Dear Once Upon a Fic Author
Well hi there! I am so excited that you are my Once Upon a Fic author! Welcome, and I hope, above all, that you have fun. My ao3 account can be found here, under the same username. If you feel like browsing a tumblr that will probably be no help at all, check out here.
This is such a fun exchange, and I'm very excited to read what you write for me.
Specific dislikes: I can't really think of anything that would lend itself to what I dislike, but here it is: rape, incest, underage stuff, horrifying murder for no reason. If it would be more at home in a horror movie starring a blonde ingenue who does not survive, please don't include it. That said, violence that makes sense is okay, and I understand that some of the stories I've requested traditionally end in death. If you choose to go that route, that's cool with me.
Oh, also: adding diversity is always a plus. Whitewashing a story is generally not. I don't want to read "what if Anansi were a European god" or "John Henry, white guy AU." Thanks!
Specific likes: Diversity! Women characters! Queerness! Feminist retellings! Alternate universes are cool, as are crossovers that make sense or are whimsical. Also, dancing!
Optional details are optional! If you write what you like, I'll probably like it too.
Request 1: 12 Dancing Princesses
I requested this for Yuletide, and got three PHENOMENAL stories out of it. But don't let that scare you, I want more!
So, for my money, there are only two requirements for this story: 12 women and plenty of dancing. Oh, and the worn-out shoes. I'm hugely into swing dancing (link to a video with a super simple explanation, link to a modern-day example of dancing amazing-ness), and I have literally worn out shoes doing it, so I feel a special connection to this story.
Prompts:
It can be a total retelling of the traditional story, or it can be set in a Jazz-Age AU with a Harvest Moon Ball happening. Do you want to cross this over with the Red-Hot Dancing Shoes story? How about a feminist retelling? Are they dancing for a purpose? Is it a dance troupe? Up to you!!!!
If you know a dance style like the back of your hand, please write that! I'd love to see a ballroom AU, or a cheer squad AU, or a color guard AU, or a Salsa and Merengue AU, or a House Dance/Poppin and Lockin AU, or a Bhangra AU, or an Alphabet of Dance AU, or literally anything. BOLLYWOOD AU??!? Yes. Pilobolus? Pole Dancing? Contact improv? Sure. There is nothing off limits here.
Request 2: Anansi!
Anansi is SUCH a fun character. He's totally self-centered and self-sabotaging, but ultimately (mostly... kind of) kind hearted and definitely not above laughing at his own expense. I love the character as portrayed in Anansi Boys, but you don't have to feel beholden to that interpretation.
Prompts:
WWAD (What Would Anansi Do) in any of the following scenarios:
Listen. Listen. Listen. As gay as possible. As. Gay. As. Possible.
Request 4: John Henry
This is such an amazing story, and there's so much heart in the telling.
Prompts:
How about a straight up retelling with more of a focus on the characters? Could John Henry and the salesman have crossed paths before? Maybe everyone only thinks John Henry died... did he fake his own death to move west with his love and live out his days in peace and quiet on his own farm? What was his life like before the contest?
Or, hear me out: Modern man vs machine AU. Does John Henry work in auto manufacturing? Is he the best programmer in the world? Does he come up against an AI in an epic game of Go? John Henry, Hacktivist?
Request 5: Pecos Bill and Slue-foot Sue
I love this story (they're my Tall Tale OTP), but I've been disappointed with so many retellings. Sue just gets such a lame ending! Plus, how much do we really know about Sue and Pecos Bill? Not much. Can you flesh that out for me? Pecos Bill can ride a tornado, Slue-foot Sue can ride a catfish in the Rio Grande. They've got to have an amazing courtship.
Plus, check it out: cowboys were largely black and latino in real life, and Sue was riding in the Rio Grande, literally the border to Mexico. If you could inject some diversity into this story, I would love you forever.
Request 6: Rosie the Riveter
We Can Do It!
Prompts:
Can you give her the folk story or tall tale she truly deserves? Here's an amazing resource for what true life on the homefront looked like. How many rivets did she rivet? How many ships/planes/tanks did she build? Did she single-handedly win WWII??
Wait, wait, I just had a thought: John Henry/Rosie the Riveter crossover. Could she do battle with an immortal John Henry? Is Rosie really a reincarnation/descendent of John Henry?
Request 7: Thunderbird
Thunderbird is such an amazing legend, and it means so many things to so many people. In some stories it's "good," in some it's "bad." Does it protect and defend or punish/foretell ill tidings? If you want to pick a single legend and expand/retell, that would be great, but it would also be great to sort of explore what the Thunderbird's actual deal is.
Prompts:
That's it! Again, thank you thank you for your time and writing. I can't wait to read whatever you've given me.
This is such a fun exchange, and I'm very excited to read what you write for me.
Specific dislikes: I can't really think of anything that would lend itself to what I dislike, but here it is: rape, incest, underage stuff, horrifying murder for no reason. If it would be more at home in a horror movie starring a blonde ingenue who does not survive, please don't include it. That said, violence that makes sense is okay, and I understand that some of the stories I've requested traditionally end in death. If you choose to go that route, that's cool with me.
Oh, also: adding diversity is always a plus. Whitewashing a story is generally not. I don't want to read "what if Anansi were a European god" or "John Henry, white guy AU." Thanks!
Specific likes: Diversity! Women characters! Queerness! Feminist retellings! Alternate universes are cool, as are crossovers that make sense or are whimsical. Also, dancing!
Optional details are optional! If you write what you like, I'll probably like it too.
Request 1: 12 Dancing Princesses
I requested this for Yuletide, and got three PHENOMENAL stories out of it. But don't let that scare you, I want more!
So, for my money, there are only two requirements for this story: 12 women and plenty of dancing. Oh, and the worn-out shoes. I'm hugely into swing dancing (link to a video with a super simple explanation, link to a modern-day example of dancing amazing-ness), and I have literally worn out shoes doing it, so I feel a special connection to this story.
Prompts:
It can be a total retelling of the traditional story, or it can be set in a Jazz-Age AU with a Harvest Moon Ball happening. Do you want to cross this over with the Red-Hot Dancing Shoes story? How about a feminist retelling? Are they dancing for a purpose? Is it a dance troupe? Up to you!!!!
If you know a dance style like the back of your hand, please write that! I'd love to see a ballroom AU, or a cheer squad AU, or a color guard AU, or a Salsa and Merengue AU, or a House Dance/Poppin and Lockin AU, or a Bhangra AU, or an Alphabet of Dance AU, or literally anything. BOLLYWOOD AU??!? Yes. Pilobolus? Pole Dancing? Contact improv? Sure. There is nothing off limits here.
Request 2: Anansi!
Anansi is SUCH a fun character. He's totally self-centered and self-sabotaging, but ultimately (mostly... kind of) kind hearted and definitely not above laughing at his own expense. I love the character as portrayed in Anansi Boys, but you don't have to feel beholden to that interpretation.
Prompts:
WWAD (What Would Anansi Do) in any of the following scenarios:
- Dance off/dance contest
- Accidentally thwarting a crime spree (possibly while attempting a crime spree of his own! Like... what if he were robbing a bank only to find Bonnie and Clyde got there first, but then he had to Help the Police with Their Inquiries?)
- Four words: Trickster God Poker Night. Coyote, Loki, and Anansi play cards (or dominoes, or whatever). What happens! How much cheating is there? (so much, I'm guessing)
Listen. Listen. Listen. As gay as possible. As. Gay. As. Possible.
Request 4: John Henry
This is such an amazing story, and there's so much heart in the telling.
Prompts:
How about a straight up retelling with more of a focus on the characters? Could John Henry and the salesman have crossed paths before? Maybe everyone only thinks John Henry died... did he fake his own death to move west with his love and live out his days in peace and quiet on his own farm? What was his life like before the contest?
Or, hear me out: Modern man vs machine AU. Does John Henry work in auto manufacturing? Is he the best programmer in the world? Does he come up against an AI in an epic game of Go? John Henry, Hacktivist?
Request 5: Pecos Bill and Slue-foot Sue
I love this story (they're my Tall Tale OTP), but I've been disappointed with so many retellings. Sue just gets such a lame ending! Plus, how much do we really know about Sue and Pecos Bill? Not much. Can you flesh that out for me? Pecos Bill can ride a tornado, Slue-foot Sue can ride a catfish in the Rio Grande. They've got to have an amazing courtship.
Plus, check it out: cowboys were largely black and latino in real life, and Sue was riding in the Rio Grande, literally the border to Mexico. If you could inject some diversity into this story, I would love you forever.
Request 6: Rosie the Riveter
We Can Do It!
Prompts:
Can you give her the folk story or tall tale she truly deserves? Here's an amazing resource for what true life on the homefront looked like. How many rivets did she rivet? How many ships/planes/tanks did she build? Did she single-handedly win WWII??
Wait, wait, I just had a thought: John Henry/Rosie the Riveter crossover. Could she do battle with an immortal John Henry? Is Rosie really a reincarnation/descendent of John Henry?
Request 7: Thunderbird
Thunderbird is such an amazing legend, and it means so many things to so many people. In some stories it's "good," in some it's "bad." Does it protect and defend or punish/foretell ill tidings? If you want to pick a single legend and expand/retell, that would be great, but it would also be great to sort of explore what the Thunderbird's actual deal is.
Prompts:
- Modern weather AU: what does the Thunderbird have to do with the current drought in the southwest?
- Cryptozoological studies on the Thunderbird: what are its habitats?
- I feel like there could be a small child who befriends the Thunderbird.
- Selkie-style? Can the Thunderbird take on a human shape? What would happen if you loved the Thunderbird?
That's it! Again, thank you thank you for your time and writing. I can't wait to read whatever you've given me.