That time o'year again...
Dear Yuletide writer,
Hi, and welcome to my little corner of the universe! This is my third year doing Yuletide, so I'm well acquainted with the ins and outs of the exchange. I'm a voracious reader, a reader who loves to read about all sorts genres and situations, whatever the author can pull out of their proverbial hat. I'm happily obsessed with the "what if" that results in fanfiction; I think exploring every canonical corner and crevice is a fun thing to do, and that's what fuels my own writing.
Stuff I Love:
* Romance. I'm a pathetic, hopeless romantic, and I love the process of watching people fall in love in a realistic, non-corny way. Something swoony'll always turn my head.
* Slice-Of-Life. I love it when characters interact. I love jumping into the headspaces of these characters post-canon and seeing what makes them tick. Therefore, I really enjoy watching characters go about their daily lives, hearing what they're thinking. Outlandish action epics are fun, but the ordinary staff of life I adore.
* True-to-canon portrayals. I don't cling to canon in any respect (AU is a friend of mine), but I love a story that explores characters from their portrayal within the movie/show/play/etc.
I also like slash, gen and het equally, and smut is a wonderful thing but absolutely not required.
Stuff I Dislike:
There isn't a lot that really disgusts me in a fic. In exchanges, I like leaving an author to create what moves them in a lot of ways; convincing writing in turn motivates my reaction. But the things that really tick me off are:
* Character bashing. I have no problem with villainous characters being called out for villainous behavior, and well-explained and thought-out negative actions by others. But "x-is-awful-because-he/she-gets-in-the-way-of-pairing-c" isn't my cup of tea.
* Rampant OOC-ness in non-AUs: Exploring the way a character might have turned out if they hadn't experienced some canonical event is just fine, but wildly-OOC behavior doesn't do anything for me.
* Angst without context. Angst when well-explained or thought out (or canonically works for a character) is just fine. Angst "just because" falls flat for me.
* Noncon. Some folks like it, but unless it's really well explored (IE: it explores how the event makes the person feel) it's not my thing.
Fandoms I Love (And Requested this year):
The Evil Dead Trilogy: Nothing much has changed when it comes to my love for this series. It's still got a perfect combination of silliness, genuine horror, and emotionally moving moments. I like looking at it as a sort of coming-of-age story for Ash, who transforms over the course of three movies from an innocent, frightened college student to a self-assured, battle-hardened warrior.
Plus, Bruce Campbell is hot:
really hot.
'
Even when he's muddy and screaming:
I'm primarily an Ash/Sheila 'shipper still (can you blame me?). But this year I'm mixing it up and asking for some Ash/Linda, too. I've tossed a scenario in with my submitted form, which is, again: If Ash were given the choice to go back in time and undo Linda's death or stay in the present with Sheila, would he take it?, but I have to add I'm utterly cool with genfic in this fandom as well, especially if Ash is IC.
Ode to Billie Joe (Song): I actually squeaked when I saw this fandom got nominated this year. This is one of my favorite story-songs; it's slightly creepy and ironic and impassioned about people who AREN'T impassioned.
So what happens to the narrator? (You can keep calling her Bobbie Lee, like they did in the movie, if you prefer). Does Billie Joe haunt her, literally or figuratively? Does she end up with Brother Taylor, or does she manage to get out of Choctaw Ridge?
Wikipedia's expanded its OTBJ entry recently, and here's the song; settle down and really appreciate those swooping, unsettling string sections:
Sinead O'Connor sang this one, too:
Mystery Science Theater 3000: MST3K! That ridiculously wonderful, snarky little show. I've watched it forever
Funnily enough, thanks to the interaction of the main characters and the generally sweet-natured relationship between Mike, Joel and the 'bots, this is a comfort food fandom of mine. I'd like genfic - how's everyone doing? How's Pearl doing running Qatar? Does anyone else ever hear the mysterious cloven hoofbeat of Torgo's feet stomping up the pathway?
Hulu has a small selection of MST3K, there's a wealth of episodes on Netflix Instant, and youtube fans continue the tradition of circling the tapes by putting up episodes that haven't seen an official DVD release. Here's my favorite:
Or Quest of the Delta Knights on Youtube!
Psycho Beach Party: This finally got a nomination! The cracktackular but awesomely fiery little off-Broadway spectacular by Charles Busch, it's about Florence "Chicklet" Forrest, a hyper teenager who has problems both romantic (Her friends rush around trying to make out and she can't see what the fuss is all about), social (she desperately wants to be a cool surfer, but cannot hang ten with the cats and kittens on her local beach) and homicidal (she keeps having blackouts triggered by the sight of circular patterns which makes her believe she's the one behind a string of killing plaguing her hometown). Indeed, those blackouts in fact brings out several repressed personalities, most notably the homicidal, nymphomaniacal and sadistic Ann Bowman. During one wild summer, Chicklet sets out to solve the murders with her best friend Berdine - along the way becoming part of a cool clique of surfers including Starcat and the aging Kanaka, who desperately wants to make it with Ann and does everything he can to bring her out. The girls also become friends with Berdine's idol Bettina Barnes, b-movie starlet, who's run away from Hollywood to find inspiration for her next big movie. The plot is wild, overstuffed, hilarious, and filled with dance-and-surf-offs set to the music of Los Straightjackets:
...I managed not to mention the Swedish exchange student, Florence's neat freak mother, Yo-Yo and Provoloney (whose repressed love comes to beautiful(ly hilarious) fruition) or Monica Stark, the police captain in charge of the investigation, or Marvel Anne, Starcat's very angry girlfriend (played by Amy Adams in one of her first roles). THAT is an example of how wide-ranging it is!
ANYTHING from this movie would be fabulous, crack is a likely must, but I really liked Starcat and Chicklet's relationship, believe it or not. Also, anything with Bettina being a kickass b-movie mogul would be awesome, or something that plays with the movie's schism between reality and fiction. To quote my sign-up: ALTERNATE ENDING ALTERNATE ENDING! Or, optionally, both the movie-within-a-movie and the "reality" we see afterward are real. Chicklet has to grapple with the continued emergence of ANNE BOWMAN and Tylene while trying to regain her sanity and escape further capture. Can she and Starcat make it work? Crack's just fine, but I'd, ironically, like a cheeky but semi-serious approach.
CLOSING WITH A DANCE-OFF!
I really hope I've helped you out! And I hope you have as much fun writing the fic as I'm sure I'll have reading it!
Hi, and welcome to my little corner of the universe! This is my third year doing Yuletide, so I'm well acquainted with the ins and outs of the exchange. I'm a voracious reader, a reader who loves to read about all sorts genres and situations, whatever the author can pull out of their proverbial hat. I'm happily obsessed with the "what if" that results in fanfiction; I think exploring every canonical corner and crevice is a fun thing to do, and that's what fuels my own writing.
Stuff I Love:
* Romance. I'm a pathetic, hopeless romantic, and I love the process of watching people fall in love in a realistic, non-corny way. Something swoony'll always turn my head.
* Slice-Of-Life. I love it when characters interact. I love jumping into the headspaces of these characters post-canon and seeing what makes them tick. Therefore, I really enjoy watching characters go about their daily lives, hearing what they're thinking. Outlandish action epics are fun, but the ordinary staff of life I adore.
* True-to-canon portrayals. I don't cling to canon in any respect (AU is a friend of mine), but I love a story that explores characters from their portrayal within the movie/show/play/etc.
I also like slash, gen and het equally, and smut is a wonderful thing but absolutely not required.
Stuff I Dislike:
There isn't a lot that really disgusts me in a fic. In exchanges, I like leaving an author to create what moves them in a lot of ways; convincing writing in turn motivates my reaction. But the things that really tick me off are:
* Character bashing. I have no problem with villainous characters being called out for villainous behavior, and well-explained and thought-out negative actions by others. But "x-is-awful-because-he/she-gets-in-the-way-of-pairing-c" isn't my cup of tea.
* Rampant OOC-ness in non-AUs: Exploring the way a character might have turned out if they hadn't experienced some canonical event is just fine, but wildly-OOC behavior doesn't do anything for me.
* Angst without context. Angst when well-explained or thought out (or canonically works for a character) is just fine. Angst "just because" falls flat for me.
* Noncon. Some folks like it, but unless it's really well explored (IE: it explores how the event makes the person feel) it's not my thing.
Fandoms I Love (And Requested this year):
The Evil Dead Trilogy: Nothing much has changed when it comes to my love for this series. It's still got a perfect combination of silliness, genuine horror, and emotionally moving moments. I like looking at it as a sort of coming-of-age story for Ash, who transforms over the course of three movies from an innocent, frightened college student to a self-assured, battle-hardened warrior.
Plus, Bruce Campbell is hot:
really hot.
'
Even when he's muddy and screaming:
Click to viewI'm primarily an Ash/Sheila 'shipper still (can you blame me?). But this year I'm mixing it up and asking for some Ash/Linda, too. I've tossed a scenario in with my submitted form, which is, again: If Ash were given the choice to go back in time and undo Linda's death or stay in the present with Sheila, would he take it?, but I have to add I'm utterly cool with genfic in this fandom as well, especially if Ash is IC.
Ode to Billie Joe (Song): I actually squeaked when I saw this fandom got nominated this year. This is one of my favorite story-songs; it's slightly creepy and ironic and impassioned about people who AREN'T impassioned.
So what happens to the narrator? (You can keep calling her Bobbie Lee, like they did in the movie, if you prefer). Does Billie Joe haunt her, literally or figuratively? Does she end up with Brother Taylor, or does she manage to get out of Choctaw Ridge?
Wikipedia's expanded its OTBJ entry recently, and here's the song; settle down and really appreciate those swooping, unsettling string sections:
Sinead O'Connor sang this one, too:
Mystery Science Theater 3000: MST3K! That ridiculously wonderful, snarky little show. I've watched it forever
Funnily enough, thanks to the interaction of the main characters and the generally sweet-natured relationship between Mike, Joel and the 'bots, this is a comfort food fandom of mine. I'd like genfic - how's everyone doing? How's Pearl doing running Qatar? Does anyone else ever hear the mysterious cloven hoofbeat of Torgo's feet stomping up the pathway?
Hulu has a small selection of MST3K, there's a wealth of episodes on Netflix Instant, and youtube fans continue the tradition of circling the tapes by putting up episodes that haven't seen an official DVD release. Here's my favorite:
Or Quest of the Delta Knights on Youtube!
Psycho Beach Party: This finally got a nomination! The cracktackular but awesomely fiery little off-Broadway spectacular by Charles Busch, it's about Florence "Chicklet" Forrest, a hyper teenager who has problems both romantic (Her friends rush around trying to make out and she can't see what the fuss is all about), social (she desperately wants to be a cool surfer, but cannot hang ten with the cats and kittens on her local beach) and homicidal (she keeps having blackouts triggered by the sight of circular patterns which makes her believe she's the one behind a string of killing plaguing her hometown). Indeed, those blackouts in fact brings out several repressed personalities, most notably the homicidal, nymphomaniacal and sadistic Ann Bowman. During one wild summer, Chicklet sets out to solve the murders with her best friend Berdine - along the way becoming part of a cool clique of surfers including Starcat and the aging Kanaka, who desperately wants to make it with Ann and does everything he can to bring her out. The girls also become friends with Berdine's idol Bettina Barnes, b-movie starlet, who's run away from Hollywood to find inspiration for her next big movie. The plot is wild, overstuffed, hilarious, and filled with dance-and-surf-offs set to the music of Los Straightjackets:
...I managed not to mention the Swedish exchange student, Florence's neat freak mother, Yo-Yo and Provoloney (whose repressed love comes to beautiful(ly hilarious) fruition) or Monica Stark, the police captain in charge of the investigation, or Marvel Anne, Starcat's very angry girlfriend (played by Amy Adams in one of her first roles). THAT is an example of how wide-ranging it is!
ANYTHING from this movie would be fabulous, crack is a likely must, but I really liked Starcat and Chicklet's relationship, believe it or not. Also, anything with Bettina being a kickass b-movie mogul would be awesome, or something that plays with the movie's schism between reality and fiction. To quote my sign-up: ALTERNATE ENDING ALTERNATE ENDING! Or, optionally, both the movie-within-a-movie and the "reality" we see afterward are real. Chicklet has to grapple with the continued emergence of ANNE BOWMAN and Tylene while trying to regain her sanity and escape further capture. Can she and Starcat make it work? Crack's just fine, but I'd, ironically, like a cheeky but semi-serious approach.
CLOSING WITH A DANCE-OFF!
I really hope I've helped you out! And I hope you have as much fun writing the fic as I'm sure I'll have reading it!