Yuletide letter 2013
Hello friend!
Thank you so much for writing for me for Yuletide! Last year was my first year participating, and I ended up writing a fandom I’d never watched before just because my recip’s letter was so awesome. And I got an amazing Pitch Perfect story and befriended my author and one of her friends, and it was generally an amazing experience. I’ve also done a Hunger Games exchange, which was lovely (I got a SPY AU WHAT) and I’m currently participating in the femmeslash exchange. So I love Yuletide, and fic exchanges generally, and I’m so excited you’re writing for me.
Let’s talk about things I like and dislike, generally.
Love: Getting together stories. Tropes, especially for comedy fandoms (think roadtrips, broken elevators, anything that requires characters to spend time together). Ensemble fic, even more than shippy stuff (with an exception or two). Related, but found families are my thing, and most fandoms I read reflect that love. Spy AUs: a total bulletproof fandom kink. Banter. Flirting. Friends setting up friends. Hijinx.
Loathe: Baby/pregnancy fic, or spending much time with canon children. Major OCs- I nominate fandoms because I want to spend time with the characters I love. Kinky fic, since I’m extraordinarily picky about kink!fic. Soulmates. Religion. Fluff. Incest. Rape. Character-bashing. Gross-out humor. Miracles.
Additional details: I’m fine with sexytimes, as long as it’s not PWP. Or fading to black is totally cool too. Action scenes make my eyes glaze over. I’m a big fan of dialogue and things happening over introspection. And I’m not big on alternative POVs on canon scenes. For these particular fandoms, AUs don’t really make sense to me, even though they often work for me.
If you want to see my fandom story recs, click here. If you want to see what fic I’ve written, click here. If you want to see my tumblr, click here, and if you want to see an occasionally-contradictory list of fic things I love, click here.
Fandoms!
(in no particular order)
Bet Me, by Jennifer Crusie
Cal
Min
Liza
Bonnie
I went through a time in my life where I read about a million romance novels. I’ve gotten away from that as I’ve gotten into fandom, but there’s always a draw to the romance section of a bookstore, and the dozens of gorgeous covers with pretty ladies in complicated dresses. I usually went for funny Regencies, but when I went modern, I went with Jennifer Crusie, who wrote things that were funny and sexy and pretty real.
This particular book is an annual reread for me. I love the way each of the women had a very different take on romance, I love the beautiful details on things like Min’s bed or shoes, I love the way the main couple kept trying to avoid each other but love found a way. And having a size twelve heroine who lost no weight but still got the guy was phenomenal. And the fact that the main couple was childfree warmed my baby-hating heart.
I’d love to see what happened to Liza after the story ended, because the Ever After epilogue is vague on details. What did she go off and do? Or, what was Min and Cal’s life like after they got together? What sort of things did they fight about? And the three ladies, how did their friendships with each other change over the years as Bonnie had kids, Min didn’t, and Liza went off and had adventures? Did Bonnie’s prediction about what life would be like in the future turn out to be accurate? Maybe there’s some sort of Thanksgiving dinner where everyone shows up, or someone’s trying to wrangle everyone and having a difficult time.
This book is still in print and is widely available wherever American romance novels, new or used, are sold. Also available for your reading device of choice.
Archer
Sterling Archer
Lana Kane
This show is absolutely hilarious. I started watching it because a friend threatened to break my phone if I didn’t, and I’m glad she did, because this show is fantastic. It takes place at a spy agency in some magic mish-mosh of time periods, and features characters that, in many ways, resemble sociopaths.
I’m nominating Lana and Archer because, and I’m not going to lie about this, I totally ship it. They’re hot and their relationship is deliciously fucked-up in a way I don’t usually go for. They’re so bad for each other, but there’s something there, or else they wouldn’t keep ending up in bed together, probably.
But I’d get if you don’t, so don’t feel you have to make it shippy. If they’re sleeping with Cyril/Pam/randoms, that’s cool too. I love everyone at ISIS, and if you want to write gen that includes Lana and Archer, I would love you forever. Literally, if it’s in character, I’m down with it. Case fic is cool, as is anything else.
I love this show for the comedy, so it’s absolutely something I’d love to see you get tropey with, if you want. Archer and Lana pretending to be married for a case? I know that was an episode in the fourth season, so maybe the fic explores five times they got fake-married for a case? ISIS team stuck together on a boat/in a room/while being held hostage? Maybe they all play paintball, or go to spy training, or something like that. Forced to share a bed? One of my favorites. Maybe they all decide to celebrate a holiday together?
As a special note to this fandom, I get that their body count is huge, but violence isn’t my bag, so feel free to gloss right on over that. If you want them to get violent, or solve their problems with guns as they do, just don’t get too graphic or detailed, is that cool?
Archer seasons 1-3 are available for streaming/on DVD. The fourth season can be streamed, but I’m not certain yet when season four be out on dvd.
Also, there’s a book, How to Archer: The Ultimate Guide to Espionage and Style and Women and Also Cocktails Ever Written, if you want to read that too. I’ve read it, and it’s non-essential, but hilarious, especially if you want to brush up on Sterling.
Before Trilogy (Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight)
Celine
Jesse
A friend lent the first two movies to me on a whim and when I sat down to watch them, I wept. I think at that particular moment, it really spoke to where I was romantically, but that’s shifted, and I still love them. Then I saw the final movie, and it was just gorgeous.We sat in the theater, holding hands, so pleased that this movie had been made. The movies are just so entirely perfect, so good at exploring love over the years, and so wonderful to watch. Specifically, I see a lot of movies, and it’s rare that I can watch six hours of what is essentially two people just talking, with almost no plot, and yet I adore these movies.
I love Celine and Jesse. They are both so flawed as people- occasionally, one sees references to one or the other (but mostly Jesse) as being a fantastic romantic partner, but I wouldn’t want to date either of them. And yet they both feel real to me, like I could find their probably-less-attractive doubles out wandering the streets, walking and talking and falling in love. I love the way they grow (and don't) as people. For instance, Jesse's wildly impractical and romantic side; cute in their twenties, less so in their forties.
I’d prefer fic that focuses on the two of them together rather than the two of them apart, but I’m fine with flashbacks or that sort of thing, as long as the bulk of the fic has the two of them interacting. There’s almost twenty years to cover, but I’m most interested in the two of them as a couple. What’s it like for them when they first get together at the end of Before Sunset? How do they handle the bi-continental relationship, or Jesse’s divorce? Likewise, a sort of “fourth movie” would also be fantastic- what happens nine years after Before Midnight, and where are they? Do they move to the US? Do they stay in France? I love that they’re not married in BM, but do they ever decide to get hitched? It seems that might make the bi-continental relationship easier, certainly. Or, to break with my first sentence, perhaps five times between Before Sunrise and Before Sunset that Celine and Jesse thought about each other? Or, if you’re into complicated narratives, maybe something that explores all the different ways their relationship could’ve gone if they’d made different choices along the way (something like the Community episode “Remedial Chaos Theory” that explored the seven different timelines?).
The first two movies are available on DVD and digital subscription/download and the third will be coming out on DVD October 22nd.
Moone Boy
any
This show is just utterly charming. And at just six episodes, I’d recommend sitting down and watching it, even if you plan on writing me something else. It was written by Chris O’Dowd, who also plays Seán Murphy, the imaginary friend of Martin Moone, a 12 year old kid living in Ireland in 1989. He has three sisters and two parents, and all of them are fantastic.
I’m generally not into canon kids, but this family is adorable. Trisha’s such a sarcastic fun badass. I really loved her in the sixth episode, ignoring her exams to smoke instead. Debra and Liam are a fantastically real set of parents to me; one of my favorite moments with them was when they wondered how they ended up with two kids who wanted to go to church, and speculated the reason was because they mistakenly had their kids in wedlock. I also loved the two of them teaming up to sabotage their daughter Sinéad. And Fidelma is such a contradiction, but I love good girls gone bad. Martin's delightfully clueless- my favorite example was in 1x06, when the school was burning down around him and he was hugging his homemade yearbook. And Sinéad is just too funny. Remember when she wanted to fight the moon?
I specifically requested these four characters, but anything that focuses on the family, with appearances from additional characters in the canon, would be appreciated. I’d also love some appearances by other characters. I have a particular soft-spot for Declan Mannion, but any of them would be delightful. Some ideas to start: what does Trisha do when she’s ditching school? What are the parents up to, and what sort of things are they gossiping about when it comes to their children? What family members are aware of the imaginary friend that lives with them, and how do they react to Martin w/r/t that? Maybe they go on a family vacation. Maybe there’s some holiday shenanigans?
I’ve only seen the first series, and series two is supposed to air sometime in 2013, but I haven’t been able to find out when or where this is going to happen. Should new episodes start appearing during yuletide, feel free to include or disregard them as you please.
In this particular fandom, I’d prefer to stick with family dynamics, so I’d like to avoid anything even approaching porn, even for the adults. I have no problem with the cursing and dirty jokes included on the show, though. Also, while I’m not a fan of pregnancy!fic, if you’re going with anything timeline-wise that would include Fidelma’s pregnancy, do feel free to include it. Just don’t spend a lot of time on pregnancy symptoms and details, if you don’t mind.
The first season is available on Hulu and was released on DVD.
Veep
Dan
Amy
Jonah
Selina
This show really surprised me. The first season was- fine, it was fine, but the second season just blew me out of the water. Everything came together, and it hit all cylinders for me. The jokes, the relationships, the way that everyone's really pretty selfish and awful, but still delightful to watch.
I picked four characters. Selina, I love. She's hilarious and mean and self-centered and smart. One of my favorite details about her is how she's often not really listening to the people she's talking to, a fact that becomes especially obvious when talking to civilians. It seems to be mirrored in DC, as everyone who matters really isn't listening to anyone. Dan's an unfeeling robot, who sometimes cracks a little, like when Amy's boyfriend shows up. And he's on a journey of self-discovery. I think the talk with Danny at the end of the season was important; he's getting older, and isn't really making the impact he wants. Clearly, he's got a lot, maybe too much, riding on the upcoming election. Amy is so awesomely competent, and one of the few characters in media to not want kids (and no one, besides her mom, is demonizing her for it). She's so dedicated- check out when her dad was laid up- and what is her life like, exactly, given that she's always at work? And Jonah went from being a character I hated to one of my favorite parts of season two. I think once the Veeple realized he had no power, they were free to making him their punching bag, and that's hilarious to me. But at the same time, he's funny in his own right. One of his funniest eps was Catherine's party, where he hit on everyone, terribly, and told Ed about Dan, and just everything about those exchanges with Ed are perfect.
Ship-wise, I'm into Dan/Amy like whoa. If you hooked them up, or had them thinking about hooking up, or comparing/contrasting relationship over the years, whatever, I'm into it. Bonus points if Dan has to interact with Ed for whatever reason. Other that that, I don't have ships, so gen is totally awesome. I do have one anti-ship: I'd prefer not to see Andrew. I buy the relationship, which makes watching Selina's IQ drop in his presence all the more painful.
Something season two, or leading into season three, would be awesome. Dan and Amy secretly hooking up would make me utterly happy, especially if you hit comedy trope beloveds like fake dating or sharing a bed. How is Dan handling Ed? How are they interacting? Is he teaming up with Jonah to scheme about how to scare Ed off? Obviously, the Veeple are busy following season two, but I'm sure they still have time for shenanigans. Or, if you'd rather focus on Selina, how is she handling the fight for 2016? What is she doing differently, or not? To get even more gen, I love the road trips in Air Force Two, so who is in the plane, where are they going/leaving, what happened there, and why is so-and-so not speaking to this one over there? Or throw a fancy dinner or party, or send them overseas, whatever. Pass a bill? I love the ensemble, so throw in whoever you want.
Bonus Joe Biden pic
That should be everything! If you need additional clarification, please feel free to reach out to throwingpens. She may write her answer in all caps, but she gets me, fandom-wise.
Thanks!
Diaphenia