Do you remember your first introduction to fan fiction?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It was a spring replacement and a grad school roommate introduced me to the show over the summer in reruns – nightly. Found fanfic while surfing around for info on the show. Read all het. at the time – hell that was all that was out there. Someone, can't remember who now, challenged me to write Buffy/Willow (I had penned a couple general Buffy stories, no real romantic involvement but kept close to cannon like Willow & Oz.) According to one fan of fanfic (http://www.geocities.com/howardrussell2000/EarlySubtext.html), Louder Than Words (http://archives.kimlys.com/myfic/index.html) was one of the first B/W stories posted – I have personally never tried to verify this claim – your mileage may vary.
What main character that you've written femslash for, would you most like to hit upside the head?
Most who know me would probably figure I'd say Olivia Benson. But it's not the character I'd like to hit upside the head but the actor, in that case. For the actual character, Buffy Summers. The old 'woe is me, I have this horrid birthright and will never be normal' should have been dealt with and accepted by the end of season three and then never heard from again. The whining straight through to season seven was unnecessary and boring.
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?
Ever since I discovered femslash that's all I have written. Before that I have a couple general pieces in the BtVS fandom. (see: http://archives.kimlys.com/myfic/index.html)
Are there certain genres you find easier to write for?
Yes. Oh, you probably want more than that, huh? I don't write angst. Fluff is probably what I write the most of, just because the pairs I usually pick are tossed about enough, IMHO and I'd hate to add to that.
Do you research subjects before you write them and, if so, in how much detail?
Not usually, maybe consult a map if I have them traveling between spots or ask a local I might know. Nothing will through me out of a story faster than if I know the area and the author starts throwing around flight or drive times that are nowhere near realistic – like a 5 hour plane ride from NYC to DC.
What's your preferred length of story to write and read?
To write: 500-2,000 words – much more and I tend to not finish… But to read: longer the better; novel length is always appreciated especially if the tale is well crafted.
Can you touch the tip of your nose with your tongue?
If I say yes, what'll get me?
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 huge fan of other writers. Nene of the Xena-verse does some wonderful period uber pieces (http://www.corrieweb.nl/library.htm) The level of detail is amazing. Nene just writes consistently well constructed stories with intriguing characters. Shehulk for her BtVS series (http://webpages.charter.net/datajunkie/buffy.htm) In her Demon series she creates a wonderful Original Character (who I read somewhere at some point she pictured as Jill Hennessy.) Her fics are not for the timid as she manages to weave, for me anyway, a believable way in which pluralistic relationships not only survive but flourish. Anything by Harriet whether it be SVU, SG-1 or ER – how I wish she would beginning writing again. Her stories are ones I wish we would see on TV. Della Street (DS, Del) is another one where I think I have read just about everything she's ever written. I enjoyed her Xena stuff and her FoL stories are a more complex look at those characters, but her SVU stuff is the best. Her ability to write Alex and intersperse her tales with relationship and case issues is simply wonderful.
Ever wanted to head butt another fan for dissing your pairing?
Nah. I just find others who are more like minded.
Do you have a favourite cliché, one that you'll read with joy even though it's been done to death?
Not particularly.
Would you lend me twenty pence if we were stuck at Charing Cross station and I was dying for the loo?
Sure – although the chance of me actually having cash on hand would be slim but my plastic is your plastic.
If you've written real person slash how does it differ from writing about fictional characters?
Don't write it, wont read it – personally crosses a line for me.
Do you find you're more inspired by subtext, maintext or barely there text shows?
Doesn't matter as long as I can see the possibility of a relationship.
Where do you get your inspiration for specific stories; missing or extended scenes from the show, ideas from other shows or real life situations?
Usually scenes pop into my head and I try to make it into a complete story. Most of my short pieces and fluff are like this. For my unfinished epic (well, epic for me anyway) it was a desire to show the characters as achingly normal. It's a SVU piece and so many stories revolve around someone being hurt – usually Olivia – and death bed confessions. I felt first time stories were plentiful and I really didn't have anything to add there. But I felt there were a lot of showing them in an established, normal – almost boring, relationship. The drama coming from outside sources not conflicts between each other.
Do you like cheese?
Oh, yes. All kinds. Well… maybe not limburger.
Every read over one of your stories months or years later and thought 'What the hell was I thinking!'
Not usually in the plot but sometimes in the grammatical structure or punctuation or spelling – that kind of technical stuff, missed on first edit.
Why do you write fan fiction?
The muse moves me. I will have a scene usually kicking around in my head for awhile or sometimes a prompt will just inspire a story to develop without any real effort. My muse is extremely temperamental and can disappear for months at a time. I seem to write in blocks. I'll be creative fairly regularly for a chunk of time then nothing… for, at times it can be years.