(no subject)
Dear Sekrit Yuletide Writer,
Thank you very much for writing a story for me!
I’m writing this letter so you can get a sense of what I love about the fandoms I requested, and of what sort of stories I like. I realize that the length and level of detail contained herein make me sound like an insane control freak (which I kind of am) but nevertheless, please take it as something that I hope will be helpful or inspirational, rather than as a set of commands. Honestly, I love these fandoms so much, I am going to be over the moon with whatever you write me.
For ease of stalking, my non-fic LJ is rachelmanija.
This year I'm hoping for comfort and joy. If you happen to know all four of the fandoms I requested, you'll see how while they can be quite angsty, they exist in universe where love of all kinds is real and valued, the world is a huge and colorful and amazing place, sex is about fun and connection rather than guilt, and even the saddest and loneliest and most damaged person can find companions, a purpose, and joy they never dreamed of.
So in your stories, feel free to put in plenty of angst-- the happiest endings are the ones that feel most earned through struggle and sorrow-- but I'd really like that happy ending. Wistful or hopeful or bittersweet would be fine too, just not glum or tragic.
Peter O'Donnell's Modesty Blaise
Characters: Modesty Blaise/Willie Garvin
It's all about Modesty and Willie as far as I'm concerned. I probably don't even need to mention this if you offered the fandom... but no sex between Modesty and Willie! I love the passionately platonic nature of their relationship.
I also love the martial arts, the crazy opponents (a gorilla! Siamese twins!), the fun but disposable sexual relationships they have with other people, the sometimes inspired plotting (the schizophrenic voices that turn out to be a radio transmitter in The Impossible Virgin, the entire premise of I, Lucifer), Modesty and Willie rescuing each other and sparring with each other and patching up each other's injuries... you get the picture.
Please leave out O'Donnell's blessedly occasional but unfortunate moments of homophobia, racism, sexism, and other stereotyping.
Diane Duane - Tale of the Five series aka the Door series
Characters: I said "any" because I love them all, but Herewiss, Segnbora,
and Sunspark are my favorites.
Why I love it: The sense of wonder mixed with mundane detail, with the doors leading to other worlds where if you reach your hand through you can feel the heat of the air, the innkeeper who turns out to be the Goddess, telepathy that can be wondrous or just annoying; the tenderness and love the characters feel for each other; the sweet sensuality; the beauty and harshness of the flame that everyone wants, and that kills you young.
What I’d like: Gen, slash, femmeslash, het, poly- anything is good, and most of the possible relationships are canonical. ;)
Barbara Hambly - Windrose series
Characters: Antryg Windrose/Caris/Joanna Sheraton/Pella
Why I love it: The wry humor, the flawed and lovable characters, the way they’re all so practical in the face of Dead Gods and mutant slugs, the keenly felt longing of people who want more than anything the one thing they can't have: magic in a land where it doesn't exist, beauty when you're plain and shy, talent that you just don't have, love for someone who can never return it, or to be such a perfect warrior that you will never have to deal with messy feelings or emotional entanglements again.
What I’d like: You don’t have to put all four of the characters I requested in the story, though it’s fine if you do; I just meant that I’d love a story about any or all of them. I would prefer not to have any sex more explicit than what actually occurs in the books, if you don't mind, or any non-canonical relationships; what I really love are the characters, their canonical relationships, their dorkiness and sweetness and heroism and pain. Also, I am a martial artist, so if you want to do anything with Caris and martial arts and his obsession with being a perfect warrior, I would love that.
The Fire Dancer series, by Ann Maxwell
I adore Kirtn and Rheba and their smoldering relationship, the way they take turns protecting each other, and how even though he's her mentor their relationship feels like one of equality. I love the pulp energy of the depictions of the colorful multitudes of alien races. Fssa is adorable. And I'm fascinated by the many types of dancers, and the glimpses of Deva culture.
Since Maxwell is clearly never going to write "Dancer's Choice," you would make me a very happy woman if you did. Flashbacks to Deva would also make me extra-happy. But anything with Kirtn and Rheba interacting, preferably with an interesting setting and a bit of plot and action, would be great.
If you’d like to check out some of my fic but aren’t familiar with any of the fandoms I’ve written in, I’ve linked to some stories I’ve written which neither require familiarity with nor contain spoilers for their fandoms.
The Taste of Honey, written for Neil Gaiman’s comic book series Sandman, requires no knowledge of the source whatsoever except that Death is Death, and Dream rules both the dreams of sleep and the dreams of waking-- that is to say, stories.
Autumn Gold was written for the manga series Saiyuki and its prequel Saiyuki Gaiden. It should be self-explanatory.
There's more stories in my memories, for varied and sundry fandoms. Note that stories may also be spoilery so proceed with caution, and that the Kushiel's Dart story "The Rose of Naamah" contains fairly extreme S&M.
Here’s a very long List O' Things I Love
Again, thank you very, very much. I hope you have fun writing my story. I can’t wait to read it!
Thank you very much for writing a story for me!
I’m writing this letter so you can get a sense of what I love about the fandoms I requested, and of what sort of stories I like. I realize that the length and level of detail contained herein make me sound like an insane control freak (which I kind of am) but nevertheless, please take it as something that I hope will be helpful or inspirational, rather than as a set of commands. Honestly, I love these fandoms so much, I am going to be over the moon with whatever you write me.
For ease of stalking, my non-fic LJ is rachelmanija.
This year I'm hoping for comfort and joy. If you happen to know all four of the fandoms I requested, you'll see how while they can be quite angsty, they exist in universe where love of all kinds is real and valued, the world is a huge and colorful and amazing place, sex is about fun and connection rather than guilt, and even the saddest and loneliest and most damaged person can find companions, a purpose, and joy they never dreamed of.
So in your stories, feel free to put in plenty of angst-- the happiest endings are the ones that feel most earned through struggle and sorrow-- but I'd really like that happy ending. Wistful or hopeful or bittersweet would be fine too, just not glum or tragic.
Peter O'Donnell's Modesty Blaise
Characters: Modesty Blaise/Willie Garvin
It's all about Modesty and Willie as far as I'm concerned. I probably don't even need to mention this if you offered the fandom... but no sex between Modesty and Willie! I love the passionately platonic nature of their relationship.
I also love the martial arts, the crazy opponents (a gorilla! Siamese twins!), the fun but disposable sexual relationships they have with other people, the sometimes inspired plotting (the schizophrenic voices that turn out to be a radio transmitter in The Impossible Virgin, the entire premise of I, Lucifer), Modesty and Willie rescuing each other and sparring with each other and patching up each other's injuries... you get the picture.
Please leave out O'Donnell's blessedly occasional but unfortunate moments of homophobia, racism, sexism, and other stereotyping.
Diane Duane - Tale of the Five series aka the Door series
Characters: I said "any" because I love them all, but Herewiss, Segnbora,
and Sunspark are my favorites.
Why I love it: The sense of wonder mixed with mundane detail, with the doors leading to other worlds where if you reach your hand through you can feel the heat of the air, the innkeeper who turns out to be the Goddess, telepathy that can be wondrous or just annoying; the tenderness and love the characters feel for each other; the sweet sensuality; the beauty and harshness of the flame that everyone wants, and that kills you young.
What I’d like: Gen, slash, femmeslash, het, poly- anything is good, and most of the possible relationships are canonical. ;)
Barbara Hambly - Windrose series
Characters: Antryg Windrose/Caris/Joanna Sheraton/Pella
Why I love it: The wry humor, the flawed and lovable characters, the way they’re all so practical in the face of Dead Gods and mutant slugs, the keenly felt longing of people who want more than anything the one thing they can't have: magic in a land where it doesn't exist, beauty when you're plain and shy, talent that you just don't have, love for someone who can never return it, or to be such a perfect warrior that you will never have to deal with messy feelings or emotional entanglements again.
What I’d like: You don’t have to put all four of the characters I requested in the story, though it’s fine if you do; I just meant that I’d love a story about any or all of them. I would prefer not to have any sex more explicit than what actually occurs in the books, if you don't mind, or any non-canonical relationships; what I really love are the characters, their canonical relationships, their dorkiness and sweetness and heroism and pain. Also, I am a martial artist, so if you want to do anything with Caris and martial arts and his obsession with being a perfect warrior, I would love that.
The Fire Dancer series, by Ann Maxwell
I adore Kirtn and Rheba and their smoldering relationship, the way they take turns protecting each other, and how even though he's her mentor their relationship feels like one of equality. I love the pulp energy of the depictions of the colorful multitudes of alien races. Fssa is adorable. And I'm fascinated by the many types of dancers, and the glimpses of Deva culture.
Since Maxwell is clearly never going to write "Dancer's Choice," you would make me a very happy woman if you did. Flashbacks to Deva would also make me extra-happy. But anything with Kirtn and Rheba interacting, preferably with an interesting setting and a bit of plot and action, would be great.
If you’d like to check out some of my fic but aren’t familiar with any of the fandoms I’ve written in, I’ve linked to some stories I’ve written which neither require familiarity with nor contain spoilers for their fandoms.
The Taste of Honey, written for Neil Gaiman’s comic book series Sandman, requires no knowledge of the source whatsoever except that Death is Death, and Dream rules both the dreams of sleep and the dreams of waking-- that is to say, stories.
Autumn Gold was written for the manga series Saiyuki and its prequel Saiyuki Gaiden. It should be self-explanatory.
There's more stories in my memories, for varied and sundry fandoms. Note that stories may also be spoilery so proceed with caution, and that the Kushiel's Dart story "The Rose of Naamah" contains fairly extreme S&M.
Here’s a very long List O' Things I Love
Again, thank you very, very much. I hope you have fun writing my story. I can’t wait to read it!