Author Interview: Zeppomarx
Author Interview: Zeppomarx
zeppomarx has 5 pieces on the House What-If Rec List. You can find her online as zeppomarx [LJ] and harpomarx [FF].
Please give her a warm welcome and interact in the comments section below.
The What-If Genre
As a writer and/or as a reader, what draws you to what-iffy fic?
I tend to think that all fiction is "what-iffy." What if there was this cranky, craggy doctor named House, a man in extreme chronic pain who said the things we all think but never say, who also happened to be so brilliant that people put up with his bad behavior? Isn't that "what-iffy"?
But, to be more specific and to answer your question more directly, I'm drawn to the idea that given the right circumstances people can heal, difficulties can be overcome and problems can be resolved. So my "Gentle Knock" story was based on the idea that, given the right circumstances, House could begin to recover from the catastrophic damage done to him in DIYSheep's The Contract. In " Sunday Brunch," the idea was that given the right circumstances, House could actually have had a happier life.
To me, it's along the lines of Sherlock Holmes' curious case of the dog that barked in the night. It's far easier to write about what's there than it is to write about what isn't. And I'm fascinated by that "what isn'ts."
As a Reader
What was the first House fic you remember reading, and why has it stuck with you?
Easy. The first House fic I read was also the very first piece of fanfiction I ever read. It was Priority's Exigencies. I was struck by how very good the writing was and how compelling it was to read a story based on characters I already knew. At that point, I found myself compelled to start writing "A Gentle Knock at the Door," long before I'd read "The Contract" or much other fanfiction. I became fascinated with the idea of recovery, and found myself writing obsessively, even though I hadn't written fiction since I was in junior high school.
What types of fics draw you in / are you drawn to as a reader?
I love angst and/or hurt/comfort, especially when House is the subject. If House is hurt or sick, I'm immediately drawn to it. I'm not particularly into ships, although I've read some shippy stories I really like, such as In the House's "Pranks" series. I like some House-Wilson paired stories. Personally, I never could figure out the attraction some people have for House and Cameron as a couple, though … just never made sense to me.
Some of your favorite House fics, and why? (Can be in what-iffy genre or any other type - categorize any way you like.)
Anything by In the House"> or Maineac or … or … or …. golly, there are so many others, I'm not even sure where to start. I can say that I seem to be attracted to stories with House going through therapy. I always like pieces that are sympathetic to House, as opposed to ones that simply see him as a smart-mouthed annoyance.
What kind of fic would you like to see more of in the fandom?
Not sure I can answer that. It would be a lot easier to say which kinds I'm really tired of. Some themes have been done to death as far as I'm concerned.
Favorite author or piece that you feel more people should read?
I've already mentioned In the House, so maybe I'll just stick with that. Even if you're not into House-Cuddy stories, which I'm not particularly, she's got such a great writing style and her series is so terrific, I'd recommend it to anyone.
As a Writer
What genre/length/pairing/challenge/prompt do you most enjoy writing?
It depends on how inspiration strikes me. Three of my stories are quite long, and I found that challenging and rewarding, but I also wrote a couple of very short ones. I've never used a prompt and don't seem to feel the need to write about a pairing. I think I most enjoy trying to come up with ideas no one else has tackled, or ones no one has tackled in the same way. I find coming up with something new or different particularly rewarding.
What do you struggle with as an author?
I think my biggest issue is attempting to balance between action and a character's inner dialogue or emotional life. I feel as if I'm still a novice at fiction writing and have a lot of room for improvement.
Do you plan to continue writing House fic? (Please say yes.)
Probably. I've got a couple of ideas that have been percolating for a while, but they don't seem to be going anywhere. Of course, I said that before I came up with the idea for my story " Inquiry," which I think is not on your recommended list, but once I got the idea for that, I was off like a shot.
What is your favorite/least favorite part of the writing process?
My favorite part is having the idea and getting excited about it. My least favorite is proofreading and copy editing. I look back at my stories online every so often, and cringe at all my typos, dropped words, factual errors … they still bother me. I want everything to be perfect, dammit.
Self-recs - your favorite fics that you've written (and why)?
I haven't written all that many, so this should be pretty easy. I like a couple of them for very different reasons. I really like "Inquiry," because it was a unique idea that no one else had done, plus it gave me a way to deal with things that had really bothered me in the series, and to resolve them in a logical way I could live with. My readers, for the most part, responded very strongly and mostly positively to it, so I felt I had done something that mattered to them.
How have you grown as a fanfic writer?
Not sure how much I've grown, but I've definitely learned to trust my instincts more. Initially, I was writing for myself alone, with no intention of posting. Now, once I've got something going I feel is going to work, I'm happy to share it. And I've learned to let my characters take the lead at times, which has been such an interesting experience.
What genres/works outside fandom have influenced you as a writer?
I was always drawn to nonfiction, and eventually became a professional journalist. My fiction reading is all over the map, although my favorites seem to be children's books - Harry Potter, Oz, A Wrinkle in Time, etc. I think because of my nonfiction background, I tend to approach fiction writing as I would journalism, with simple declarative sentences and no overt emotionalism. I feel pretty strongly that the story should tell itself and most writers don't need a lot of adjectives and adverbs to trick the reader into an emotional reaction. If the emotion is there, the reader will get it. Understatement is far more effective than overt emotionalism.
What are you currently writing?
This. I thought that was obvious.
Describe how you collaborate with other writers to produce fic (co-authoring, betaing, etc.).
I've become friends with several Housefic writers, especially Priority, Brighid45 and Betz88, all of whom I've had long conversations with. Brighid has been particularly supportive, especially with "Inquiry," when some commenters were a bit rough on me. The only writer (to date) I've actually collaborated with was Maineac, when I wrote an alternate ending to her fabulous Sleeping Man stories. I guess you could say I collaborated a bit with Priority, but it was more that I used her story as a jumping-off place for "A Gentle Knock" and "Patient." I've been toying with an idea for continuing naughtybookworm's David stories, and got her permission to do so, but it's stalled at the moment. I think I made the mistake of running my first couple of chapters past a friend, who nitpicked it to death. I do better when I keep my own counsel.
What's one of the most memorable comments/reviews (sentiments) you've ever received?
I would have to say it's a series of comments about "Inquiry," where a great number of readers told me they thought it the best they'd ever read and that it was the story they'd been waiting for, the one that resolved problems they'd had with the show. Incredibly rewarding.
I also really appreciate people who write thoughtful and detailed reviews of a chapter, although I can't think of one in particular that stands out.
What was the most surprising turn your muse took in the middle of a piece (and do you know what inspired that to happen)?
I have no idea what inspired it, but in the middle of "Gentle Knock," one of my characters abruptly informed me that he was gay. Since I'd intended for that character to wind up romantically involved with another character (a female), I was thrown. I'd always heard about that sort of thing happening to fiction writers, but since all I'd written up to that point had been nonfiction, I'd never had it happen to me. I was faced with a choice: either force my will on the characters and write it the way I'd intended, or go with the flow. Since I had no intention at that point of posting it online, I figured I'd just go with the flow and see what happened. Completely changed the course of the story from that point on, and it was an absolutely fascinating experience to give up control and allow the story to go in its own direction.
I've reflected a lot about that process since then, and I think it may be that when you're really in the zone and you make the choice to go with it, you tap into some part of your subconscious that you would never get to otherwise.
Could you describe a memorable moment of fic inspiration?
Well, certainly, my first experience, with "Gentle Knock." I was a woman obsessed. I worked eight hours a day, commuting two hours a day, and then I'd come home and write for another six to eight hours. But I'm not sure that's what you mean by your question. As far as a specific moment of inspiration is concerned, I'd have to say it was when I came up with the idea for "Inquiry." Popped into my head one day, and I knew … KNEW … I was onto something I hadn't seen anywhere else. And that turned out to be very cathartic for me as well, since I got to write a new ending for the show, one that allowed me to deal with all the niggly little things (and the big ones) that had been bothering me as the show stumbled downward toward its denouement.
What is the strangest/most interesting thing you ever researched for a fic?
There are two. Not necessarily strange, but I certainly found them interesting. Also connected to "Inquiry." I know, I know. Sounds like I'm really promoting that story, but it's my most recent and I was confident enough as a writer by that time to be able to experiment a bit with the format and style. At any rate, back to your question. Here are the two things:
1. I stumbled on a medical study of 29,000 people (which is a gigantic research sample) that concluded that, out of those 29,000 people, all of whom were heavy Vicodin users, not a single one had ever had a delusion. Occasional hallucinations, yes, but no - absolutely no - delusions.
2. I got curious about adults who had been abused as children, and I discovered there have been quite a few studies showing they have a lot of very specific traits in common … and that House had pretty much all of those traits. I have no idea if the writers of the show knew that going in and crafted the character to fit those traits, or if it was just dumb luck on their part.
Canon
Favorite House episodes? When did you start watching?
Started watching the summer after the first season. Had been a Hugh Laurie fan since his Cambridge Footlights days, and I got curious about his new show. Favorite episodes: Everything except Vogler and Tritter in the first three seasons, especially Three Stories (of course -- the best episode ever, in my opinion), The Socratic Method, Detox, Autopsy, The Mistake, Failure to Communicate, All In. After that, only specific episodes: Frozen, House's Head, Wilson's Heart, Help Me (except the last few minutes), and Broken, which I personally believe should have been the final episode, and so, in my personal canon, it is. The last three seasons, not much. Which is part of why I wrote "Inquiry."
Personal headcanon(s)?
I don't know what that means. Unless I just answered it above.
Which House characters speak to you (while you're trying to do other things…), or resonate with you?
House. Always always always House. Henry Dobson (aka Ridiculously Old Fraud) Alvie (I became a huge Lin-Manuel Miranda fan almost immediately, and was thrilled when he won both the Tony and a Pulitzer Prize this past year for "Hamilton.") Also, pretty much anyone who liked and accepted House for who he was. That would include three female characters: Cate Milton, Lydia Bohm and Domenika.
Other
Did you write fanfic before you got into the House fandom? What/when were your first fandom(s)?
Nope. Never heard of it. In fact, I wrote most of "Gentle Knock" without having read more than 2-3 fanfiction stories.
What are your favorite House comms on LJ, or other fan sites?
Again, not sure what that means. Does that mean communities?
Do you make fan vids or other non-fic fandom endeavors? Where do you post them?
The only thing along those lines that I ever did was an analysis of House's apartment. Never had any interest in doing anything else, except for one I never got around to. There's an old Mills Brothers song called "My Walking Stick," which I always thought would make a great soundtrack to a video of clips from House. If someone else wants to make it, I'll be glad to watch.
Anything else you'd like to share about yourself?
I was a professional journalist for my entire working life, although I've also planned events, taught communications science and film history, done PR, lectured at major universities, am a semi-well-known film historian (have been on camera and behind the scenes for a number of documentaries), and am tolerably good at graphic design. In addition, I occasionally played jazz piano professionally, including playing on a cruise ship to Alaska. In 1992, I co-founded a small, all-volunteer nonprofit organization devoted to silent film comedian Buster Keaton, and I continue to stumble along running that group. For the past 17 years, I've been married to another film historian. Although we have no children, we did just get an absolutely adorable Yorkie puppy named Garbo. I'm currently disabled because of … well, it's too long and boring a story to go into, but suffice it to say that I have empathy for House's chronic pain problems. Like many fans of the show, I was bitterly disappointed when his character devolved into becoming merely a drug addict, when (in my opinion) it could have been a lot more interesting and useful to show him dealing with chronic pain in a more realistic and constructive manner. My two cents' worth.
Th-th-th-aaaaaat's all, folks.
zeppomarx has 5 pieces on the House What-If Rec List. You can find her online as zeppomarx [LJ] and harpomarx [FF].
Please give her a warm welcome and interact in the comments section below.
The What-If Genre
As a writer and/or as a reader, what draws you to what-iffy fic?
I tend to think that all fiction is "what-iffy." What if there was this cranky, craggy doctor named House, a man in extreme chronic pain who said the things we all think but never say, who also happened to be so brilliant that people put up with his bad behavior? Isn't that "what-iffy"?
But, to be more specific and to answer your question more directly, I'm drawn to the idea that given the right circumstances people can heal, difficulties can be overcome and problems can be resolved. So my "Gentle Knock" story was based on the idea that, given the right circumstances, House could begin to recover from the catastrophic damage done to him in DIYSheep's The Contract. In " Sunday Brunch," the idea was that given the right circumstances, House could actually have had a happier life.
To me, it's along the lines of Sherlock Holmes' curious case of the dog that barked in the night. It's far easier to write about what's there than it is to write about what isn't. And I'm fascinated by that "what isn'ts."
As a Reader
What was the first House fic you remember reading, and why has it stuck with you?
Easy. The first House fic I read was also the very first piece of fanfiction I ever read. It was Priority's Exigencies. I was struck by how very good the writing was and how compelling it was to read a story based on characters I already knew. At that point, I found myself compelled to start writing "A Gentle Knock at the Door," long before I'd read "The Contract" or much other fanfiction. I became fascinated with the idea of recovery, and found myself writing obsessively, even though I hadn't written fiction since I was in junior high school.
What types of fics draw you in / are you drawn to as a reader?
I love angst and/or hurt/comfort, especially when House is the subject. If House is hurt or sick, I'm immediately drawn to it. I'm not particularly into ships, although I've read some shippy stories I really like, such as In the House's "Pranks" series. I like some House-Wilson paired stories. Personally, I never could figure out the attraction some people have for House and Cameron as a couple, though … just never made sense to me.
Some of your favorite House fics, and why? (Can be in what-iffy genre or any other type - categorize any way you like.)
Anything by In the House"> or Maineac or … or … or …. golly, there are so many others, I'm not even sure where to start. I can say that I seem to be attracted to stories with House going through therapy. I always like pieces that are sympathetic to House, as opposed to ones that simply see him as a smart-mouthed annoyance.
What kind of fic would you like to see more of in the fandom?
Not sure I can answer that. It would be a lot easier to say which kinds I'm really tired of. Some themes have been done to death as far as I'm concerned.
Favorite author or piece that you feel more people should read?
I've already mentioned In the House, so maybe I'll just stick with that. Even if you're not into House-Cuddy stories, which I'm not particularly, she's got such a great writing style and her series is so terrific, I'd recommend it to anyone.
As a Writer
What genre/length/pairing/challenge/prompt do you most enjoy writing?
It depends on how inspiration strikes me. Three of my stories are quite long, and I found that challenging and rewarding, but I also wrote a couple of very short ones. I've never used a prompt and don't seem to feel the need to write about a pairing. I think I most enjoy trying to come up with ideas no one else has tackled, or ones no one has tackled in the same way. I find coming up with something new or different particularly rewarding.
What do you struggle with as an author?
I think my biggest issue is attempting to balance between action and a character's inner dialogue or emotional life. I feel as if I'm still a novice at fiction writing and have a lot of room for improvement.
Do you plan to continue writing House fic? (Please say yes.)
Probably. I've got a couple of ideas that have been percolating for a while, but they don't seem to be going anywhere. Of course, I said that before I came up with the idea for my story " Inquiry," which I think is not on your recommended list, but once I got the idea for that, I was off like a shot.
What is your favorite/least favorite part of the writing process?
My favorite part is having the idea and getting excited about it. My least favorite is proofreading and copy editing. I look back at my stories online every so often, and cringe at all my typos, dropped words, factual errors … they still bother me. I want everything to be perfect, dammit.
Self-recs - your favorite fics that you've written (and why)?
I haven't written all that many, so this should be pretty easy. I like a couple of them for very different reasons. I really like "Inquiry," because it was a unique idea that no one else had done, plus it gave me a way to deal with things that had really bothered me in the series, and to resolve them in a logical way I could live with. My readers, for the most part, responded very strongly and mostly positively to it, so I felt I had done something that mattered to them.
How have you grown as a fanfic writer?
Not sure how much I've grown, but I've definitely learned to trust my instincts more. Initially, I was writing for myself alone, with no intention of posting. Now, once I've got something going I feel is going to work, I'm happy to share it. And I've learned to let my characters take the lead at times, which has been such an interesting experience.
What genres/works outside fandom have influenced you as a writer?
I was always drawn to nonfiction, and eventually became a professional journalist. My fiction reading is all over the map, although my favorites seem to be children's books - Harry Potter, Oz, A Wrinkle in Time, etc. I think because of my nonfiction background, I tend to approach fiction writing as I would journalism, with simple declarative sentences and no overt emotionalism. I feel pretty strongly that the story should tell itself and most writers don't need a lot of adjectives and adverbs to trick the reader into an emotional reaction. If the emotion is there, the reader will get it. Understatement is far more effective than overt emotionalism.
What are you currently writing?
This. I thought that was obvious.
Describe how you collaborate with other writers to produce fic (co-authoring, betaing, etc.).
I've become friends with several Housefic writers, especially Priority, Brighid45 and Betz88, all of whom I've had long conversations with. Brighid has been particularly supportive, especially with "Inquiry," when some commenters were a bit rough on me. The only writer (to date) I've actually collaborated with was Maineac, when I wrote an alternate ending to her fabulous Sleeping Man stories. I guess you could say I collaborated a bit with Priority, but it was more that I used her story as a jumping-off place for "A Gentle Knock" and "Patient." I've been toying with an idea for continuing naughtybookworm's David stories, and got her permission to do so, but it's stalled at the moment. I think I made the mistake of running my first couple of chapters past a friend, who nitpicked it to death. I do better when I keep my own counsel.
What's one of the most memorable comments/reviews (sentiments) you've ever received?
I would have to say it's a series of comments about "Inquiry," where a great number of readers told me they thought it the best they'd ever read and that it was the story they'd been waiting for, the one that resolved problems they'd had with the show. Incredibly rewarding.
I also really appreciate people who write thoughtful and detailed reviews of a chapter, although I can't think of one in particular that stands out.
What was the most surprising turn your muse took in the middle of a piece (and do you know what inspired that to happen)?
I have no idea what inspired it, but in the middle of "Gentle Knock," one of my characters abruptly informed me that he was gay. Since I'd intended for that character to wind up romantically involved with another character (a female), I was thrown. I'd always heard about that sort of thing happening to fiction writers, but since all I'd written up to that point had been nonfiction, I'd never had it happen to me. I was faced with a choice: either force my will on the characters and write it the way I'd intended, or go with the flow. Since I had no intention at that point of posting it online, I figured I'd just go with the flow and see what happened. Completely changed the course of the story from that point on, and it was an absolutely fascinating experience to give up control and allow the story to go in its own direction.
I've reflected a lot about that process since then, and I think it may be that when you're really in the zone and you make the choice to go with it, you tap into some part of your subconscious that you would never get to otherwise.
Could you describe a memorable moment of fic inspiration?
Well, certainly, my first experience, with "Gentle Knock." I was a woman obsessed. I worked eight hours a day, commuting two hours a day, and then I'd come home and write for another six to eight hours. But I'm not sure that's what you mean by your question. As far as a specific moment of inspiration is concerned, I'd have to say it was when I came up with the idea for "Inquiry." Popped into my head one day, and I knew … KNEW … I was onto something I hadn't seen anywhere else. And that turned out to be very cathartic for me as well, since I got to write a new ending for the show, one that allowed me to deal with all the niggly little things (and the big ones) that had been bothering me as the show stumbled downward toward its denouement.
What is the strangest/most interesting thing you ever researched for a fic?
There are two. Not necessarily strange, but I certainly found them interesting. Also connected to "Inquiry." I know, I know. Sounds like I'm really promoting that story, but it's my most recent and I was confident enough as a writer by that time to be able to experiment a bit with the format and style. At any rate, back to your question. Here are the two things:
1. I stumbled on a medical study of 29,000 people (which is a gigantic research sample) that concluded that, out of those 29,000 people, all of whom were heavy Vicodin users, not a single one had ever had a delusion. Occasional hallucinations, yes, but no - absolutely no - delusions.
2. I got curious about adults who had been abused as children, and I discovered there have been quite a few studies showing they have a lot of very specific traits in common … and that House had pretty much all of those traits. I have no idea if the writers of the show knew that going in and crafted the character to fit those traits, or if it was just dumb luck on their part.
Canon
Favorite House episodes? When did you start watching?
Started watching the summer after the first season. Had been a Hugh Laurie fan since his Cambridge Footlights days, and I got curious about his new show. Favorite episodes: Everything except Vogler and Tritter in the first three seasons, especially Three Stories (of course -- the best episode ever, in my opinion), The Socratic Method, Detox, Autopsy, The Mistake, Failure to Communicate, All In. After that, only specific episodes: Frozen, House's Head, Wilson's Heart, Help Me (except the last few minutes), and Broken, which I personally believe should have been the final episode, and so, in my personal canon, it is. The last three seasons, not much. Which is part of why I wrote "Inquiry."
Personal headcanon(s)?
I don't know what that means. Unless I just answered it above.
Which House characters speak to you (while you're trying to do other things…), or resonate with you?
House. Always always always House. Henry Dobson (aka Ridiculously Old Fraud) Alvie (I became a huge Lin-Manuel Miranda fan almost immediately, and was thrilled when he won both the Tony and a Pulitzer Prize this past year for "Hamilton.") Also, pretty much anyone who liked and accepted House for who he was. That would include three female characters: Cate Milton, Lydia Bohm and Domenika.
Other
Did you write fanfic before you got into the House fandom? What/when were your first fandom(s)?
Nope. Never heard of it. In fact, I wrote most of "Gentle Knock" without having read more than 2-3 fanfiction stories.
What are your favorite House comms on LJ, or other fan sites?
Again, not sure what that means. Does that mean communities?
Do you make fan vids or other non-fic fandom endeavors? Where do you post them?
The only thing along those lines that I ever did was an analysis of House's apartment. Never had any interest in doing anything else, except for one I never got around to. There's an old Mills Brothers song called "My Walking Stick," which I always thought would make a great soundtrack to a video of clips from House. If someone else wants to make it, I'll be glad to watch.
Anything else you'd like to share about yourself?
I was a professional journalist for my entire working life, although I've also planned events, taught communications science and film history, done PR, lectured at major universities, am a semi-well-known film historian (have been on camera and behind the scenes for a number of documentaries), and am tolerably good at graphic design. In addition, I occasionally played jazz piano professionally, including playing on a cruise ship to Alaska. In 1992, I co-founded a small, all-volunteer nonprofit organization devoted to silent film comedian Buster Keaton, and I continue to stumble along running that group. For the past 17 years, I've been married to another film historian. Although we have no children, we did just get an absolutely adorable Yorkie puppy named Garbo. I'm currently disabled because of … well, it's too long and boring a story to go into, but suffice it to say that I have empathy for House's chronic pain problems. Like many fans of the show, I was bitterly disappointed when his character devolved into becoming merely a drug addict, when (in my opinion) it could have been a lot more interesting and useful to show him dealing with chronic pain in a more realistic and constructive manner. My two cents' worth.
Th-th-th-aaaaaat's all, folks.