Do you remember your first introduction to fan fiction?
Reading it? That probably wasn't until Star Trek: The Next Generation. Writing it? I started writing weird fanfics back when I was like 12 for sure. Might have been prior to that, but I think that was original fiction and poetry.
What main character that you’ve written femslash for, would you most like to hit upside the head?
*chuckles* That's a loaded question. Let's see... Sam Carter :: Jack O'Neill is NOT frakking worth it! Sara Sidle :: Gil Grissom is NOT frakking worth it! Kerry Weaver :: You need a life outside of the damned hospital. Elizabeth Corday :: Mark was a safety net, and look where it got you? Rachel Corrigan :: Get a frakking clue! You can't hide from the horrors of the Dark Side by being skeptical!
Is your fan fiction writing limited to femslash or do you also write gen, het or male slash? If so, is there a difference in style or content (besides the obvious) between them?
I write a little bit of everything, depending on my mood, my inspiration, and my muses. But I mainly write femslash and character introspective/development pieces. I don't think there's actually a difference for me in style/content when writing between all of these, except for the obvious situation of writing gen vs. any kind of relationship. I think that's the main thing that I consider, tho' my gen writing [along with my het writing] has pretty much gone by the wayside for the most part in the past year or two.
Have you ever been tempted to write a Mary Sue?
I've been tempted. I've done it. I'm not ashamed that I've done it. I'm ashamed of some of the stories I had Mary Sues in, but I'm not ashamed that I wrote them. They've been a great tool for me in creating new OCs.
Are there certain genres you find easier to write for?
I don't think so. If I want to write in a specific genre, I'll read up on said genre, do some research, and give it a shot. If it doesn't work out, I don't try it again, you know?
Do you research subjects before you write them and, if so, in how much detail?
It really depends on the situation and the story at hand. I do know that the Light, Water, Muses series has gotten a lot of research by myself and Shatterpath. What I remember the most in that series is that I did a ton of research on Greek wedding ceremonies and water births for my main OC, Darya. I've done similar for other fannish stories, but am blanking on that atm.
What’s your preferred length of story to write and read?
It's really an "in the moment" kind of preference. I like reading drabbles for the intensity packed into the brevity. I like reading longer stories because there's so much there to explore. As for writing? I'm usually in the approximately 2000 word range, honestly. I've gone both longer and shorter, but if you take a look at the average length of my fics, they run right in that 2000 word range.
Can you touch the tip of your nose with your tongue?
Nope, and not for a lack of trying either...
Are you, yourself, a fan of other fan fic writers and, if so, who are they and what is it about them that appeals to you?
I am a fan of other fanfic writers, but I really don't like naming names. It really does tend to depend on the fandom as to which writers I like/adore/am a fan of. There's also the fact that I can adore a single story by a particular author and absolutely hate [or go 'meh!'] everything else they may write. Usually there are one of two easy ways to tell if I like an author and/or a particular story :: I leave them feedback or I request their story/stories to be added to my archives at ShatterStorm Productions. I just have to be more regular on updating those archives, I guess...
Ever wanted to head butt another fan for dissing your pairing?
Oh quite a bit, particularly when it tends to boil down to the "het vs. non-het" debates. But that usually boils down to a debate of "Who's best for Character X" debate, and those can get so damned ugly...
Do you have a favourite cliché, one that you’ll read with joy even though it’s been done to death?
I tend to be a sucker for first time stories. I love a lot of romance in what I read, provided it's not completely OOC, ya know? I can admit a thing for wedding stories, and properly done pregnancy/baby stories. Those tend to be more my "dirty indulgences." But honestly, what I like the most is a well-written story. I'm a real stickler for proper characterization, proper grammar/spelling, etc. I'll read weird things, even mpreg, if the story's executed properly...
Would you lend me twenty pence if we were stuck at Charing Cross station and I was dying for the loo?
Oh hell yes! No problem at all! Besides, as someone who has her own issues, no one should be denied the loo under any circumstances... It can be evil!
If you’ve written real person slash how does it differ from writing about fictional characters?
I actually have written RPF in the past. There is one story I wrote that was Voyager-based that was for a [at the time] dear friend. It was shared amongst our small email dist list, but never put anywhere else. I think I have a hard copy somewhere, but outside of those of us that have it, it's not going to be anywhere else. There were also a few things written for my first ex-gf [and a couple mutual friends] that we wrote for each other back in the 89-94 era [ie. before I really got online], but they were basically handwritten fantasies we wrote for each other. I cringe at how blatantly crappy and MS-ish they were now, and thankfully I'm quite sure none of them exist anymore. Outside of those few indiscretions, I don't write RPF at all. It's really a matter of invasion of privacy and slander. Plus, would you want someone writing things about you that may or may not be true? No. So why is it different for celebrities? People are real. Fictional characters are not. And honestly? When I started working with charity, and meeting celebrities because of that, I really had a hard time accepting RPF. I realize this may cause issues between me and other authors who don't have problems with RPF. Hell, I have many friends who write RPF. For the most part, I turn a blind eye to it. That's my form of supporting my fellow writers without dealing with the white elephant of RPF. Perhaps that's hypocritical of me, but that's where I stand...
Do you find you’re more inspired by subtext, maintext or barely there text shows?
Honestly, it's the characters themselves. If I can't get invested in a character or a pairing, I won't see, read, or write for them. If I can be invested in a character, I'll look at that character's interactions and extrapolate pairings/relationships from there. And honestly? I prefer subtext and barely there text shows to maintext. When it's maintext, it's not really as fun for me, because it's there for everyone to see. I like the "secretiveness" of subtext and barely there text. Tho' I must admit that I adore it when "my" pairings are acknowledged on the show. An example. I've met Teryl Rothery and Amanda Tapping. I've seen their friendship and interaction. That translates SO well onto the screen, that it was EASY to "create" and see Sam and Janet as a couple. But it was never maintext, hence the appeal. Now, Mel and Lindsey on Queer As Folk was subtext, and I couldn't write that if my life depended on that. But then again, that's because I couldn't stand Lindsey, so...
Where do you get your inspiration for specific stories; missing or extended scenes from the show, ideas from other shows or real life situations?
It honestly depends. I've done the missing/extended scene thing on a variety of levels. I've taken situations in my own life, or the lives of my friends, and used it for characters as a "what if" situation. Actually, "what if" stories are a big part of my repertoire. I also like using song lyrics for inspiration. There are times I'll see a scene in a show or a movie and think "What would happen if X and Y did something like that?" Sometimes that's all it takes, ya know?
Do you like cheese?
I adore Cheese! He's the best character on Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. "I like games! 'Nother game, 'nother game, 'nother game!" *hee* No seriously, I do like cheese. I grew up in Wisconsin, which is known for its cheese. I've always had a very well-known love affair with cheese. I don't think there are many cheeses that I don't like. My personal favorite is the cheese curds from the Tillamook cheese factory in Tillamook, OR. If done properly, and they're fresh, cheese curds will squeak when you eat them. I call them squeaky cheese. I always buy a couple pounds worth when we go to Tillamook, and then do my best not to scarf it all down in one sitting. *hee*
Ever read over one of your stories months or years later and thought ‘What the hell was I thinking!’
Oh hell yes! There are some real clunkers in my past. And there are a lot of unfinished pieces on my hard drive that fall into this category. Some may get re-used in different fandoms, but mostly they just sit and languish on my hard drive because I can't get back into that particular headspace. And honestly? There are a lot of them that I *don't* want to revisit that headspace. Too scary!
Why do you write fan fiction?
Because I can? No seriously, that's a really loaded question. I write fanfic for the same reasons I write in general. I can't *not* write. I've been writing in some way, shape, or form, for my entire life. I've always had these ideas to write, always needed an outlet for them. In some ways, writing is my therapy. In some ways, it's my escape. In some ways, it's my entertainment and enjoyment. Writing allows me to work out new ideas, ways to better my craft. It allows me the opportunity to "fix" situations for the characters I know and love. I get people asking me why I don't write professionally. And to be honest, I sometimes ask myself the same question. But the answer is simple. For right now, I don't have enough of the drive and ability to be self-sustaining to devote my life to breaking into professional writing. I can't survive on rejection letters, and I won't cheapen the idea of what I want to do by saying I can. I am working on a couple of things to potentially go pro with, but I happen to like the ability to work with characters I know and love, in settings I know [and sometimes love], with rules I already know are in place. I've done the create a new character, create a new world, create a new...everything game. It's not that I don't think I can do it, it's that I know right now that I don't have the time and intensity to do professional writing. But things change. I know it's something I need to do, for a variety of reasons that I can't get into. And I know I will do it at some point. For now, I'm happy writing fanfic. And honestly? I mostly write for me, both because it makes me happy and because it makes my muses happy. Yes, I love feedback, but that's not really why I write. I write for me, first and foremost. If others like what I write, that's great! But the adulation is not the end all and be all for me. I know there are writers out there [both pro and fanfic] who crave the adulation and the attention. I don't deny that's a part of it, but that's not my main focus. But you know what? If someone wants to have that adulation and attention, if it's the only reason they write, that's great for them. It's not my thing. Even tho' I sometimes bitch about getting next to no feedback on what I write. If it really was about the amount of feedback/adulation/attention I got, I'd have thrown in the towel years ago. But because I am still plugging away at it, still writing almost daily [despite all of the other things going on in my life], I know it's not the only reason I write.