[132] Willie Wonka, book and movie and still love them. TV show? Laverne and Shirley and I still love them.

MURPHY:
^[133] What's your idea of a perfect world?

HEARTBKRN:
^[134] No such thing.

MURPHY:
^[135] How real is your fiction to you?

HEARTBKRN:
^[136] Now why would I answer that?

MURPHY:
^[137] What Disney character do you most identify with and why?

HEARTBKRN:
^[138] I don't like Disney, but if I had to choose I like Tigger, because he is so happy and jumpy.

MURPHY:
^[139] Who do you read for inspiration?

HEARTBKRN:
^[140] I don't.

MURPHY:
^[141] What's your favorite website?

HEARTBRKN:
^[142] My web site and the UFFD. (http://home.talkcity.com/timessquare/heartbrkn_msn/home.html or http://www.xenafanfiction.com/index.htm)

MURPHY:
^[143] When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?

HEARTBKRN:
^[144] A pediatrician.

MURPHY:
^[145] What are the limits in sacrifices for true love?

HEARTBKRN:
^[146] There are no limits.

MURPHY:
^[147] If you could interview your favorite author, what questions would you ask? And, WHY?

HEARTBKRN:
^[148] Same ones you're asking me.

MURPHY:
^[149] What makes a great kisser?

HEARTBKRN:
^[150] Neatness. I hate a sloppy kisser. Yuck, wet!

MURPHY:
^[151] What have you learned from your animals?

MURPHY:
^[152] Don't have any.

MURPHY:
^[153] Does our society glorify violence to the point we have become desensitized to it and the consequences?

HEARTBKRN:
^[154] I think we don't give it enough thought. As a mother, I hate it. My son only watches cartoons and that is still bad.

MURPHY:
^[156] What is your motto?

HEARTBRKN:
^[157] Live life to its fullest.

MURPHY:
^[158] What do you think we take too seriously as writers?

HEARTBRKN :
^[159] Criticism.

MURPHY:
^[160] Being a mother, What do you wish for your child?

HEARTBKRN:
^[161] Everything and anything they want.

MURPHY:
^[162] How would you categorize your best writing?

HEARTBKRN:
^[163] I don't have best writings. [Murphy step's in here. Umm, Heartbrkn wrote. "Knew It Was You," (http://home.talkcity.com/TimesSquare/heartbrkn_msn/knew.htm) "Love Therapy," (http://home.talkcity.com/TimesSquare/heartbrkn_msn/therapy.htm) And this I consider to be her best yet. "Designs Of The Heart," (http://home.talkcity.com/TimesSquare/heartbrkn_msn/Designs_of_the_Heart.html)]

MURPHY:
^[164] In your opinion, do you fit your astrological sign? Explain?

HEARTBKRN:
^[165] Yes I do. I am a typical Aquarius, always helping others and very independent.

MURPHY:
^[166] Do you have a muse?

HEARTBRKN:
^[167] Nope.

MURPHY:
^[168] What in your opinion is most dangerous about mankind?

HEARTBKRN:
^[169] Their minds.

MURPHY:
^[170] What is most positive about it?

HEARTBKRN:
^[171] Women.

MURPHY:
^[172] What is the most idiotic and annoying common prejudice?

HEARTBKRN:
^[173] Lesbianism. I dislike how certain people hate homosexuals.

MURPHY:
^[174] If you had a choice, would you choose chocolate or sex?

HEARTBKRN:
^[175] Oh my God! I hope I never have to choose.

MURPHY:
^[176] What questions should I have asked?

HEARTBKRN:
^[177] The ones you did.

HeartBrkn's Stories

Uber

Designs of the Heart
http://home.talkcity.com/TimesSquare/heartbrkn_msn/Designs_of_the_Heart.html
Jacqueline Moore, successful fashion designer, reminisces on how she met her soulmate, Desiree Jamenson, along with the trials and tribulations they met along the way.

Classic Xena and Gabrielle Stories

Love Therapy
http://home.talkcity.com/TimesSquare/heartbrkn_msn/therapy.htm
After six months of working at the hospice Gabrielle realizes that she'll never love Najara the way she loves Xena. Now if only Xena would clue in that her bard is the only one for her.

Knew It Was You
http://home.talkcity.com/TimesSquare/heartbrkn_msn/knew.htm
Xena comes to a crossroad when her desire and trust in Gabrielle fades unless something radical happens.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to the Bardic Circle for some of the questions.
http://www.geocities.com/thebardiccircle/

Thanks to Kamouraskan for the Beta.

Articles

L. J. Maas and Murphy Wilson [Amy Murphy]. One Step Beyond ... Uber, That Is. WHOOSH #49 (October 2000)
http://whoosh.org/issue49/maas1.html

Biography

Amy Murphy

Twenty-nine-year-old Amy Murphy resides in Indiana, and is an avid reader of Xena: Warrior Princess Fan Fiction. If it exists in the Xenaverse, chances are she's read it! Murphy has also tried her hand at writing FF, turning out two very nice pieces that reside on a couple of web sites throughout the Xenaverse.
Favorite episode: IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE (24/124)
Favorite line: Xena: "I Have Many Skills" Various episodes
First episode seen: TITANS (07/107)
Least favorite episode: LYRE, LYRE HEARTS ON FIRE (100/510)