Dear Yuletide Santa
So, for the first time ever, I decided to do Yuletide. I don't have a lot of time right now, but if I keep putting it off year after year I'll never do it. So, damn it, this year, I'm doing it. And I've gotten my assignment, and it pleases me greatly. So, yay!
But this entry isn't for me -- it's for my Yuletide Santa! Now, I've never written one of these letters before, so bear with me if it needs tweaking. Basically, I am always happy to get fic written for me no matter WHAT it is, so you could not listen to a word I say here and I'd still be thrilled. Santa, you are awesome just for volunteering in one of these fandoms. I will like anything.
Now, general thoughts: I'm pretty easy to please with fic, as long as it's well-written. (And given the general quality of Yuletide fic, I'm not at all worried about that.) I like fic almost anywhere on the fluff/angst spectrum (though fic that's dark for darkness' sake usually isn't my thing). I'm happy with anything rated G through NC-17; I'm not much of a smut writer myself, but I'm totally cool with receiving it, as long as it isn't noncon, teacher/student, chan, parent/child or any other severe power imbalance. I love slash, but I'm also totally happy with het or femslash (though I doubt there's much room for the latter in these prompts), and I really, really love male/male/female threesomes, as long as every person in the threesome has feelings for every other. (The aforementioned information will be more or less relevant depending on what request you're planning to write.) Outside of the romantic stuff, I mostly read fic for characters. I love the characters I've requested, and anything that captures them on paper will make me happy. I don't really need plot in fic (though of course I'd be happy with it), but I do ask that the fic say something about the characters, and their complicated relationships with each other. (You may have figured this out from my requests, since I'm pretty sure I used the word "relationship" in each one.) Oh, and I'm also a big, big fan of unrequited love - as my The Sun Also Rises and Captain America requests indicate.
Now, for the specific requests:
RequestFandom1: The Adventures of Brisco County Jr
RequestFandomChar1: Brisco County Jr/Lord Bowler/Socrates Poole
RequestDetail1: Anything about the fun but often volatile relationships between these three. Slash (any pairing or OT3) is great, but a gen adventure in the spirit of the show would be lovely, too. Bonus points if there's a Pete cameo.
I was a big Brisco County fan as a kid, and this summer my family Netflixed the DVDs and watched the whole series again together. I love pretty much everything about it, but I especially love these three characters and their dynamic. I'd appreciate no character-bashing -- I'm a Socrates fan, and I have a feeling he's most likely to be a bashing target. But in-character mockery between the characters is, of course, completely ok. As I said, I'm a slasher, and I find I'm capable of slashing Brisco/Bowler, Bowler/Socrates, and Brisco/Socrates (though that's probably my least favorite of the three); I'd also be ok with all three together. But, really, in the case of this request? I just want something in the spirit of the show, and that can be totally gen. If you can work in bad puns, clever intentional anachronisms, Wild West cliches, and general awesome steampunk comedy, I'll be thrilled. (Though I also love the Orb and Bly and the more serious plots, so that's fine too. As I said, I just finished rewatching the series, so I'm ok with episode-specific fic.)
Oh, and I love Pete. A mention of him (or his piece!) would make me happy forever. (Wickwire and Dixie are also awesome. Just no Whip Morgan, please!)
RequestFandom2: Captain America (comic)
RequestFandomChar2: Bernie Rosenthal/Steve Rogers
RequestDetail2: Anything about the fabulous Bernie Rosenthal, and her complicated relationship with Steve. Bonus points if you can include Arnie Roth, or if Steve is kind of gay.
First of all, on the off chance (very off chance) that you're writing this prompt, I'm aware that it's entirely possible that you chose "any" for Captain America and didn't realize you'd be asked to write about Bernie Rosenthal. If that's the case, and you haven't defaulted, I urge you to check out parts of J.M. DeMatteis' run on Captain America Vol. 1, from issue 267 to issue 300 - Bernie is present for a time before and after that, but it's DeMatteis who really makes her central to the story. She's a Jewish glassblowing former activist and an overall kickass woman who gets engaged to Steve (she's the one who proposes!) and then eventually calls off the engagement because she'd rather move across the country to go to law school and make a difference in the world. She's awesome, and my favorite of all of Captain America's girlfriends.
But assuming you DO know who Bernie is, you probably also know that her relationship with Steve was not always rosy. I have a pet theory that Steve in this era is coded pretty heavily as gay, and his avoidance of Bernie because of his inability to "understand normal man/woman relationships," coupled with the introduction of his childhood gay best friend, Arnie Roth, is the main indicator. But you're by no means required to follow that interpretation. Mostly, I just want fic about Bernie. What was she thinking, when Steve kept running off - both before and after she knew he was Captain America? Why did she decide to go to law school? What was her relationship with her ex-husband really like? And how did she react, years later, when she found out Steve had died? None of these are questions that you have to answer, but they represent the huge range of possibilities for fic about this character. If your fic is about Bernie, I will love it - case closed.
RequestFandom3: Hancock
RequestFandomChar3: John Hancock/Mary Embrey/Ray Embrey
RequestDetail3: How do Ray and Mary deal with being separated from Hancock, after all that happened? Romantic feelings between the guys (in addition to between the guys and Mary) would be great, but platonic affection is also fine. I just want to see how they cope and adjust.
I don't have much to say about this one. I saw Hancock on a whim with my family, and totally didn't expect it to be as good as it was. Honestly, I didn't really understand the supernatural explanation of the second half of the movie, so if you can make sense of it, I'd be very happy to read about it. But, mostly, I want to know how these characters react to their separation, after such an intense experience. They all clearly care about each other deeply, and the necessities of the situation at the end of the movie can't be easy to handle.
This is the prompt I'd most love shippery fic for; I left the move theater really, really craving OT3 fic. The boys obviously love Mary, and vice versa, but I read them as interested in each other, too. I mean, Hancock painted a heart on the MOON for Ray. But I completely understand if you're not the slashing type, and I would be totally happy with fic that simply deals with their friendship and platonic affection, and how that affects their feelings on the new status quo.
RequestFandom4: Ernest Hemingway - The Sun Also Rises
RequestFandomChar4: Jake Barnes/Lady Brett Ashley
RequestDetail4: Where do they go from there? Did anything really change for Jake by the end of the book, or is he trapped in an endless cycle with Brett forever?
This is one of my favorite books of all time. I have a serious emotional attachment to it, and I would love, love, love to see any fic about it at all. I love Jake, and I love his point of view, but a look inside Brett's head would be just as interesting. Mostly, I'd love to see post-book fic -- the ending is so simultaneously depressing and hopeful that I'd like to see which emotion ultimately pans out. I also love all the events of the book, so if you can't wrap your head around post-book fic, a look at a scene in the book from another point of view, or a "missing scene," would be fine. As long as it focuses on Jake and Brett's screwed-up non-relationship, I'm happy!
However, I'm not a big fan of Hemingway overall, beyond this book, so please, please, don't feel like you have to ape his style. I mean, you can, of course, and I'd be quite happy to read a pastiche, but if your writing tends toward the flowery and descriptive? I'm totally cool with that.
And that's it! If you need more info, all my LJ-based fic is located in a post near the top of my journal, and my interests list is pretty comprehensive, though my profile is currently under construction. If you need to do some sneaky investigating, there are plenty of people on LJ who know my preferences - I'd go to likeadeuce and second_batgirl first, two Yuletide participants who know me well.
[E.T.A. I'm signed up at Yuletide as destroythemeek - this should surprise no one, but I thought I'd give everyone a head's up.]
But this entry isn't for me -- it's for my Yuletide Santa! Now, I've never written one of these letters before, so bear with me if it needs tweaking. Basically, I am always happy to get fic written for me no matter WHAT it is, so you could not listen to a word I say here and I'd still be thrilled. Santa, you are awesome just for volunteering in one of these fandoms. I will like anything.
Now, general thoughts: I'm pretty easy to please with fic, as long as it's well-written. (And given the general quality of Yuletide fic, I'm not at all worried about that.) I like fic almost anywhere on the fluff/angst spectrum (though fic that's dark for darkness' sake usually isn't my thing). I'm happy with anything rated G through NC-17; I'm not much of a smut writer myself, but I'm totally cool with receiving it, as long as it isn't noncon, teacher/student, chan, parent/child or any other severe power imbalance. I love slash, but I'm also totally happy with het or femslash (though I doubt there's much room for the latter in these prompts), and I really, really love male/male/female threesomes, as long as every person in the threesome has feelings for every other. (The aforementioned information will be more or less relevant depending on what request you're planning to write.) Outside of the romantic stuff, I mostly read fic for characters. I love the characters I've requested, and anything that captures them on paper will make me happy. I don't really need plot in fic (though of course I'd be happy with it), but I do ask that the fic say something about the characters, and their complicated relationships with each other. (You may have figured this out from my requests, since I'm pretty sure I used the word "relationship" in each one.) Oh, and I'm also a big, big fan of unrequited love - as my The Sun Also Rises and Captain America requests indicate.
Now, for the specific requests:
RequestFandom1: The Adventures of Brisco County Jr
RequestFandomChar1: Brisco County Jr/Lord Bowler/Socrates Poole
RequestDetail1: Anything about the fun but often volatile relationships between these three. Slash (any pairing or OT3) is great, but a gen adventure in the spirit of the show would be lovely, too. Bonus points if there's a Pete cameo.
I was a big Brisco County fan as a kid, and this summer my family Netflixed the DVDs and watched the whole series again together. I love pretty much everything about it, but I especially love these three characters and their dynamic. I'd appreciate no character-bashing -- I'm a Socrates fan, and I have a feeling he's most likely to be a bashing target. But in-character mockery between the characters is, of course, completely ok. As I said, I'm a slasher, and I find I'm capable of slashing Brisco/Bowler, Bowler/Socrates, and Brisco/Socrates (though that's probably my least favorite of the three); I'd also be ok with all three together. But, really, in the case of this request? I just want something in the spirit of the show, and that can be totally gen. If you can work in bad puns, clever intentional anachronisms, Wild West cliches, and general awesome steampunk comedy, I'll be thrilled. (Though I also love the Orb and Bly and the more serious plots, so that's fine too. As I said, I just finished rewatching the series, so I'm ok with episode-specific fic.)
Oh, and I love Pete. A mention of him (or his piece!) would make me happy forever. (Wickwire and Dixie are also awesome. Just no Whip Morgan, please!)
RequestFandom2: Captain America (comic)
RequestFandomChar2: Bernie Rosenthal/Steve Rogers
RequestDetail2: Anything about the fabulous Bernie Rosenthal, and her complicated relationship with Steve. Bonus points if you can include Arnie Roth, or if Steve is kind of gay.
First of all, on the off chance (very off chance) that you're writing this prompt, I'm aware that it's entirely possible that you chose "any" for Captain America and didn't realize you'd be asked to write about Bernie Rosenthal. If that's the case, and you haven't defaulted, I urge you to check out parts of J.M. DeMatteis' run on Captain America Vol. 1, from issue 267 to issue 300 - Bernie is present for a time before and after that, but it's DeMatteis who really makes her central to the story. She's a Jewish glassblowing former activist and an overall kickass woman who gets engaged to Steve (she's the one who proposes!) and then eventually calls off the engagement because she'd rather move across the country to go to law school and make a difference in the world. She's awesome, and my favorite of all of Captain America's girlfriends.
But assuming you DO know who Bernie is, you probably also know that her relationship with Steve was not always rosy. I have a pet theory that Steve in this era is coded pretty heavily as gay, and his avoidance of Bernie because of his inability to "understand normal man/woman relationships," coupled with the introduction of his childhood gay best friend, Arnie Roth, is the main indicator. But you're by no means required to follow that interpretation. Mostly, I just want fic about Bernie. What was she thinking, when Steve kept running off - both before and after she knew he was Captain America? Why did she decide to go to law school? What was her relationship with her ex-husband really like? And how did she react, years later, when she found out Steve had died? None of these are questions that you have to answer, but they represent the huge range of possibilities for fic about this character. If your fic is about Bernie, I will love it - case closed.
RequestFandom3: Hancock
RequestFandomChar3: John Hancock/Mary Embrey/Ray Embrey
RequestDetail3: How do Ray and Mary deal with being separated from Hancock, after all that happened? Romantic feelings between the guys (in addition to between the guys and Mary) would be great, but platonic affection is also fine. I just want to see how they cope and adjust.
I don't have much to say about this one. I saw Hancock on a whim with my family, and totally didn't expect it to be as good as it was. Honestly, I didn't really understand the supernatural explanation of the second half of the movie, so if you can make sense of it, I'd be very happy to read about it. But, mostly, I want to know how these characters react to their separation, after such an intense experience. They all clearly care about each other deeply, and the necessities of the situation at the end of the movie can't be easy to handle.
This is the prompt I'd most love shippery fic for; I left the move theater really, really craving OT3 fic. The boys obviously love Mary, and vice versa, but I read them as interested in each other, too. I mean, Hancock painted a heart on the MOON for Ray. But I completely understand if you're not the slashing type, and I would be totally happy with fic that simply deals with their friendship and platonic affection, and how that affects their feelings on the new status quo.
RequestFandom4: Ernest Hemingway - The Sun Also Rises
RequestFandomChar4: Jake Barnes/Lady Brett Ashley
RequestDetail4: Where do they go from there? Did anything really change for Jake by the end of the book, or is he trapped in an endless cycle with Brett forever?
This is one of my favorite books of all time. I have a serious emotional attachment to it, and I would love, love, love to see any fic about it at all. I love Jake, and I love his point of view, but a look inside Brett's head would be just as interesting. Mostly, I'd love to see post-book fic -- the ending is so simultaneously depressing and hopeful that I'd like to see which emotion ultimately pans out. I also love all the events of the book, so if you can't wrap your head around post-book fic, a look at a scene in the book from another point of view, or a "missing scene," would be fine. As long as it focuses on Jake and Brett's screwed-up non-relationship, I'm happy!
However, I'm not a big fan of Hemingway overall, beyond this book, so please, please, don't feel like you have to ape his style. I mean, you can, of course, and I'd be quite happy to read a pastiche, but if your writing tends toward the flowery and descriptive? I'm totally cool with that.
And that's it! If you need more info, all my LJ-based fic is located in a post near the top of my journal, and my interests list is pretty comprehensive, though my profile is currently under construction. If you need to do some sneaky investigating, there are plenty of people on LJ who know my preferences - I'd go to likeadeuce and second_batgirl first, two Yuletide participants who know me well.
[E.T.A. I'm signed up at Yuletide as destroythemeek - this should surprise no one, but I thought I'd give everyone a head's up.]