Yuletide 2008: An Ode to Escapism

[roga]

Reveal time! \o/

I wrote two stories for Yuletide this year.

Main fic: On the Doorways to Paradise (The Bubble, PG-13, 1540 words) for elishabet. The first question Ashraf asked in Heaven was: "Did I kill anyone?"

Yuletide Treat: Whole New World (Aladdin, PG-13, 2240 words) for kyburg. Genie always returns to AlTo say I was awed and astounded and thrilled by

Comments

[kassrachel]

I don't know "The Bubble," but I will totally look for it now; it sounds heartbreaking but beautiful, and I want to read your story, too.

I hope the Avenue Jew story was able to bring a little bit of pure escapist joy into your Yuletide this year. It sounds intense indeed.

[roga]

Your Avenue Jew was pure, unadultured laughter, I promise you that (sabrina_il was here when I read it -- and sang it -- so she can attest.)

The Bubble is the third Fox/Ochovsky movie, after Yossi & Jagger and Walk on Water (so really, they were nominated twice this year :-)). You'll probably like it!

(Have you seen The Bands Visit yet, though? TOP OF THE LIST.)

[snowishness]

I adored the fic for me. The two lines you've quoted here:
"Nothing. You're just... still living in that Tel Avivian bubble of yours. Disconnected."

"It's the only way we get to have our happily ever after."

Are what made this fic completely work for me. And it did work very well, and I adore it and you for writing it. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

Do you mind if I friend you?
Snow.

[roga]

Again, I'm so glad you liked this. I was wondering - where did you encounter The Bubble in the first place?

And no, you know, you're very welcom here :-)

[snowishness]

A Jewish group. And they did not provide therapy afterwards for us. (jk. Well, they didn't, but I don't actually need it.)

I saw it during the nominations process and needed to nominate. I didn't expect to actually get it, but I'm incredibly pleased I did.

[roga]

Hee - funny that we both signed up for it just because we saw it was there, but never really expected to get it :-) Have you seen any of the other films by the same creators? This was their third.

[therealjae]

I am so glad that you had such a great experience! I loved reading about your writing about an Israeli source in English. Did you at any point consider writing the story in Hebrew?

-J

[roga]

No, I didn't. First of all, I actually enjoy writing in English more, I'm better at it (when it comes to fiction), it's my niche. Secondly, I actually wanted my recipient (and hopefully others) to read the story. And if I'd written the story in Hebrew and then translated it all, the translation would have probably ended up being so different from the original it'd be like writing the story twice.

So the only things I wrote (or phrased) in Hebrew were the dialogues. That includes, by the way, the radio announcer's two quotes:

"This morning, an armed Palestinian was killed by our forces in a crossfire near Ramalla. No IDF soldiers were wounded." and "The Palestinian National Authority claimed that five more Palestinians were wounded in the third day of fighting in Jenin. The IDF will be conducting an internal investigation as to the accusations."I've never listened to the radio news regularly in the US, so I don't know how exactly they speak, but this is almost a direct translation of what they would say here. "Our forces" is the

[swatkat24]

Sigh. I identify with your pessimism. That's one of the reasons why the story resonated so with me, I guess.

[roga]

It's good to know I'm not alone. Not necessarily cheerful, but :-)

[therealjae]

I came back and read this post after having my own experience writing for a non-English source, and it made me want to see "The Bubble." So I rented it! And I loved it! And I loved your story, too!

I just wanted to tell you that (since the yuletide archive is down and I can't comment there). :-)

-J