Bloodlines: A Female Perspective

"It's in my blood" is a key expression for both Supernatural and White Collar. In an earlier post, I wrote about the pressures the Winchester brothers place on themselves because of their heritage. Dean in particular feels hunting is a destiny he can't escape. In canon, Neal expressed similar emotions. When he told Peter his dad was dirty in the episode "What Happens in Burma," he confessed his belief that certain traits were in his blood. It's a view that's been shared by some of the characters in our series, notably the head of D.C. Art Crimes, Phillip Kramer. But bloodlines don't have to be a negative factor, nor are they the exclusive domain of male characters. This is especially evident in Crossed Lines.

Stress Lines

Like White Collar, Supernatural is known for its season-spanning arcs. For Dean and Sam, the plots are particularly angsty. One season, Dean worries about Sam being haunted by the Yellow-eyed Demon. During another season, Sam stresses about Dean only having a year to live after having made a pact with a crossroads demon. No sooner is one crisis resolved than another one pops up, such as the season Sam didn't have a soul for a year. Talk about complications!

Happy St. Patrick's Day from the Caffrey Conversation Crew!

It's the middle of March, Silbrith is posting about Irish threads in her most recent stories, and that means our characters are donning green and preparing to wish you a Happy St. Patrick's Day. It also means I'm reflecting on the Irish elements in my stories, and how they became part of the Caffrey Conversation. Let's start with Neal, and how he reminded me of an iconic character in J.D. Robb's In Death series -- mysteries set in New York City a few decades in the future.

The Celtic Connection

As we approach St. Patrick's Day, Mozzie is brewing a special batch of green-tinted honey mead to celebrate the occasion. I'm sure Neal will want to pick up several bottles for himself, Henry, and Angela. Neal's Irish heritage is original to the Caffrey Conversation AU. Despite his given and surname both being Irish in origin, the TV series never developed the thread. Penna began the process in our stories. She provided Neal with a grandfather, Edmund Caffrey, whose grandparents came from Ireland. Edmund was quite proud of his Irish roots and was fond of adding an Irish accent to his reminiscences. Penna also endowed the Caffreys with distant relatives who settled in Appalachia from Ireland and are now itinerant folk musicians and instrument makers. In Caffrey Flashback, Edmund told Neal that according to stories that had been passed down in the family, the Caffreys were descended from ancient rulers of Ireland.

Doppelganger Dilemma

When I decided to write a crossover series that blends the worlds of the Caffrey Conversation AU with Supernatural, my original intent was to make all the stories road trips with no involvement of the other White Collar team members or Caffrey relatives. That didn't last very long. One character after another began tapping me on the shoulder with ideas on how they should be included. First it was Travis who, as a good friend to Mozzie and a fellow astronomy enthusiast, made a strong case to be part of Fireflies at Midnight. Next up were Diana and Jones. They argued that their investigative skills would make it impossible for Peter and Neal to keep the supernatural events a secret. Dark Rabbit is just the beginning of what they'd like to see happen. Now Angela Caffrey and her boyfriend Michael have entered the mix. Her cousin Henry Winslow, however, has yet to make an appearance. Henry is one of the most popular characters in Caffrey Conversation. How could he possibly be excluded? The answer is it's complicated.