Hello World, and Hello Yuletide Writer!
Hello! This is my first year participating in Yuletide, and my story will be the first I’ve ever posted online. I’ve written fanfic on and off for decades, but it's all on my laptop, in notebooks or (dating myself) on floppy drives. After submitting my requests, it occurred to me that that given my currently non-existent fandom/AO3 presence, I should offer some info about myself and my requests:
<3: Gothic tales, May/September relationships, noir, silver foxes, mentor/student relationships, vampires, sexual extortion, power dynamics
Squicky about: Cannibalism, gratuitous graphic violence, scat/watersports, underage
Not interested in: AUs
Horror of Dracula: I am crazy about Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, but Peter Cushing especially. (I’m particularly wild about his cheekbones, and welcome descriptions that play them up). Of the films I have seen Cushing in, he almost never is or has a love interest, so I’d love to see Van Helsing in a romantic pairing (het or slash) with some physicality to it. Also, while Hammer horror films may seem campy today, I value the sincerity that both Cushing and Lee brought to their Hammer roles, so I’d really like to see a fic that treats the world with the same kind of sincerity.
Crimson Peak: See notes re: Horror of Dracula. Guillermo del Toro is supposedly a huge Peter Cushing fan, and Tom Hiddleston seems to be Cushing's heir apparent, so anything that emphasizes Thomas Sharpe’s “Cushing-ness” would be great. I’m neutral on the incestuous relationship between Thomas and Lucille; I don't mind it, but would be equally glad to see other pairings.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: Smiley is my kind of hero--quiet, clever, elegant, sensitive, perceptive, and under the radar. I also am intrigued by the ways those same qualities make him vulnerable to things like politics and the vagaries of his libidinous wife. I’d love a story that digs into Smiley’s complexities. I also wouldn’t mind seeing a Smiley/Control pairing, or at least more backstory on their personal and professional relationship.
L.A. Confidential: If the story focused on a specific individual, I’d love to see one that focused on Lynn Bracken or Jack Vincennes. For instance, how did Lynn find her way to Pierce Patchett and Fleur de Lys? (More specifically, how did Pierce teach Lynn “how to fuck”?) I’d also be thrilled to see any of the characters cross paths with the deadly Dudley Smith--I get chills just thinking about that guy.
Clouds of Sils Maria: Honestly? I was just thrilled to see this one on the list. I love the mysterious mood and tension that flows throughout this movie. Maria’s relationship with her sexuality and personal power as she ages is fascinating, if uncomfortable to contemplate. I’m also intrigued by Valentine’s attraction to a woman many years her senior. I’d struggle to pull off a fanfic in this setting, so I’d be thrilled to see whatever you come up with.
Happy writing! I can’t wait to read your story.