Introduction (01-02)
Di's Head (03-99)
Di's Stories
Acknowledgments
Articles
Biography

Introduction

Baby Hope was adorable too

^[01] This bard is one of many I adore. I met her a couple times at Xena Live Two and she was one sweet soul. She is also responsible for the kick b-tt videos during the live show. She had the two leads, Elizabeth LaidLaw (Xena) and Amy Matheny (Gabrielle) act out scenes from the show in Di's backyard: the bathing scene, sword sharpening, star gazing, cuddling, etc.

^[02] Needless to say, Di S. Bauden was the talk of the neighborhood for a long time. This talented published bard is also a music video director. Di has it all with an added benefit of a heart of gold.

Di's Head

Interviewer:
^[03] Who is Di?

Bauden:
^[04] Who the h-ll am I? Good question. I think I’m still trying to figure that out! I don’t even know what I want to be when I grow up. I guess I’m warm and friendly with a heart of gold. I’m a very good friend and listener. I tend to be quiet when things bother me. I’m as loyal as any puppy dog, but just don’t break my heart - I have a shovel and a backyard and I’m not afraid to use them!

Interviewer:
^[05] How did you start doing music videos?

Bauden:
^[06] I started doing Xena music videos a few years ago. I’d heard a song by Bette Midler called One True Friend and I immediately saw Xena clips running through my brain. Every once in awhile I’d hear a song and if it contained lyrics that worked with the feel of the show, I’d make a video. In total, I’ve made only five and three of which I’ve remastered for the web and are up on my website. They are a lot of work, but they are such fun to watch when they’re finished. Being a writer it was cool to find another way to tell a story. I just used pictures and music this time around.

Interviewer:
^[07] Tell us how you got involved with Xena Live 2?

Bauden:
^[08] I had a couple roles in the crew - dramaturge and videographer. The dramaturge role came from my knowledge of Xena the TV show. Being friends with Amy [Matheny] and Elizabeth [Laidlaw] didn’t hurt either. Once the cast was set, I made copies of some episodes for the people that didn’t know the characters of the TV show. Some of the cast had never seen the show before and had no idea what they were getting themselves into. I did what I could to help educate them with the show and the characters they were portraying. It was great to finally be able to use all this trivial information in my brain.

^[09] As to the videographer role, I made some music videos that were shown at the Chicago Xena Nights that Amy Matheny and I used to run. Amy liked them and told Scott Ferguson (director of Xena Live 1&2) about me when the idea of making a video for the show came up. He liked them as well and then I was asked to do the video for the show. It was an experience I’ll never forget.

Interviewer:
^[10] What has the show Xena meant to you?

Bauden:
^[11] I don’t think there is enough space to really go into detail about that. This show brought out so much in me. The characters moved me like no others had. Xena and Gabrielle’s relationship was strong, intense, fun, loving, and true. I grasped onto them with both hands. I had never jumped into a show like I did with Xena. It was like nothing I’d ever watched. So many stories, so much feeling. There was so much to see every single week. I’ve met some of my best friends because of the online Xena community. That is priceless to me.

Interviewer:
^[12] How do you handle depression?

Bauden:
^[13] I tend to sleep a lot and stay away from people.

Interviewer:
^[14] In general, do you think fans expect too much from actors?

Bauden:
^[15] Yes, I think they do. I think it stems from people not being able to separate the real life people/actors from the roles they portray.

Harry, Xena, or Ted Raimi. Yes, it is difficult.

Interviewer:
^[16] Do fans matter?

Bauden:
^[17] Oh absolutely! They are the people that make things cool. They buy the tickets to the movies, the theaters, they buy the CD’s, the books. They make things happen.

Interviewer:
^[18] What is your footwear of choice?

Bauden:
^[19] I really dig my Doc Martens.

Interviewer:
^[20] Is the glass half full or half empty?

Bauden:
^[21] Always half full.

Interviewer:
^[22] What are your feelings on the events of September 11th?

Bauden:
^[23] I was never more frightened in my life. I have a few friends that live in NYC and when I couldn’t reach them I panicked greatly. I was extremely lucky that they were all fine, but there were thousands of families that weren’t. I cried so much that day. It was the only day I was thankful my parents weren’t alive. It would’ve hurt them to see that day.

Interviewer:
^[24] Has it changed you in any way?

Bauden:
^[25] It made me very aware of how small and vulnerable we all really are. It made me very thankful for the people in my life. I tell people close to me that I love them a lot more than I used to. They need to know. We all do.

Interviewer:
^[26] Years from now, how would you want to be remembered?

Bauden:
^[27] I guess I’d like to be remembered as someone who was true to myself and to those in my life.

Interviewer:
^[28] What is your pet peeve?

Bauden:
^[29] I HATE to be rushed.

Interviewer:
^[30] What would your friends say is your worst trait?

Bauden:
^[31] My stubbornness.

Interviewer:
^[32] What do you see yourself doing in the future? Any future projects?

Bauden:
^[33] Hopefully I’ll be a successful writer. I’d love to write screenplays in the future. We’ll see.

Interviewer:
^[34] What advice can you give to future writers?

Bauden:
^[35] Write for yourself and no one else. Write until you run out of stories to tell. Write whatever is you have inside of you. Write write write!

Interviewer:
^[36] What attracts you more to a mate? Looks, or a sense of humor?

Bauden:
^[37] Definitely a sense of humor. If you can make me laugh, you’re in!

Interviewer:
^[38] What is the first thing you notice about someone when you meet them?

Bauden:
^[39] Their eyes.

Hera had some intense eyes and apparently a thing or two for peacocks

Interviewer:
^[40] Why do fools fall in love?

Bauden:
^[41] Because it feels so d-mn good!

Interviewer:
^[42] What are your favorite kinds of movies?

Bauden:
^[43] I like to be entertained. If you can do that, then it doesn’t matter what genre it comes from. I don’t ask for much, just entertain me!

Interviewer:
^[44] What would you say every writer needs?

Bauden:
^[45] Inspiration.

Interviewer:
^[46] What have you worked on that you are most proud of?

Bauden:
^[47] My first published novel called A Sacrifice for Friendship. http://www.rapbooks.biz/bauden.shtml
I’m extremely proud of that.

Interviewer:
^[48] What theme would you like to tackle in your next work?

Bauden:
^[49] Any theme that would allow me to do research for it. I love to learn new things.

Interviewer:
^[50] What opportunity are you most happy you seized?

Bauden:
^[51] Working on Xena Live 2.

Interviewer:
^[52] Why did you start writing?

Bauden:
^[53] I needed a place to put my thoughts and emotions. Writing was a great way to express all of that. I wrote my first epic after my mom passed away a few years ago. I needed an outlet desperately and writing was extremely cathartic. It truly gave me some peace of mind.

Interviewer:
^[54] What do you like to read?

Bauden:
^[55] I love to read stories about love and soulmates. I truly believe there is no greater story.

Interviewer:
^[56] Do you think the gay community clings too harshly to, quote, ”gay icons”?

Bauden:
^[57] I don’t think they cling harshly, but there aren’t that many icons so when they come along, people do tend to grab on a bit.

Interviewer:
^[58] How high is the sky?

Bauden:
^[59] As high as you want it to be.

Interviewer:
^[60] What makes you happy?

Bauden:
^[61] The little things in life really make me the happiest.

Although skewering ranks highest on Callisto's list of fun things to do, being tied up by Xena comes in at a very close second

Interviewer:
^[62] What makes you sad?

Bauden:
^[63] Death.

Interviewer:
^[64] Tell us about your writing.

Bauden:
^[65] I like to write stories that touch people. I have written many characters that have different attributes and characteristics. I want people to see my characters as people they’d have in their own lives. I like to give people a place to go to escape reality, sometimes the real world is too much. I always work under the cardinal rule though ... Always, always have a happy ending. There is too much sadness around us everyday not to.

Interviewer:
^[66] Can you categorize your best work?

Bauden:
^[67] I think my best work comes from stories I’ve written when my emotional state was high. Not necessarily any particular emotion either. I think that’s true for many artists though.

Interviewer:
^[68] Do you ever get stuck writing?

Bauden:
^[69] Oh sure. I’ve gotten writers block many a time. I go for a drive or listen to music and that usually brings the muse back.

Interviewer:
^[70] Where do your ideas come from?

Bauden:
^[71] I usually get the best ideas from my dreams. I dream quite vividly. It’s scary to be inside my head sometimes.

Interviewer:
^[72] Does the best writing flow for you, or does it come from rewrites?

Bauden:
^[73] Flow definitely. When I get on a kick, I can go for hours. It’s just incredible sometimes.

Interviewer:
^[74] What puts you in the mood to write?

Bauden:
^[75] It’s not a mood really. It’s more like when I hear the stories in my head, I have to put them down before they go away. They come out for a reason and you just cannot deny the muse. That’s just wrong! And she is unforgiving.

Interviewer:
^[76] What is your most favorite bodily function?

Bauden:
^[77] Big belly laughter. That’s the only time I don’t mind feeling absolutely and utterly helpless.

Interviewer:
^[78] What member of your family would you love to show off?

Bauden:
^[79] I have way too much family to single anyone out. I have seven siblings. All of which I’m proud of.

Interviewer:
^[80] What does the word “family” mean?

Bauden:
^[81] Everything. They are the foundation of the person I am.

Interviewer:
^[82] What does the word “friend” mean?

Bauden:
^[83] Someone I can trust with my heart.

Xena always had a problem understanding the word "friend"

Interviewer:
^[84] Tell us something about you that many might not know.

Bauden:
^[85] In college I lived on fluffer nutter sandwiches and rolled my own cigarettes.

Interviewer:
^[86] Who was your real life hero?

Bauden:
^[87] My mother. She died after battling Lou Gehrig’s Disease three years ago. She suffered for over two years and was so incredibly strong through it all. She never complained. She had such faith in God it was unreal. She was a good friend to everyone. She never turned her back on people in need. She was always there for me no matter what. She is my angel watching over me from above. She will always be my hero.

Interviewer:
^[88] What Disney character do you most identify with and why?

Bauden:
^[89] I think Dumbo when he’s being cradled by his mom in her trunk. There was never any safer place than in her arms.

Interviewer:
^[90] What have you learned from your animals?

Bauden:
^[91] Not everything you roll in smells good.

Interviewer:
^[92] If you find a spider in the bathtub, do you help it out or squish it?

Bauden:
^[93] Well, I usually scream as loud as I can until my partner comes to my rescue with a shoe. They don’t live long in my house.

Interviewer:
^[94] What is the source of your inspiration?

Bauden:
^[95] My partner.

Interviewer:
^[96] What is your motto?

Bauden:
^[97] It’s all good.

Interviewer:
^[98] Favorite music of the moment?

Bauden:
^[99] I’m in love with Patty Griffin’s new CD, 1000 Kisses.

Fans wanted about a 1000 kisses as well

Di's Stories

Di's e-mail address is: dsbauden@attbi.com

Di's site is: http://dsbauden.com

Her music videos are at http://videos.dsbauden.com

Xena and Gabrielle stories:
River Deep
http://dsbauden.home.att.net/stories/river_deep.html
A very short tale finding Xena and Gabrielle seeking shelter from a storm in an abandoned cabin. During the storm the bard and warrior reveal their feelings for each other. This was the very first piece of Xena Fan Fiction that I wrote.
March 1998

Bountiful Eyes
http://dsbauden.home.att.net/stories/bountiful_eyes.html
A crazed warlord seeks out revenge on Xena for killing his brother. Xena and Gabrielle meet up with Joxer who finds a love interest of his own. After almost losing Xena, Gabrielle decides to tell Xena how she feels about her.
July 1998

Power of Suggestion
http://dsbauden.home.att.net/stories/power_of_suggestion.html
This is a story of what happens when you put a bug in Gabrielle's skirt. This story finds an old friend of Xena's running an inn. Their last meeting wasn't the fondest of memories for either of them. Have they grown enough to let it pass? What will Gabrielle think after she finds out about Xena's past with Campo? Her enlightenment may surprise you.
September 1998

Truth in Light
http://dsbauden.home.att.net/stories/truth_in_light.html
An alchemist gives Gabrielle a magical candle that will allow her to see Xena in a brand new light. Will this light give her the courage to tell her warrior how she feels about her? Ephiny, Epinon, and Solari play a great part in this Amazon tale.
October 1998

As He Slept
http://dsbauden.home.att.net/stories/as_he_slept.html
This is what I believed to have happened the night of Gabrielle's wedding night to Perdicus. The "He" in the story is Perdicus. It is a short story of dreams and realities. Well, my dreams anyway… but that is a story for another time.
January 1999

The Fever
http://dsbauden.home.att.net/stories/the_fever.html
In another Amazon tale, Xena and Gabrielle must find out what is bringing an end to the Amazon's tribe. A strange sickness has struck Ephiny's tribe. They have to race against time to find the cure.
November 1998 - Reviewed by Lunacy http://lunancy.simplenet.com/authors/DS_Bauden.shtm

Did You Know?
http://dsbauden.home.att.net/stories/did_you_know.html
A short Xena and Gabrielle story inspired by the Pasadena convention. Gabrielle follows Xena into a village when she learns that Xena is just going there to take off her "edge". Gabrielle sees to it that Xena never looks to strangers for help again.
May 2001

Uber:
Reunion of Souls
http://dsbauden.home.att.net/reunion_of_souls.html
This is my first attempt at an Uber story. Gina Barnes is a struggling author who goes out to a bar with her best friend Rita. Gina is horrified as she watches her friend get shot in front of the bar. She meets Detective Sara Kelly and sees the warrior of her childhood dreams. Together they try to figure out why it happened. Sara is forced to track Gina when the unknown gunman kidnaps her.
February 1999

Somewhere in Time
http://xenafiction.net/scrolls/ds_bauden_sit.hts
An uber adaptation of the movie written by Richard Matheson.

Original Fiction:
A Fresh Start and In Healing Arms which will be published under the title Nurturing Souls by Justice House Publishing.
http://www.justicehouse.com

A Sacrifice for Friendship
Also published and now available by Renaissance Alliance Publishing.
http://www.rapbooks.biz
This novel made the top ten list for women’s favorites at the Open Book in Sacramento, CA

Drive All Night
A short story contribution to the Jane Doe Press Anthology At First Blush.
http://www.fortitudepress.com

Ready for Take Off
A Perfect Fit
Home - (currently a work in progress)

Acknowledgments

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)

The "Inside the Head of..." series in Whoosh issues #58, 61-66,68-73

Biography

Amy Murphy
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 has read it! Murphy has also tried her hand at writing fan fiction, 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: "I Have Many Skills" Various episodes
First episode seen: TITANS (07/107)
Least favorite episode: LYRE, LYRE HEARTS ON FIRE (100/510)