Dear Yuletide Santa!
Thank you for giving me a chance to use this icon.
And thank you for taking part in this project. As I said in last year's letter, I do not want you feel pressured or nervous about writing me a story.
Generally, what I wrote last year stands true. If you want to see what stories I liked last year, look under the Yuletide tag. The posts are public. My tastes have not changed, as far as I know. I still enjoy tension, heightened reality, Jerusalem Delivered instead of Paradise Lost. On three out of four of my requests, I said "Any" because I meant it, but I know that sometimes inspiration needs prompting and pricking, so if I suggest characters or themes I do not want you to think that it means I have my heart set on receiving only that story and am incompetent at filling out forms and following directions. That is not true. I want you to have as much highly stressed fun as I will. Okay? Okay.
Here are some further specific notes:
Vikram Seth's A Suitable Boy [Any character(s)] became my favorite book about fifteen pages into it this summer. I still haven't really calmed down. I'm just saying: rose petals may have had something do with it. I would like anything about anyone, but as I said, something more moody and reflective than the majority of the book would be welcome. My favorite passages are probably the crisis scenes - Maan saving Firoz from the mob - and anything with Lata. Oh, Lata! I love you and your neoclassical frame of mind. And I also really love Malati and Savita and . . . everyone.
As for The Sun Sword [Any character] books, um. I know the canon is in kind of a weird place right now, so if this was your assignment then I salute you. I mean, in addition to all the other stuff always going on here? Wow. Okay, but I will probably like a story that fills in a gap or adds in some shading and extra details - something that shares your vision of events that have already happened, something that could be slotted in between chapters or books - more than simple addition. The story isn't closed yet, and I like it that way.
I grew up on Irish mythology, although I have never gotten around to reading the Tain in it's entirety. Okay, but as I said last year I would seriously melt for a story about Emer. Going on after Cu Chulain's death? Getting ready for him to come get her? Something else entirely?
And I also grew up on Patricia A McKillip's stuff - she's still one of my favorite writers. Like many people Riddle Master [Any character] resonates with me quite deeply. I would enjoy anything about anyone; my favorites are Mathom's family. Also, I think backstory would be interesting - Har and Suth, Danan Isig, the wizards, Deth. I'm not crazy about slash in this fandom, although I can see my way to Tristan and Lyra, maybe? I do like Morgan and Raederle a lot. Exploring any of the women would also be great. If you can manage to convey the rich world of the novels then I will love whatever you write.
But I also want you to know that you can ignore EVERYTHING up there, okay! I will just be happy to get a story, honestly. I want you to have fun more than I want anything else.
And thank you for taking part in this project. As I said in last year's letter, I do not want you feel pressured or nervous about writing me a story.
Generally, what I wrote last year stands true. If you want to see what stories I liked last year, look under the Yuletide tag. The posts are public. My tastes have not changed, as far as I know. I still enjoy tension, heightened reality, Jerusalem Delivered instead of Paradise Lost. On three out of four of my requests, I said "Any" because I meant it, but I know that sometimes inspiration needs prompting and pricking, so if I suggest characters or themes I do not want you to think that it means I have my heart set on receiving only that story and am incompetent at filling out forms and following directions. That is not true. I want you to have as much highly stressed fun as I will. Okay? Okay.
Here are some further specific notes:
Vikram Seth's A Suitable Boy [Any character(s)] became my favorite book about fifteen pages into it this summer. I still haven't really calmed down. I'm just saying: rose petals may have had something do with it. I would like anything about anyone, but as I said, something more moody and reflective than the majority of the book would be welcome. My favorite passages are probably the crisis scenes - Maan saving Firoz from the mob - and anything with Lata. Oh, Lata! I love you and your neoclassical frame of mind. And I also really love Malati and Savita and . . . everyone.
As for The Sun Sword [Any character] books, um. I know the canon is in kind of a weird place right now, so if this was your assignment then I salute you. I mean, in addition to all the other stuff always going on here? Wow. Okay, but I will probably like a story that fills in a gap or adds in some shading and extra details - something that shares your vision of events that have already happened, something that could be slotted in between chapters or books - more than simple addition. The story isn't closed yet, and I like it that way.
I grew up on Irish mythology, although I have never gotten around to reading the Tain in it's entirety. Okay, but as I said last year I would seriously melt for a story about Emer. Going on after Cu Chulain's death? Getting ready for him to come get her? Something else entirely?
And I also grew up on Patricia A McKillip's stuff - she's still one of my favorite writers. Like many people Riddle Master [Any character] resonates with me quite deeply. I would enjoy anything about anyone; my favorites are Mathom's family. Also, I think backstory would be interesting - Har and Suth, Danan Isig, the wizards, Deth. I'm not crazy about slash in this fandom, although I can see my way to Tristan and Lyra, maybe? I do like Morgan and Raederle a lot. Exploring any of the women would also be great. If you can manage to convey the rich world of the novels then I will love whatever you write.
But I also want you to know that you can ignore EVERYTHING up there, okay! I will just be happy to get a story, honestly. I want you to have fun more than I want anything else.