yuletide letter [2015]
Dear Yuletide Writer ...
I've been in and out of various fandoms for over a decade now but this is my first ever Yuletide. I'm pretty excited. :) Thank you so much for writing for me and I'm sure I'll be thrilled with whatever fic you gift me! I've included lots of rambling prompts, but if your muse leads you in a different direction go for it.
(For reference, on AO3 my username is bigsunglasses.)
As a general guide, I want to be left feeling positive after reading a fic. Friendship, fluff, and happy/hopeful endings are all excellent things (though angst and danger are great to make the ending feel well-deserved!). I adore the worlds I've requested as well as the characters, so I'd prefer not to receive AUs/crossovers/fusions for this exchange, or anything too cracky in tone. What you write doesn't have to be heavy on plot, but please avoid too much introspection.
Do not want: Pregnancy loss, or difficulties. Rape or dub-con. Character death (referencing a canon death in passing is fine, someone dying in the fic is not). Terminal illness. Infidelity. Explicit torture. Gore. Gaslighting. Humiliation. Incest.
Lovelist (so many, sorry! any single one would delight me): Worldbuilding. Exploring culture & cultural differences. History. Friendship. Found families. Fluff. Descriptions of delicious savoury food. Adventure. Casefic. Loyalty. Protectiveness. Going undercover. Secret identities. Themes of truth & justice. Working to build happiness with an imperfect set of cards. Sacrifice rewarded. Blossoming romance (especially if the characters don’t notice it’s happening). Established OTP taking on the plot. Creating and building things (families, meals, cities, houses, books, whatever...). Physical touch, sexual or otherwise (brushing hair, holding hands, massages, etc). H/C, especially in a shippy context to push a shy OTP to face their feels (one favourite scenario is where an injury means A has to physically rely on B). Some favourite fluffy tropes: we-only-kissed-to-provide-a-diversion-it-meant-nothing-honestly, huddling-for-warmth, pretend!dating, marriages-of-convenience/arranged-marriages.
Smut: If the muse moves you towards smut, go for it! But I'd love there to be at least some plot or framing story, rather than outright PWP. I'm not really interested in reading sex for sex's sake, but in reading how and why particular characters do sex. Be as explicit or not as you want! As a rule of thumb, I'd prefer if you don't go kinkier than what might appear in a mainstream romance novel (e.g. Courtney Milan, Rose Lerner).
The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison
Csoru Drazharan
This book has been my big fannish find of recent years. A delicate, intricate, dense creation that rewards rereading, and where it was clear the world extended beyond what we could see on the page. I adore so many characters that it was so difficult to narrow down my requests. In the end I decided on Csoru, because I want to know more about her. She's got some awfully bad qualities on display to Maia, but there's no one in the book without some depth, and I'd love to see some different angles on her.
The sketched-in history of conflict and competition between her and Csethiro was fascinating. A closer look at their past would be nice. And do they ever come to respect each other - or is their mutual antipathy immoveable? How does Csoru deal with Csethiro's rise to Empress - indignant? angry? alarmed? I'd be delighted to see a fic where they were forced to work together for some reason (disaster? success? stinkin’ hilarious?). (But please don't ship them.)
I also think it'd be fun to see what Csoru does in the way of romancing now she's a widow, if anything. Does she hunt down some beautiful young courtiers who are appropriately reverent and adoring of her? (I'd be open to het or femslash - just convince me why Csoru chooses what she does! OCs welcome.) Does she consider remarriage or is being zhasanai better than being a wife again ever could be? (Are Drazhadeise widows even allowed to remarry?) It'd also be interesting to see how her marriage to Varenechibel came about, and how she related to him and her many stepchildren.
Or does her widowhood free her from ever caring about relationships again, and she pursues some new interest entirely? I can't think of any specific prompts for this, but still would love to see it written!
Old Kingdom - Garth Nix
Nicholas Sayre, Lirael (Old Kingdom)
My main area of interest is post-Abhorsen, and how the characters deal with the fallout from its climactic events, individually and together. It does a fascinating job of setting the scene to reshape a lot of what we knew about the characters and the world.
Nick is my precious and I'll be delighted if you write anything about Nick once he is in the Old Kingdom again. I'd love to see how he gets on not just with Lirael, but with Lirael's families old and new - and what shape might his friendship with Sam take now? Also, it'd be fascinating to see his Scientific Outsider perspective on the inhabitants and customs and culture of the kingdom. I could definitely get behind a diary (or letters written home?) of his early weeks north of the wall post-The Creature in the Case, for instance.
With the end of Abhorsen, Lirael is in mourning but she's also got so many new possibilities and people to explore. But she's got her past too - does she ever revisit the Glacier? I bet Nick would enjoy going along to see the library. How does she cope with all the attention of being both the new-yet-also-long-lost-Abhorsen-heir and the heroine-saviour-of-the-Kingdom?
I'd enjoy fic of them getting to know each other platonically (maybe with subtext of what's to come) in the days immediately after Nick comes north. Or writing increasingly comfortable letters to each other while they jaunt separately around the kingdom. But if you want to write explicitly shippily, go for it - they're an OTP of longstanding for me. Please make it slow-burn - I don't buy either of them getting touchy-feely in a hurry. Even after all her growth, Lirael is still pretty shy and nervous, and Nick is such a mix of confidence and uncertainty. Maybe they go on an adventure together and various dangers help bring to the surface just how much they care for each other?
The Tales of Einarinn - Juliet E. McKenna
Temar D'Alsennin, Allin Mere
I love these two, and not just because I ship them. They are two people who are so very far from their beginnings, who can never go back, and have to do their best with that. It’d be lovely to see something about them at any point from canon onwards. If you're going for gen, I'm happy for the fic to focus more on one character than the other. Does Allin ever see her family again? (does Temar ever meet them? Could be some great angst and culture clash there.) What were her first months in Hadrumal like? Also, it'd be fascinating to gain some insight into the difficult time for Temar between the end of The Swordsman's Oath and the beginning of The Warrior's Bond, and the second establishment of the colonists.
Or I'd be delighted if you wrote Temar/Allin. Maybe a proposal scene, or an admitting-feelings scene. First-time sex and being a bit nervous but happy and laughing. Pick any moment from their relationship that you fancy exploring! Working together as a team on a problem or adventure. Temar helping Allin learn/define her social role as Maitresse. Her teaching him more about the modern world. Becoming parents. Doing magic together. Curtainfic of a colony-building kind.
And if you want to add bits of worldbuilding about Kellarin and its canonical present and its possible future, please do - one of my favourite things about this series is the worldbuilding, the sense of a place where time and history really do change things. It’s a busy, diverse and changing world filled with busy, diverse and changing people who all are living their own lives and ambitions as best they can.
Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold
Helen Vorthys
I'm still quite new to Vorkosiverse - by which I mean I've only re-read some of the books, not all of them. :) I love the worldbuilding of the universe, and the sense of history, on all the planets, and how deeply the characters engage with change. It was tough to narrow down my character selection, but eventually I decided on Professora Helen Vorthys - she was so delightful in Komarr, and the peeks we got of her later too. I'm particularly interested in her life well before we first meet her in canon, say at least thirty years before or more. How did she become the person we know?
One aspect that speaks to me (a history nerd) is her career. How and when and why did she start on her academic path? I imagine she must have encountered (perhaps, even by the time we meet her in canon, still does encounter) some misogynistic opposition or mockery, or disrespect from students/colleagues: it'd be interesting to see how she coped with that, and what her opinion is of the gender culture on Barrayar. What areas of history are her favourites, and how did she come to specialise in what she did (the Time of Isolation, if I recall correctly)? I'd enjoy a fic where she takes a research trip - you could make it serious (uncovering something with political repercussions) or light-hearted (undergrads tagging along, whining about the accommodation).
Another part of her life I'd love to see explored is how she met her husband, and the development of their marriage. Was he always supportive of her work or did she have to win him around? Women in Barrayar are generally expected to subordinate themselves to their husbands, but Helen does not seem to have done so. Similarly, I'd also enjoy seeing her familial, friend, work or student relationships - what ones are up to you.
I'm happy for the story to deal seriously with sexism if you want, but I'd like to see her triumph over it!
I've been in and out of various fandoms for over a decade now but this is my first ever Yuletide. I'm pretty excited. :) Thank you so much for writing for me and I'm sure I'll be thrilled with whatever fic you gift me! I've included lots of rambling prompts, but if your muse leads you in a different direction go for it.
(For reference, on AO3 my username is bigsunglasses.)
As a general guide, I want to be left feeling positive after reading a fic. Friendship, fluff, and happy/hopeful endings are all excellent things (though angst and danger are great to make the ending feel well-deserved!). I adore the worlds I've requested as well as the characters, so I'd prefer not to receive AUs/crossovers/fusions for this exchange, or anything too cracky in tone. What you write doesn't have to be heavy on plot, but please avoid too much introspection.
Do not want: Pregnancy loss, or difficulties. Rape or dub-con. Character death (referencing a canon death in passing is fine, someone dying in the fic is not). Terminal illness. Infidelity. Explicit torture. Gore. Gaslighting. Humiliation. Incest.
Lovelist (so many, sorry! any single one would delight me): Worldbuilding. Exploring culture & cultural differences. History. Friendship. Found families. Fluff. Descriptions of delicious savoury food. Adventure. Casefic. Loyalty. Protectiveness. Going undercover. Secret identities. Themes of truth & justice. Working to build happiness with an imperfect set of cards. Sacrifice rewarded. Blossoming romance (especially if the characters don’t notice it’s happening). Established OTP taking on the plot. Creating and building things (families, meals, cities, houses, books, whatever...). Physical touch, sexual or otherwise (brushing hair, holding hands, massages, etc). H/C, especially in a shippy context to push a shy OTP to face their feels (one favourite scenario is where an injury means A has to physically rely on B). Some favourite fluffy tropes: we-only-kissed-to-provide-a-diversion-it-meant-nothing-honestly, huddling-for-warmth, pretend!dating, marriages-of-convenience/arranged-marriages.
Smut: If the muse moves you towards smut, go for it! But I'd love there to be at least some plot or framing story, rather than outright PWP. I'm not really interested in reading sex for sex's sake, but in reading how and why particular characters do sex. Be as explicit or not as you want! As a rule of thumb, I'd prefer if you don't go kinkier than what might appear in a mainstream romance novel (e.g. Courtney Milan, Rose Lerner).
The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison
Csoru Drazharan
This book has been my big fannish find of recent years. A delicate, intricate, dense creation that rewards rereading, and where it was clear the world extended beyond what we could see on the page. I adore so many characters that it was so difficult to narrow down my requests. In the end I decided on Csoru, because I want to know more about her. She's got some awfully bad qualities on display to Maia, but there's no one in the book without some depth, and I'd love to see some different angles on her.
The sketched-in history of conflict and competition between her and Csethiro was fascinating. A closer look at their past would be nice. And do they ever come to respect each other - or is their mutual antipathy immoveable? How does Csoru deal with Csethiro's rise to Empress - indignant? angry? alarmed? I'd be delighted to see a fic where they were forced to work together for some reason (disaster? success? stinkin’ hilarious?). (But please don't ship them.)
I also think it'd be fun to see what Csoru does in the way of romancing now she's a widow, if anything. Does she hunt down some beautiful young courtiers who are appropriately reverent and adoring of her? (I'd be open to het or femslash - just convince me why Csoru chooses what she does! OCs welcome.) Does she consider remarriage or is being zhasanai better than being a wife again ever could be? (Are Drazhadeise widows even allowed to remarry?) It'd also be interesting to see how her marriage to Varenechibel came about, and how she related to him and her many stepchildren.
Or does her widowhood free her from ever caring about relationships again, and she pursues some new interest entirely? I can't think of any specific prompts for this, but still would love to see it written!
Old Kingdom - Garth Nix
Nicholas Sayre, Lirael (Old Kingdom)
My main area of interest is post-Abhorsen, and how the characters deal with the fallout from its climactic events, individually and together. It does a fascinating job of setting the scene to reshape a lot of what we knew about the characters and the world.
Nick is my precious and I'll be delighted if you write anything about Nick once he is in the Old Kingdom again. I'd love to see how he gets on not just with Lirael, but with Lirael's families old and new - and what shape might his friendship with Sam take now? Also, it'd be fascinating to see his Scientific Outsider perspective on the inhabitants and customs and culture of the kingdom. I could definitely get behind a diary (or letters written home?) of his early weeks north of the wall post-The Creature in the Case, for instance.
With the end of Abhorsen, Lirael is in mourning but she's also got so many new possibilities and people to explore. But she's got her past too - does she ever revisit the Glacier? I bet Nick would enjoy going along to see the library. How does she cope with all the attention of being both the new-yet-also-long-lost-Abhorsen-heir and the heroine-saviour-of-the-Kingdom?
I'd enjoy fic of them getting to know each other platonically (maybe with subtext of what's to come) in the days immediately after Nick comes north. Or writing increasingly comfortable letters to each other while they jaunt separately around the kingdom. But if you want to write explicitly shippily, go for it - they're an OTP of longstanding for me. Please make it slow-burn - I don't buy either of them getting touchy-feely in a hurry. Even after all her growth, Lirael is still pretty shy and nervous, and Nick is such a mix of confidence and uncertainty. Maybe they go on an adventure together and various dangers help bring to the surface just how much they care for each other?
The Tales of Einarinn - Juliet E. McKenna
Temar D'Alsennin, Allin Mere
I love these two, and not just because I ship them. They are two people who are so very far from their beginnings, who can never go back, and have to do their best with that. It’d be lovely to see something about them at any point from canon onwards. If you're going for gen, I'm happy for the fic to focus more on one character than the other. Does Allin ever see her family again? (does Temar ever meet them? Could be some great angst and culture clash there.) What were her first months in Hadrumal like? Also, it'd be fascinating to gain some insight into the difficult time for Temar between the end of The Swordsman's Oath and the beginning of The Warrior's Bond, and the second establishment of the colonists.
Or I'd be delighted if you wrote Temar/Allin. Maybe a proposal scene, or an admitting-feelings scene. First-time sex and being a bit nervous but happy and laughing. Pick any moment from their relationship that you fancy exploring! Working together as a team on a problem or adventure. Temar helping Allin learn/define her social role as Maitresse. Her teaching him more about the modern world. Becoming parents. Doing magic together. Curtainfic of a colony-building kind.
And if you want to add bits of worldbuilding about Kellarin and its canonical present and its possible future, please do - one of my favourite things about this series is the worldbuilding, the sense of a place where time and history really do change things. It’s a busy, diverse and changing world filled with busy, diverse and changing people who all are living their own lives and ambitions as best they can.
Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold
Helen Vorthys
I'm still quite new to Vorkosiverse - by which I mean I've only re-read some of the books, not all of them. :) I love the worldbuilding of the universe, and the sense of history, on all the planets, and how deeply the characters engage with change. It was tough to narrow down my character selection, but eventually I decided on Professora Helen Vorthys - she was so delightful in Komarr, and the peeks we got of her later too. I'm particularly interested in her life well before we first meet her in canon, say at least thirty years before or more. How did she become the person we know?
One aspect that speaks to me (a history nerd) is her career. How and when and why did she start on her academic path? I imagine she must have encountered (perhaps, even by the time we meet her in canon, still does encounter) some misogynistic opposition or mockery, or disrespect from students/colleagues: it'd be interesting to see how she coped with that, and what her opinion is of the gender culture on Barrayar. What areas of history are her favourites, and how did she come to specialise in what she did (the Time of Isolation, if I recall correctly)? I'd enjoy a fic where she takes a research trip - you could make it serious (uncovering something with political repercussions) or light-hearted (undergrads tagging along, whining about the accommodation).
Another part of her life I'd love to see explored is how she met her husband, and the development of their marriage. Was he always supportive of her work or did she have to win him around? Women in Barrayar are generally expected to subordinate themselves to their husbands, but Helen does not seem to have done so. Similarly, I'd also enjoy seeing her familial, friend, work or student relationships - what ones are up to you.
I'm happy for the story to deal seriously with sexism if you want, but I'd like to see her triumph over it!