Dear Yuletide Author
Firstly, thanks so much for signing up. And as always, please feel free to ignore this letter; I do understand that optional details are optional and I'll be delighted with pretty much anything in these fandoms.
In the past I've tried to talk about lots of different things I'd like to see in a story rather than being too specific about just one request; this year I seem to instead be rambling at great length about the things I love about each set of source material; hopefully that will also be informative for you. Please ignore it if it's not and please don't feel you need to reproduce the things I love in the canon - I'd rather have the story that excites you to write.
Practicalities first -- I've arranged the order of this post carefully as it includes fairly major spoilers for the first three books in Megan Whalen Turner's Queen's Thief series and it includes book destroying spoilers for Sarah Rees Brennan's Demons Lexicon, with fairly major spoilers for its sequel. So please use the cut tags and don't read to the end if you haven't read the books (which I recommend strongly to anyone who hasn't). I do have a note about any potential spoilers for Demon's Surrender right at the end.
Secondly, you may notice that my request for The Queen's Thief contains a link to an entire additional post. PLEASE don't read this as a hint that that's the request I really want to see fulfilled -- it's really, really not. If you've matched on something else and don't know MWT's work I should explain that I'm asking for the story of two tiny bit characters in one book of what's already a fairly obscure fandom -- the extra post is simply an attempt to demonstrate to anyone who doesn't live in my brain what I see in the characters and why the request isn't totally random. My other requests are probably a bit more mainstream and a bit more self-explanatory, but I want to see those stories just as badly. Similarly, I've quoted quite a bit of Demon's Covenant dialogue -- Oh the beauties of owning ebooks! That might make that section of this letter look by far the longest, but I think the things I'm actually saying are about the same length in all cases.
Things I like
As far as general likes and dislikes go, I've written a little summary of some of my favourite and less favoured things for the last couple of years -- this year it's not quite as relevant to the specifics of some of my requests, so I'm going to link to it rather than copy it out again.
I will say that I particularly like happy endings, complex paths to get there, relationships between people who really get each other, conflicting loyalties and relationships where there are both 'political' and personal things going on at different levels. I would really prefer not to receive anything with partner betrayal, rape, main character death, incest or graphic torture.
I'll happily read gen, het or slash (even despite any preferences I express below) and any rating that works for the story is okay with me -- I would pretty much always prefer plot, character development or relationship development to pure PWP though. I also generally prefer stories that take us beyond what we know from canon to missing scenes. And where I have expressed pairing preferences, I'd prefer you didn't permamently pair either character up with someone else altogether.
Now onto the fandoms
Orphans (Gaslight Anthem Song)
any characters
This is my completely wild card request. And if you've got matched on a request you really don't feel up to then, because this is a single track, you can probably familiarise yourself with it really quickly.
I have no idea what a story based on this song would look like, but I'm excited to find out. It could be a real world story, or you could take the metaphors literally and turn it into a fantasy or SF setting. What would the circus wheel resting along the sea look like made literal? What was the fire of his youth and the triumph over his enemies that he gave up? No need to take the factories too literally if you don't want, but if you do then that works too.
Primarily, this is in my requests because I love the song. Not just the lyrics, but the music, the driving rhythms, the power and passion which seem to me to reinforce the narrator's strength and passion. Without the music, the lyrics on their own could be despondent or even depressing, but the music makes it a defiant moving on,
Things I love about the song? I love the music running through it, I really love the orphans becoming the sons of regret becoming the sons of these songs. I love the sense of growing older and moving on, of being hard battered but not bowed, of no longer being in the first rush of youth, but still being strong, the sense of second chances and a new purpose. I don't know whether he's poured himself out for a cause or just in the struggle to survive when life is hard, but I get the feeling that the blood and the truth, the fire of his youth etc are all still worthwhile even if the cost has been terribly great, even if his home is faithless and fairweather and has to be left behind. I want to know what the hatful of rain is and whether he's found it or whether it's something he still hopes for ahead of him.
I was kind of tempted to nominate the album rather than the song and ask for a crossover with Old Haunts where you get "don't sing me your songs about the good times, Those days are gone and you should just let them go .... Old haunts are for forgotten ghosts". I chose not to and I'm explicitly not asking for that, because I don't think the two songs are really telling the same story (in some ways they have opposite stories, moving on from good things that have gone vs moving on from bad things or dreams not fulfilled), but I get the same kind of feeling from the lyric about old haunts and forgotten ghosts as I do from the sons of regret and saying goodbye.
(I should say that I am very definitely asking for a story from the song, not RPF - and I wouldn't know enough about the band to follow RPF anyway)
Sign up details said --
I have no idea what a story based on this song would look like, but would dearly love to find out. It could be an entirely realistic story, or turned into a fantasy or SF setting. I love the song for the combination of driving rhythms, regret and passion, strength and hope. I love the sense of second chances or a new and changed purpose, of the orphans becoming the sons of regret becoming the sons of these songs.
Philadelphia Story (1940),
Tracy Lord,
C.K. Dexter Haven,
This is a repeat request from last year. I truly love this film, but there's no denying that it's got some problematic bits.
The things I love first:
I love Tracy, love that she's strong. I love that she's been trying to force herself into a mould that she and society think is "good" but she gets to the point where she has the courage and self belief to be herself in passionate three-dimensional glory. I love that she decides she doesn't want the man who would give her a prefabricated role as a perfect society wife but would then leave her to spend the rest of her life playing that part. And I love that she's already resolved that that's not what she wants before she thinks she has any chance of getting Dexter back.
And I love Dexter. I love that he's an alcoholic who's managed to stop drinking. I love that he's changed. I love that he doesn't make excuses for his past, but has gone out and found work and is dealing with the consequences of his actions. I love that he wants the best for Tracy and that although he'll stop her wedding to George by any means necessary, he would stand aside if she wanted Mike.
I love the film for the banter and wit, for second chances, for the way Tracy and Dex actually "get" each other -- and some of the other characters get them and each other too -- and because the characters change and grow. (And although it's probably not relevant to this request, I truly love the scene where James Stewart is very drunk and Cary Grant is very sober and they work out the plan to double cross the gutter press.)
But then there's the less fortunate elements; the way that, along with encouragement to be herself, Tracy is still being given some really unhelpful lessons about a woman's responsibility. (She's to blame for her father's affair? Really? And let me say that I thoroughly approve of her getting herself out of a relationship with an alcoholic, even if he has managed to stop drinking since.)
What I'd really adore is Tracy/Dex set after the end of the film that takes seriously their histories and the history between them -- things like him being an alcoholic who hit her when he was drunk, even though he's now sober and non-violent, and the really unhelpful messages she has absorbed about it being her responsibility to make other people happy -- but a story that still manages to come to a happy resolution where they know and trust and value each other as well as loving each other. If your heart quails at that (and I can see why it would) then anything with snarky interaction between the two of them, and the affection showing through would make me happy.
Sign up details said --
I'd really love Tracy/Dex set after the end of the film that takes seriously their histories and the history between them -- things like him being an alcoholic who hit her when he was drunk, even though he's now sober and non-violent, and the really unhelpful messages she has absorbed about it being her responsibility to make other people happy -- but a story that still manages to come to a happy resolution where they know and trust and value each other as well as loving each other.
SPOILERS AHEAD FOR KING OF ATTOLIA AND THE TWO BOOKS BEFORE IT IN THE SERIES; Minor spoilers for Conspiracy of Kings
Queen's Thief - Megan Whalen Turner,
Hilarion (Queen's Thief),
Philologos (Queen's Thief),
If you've been assigned to this request, I can only assume it's because you offered "any" characters for this fandom. And I'm sorry!
If you're currently scratching your head and wondering what on Earth is going on in my mind, I'd like to make the case that these two tiny characters do have not only a lot of depth, but a lot of character development and relationship development between them in the course of King of Attolia. And I'd like to direct you to a separate post where I have laid out pretty much every mention of either of them in any of the books and which I hope will make a case for it.
I love these books for the intricate politics, the depth of the characters, the way that humanity and compassion are often matched with ruthlessness, the way that faith makes things more complicated not less. I love Gen and Attolia and pretty much all the main characters, but yuletide was always going to be the only chance I ever had to ask for Hilarion/Philologos so that's what I'm asking for now.
I love these characters in particular even though they are so minor in the scale of things. I love the way they start off being Sejanus's dupes, fairly shallow and self-interested, but that they grow and change over the course of the book. I like the growing courage and honour that makes Philologos both confess his own wrongdoing and makes him take on a growing leadership role among the King's attendants. I like the way that Hilarion also takes on personal responsibility and how -- into Conspiracy of Kings -- he starts doing what Gen needs his attendants to do, even while Gen is still assuming he can't trust them. I love the way their own interactions with each other deepen throughout the book as Hilarion looks out for Philologos and Philologos becomes a voice of conscience and insight. There's a relationship between them to be extrapolated from the books and an increasing amount of respect that the other attendants hold them in, as well as their complex relationship with the King.
I love the effect that Eugenides has on on the people around him; by the end of KoA, I'm entirely convinced that he has won his attendants' passionate loyalty, even though he's still utterly infuriates them -- and even though CoK makes clear that he thinks he can't trust them. (And partly through Ion in CoK but mainly through Hilarion and Philologos' own actions and behaviour in KoA, I'm convinced that they've become "Eugenides' men" -- to paraphrase Harry Potter -- through and through.)
I don't see Hilarion and Philologos as already being in a relationship by the end of King, but I do see the potential growing, all mixed up with them becoming capable of more and greater things themselves and with navigating the complexities of Attolia's court; a whole set of my favourite things. I'd love a story where they do become a couple in among all the complications of mixed loyalties and court politics and whatever Gen and Attolia decide to do next. If you don't want to do slash, or if I've failed to convince you on the pairing, then a gen story using these two characters to focus on life among the King's attendants, the same complexities and the same sense of it means to be drawn into Eugenides orbit would also suit me very well. I'd like to think that they ultimately become Eugenides' trusted lieutenants (in the non-military sense) and that that makes their lives far more complicated, not less, but there's no need to write that far into the future if there are other things you'd rather focus on. In either case, I'm happy for anything between most and very little of the story focus to be on the King and Queen, so long as it's from H &P's perspective or includes the effect on them. Or a story in Gen's perspective as he gets to actually know them could also be fun.
Sign up details said --
If you're completely baffled by this request I'm sorry! I swear the pairing makes sense and I do have more explanation at my Yuletide letter. I'd love a story where they become a couple in among all the complications of mixed loyalties and court politics and whatever the king and queen do next. I'd like to think that they ultimately become Eugenides' trusted lieutenants (in the non-military sense) and that that makes their lives far more complicated, not less.
BOOK DESTROYING SPOILERS FOR DEMON'S LEXICON AHEAD. Plus spoilers for the ending of Demon's Covenant
Demon's Lexicon - Sarah Rees Brennan,
James 'Jamie' Crawford,
Nicholas 'Nick' Ryves,
I only started reading this series in the last few months and I don't think I've loved new reading material so much since I discovered Megan Whalen Turner. (High praise indeed!) I'm serious about the book destroying spoilers, and also that it's really, really worth reading these books unspoiled -- if you don't already know them, please click away now (and then go buy and read!)
I love everything about these books. I love the intensity combined with the wit. I adore Mae and Sin unreservedly. I'm very fond of Alan, even (or especially) when he's being entirely amoral or sacrificing the world for the sake of Nick. But Jamie and Nick are the ones I love the most, both separately and together. (Despite the fact that everyone has complex motives, I don't have much sympathy for Gerald or the other magician leaders -- once they are feeding people to Demons for the sake of getting power for themselves, protestations that everyone is morally ambiguous just don't stack up to me).
So, Jamie and Nick. I love the demon/magician thing. I love that Jamie could rule and remake the world if he controlled Nick or that Nick could rule and remake the world if he controlled Jamie and that if they don't it's only because they choose not to. (We're back to choices about what matters here).
I love Jamie's courage, even when he's terrified. I love his goodness that doesn't mean weakness and his strength that doesn't mean he has the skills to join a physical fight. I love his wit even when he's facing horrors and even when he's completely unprepared.
I love that even when Nick fails to grasp humanity, he is still fiercely protective of the people he loves (or at least sees as his). I love that even when Alan is most worried about what Nick is and whether he cares about anything at all, we can see that Nick feels far more than he is able or willing to say I love that --
“I thought that demons weren’t supposed to lie,” Mae said.
“We don’t,” said Nick, his hands light on the wheel and his voice even. “But I am in full possession of the amazing power of being sarcastic.” (and that's even in the context of fretting about Jamie's feelings)
Putting them together, I love the way that throughout Covenant, albeit largely out of Mae's Sight, Jamie and Nick are developing a friendship, training a little with knives, doing things that are supposed to terrify Jamie and that Nick isn't supposed to be capable of. I love that even while Nick is struggling with Mae and Alan about very basic issues of humanity, he is still developing bonds with Jamie. I love the wit and the banter in the interaction between them even when it's serious; for example --
Nick put (the knife) away. “Just making a point.”
“Yes, I took your point,” Jamie muttered. “Right up against my throat.”...
“I wasn’t trying to hurt you,” he told Jamie suddenly.....
“Okay,” said Nick. He turned to Jamie and popped his left wrist sheath again. “Look.”
Jamie backed up. “Which part of ‘completely terrified’ did you translate as ‘show us your knives, Nick’? Don’t show me your knives, Nick. I have no interest in your knives.”
I love the way that Nick is focused on protecting Jamie, albeit in a terrifying fashion, I love the way that these weighty bits of dialogue are scattered through several pages of action, I love the way Jamie retains his composure and his sense of humour.
Or later on the bridge with Celeste, I love --
“You’re not taking him,” said Nick. “He’s ours.”
“I really kind of am,” Jamie put in. “I mean, I’m mine. Nick is being horrifying and inappropriate as usual, but I’d much rather go home with them. Not that I don’t appreciate the kind offer of hospitality as expressed by kidnapping me.”....
“Everything is all right,” Celeste cooed. “I don’t blame you for an instant. It’s made you promises, hasn’t it? It’s made you want to do anything it wishes. It’s shown you marvels.”
Jamie blinked. “If you’re talking about Nick, all he’s shown me is this car he’s fixing up. And honestly, I wasn’t that interested.”
“You said you were interested,” Nick commented, his voice dry.
“Well, I was being polite.”
And a little later, really demonstrating why I love them both --
“I didn’t mean for you to take that the wrong way,” he said abruptly.
Mae stared at him in amazement. So, for that matter, did Jamie. “What?”
“Demons don’t touch anyone without a reason,” Nick went on, his eyes shut again. “You can imagine what kind of reasons we usually have. I don’t like - not anyone - I didn’t mean anything by it.”
“Oh,” said Jamie. “Oh, that’s okay! That’s fine. I understand. I am filled to the brim with understanding and, and acceptance! I’m very Zen like that.”
And I get total shivers towards the end of the book --
“I’m really sorry about this,” he said. “I know that you’re upset about Alan and you don’t know what to say to me about - about anything, and this is the worst time to try and talk to you.... there isn’t any other time I can talk to you. I just wanted to say that you were a great friend. I’m really glad you asked me. I’m really glad we did that. And you can go and find Alan now. You don’t have to say anything at all.” Jamie stood a careful distance away from Nick and spoke carefully too, anxiously, trying to get it just right....
“Hey,” Nick said abruptly, and tossed something at Jamie’s head. Jamie caught it, fumbling it a bit, and then almost dropped it when he saw the rough carvings on the bright handle and worked out what it was.
“A knife, Nick?” he asked piteously. “I feel so betrayed.”
“It’s a magic knife,” Nick said. “I made it myself.”
“I don’t want to seem ungrateful when you have given me this thoughtful, homemade and totally terrifying gift,” Jamie told him. “But you can’t imagine that I’m going to use it.”
“Just to hold someone off. Just remember what I taught you,” said Nick. “Just buy a little time so I can come and get you. Jamie. I’ll come and get you.”
“Nick,” Jamie said. “I know. Thank you for my scary knife.”
Who am I kidding? I could quote almost anything either of them ever says to the other and love it. I've quoted vast paragraphs of the book above and I was still really sorry whenever I had to cut anything out.
I'd love a Nick/Jamie story, with them fumbling their way to a real deep relationship, perhaps picking up on issues of humanity and integrity, power and trust, or right and wrong, the choices they make or the ability to love, but with the lightness of their banter showing through. And if Nick/Jamie isn't your thing, I'd still love something with friendship and wit and all the same issues that arise when a Demon and a Magician come together as friends. And honestly, if Nick and Jamie are in it, I'll love a story which does pretty much anything at all.
Finally a note about spoilers -- I've read both Lexicon and Covenant. I've also read Sarah Rees Brennan's first posted snippet of Demon's Surrender (the one with Jamie and Nick). I'd be happy with something based on that or something that goes entirely AU after Covenant, but I won't necessarily read any further snippets or spoilers that come out for Surrender. I don't think there's any way anyone is going to get to read the book before Yuletide, but if by any chance there are further spoilers around/you find an ARC/you are one of SRB's beta readers, please don't include recognisable spoilers beyond what I've read!
Sign up details said --
I love this pairing being about Magicians and Demons, that either of them could use the other to rule the world, but they don't have to choose to do so and I love the way they build a friendship despite Jamie's fear and Nick's lack of people skills. I'd really like a Nick/Jamie story, with them fumbling their way to a real relationship, perhaps picking up on issues of humanity and integrity, or power and trust, or right and wrong and the choices they make, but with the lightness of their banter still showing through