The tide is turning...
yuletide is upon us once again, and after work and drama and stress and a whole lot of Real Life, I could not be happier.
I offered to write in eighteen fandoms this year, literally twice as many as last. We'll see how that turns out. But I'm excited, not just to give, but to receive! So without further adieu...
Dear Yuletide Writer,
First and foremost, thanks bunches. Getting gift fic is always a huge thrill, but fic in smaller and more obscure fandoms tends to be so hard to come by that it's that much more special in comparison.
With one Yuletide under my belt, I hope I've learned to make the ins-and-outs of this a bit more helpful to you. My letter from last year can be found here, if it'll shed any more insight, though I'm going to regurgitate some of it.
Some general tidbits: I love a good plotty fic, but my heart lies more with the character-driven. Anyone who can fit an amazing bit of character exploration or insight in a plot-centric piece gets my unending awe and respect, but your fic need not have plot - I enjoy slice-of-life fic just as much. Gen has become my fic drug of choice in the past couple years, though I'll always savor romantically-inclined pieces, especially UST, for my tried-and-true pairings.
I love broken boys. Part of my fandom happy is a pretty boy in pain, and nine times out of ten, no matter what the genre or medium, I'm most drawn to the conflicted, misunderstood male character in the mix (also known as The Guy Backing Up The Hero). I'm definitely a Michael Guerin/Pacey Witter/Ronon Dex/Charles Gunn kind of girl. Exceptions to that rule tend to be geek-with-a-snark-of-gold "sidekick" types (Xander Harris, Topher Brink, just about anyone Judy Greer has ever played), and the spunky, brainy, quietly-beautiful, oft-ignored chick who secretly saves the day and never takes the credit (think Chloe Sullivan, Willow Rosenberg or Kaylee Frye).
Style-wise, I'm a big fan of sarcasm and symbolism, banter and bizzare metaphor, and get a kick out of little touches of meta. Angst is a-okay with me, as opposed to out-and-out bleak, which really needs to fit the fandom.
My squicks are few: overwrought emotion, overly-fluffy anything, happy endings for happiness' sake (especially where kidfic is concerned), incest, and any of my dark boys being flaw-free and overly verbose.
I'm a sucker for a good crossover, especially ones that sort of seamlessly fuse universes that don't necessarily mesh at first glance. Other favorite fandoms include Supernatural, Chuck, Firefly, Dollhouse, Angel the series, Glee, J.R. Ward's "Black Dagger Brotherhood" books, Suzanne Brockmann's "Troubleshooters Inc." series, and anything related to Smallville's Chloe Sullivan.
This year's requests are all over the map - a film, a TV show, a book series and a musical. Diversity, ho! If I'm more detail-prolific for one fandom than another, please don't take it as a sign of preference or disinterest. I'd love fic for any one of them.
Chess
Requested: Florence Vassy/The American aka Frederick Trumper/The Russian aka Anatoly Sergievsky. The triangle, and another year gone by. What's become of them all?
First, I am and always have been a big fan of Chess in general. Really, who could hate Head's "One Night in Bangkock"? But half a spin around my journal will tell you that I'm quite possibly Yuletide's most rabid Grobanite. Minor issues with Idina Menzel (and Marti Pellow as the Arbiter) aside, I own and love the 2008 concert version. Not in the least because of Groban's Anatoly and Pascal's Freddie (and if we're being honest, David Bedella's delicious Molokov). Notable changes in the book, however, have made me wonder more than ever about the places these characters ended up (and the people they ended up with). We know there was no "happily", but what about their "ever after?" Doesn't have to be shippy at all, though I am a fan of The Russian/Florence. But I would love post-show fic that fills in the blanks. Even moreso if it came from Freddie. Hell, even if it was just Freddie.
Hancock
Requested: John Hancock/Mary Embrey. Origin fic, perhaps from Mary's POV. Who have she and Hancock been over the years (to the world, and to each other)?
This is the notion that's lived in my head since I first saw the movie. The one I've been terrified to write myself. There's so much potential here that it's overwhelming (so god help you if you're actually assigned to this prompt, and I will bow at your feet once you pull it off). Hancock and Mary had centuries together, and have seen the world change around them while they remained static. Have they played at the superhero game before? Is there any folklore that's been built around their existence (either directly or misinterpreted through the ages)? Most importantly, what's the untold story here? (Alternately, um... write what you want.)
Jacqueline Carey - The Kushiel's Legacy series
Requested: Imriel no Montreve de la Courcel/Joscelin Verreuil. Father and son, communicating by beating the crap out of each other. Training fic with an underlying issue - Imriel's independence? Melisande's shadow? Their dual natures (Joscelin as the Queen's Champion, versus Imriel as the son of Terre d'Ange's greatest traitor)? Angsty, but understanding (as is the nature of my favorite Casseline).
My only holdover from last year. That's because I really, really want to see it. The most important thing to know here is that I love, worship and adore Joscelin Verreuil. He sort of fascinates me, from a character standpoint. I requested Joscelin and Imriel father/son-dynamic training fic, which is still at the top of the list. I have a weakness for anything Cassiel-related (training, vows, and Longest Night vigils, for example), and would love to see character exploration from his POV - what was going through his mind while being held prisoner in Skaldia? What happened during the time he thought Phedre was dead? What was his mindset while Melisande had Phedre locked in La Serennissima? I also love Imriel and his Hero's Journey (not to mention Imriel/Sidonie, which totally violates my OMGINCEST squick, but go with it), but I've always been curious about what a meeting between an unearthed Melisande and an adult Imriel would heed. Hyacinthe, Ti-Phillippe, Eamonn, and Barquiel L'Envers are also favorites, and to go in a completely different direction, I've been itching for pre-series Delaunay fic as well.
Leverage
Requested: Alec Hardison. Age of the geek, baby.
Leverage is a new fandom obsession for me, but I am thoroughly, shamelessly hooked. While I enjoy Nate immensely, especially his history with IYS and interactions with Sterling, the heart of the show for me lies with The Three Musketeers: Parker, Eliot, and in particular Hardison. The levity he brings to the team is always welcome, but his place as their somewhat-moral center - even moreso than Nate, at times - has yet to be properly recognized and acknowledged. "The Ice Man Job" didn't quite quench my thirst for a Hardison-run operation - I want to see a situation where he doesn't need to be saved (or even if he does, one where he finds himself entirely capable of saving his own ass). Hardison/Parker is my only ship in this fandom, but I do love the Hardison/Eliot bromance. I'd love to see any premise where the trio is figuratively marooned, without Nate and Sophie to guide them (and left with Hardison as lesser of three leader evils, considering Parker's socially inept and Eliot is... Eliot). Bonus points for fannish geekery and accurate technobabble, as I'm as big a techie as a fangirl. Basically, let the geek do his thing. Go nuts! He's glorious, in any incarnation.
In closing, these are just guidelines. A glimpse into my fandom psyche. So I basically typed all that out to say... write what wants to be written. I will trust in you, dear Yuletide writer, and drink in whatever you choose to serve me.
I offered to write in eighteen fandoms this year, literally twice as many as last. We'll see how that turns out. But I'm excited, not just to give, but to receive! So without further adieu...
Dear Yuletide Writer,
First and foremost, thanks bunches. Getting gift fic is always a huge thrill, but fic in smaller and more obscure fandoms tends to be so hard to come by that it's that much more special in comparison.
With one Yuletide under my belt, I hope I've learned to make the ins-and-outs of this a bit more helpful to you. My letter from last year can be found here, if it'll shed any more insight, though I'm going to regurgitate some of it.
Some general tidbits: I love a good plotty fic, but my heart lies more with the character-driven. Anyone who can fit an amazing bit of character exploration or insight in a plot-centric piece gets my unending awe and respect, but your fic need not have plot - I enjoy slice-of-life fic just as much. Gen has become my fic drug of choice in the past couple years, though I'll always savor romantically-inclined pieces, especially UST, for my tried-and-true pairings.
I love broken boys. Part of my fandom happy is a pretty boy in pain, and nine times out of ten, no matter what the genre or medium, I'm most drawn to the conflicted, misunderstood male character in the mix (also known as The Guy Backing Up The Hero). I'm definitely a Michael Guerin/Pacey Witter/Ronon Dex/Charles Gunn kind of girl. Exceptions to that rule tend to be geek-with-a-snark-of-gold "sidekick" types (Xander Harris, Topher Brink, just about anyone Judy Greer has ever played), and the spunky, brainy, quietly-beautiful, oft-ignored chick who secretly saves the day and never takes the credit (think Chloe Sullivan, Willow Rosenberg or Kaylee Frye).
Style-wise, I'm a big fan of sarcasm and symbolism, banter and bizzare metaphor, and get a kick out of little touches of meta. Angst is a-okay with me, as opposed to out-and-out bleak, which really needs to fit the fandom.
My squicks are few: overwrought emotion, overly-fluffy anything, happy endings for happiness' sake (especially where kidfic is concerned), incest, and any of my dark boys being flaw-free and overly verbose.
I'm a sucker for a good crossover, especially ones that sort of seamlessly fuse universes that don't necessarily mesh at first glance. Other favorite fandoms include Supernatural, Chuck, Firefly, Dollhouse, Angel the series, Glee, J.R. Ward's "Black Dagger Brotherhood" books, Suzanne Brockmann's "Troubleshooters Inc." series, and anything related to Smallville's Chloe Sullivan.
This year's requests are all over the map - a film, a TV show, a book series and a musical. Diversity, ho! If I'm more detail-prolific for one fandom than another, please don't take it as a sign of preference or disinterest. I'd love fic for any one of them.
Chess
Requested: Florence Vassy/The American aka Frederick Trumper/The Russian aka Anatoly Sergievsky. The triangle, and another year gone by. What's become of them all?
First, I am and always have been a big fan of Chess in general. Really, who could hate Head's "One Night in Bangkock"? But half a spin around my journal will tell you that I'm quite possibly Yuletide's most rabid Grobanite. Minor issues with Idina Menzel (and Marti Pellow as the Arbiter) aside, I own and love the 2008 concert version. Not in the least because of Groban's Anatoly and Pascal's Freddie (and if we're being honest, David Bedella's delicious Molokov). Notable changes in the book, however, have made me wonder more than ever about the places these characters ended up (and the people they ended up with). We know there was no "happily", but what about their "ever after?" Doesn't have to be shippy at all, though I am a fan of The Russian/Florence. But I would love post-show fic that fills in the blanks. Even moreso if it came from Freddie. Hell, even if it was just Freddie.
Hancock
Requested: John Hancock/Mary Embrey. Origin fic, perhaps from Mary's POV. Who have she and Hancock been over the years (to the world, and to each other)?
This is the notion that's lived in my head since I first saw the movie. The one I've been terrified to write myself. There's so much potential here that it's overwhelming (so god help you if you're actually assigned to this prompt, and I will bow at your feet once you pull it off). Hancock and Mary had centuries together, and have seen the world change around them while they remained static. Have they played at the superhero game before? Is there any folklore that's been built around their existence (either directly or misinterpreted through the ages)? Most importantly, what's the untold story here? (Alternately, um... write what you want.)
Jacqueline Carey - The Kushiel's Legacy series
Requested: Imriel no Montreve de la Courcel/Joscelin Verreuil. Father and son, communicating by beating the crap out of each other. Training fic with an underlying issue - Imriel's independence? Melisande's shadow? Their dual natures (Joscelin as the Queen's Champion, versus Imriel as the son of Terre d'Ange's greatest traitor)? Angsty, but understanding (as is the nature of my favorite Casseline).
My only holdover from last year. That's because I really, really want to see it. The most important thing to know here is that I love, worship and adore Joscelin Verreuil. He sort of fascinates me, from a character standpoint. I requested Joscelin and Imriel father/son-dynamic training fic, which is still at the top of the list. I have a weakness for anything Cassiel-related (training, vows, and Longest Night vigils, for example), and would love to see character exploration from his POV - what was going through his mind while being held prisoner in Skaldia? What happened during the time he thought Phedre was dead? What was his mindset while Melisande had Phedre locked in La Serennissima? I also love Imriel and his Hero's Journey (not to mention Imriel/Sidonie, which totally violates my OMGINCEST squick, but go with it), but I've always been curious about what a meeting between an unearthed Melisande and an adult Imriel would heed. Hyacinthe, Ti-Phillippe, Eamonn, and Barquiel L'Envers are also favorites, and to go in a completely different direction, I've been itching for pre-series Delaunay fic as well.
Leverage
Requested: Alec Hardison. Age of the geek, baby.
Leverage is a new fandom obsession for me, but I am thoroughly, shamelessly hooked. While I enjoy Nate immensely, especially his history with IYS and interactions with Sterling, the heart of the show for me lies with The Three Musketeers: Parker, Eliot, and in particular Hardison. The levity he brings to the team is always welcome, but his place as their somewhat-moral center - even moreso than Nate, at times - has yet to be properly recognized and acknowledged. "The Ice Man Job" didn't quite quench my thirst for a Hardison-run operation - I want to see a situation where he doesn't need to be saved (or even if he does, one where he finds himself entirely capable of saving his own ass). Hardison/Parker is my only ship in this fandom, but I do love the Hardison/Eliot bromance. I'd love to see any premise where the trio is figuratively marooned, without Nate and Sophie to guide them (and left with Hardison as lesser of three leader evils, considering Parker's socially inept and Eliot is... Eliot). Bonus points for fannish geekery and accurate technobabble, as I'm as big a techie as a fangirl. Basically, let the geek do his thing. Go nuts! He's glorious, in any incarnation.
In closing, these are just guidelines. A glimpse into my fandom psyche. So I basically typed all that out to say... write what wants to be written. I will trust in you, dear Yuletide writer, and drink in whatever you choose to serve me.