Meet PB Fan Fic Author - pemphredouk
You guys did a great job with the questions last week so sit back and enjoy this wonderful interview with:
Prison Break Fan Fic author pemphredouk
Asked by: alazysod
How do you feel about the premise for S3?
Slightly nervous to be honest, I do prowl amongst the speculation threads on the forums and I’m uneasy about PB going down the road of Sona as an experiment, and Michael the lab rat. However just having Sona as a darker tropical version of Fox River and the Michael/Lincoln roles reversed also seems a little strange. I’m trying to have faith in the PB writers and anything that puts Wentworth Miller on my screen can only be a good thing right?
What character inspired you to start writing PB fic?
Michael, his storyline has always screamed out angst to me. There’s something about his situation that compels me to write. He’s a good man, in a bad place and yet he has done bad things for good reasons. Plus I always want to hug him when he’s suffering, mushy I know.
When you get an idea, do you begin writing immediately, or do you mull it over for a couple of days? Does your writing process ever change?
Ideas tend to come when I’m driving, or on the rare occasions I’m by myself - maybe dog walking. I toss them about a bit, work out a few possibilities and then tell myself the story as I drive, often repeating dialogue, If I’m stuck in traffic people must assume I’m on Bluetooth or a hands free kit, but no I’m talking to myself… I usually then have to get the ideas/dialogue down on screen within a couple of days. Sometimes I can create wonderful plot twists or dialogue and then forget it once I’m at my PC and that’s frustrating.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Asked by: Happywriter06
-Most of your fics deal with the relationship between the brothers. What is it about their relationship that inspires you?
Their back stories intrigue me, neither had a great start and yet the sibling ties remain very strong probably because of this. They’re two very different guys whose lives should pull them away from each other and yet of course the opposite happens. I love playing with that bond, testing it.
Do you think the writers handled their relationship well this season?
Hmm this is difficult because I know I’m partially blinded by the whole Wentworth loving thing and have mini hissy fits if there’s not enough Michael on the screen. However I’m not happy that Lincoln feels to have ‘shrunk’ a little this season. The writers seem to have put more effort into Michael/Sara and missed several opportunities to recreate the emotions shown in the awesome hug scene in Season one- Riots episode. The brother’s relationship did not feel as central to the show as it should in Season 2.
If you were stranded on a deserted island, what five fics would you want with you?
Wow that’s a toughy, I’d chose the longer ones to give me more to read. I’ve loved so many this year but some of my favourites are
Freedom - Miss Vacant
Trick of the Light - MSgenevieve
Sight unforeseen - Volatile
The Rage of Angels - Chanchito
My Old Life My Old skin -mine, I wrote it for my pleasure and I still enjoy it. (It’s the chains)
Favourite character.
Michael
Least favourite.
Toss up between Bellick and T Bag
Are you ever tempted to write things outside of your comfort zone?
I know I tend to use Sara merely as a plot device rather than build her into the story. That’s because I’m avoiding having a go at the heavier (NC-17) stuff that in my mind becomes inevitable if you have Sara and Michael together for very long. (Yeah I must have a mucky mind.) I’ve read some great stories which are quite graphical but I know writing my own is still way outside my comfort zone at the moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Asked by: Bluedelft
If you could travel one place in the world where would you go?
I’d love to travel to many places but if you’re only buying me one ticket…Toronto, to revisit some old haunts and old friends.(I worked there in my gap year before Uni, I live in the UK.)
Do you have a favourite book that you've read over and over again? What about a favourite author?
My favourite kids book was The Weirdstone of Brisengamen by Alan Garner which I now have on tape but which I used to re read once every few years and my kids subsequently hate it since I tried to make them like it too much.. I do love Austen and my favourite is Persuasion, which is strange as I studied that at A level and over analysing anything usually spoils it. I just love her language and she’d have been a great fic writer…
What character do you find the easiest to write and which one is the hardest?
Michael I find easiest, I can step into his voice quite well, Lincoln is ok but I tend to simplify Sara too much. Maybe it’s because I’m older and much wiser nowadays. I can’t understand her reluctance and reservations around Michael. I’m always screaming at her “Just forgive the guy and get it together for heavens sake he’s lovely” and as such I’d never really write her true to character.
Do you have a favourite scene that you find yourself watching over and over again?
Anything angsty for Michael so my favourites are
English Fitz Percy When he’s about to be transferred and in chains
The riot scene when everything starts to go so wrong and he finds Lincoln
Killing Box when they’re captured at Las Cruces, I think it’s the chains…. Ah another one - When he’s about to give himself up to Pope after the Cigar club trip and not a chain in sight.
What inspired your first PB fic? Was it a scene, a comment made by someone or maybe a prompt or challenge?
I’d found PB late, found the fic sites even later and spent hours reading everything. By then it was the break between S1 and S2 and I desperately wanted to play about with these wonderful characters I’d discovered. The first fic came out of an interview WM had given saying how he was sure Michael would eventually wind up back inside and it just made me want to turn the speculation into a story of Michael after everything had been resolved. - ‘Nice resume’ was the result.
What is your favourite donut? With all of the donut drabbles and Pam suggesting this question here it is!
I’m a diabetic so donuts are verboten now unfortunately, however when I could eat them, custard filled ones were my fave! - I love the donut drabbles though and they can’t harm my sugar levels!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Asked by: Antoine_baros
Describe the process you go through when you write a fic, from having the original idea to posting.
I mentioned above my ideas are formed whilst driving or dog walking. I used to listen to speech radio in the car but now its turned off and I write the stories in my head instead. I then transfer them straight to the screen and usually will complete a long chapter in one sitting in one evening. (Tearcreek my beta will attest to the haste in which I type these) I rarely change anything unless the grammar/punctuation is unbearable. I hate having to type it all out to be honest. My creative bit is talking the story through to myself, honing the dialogue. However some stories require research so the first draft may be full of <<>> kind of thing and then it’s a bit like having homework to do to fill in the blanks, before I send it for betaing (if that isn’t a verb it is now)
Is writing more a hobby or a need to you?
I’d have described it as a hobby when I started but it’s become more than that. I dislike not having a story on the go. It’s become a need, which on reflection is kind of scary.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Asked by: Pamalax
When did you get into a) Prison Break the show.
About this time last year , maybe later, S1 was being shown on reruns l was hooked within 10 minutes of watching the first one..
b) Prison Break fan fiction.
I started reading them towards the end of the summer, I wrote my first in September last year.
What about this show made you want to write PB fan fiction?
The original premise fascinated me. The whole moral dilemma of Michael, was he a good guy or a bad guy? Was Lincoln’s life worth all the others? I felt like I knew the characters really well very quickly and that made me want to explore how they would react in other situations - Michael freed, Michael on the run by himself, Michael and Lincoln becoming estranged…
Were you writing fic for other shows before PB and if so which shows.
No. I was a fic virgin before PB
Is there any story or character in the world of Prison Break you've yet to tell and are eager to get your hands on.
I want to explore the whole media reaction to the story, its been touched on in some of my fics and by other authors but I’m interesting in the brothers trying to get back to a normal life but their ‘fame’ and the media’s incessant need for stories about them stops it and how they both react.
What do you think is the hardest thing about writing Prison Break fan fic.
Finding new ways to explore these characters when there are so many good authors out there and doing just the same. Timelines need care sometimes as well, in PB the writers make all the legal stuff wrap up in ridiculously short timescales and yet fics cant spend all their time in the courtroom so it’s finding a balance.
Look to your left, desk... wall, right now and tell us what it is you see there.
Michael Scofield poster which I tell everyone belongs to my daughter…
A work file I brought home to read ready for a meeting tomorrow. It won’t be read…
Asked by: Foxriverinmate
Was it English, Fitz or Percy that first gave you the taste for the pairing of Michael!Chains? Or something else?!
There’s something about Michael in chains that is just .well… That episode is very angsty and I love that. The image of Michael who I see as sensitive, controlled, intelligent being chained just makes me want to hug him and make all the nasty people go away. However perhaps we all like the bad boys and if he’s in chains he has to be bad….right?
Season One or Season Two? And which season finale made the biggest impression on you?
Season 1, I loved the atmosphere of Fox River I loved the whole yard full of big bad men and Mikey. I also loved the colouring of season 1, blues, greys and greens.
However I never really liked the airplane leaving them finale in Season 1. The walk down the corridor on Season 2 was incredible though!
Do you read and write the same pairings? Or do you read something different from what you write?
I’ve only ever written general fic with a hint of Lincoln, LJ and Sara to balance out Michael. I wouldn’t really call it Misa. I read everything. I mean everything, I’m a fic whore. I’m really bad at reviewing and I should do more as so many authors give me so much pleasure.
Prison Break Fan Fic author pemphredouk
Asked by: alazysod
How do you feel about the premise for S3?
Slightly nervous to be honest, I do prowl amongst the speculation threads on the forums and I’m uneasy about PB going down the road of Sona as an experiment, and Michael the lab rat. However just having Sona as a darker tropical version of Fox River and the Michael/Lincoln roles reversed also seems a little strange. I’m trying to have faith in the PB writers and anything that puts Wentworth Miller on my screen can only be a good thing right?
What character inspired you to start writing PB fic?
Michael, his storyline has always screamed out angst to me. There’s something about his situation that compels me to write. He’s a good man, in a bad place and yet he has done bad things for good reasons. Plus I always want to hug him when he’s suffering, mushy I know.
When you get an idea, do you begin writing immediately, or do you mull it over for a couple of days? Does your writing process ever change?
Ideas tend to come when I’m driving, or on the rare occasions I’m by myself - maybe dog walking. I toss them about a bit, work out a few possibilities and then tell myself the story as I drive, often repeating dialogue, If I’m stuck in traffic people must assume I’m on Bluetooth or a hands free kit, but no I’m talking to myself… I usually then have to get the ideas/dialogue down on screen within a couple of days. Sometimes I can create wonderful plot twists or dialogue and then forget it once I’m at my PC and that’s frustrating.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Asked by: Happywriter06
-Most of your fics deal with the relationship between the brothers. What is it about their relationship that inspires you?
Their back stories intrigue me, neither had a great start and yet the sibling ties remain very strong probably because of this. They’re two very different guys whose lives should pull them away from each other and yet of course the opposite happens. I love playing with that bond, testing it.
Do you think the writers handled their relationship well this season?
Hmm this is difficult because I know I’m partially blinded by the whole Wentworth loving thing and have mini hissy fits if there’s not enough Michael on the screen. However I’m not happy that Lincoln feels to have ‘shrunk’ a little this season. The writers seem to have put more effort into Michael/Sara and missed several opportunities to recreate the emotions shown in the awesome hug scene in Season one- Riots episode. The brother’s relationship did not feel as central to the show as it should in Season 2.
If you were stranded on a deserted island, what five fics would you want with you?
Wow that’s a toughy, I’d chose the longer ones to give me more to read. I’ve loved so many this year but some of my favourites are
Freedom - Miss Vacant
Trick of the Light - MSgenevieve
Sight unforeseen - Volatile
The Rage of Angels - Chanchito
My Old Life My Old skin -mine, I wrote it for my pleasure and I still enjoy it. (It’s the chains)
Favourite character.
Michael
Least favourite.
Toss up between Bellick and T Bag
Are you ever tempted to write things outside of your comfort zone?
I know I tend to use Sara merely as a plot device rather than build her into the story. That’s because I’m avoiding having a go at the heavier (NC-17) stuff that in my mind becomes inevitable if you have Sara and Michael together for very long. (Yeah I must have a mucky mind.) I’ve read some great stories which are quite graphical but I know writing my own is still way outside my comfort zone at the moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Asked by: Bluedelft
If you could travel one place in the world where would you go?
I’d love to travel to many places but if you’re only buying me one ticket…Toronto, to revisit some old haunts and old friends.(I worked there in my gap year before Uni, I live in the UK.)
Do you have a favourite book that you've read over and over again? What about a favourite author?
My favourite kids book was The Weirdstone of Brisengamen by Alan Garner which I now have on tape but which I used to re read once every few years and my kids subsequently hate it since I tried to make them like it too much.. I do love Austen and my favourite is Persuasion, which is strange as I studied that at A level and over analysing anything usually spoils it. I just love her language and she’d have been a great fic writer…
What character do you find the easiest to write and which one is the hardest?
Michael I find easiest, I can step into his voice quite well, Lincoln is ok but I tend to simplify Sara too much. Maybe it’s because I’m older and much wiser nowadays. I can’t understand her reluctance and reservations around Michael. I’m always screaming at her “Just forgive the guy and get it together for heavens sake he’s lovely” and as such I’d never really write her true to character.
Do you have a favourite scene that you find yourself watching over and over again?
Anything angsty for Michael so my favourites are
English Fitz Percy When he’s about to be transferred and in chains
The riot scene when everything starts to go so wrong and he finds Lincoln
Killing Box when they’re captured at Las Cruces, I think it’s the chains…. Ah another one - When he’s about to give himself up to Pope after the Cigar club trip and not a chain in sight.
What inspired your first PB fic? Was it a scene, a comment made by someone or maybe a prompt or challenge?
I’d found PB late, found the fic sites even later and spent hours reading everything. By then it was the break between S1 and S2 and I desperately wanted to play about with these wonderful characters I’d discovered. The first fic came out of an interview WM had given saying how he was sure Michael would eventually wind up back inside and it just made me want to turn the speculation into a story of Michael after everything had been resolved. - ‘Nice resume’ was the result.
What is your favourite donut? With all of the donut drabbles and Pam suggesting this question here it is!
I’m a diabetic so donuts are verboten now unfortunately, however when I could eat them, custard filled ones were my fave! - I love the donut drabbles though and they can’t harm my sugar levels!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Asked by: Antoine_baros
Describe the process you go through when you write a fic, from having the original idea to posting.
I mentioned above my ideas are formed whilst driving or dog walking. I used to listen to speech radio in the car but now its turned off and I write the stories in my head instead. I then transfer them straight to the screen and usually will complete a long chapter in one sitting in one evening. (Tearcreek my beta will attest to the haste in which I type these) I rarely change anything unless the grammar/punctuation is unbearable. I hate having to type it all out to be honest. My creative bit is talking the story through to myself, honing the dialogue. However some stories require research so the first draft may be full of <<>> kind of thing and then it’s a bit like having homework to do to fill in the blanks, before I send it for betaing (if that isn’t a verb it is now)
Is writing more a hobby or a need to you?
I’d have described it as a hobby when I started but it’s become more than that. I dislike not having a story on the go. It’s become a need, which on reflection is kind of scary.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Asked by: Pamalax
When did you get into a) Prison Break the show.
About this time last year , maybe later, S1 was being shown on reruns l was hooked within 10 minutes of watching the first one..
b) Prison Break fan fiction.
I started reading them towards the end of the summer, I wrote my first in September last year.
What about this show made you want to write PB fan fiction?
The original premise fascinated me. The whole moral dilemma of Michael, was he a good guy or a bad guy? Was Lincoln’s life worth all the others? I felt like I knew the characters really well very quickly and that made me want to explore how they would react in other situations - Michael freed, Michael on the run by himself, Michael and Lincoln becoming estranged…
Were you writing fic for other shows before PB and if so which shows.
No. I was a fic virgin before PB
Is there any story or character in the world of Prison Break you've yet to tell and are eager to get your hands on.
I want to explore the whole media reaction to the story, its been touched on in some of my fics and by other authors but I’m interesting in the brothers trying to get back to a normal life but their ‘fame’ and the media’s incessant need for stories about them stops it and how they both react.
What do you think is the hardest thing about writing Prison Break fan fic.
Finding new ways to explore these characters when there are so many good authors out there and doing just the same. Timelines need care sometimes as well, in PB the writers make all the legal stuff wrap up in ridiculously short timescales and yet fics cant spend all their time in the courtroom so it’s finding a balance.
Look to your left, desk... wall, right now and tell us what it is you see there.
Michael Scofield poster which I tell everyone belongs to my daughter…
A work file I brought home to read ready for a meeting tomorrow. It won’t be read…
Asked by: Foxriverinmate
Was it English, Fitz or Percy that first gave you the taste for the pairing of Michael!Chains? Or something else?!
There’s something about Michael in chains that is just .well… That episode is very angsty and I love that. The image of Michael who I see as sensitive, controlled, intelligent being chained just makes me want to hug him and make all the nasty people go away. However perhaps we all like the bad boys and if he’s in chains he has to be bad….right?
Season One or Season Two? And which season finale made the biggest impression on you?
Season 1, I loved the atmosphere of Fox River I loved the whole yard full of big bad men and Mikey. I also loved the colouring of season 1, blues, greys and greens.
However I never really liked the airplane leaving them finale in Season 1. The walk down the corridor on Season 2 was incredible though!
Do you read and write the same pairings? Or do you read something different from what you write?
I’ve only ever written general fic with a hint of Lincoln, LJ and Sara to balance out Michael. I wouldn’t really call it Misa. I read everything. I mean everything, I’m a fic whore. I’m really bad at reviewing and I should do more as so many authors give me so much pleasure.