Writing Meme

[bitterfic]

From bradygirl_12

Choose a story of mine and I'll talk a little about it: what inspired me to write it, what research I did for it, whatever comes to mind! :)

Comments

[lawless523]

How about "The Ghost Inside"?

[bitterfic]

  The Ghost Inside

Writing "The Ghost Inside" was a long, long process. About a year from inspiration to realization.

In the winter of 2009, I decided I wanted to write a story that was a loose retelling of Herman Melville’s Billy Budd centered around Anthony Hope. However whereas Billy Budd is doomed and alone, Anthony has an ally, Johanna who ultimately saves him.

In the film Sweeney Todd, Johanna is a very traditional damsel in distress, more or less defined by the men who love and lust after her-the Judge, her father Sweeney Todd and Anthony. I wanted to make her something else.

In the last scenes of Sweeney Todd, Johanna is disguised as a boy. I imagined her embracing this, becoming essentially a ftm transsexual who identifies as male. Being a man would appeal to Johanna because in her life, men have had all the power. I wanted to write a story however where Johanna ultimately saves Anthony by reclaiming her femininity on her own terms.

To prepare for writing this story I re-read Billy Budd then started writing.

[lawless523]

Thanks for the info!

I did this meme too - it's interesting what stories people have asked about.

[bitterfic]

I'm hoping more people will ask me about stories I've done, so far you're the only one but I've always enjoyed giving commentary.

[flo_nelja]

I'd like to see it for "White Mink".
Or for "Girls and Ghosts", since you said you were meaning to write them for a long time. :-)

[bitterfic]

  White Mink had it's genesis a long time ago (maybe as much as 2 years ago) when I did a "First Time" meme where you could comment with a character in any of my fandoms and I'd tell how they lost their virginity. Someone asked about Lord Asriel and off the top of my head I made up a story about him losing his virginity at a very young age to an uncle with a Roman emperor's name

[flo_nelja]

Thanks!
(It took me a long while to reply, sorry. I was searching for something intelligent to say, and... well, I'm not sure I can, but I have to say thanks at least!)
I found this fic very believable when I read it, and in character, but I sort of wondered about... what was the central theme, if it was just the difference between Asriel's and Marisa's opinions about some sexual practices, or other things. I understand better!

[bitterfic]

 Girls and Ghosts is the culmination of a 20+ years fascination with the character of Illyana Rasputain. I started reading comics seriously and obsessively when I was about 16 years old, right when the Inferno storyline was happening in the Marvel universe. With rapt attention I followed Illyana's transformation into the demonic Darkchilde, her revelations of her troubled childhood in Limbo and her eventual return to childhood. Some of my earliest fan art is of Illyana and I was sufficiently hooked to look up back issues of New Mutants and X-Men that Illyana appeared in and even got hold of a copy of the Magik a mini-series by Chris Claremont that dealt with Illyana's lost years in Limbo.

Several months ago, I unearthed my old issues of Magik and re-read them. I found myself especially interested by Illyana's relationship with Kitty Pryde. There was a certain slashiness to the idea that they were devoted roommates and that Kitty was dating Illyana's older brother Peter. Behind this loomed the story of what had happened in

[sakru909]

His Mother’s Son.

[bitterfic]

When I read The Black Jewels Trilogy the character of Kartane seemed tailor made to my interests. He is a victim of mother/son incest and the very slashy relationship with Daemon. Also as a victim of abuse who becomes an abuser he ties into one of the themes I am most drawn to- cycles of abuse and victimization