Dear Yuletide 2015
Thank you for signing up, Yule Goat! Here's the annual “Way More Than You Ever Wanted To Know About My Yuletide Requests” letter.
I'm asking for two old favorites (DiR and Talents), and four things I've never asked for before! Any of these fandoms will make me happy. I don't have a preference for which we matched on, since I want more for all of them.
Generally speaking, I'm asking for a fic that fits the canon-esque tone (since these are all small fandoms, I'm pretty greedy for “more canon!” and “what happened next?!”). I've got fairly mainstream tastes when it comes to what squicks me (vore, bloodplay, incest, necrophilia, etc.). For Yuletide I usually like a fic that doesn't end horribly for the characters since it's how I start my Christmas morning, but I'm up for humor or drama. I'm also not into graphic smut, but I don't mind some sex if it's part of a bigger story.
Belgariad/Malloreon Series - David & Leigh Eddings
Character: Garion
These books have always been an indulgence for me. I find them pretty amusing since most of the story is tongue and cheek. I like Garion because he's a grounded, pragmatic personality (and his style of kingship is surprisingly ruthless due to that pragmatism).
One of the things that caught my attention on re-reading both series was Garion's repeated speculation on what his life might be like in 100 or 1,000 years, since he's a sorcerer and would not have a normal life span.
I'd love to see something from that point of view. Does the world finally start evolving now that the final battle of the Child of Dark and Child of Light has taken place? The world and its cultures have been very static for thousands of years, so how about seeing it start to move forward? I'm also curious in how the Rivan throne will end up passing down to Geran since Garion isn't going to die anytime soon. The thought of Garion ending up developing a Belgarath-like relationship with his descendants is also an interesting idea.
The Chronicles of Chrestomanci - Diana Wynne Jones
Characters: Cat Chant, Christopher Chant
I love both Cat and Christopher, and I would appreciate a story about either of them, individually or together. I would love something dealing with the role of Chrestomanci, and a touch of the absurd. Casefic, Five and One, Outsider POV... any of these would hit the right spot with me.
I'd also be up for some crossovers with some of the larger fandoms if you want to send Christopher and/or Cat crashing through the worlds. I'm familiar with the following: Sherlock, Harry Potter, Kingsman, MCU (all series), DC Comics (primarily the Bat family series – I've never met a Robin I didn't eventually love). A crossover can be something subtle and mundane or world shaking epic, I just love watching characters bounce off of each other and the universes colliding in unexpected ways.
The Dark is Rising
Character: Will Stanton
The fandom of my heart and childhood. I always think of it around Christmas time because of the setting of the second book (TDiR). What always pulled me to the books is the deep grounding in the mythology and the use of the poems within the storytelling.
I'd like Will gen, or Will/Bran in the background. I'd really like a story about Will being awesome and not Eternally Alone. Touches of folklore or Will in the 21st Century would also be bonuses. I can't really think of any specific prompts to offer since DiR is such a well established Yuletide fandom. I just always want more.
In Death - J. D. Robb
Character: Delia Peabody
I've read all the books and short stories, so no worries about spoilers.
Delia Peabody kicks ass. I'd love casefic, future fic, or some outsider POV that shows her standing as a BAMF on her own. Some background Peabody/McNabb is fine, but I'd really love something about her being a cop, although a different kind of cop from Eve Dallas. I like her competence, and I also like how grounded she is. She doesn't have a tragic backstory, but is just a good person who believes in doing the right thing.
I love the familiarity of the setting of In Death, and the way it has that slight sci-fi tone to it. It's appealing in how close the time period is to now, and how some of the characters actually originated in the current time.
Minor characters making a come-back would be a plus if you're looking for supporting cast ideas.
Specific prompts:
*Peabody doing something remarkable through the power of paperwork. I love paperwork ninja tales.
*Peabody in 15 years, maybe training up her new partner (since at some point, Dallas is going to have to get promoted, or Peabody will become too senior to remain a junior partner).
*An epistolary story. It seems like that style might work centered around Peabody.
*A divergent fic where McNabb never entered the picture exploring the possibility of Peabody/Morris.
*If you really want to go off the wall, I've sort of wondered how Roarke/Peabody would have worked if she had met him first, and Eve wasn't in the picture. I'm not into infidelity, so a true AU would make me happy with this concept.
Talents Series – Anne McCaffrey
Character: Peter Reidinger
Telepathy, telekinesis, precognition... what's not to love? I love the whole idea of ESP becoming a recognized reality. My favorite book was Pegasus in Flight, although I liked most of the Tower and the Hive series until Lyon's Pride. I was not a fan of the Hivers, Mrdini culture, etc. since it took away from the ESP angles I liked so much.
I selected Peter because he's the obvious linking character between the Tower and the Hive and the Talents series.
Specific prompts:
*We know there's four Peter Reidingers. How about introducing them all and show the evolution of the Talent universe through them? For Peter IV to be the way he is, there has to have been a lot of modesty lost from the original. The Reidinger dynasty is fascinating since it would have lasted for centuries, and they're the default royalty of the Talents.
*Along those same lines, how about creating ties between Pegasus characters and the personnel of The Tower? How about a lost line of the Reidingers eventually founding the bird-clans of Deneb? Jeff Raven and Reidinger IV are very, very similar, and I would appreciate the irony of the Reidinger dynasty being “replaced” by one of their own.
*The Talent rating system and how it was developed could be interesting reading. We know that Peter was the first Prime, but how did they measure this? The Pegasus books mentions featherweights and hints at the internal divisions occurring, and the ratings seem to be taking shape by the end of Pegasus in Space. We know these divisions are really bad by the end of the Tower books, so I'd like to see its roots taking shape. Any of the canon Pegasus characters being involved would be great.
*I was a bit disappointed in Peter's having his spinal cord fixed and overcoming his quadriplegic status. I get what McCaffrey was trying to do, but I found his circumstances much more interesting when he was using his Talent to cope. An AU where he never regains use of his body could be interesting.
*One line that always struck with me was that the “Talents became incorruptible.” The Talents are such a monolith and spoken of as a singularity, when it's clear there's elements of dissent and there's many Talented people out there. These elements of dissent are dismissed as “evil” and “wrong” and there's some clear signs of manipulation of the weaker Talents by the stronger Talents. The idea of mind-burning offenders or shutting off their abilities strikes me as totalitarian. There's no place for dissent and no room for discussion on what is right. Earth Prime has all the power, and it's pretty much hereditary. Seeing the Talent verse with this perspective in mind could be intriguing.
*The idea of FT&T creeps me out a bit, too. At some point, this business took over the rule of the Talented. The Earth Prime appears to control everything, and has the power to imprison people without trial, mindburn offenders, and take control of people's lives. While some Talents work outside of the FT&T system, all Talents seem bound by the FT&T code. This is really interesting, especially since one of the stories in To Ride Pegasus was about winning the Talents legal protections to exercise their skills. There's a line or two about Jeff Raven dismissing the elected government's concerns (I think in Damia's Children, but could be wrong) by pointing out that they would have to breed their own Talents to replace the control his family has over FT&T which is surprisingly scary when you think on the fact that there doesn't seem to be any effective check and balance for FT&T.
Valdemar - Mercedes Lackey
Character: Karal Austreben
Karal is such a woobie, and I latched onto him as a teenager when I read the Mage Storm books. He really has a good heart, and that's what has always appealed to me about him. I like the idea of being a relatively ordinary person in extraordinary circumstances.
I'm interested in the culture of Karse that was later revealed through Alberich's story and the short story collections. I think there's been a lot about Valdemar that's been revealed that could impact Karal.
Specific prompts:
*One of the points the Mage Storm books make is that Karal is a true priest of Vkandis. I'd love an exploration of what this means, and why Karal is one while so many are not.
*A day in the life fic. Something light and silly that play off of how busy Karal is as an ambassador. If the story is set post-trilogy, this style of fic might be a good device for exploring the changes Karal's made to his lifestyle since losing his sight (plus think of all the interaction with Altra!).
*Five and One. I almost always enjoy “Five Times” fics, and I think Karal would be a good subject for one.
*I don't really ship Karal with anyone, since I never bought into him and Natoli. They always seemed thrown together as a pairing of convenience (mainly to show how very Straight Karal Is). How about a story that makes me believe he and Natoli are right for each other?
*An outsider POV, maybe from students in the Collegium on the Karsite ambassador.
*Ulrich says that at some point, Solaris may need to call on Karal for advice. I'd love to see a relationship with them develop with him as her confidant and conscience.
*The Karse/Valdemar relationship fifteen or twenty years down the road. It's going to take a lifetime (or several) to create a friendship that will last due to centuries of mistrust.
I'm asking for two old favorites (DiR and Talents), and four things I've never asked for before! Any of these fandoms will make me happy. I don't have a preference for which we matched on, since I want more for all of them.
Generally speaking, I'm asking for a fic that fits the canon-esque tone (since these are all small fandoms, I'm pretty greedy for “more canon!” and “what happened next?!”). I've got fairly mainstream tastes when it comes to what squicks me (vore, bloodplay, incest, necrophilia, etc.). For Yuletide I usually like a fic that doesn't end horribly for the characters since it's how I start my Christmas morning, but I'm up for humor or drama. I'm also not into graphic smut, but I don't mind some sex if it's part of a bigger story.
Belgariad/Malloreon Series - David & Leigh Eddings
Character: Garion
These books have always been an indulgence for me. I find them pretty amusing since most of the story is tongue and cheek. I like Garion because he's a grounded, pragmatic personality (and his style of kingship is surprisingly ruthless due to that pragmatism).
One of the things that caught my attention on re-reading both series was Garion's repeated speculation on what his life might be like in 100 or 1,000 years, since he's a sorcerer and would not have a normal life span.
I'd love to see something from that point of view. Does the world finally start evolving now that the final battle of the Child of Dark and Child of Light has taken place? The world and its cultures have been very static for thousands of years, so how about seeing it start to move forward? I'm also curious in how the Rivan throne will end up passing down to Geran since Garion isn't going to die anytime soon. The thought of Garion ending up developing a Belgarath-like relationship with his descendants is also an interesting idea.
The Chronicles of Chrestomanci - Diana Wynne Jones
Characters: Cat Chant, Christopher Chant
I love both Cat and Christopher, and I would appreciate a story about either of them, individually or together. I would love something dealing with the role of Chrestomanci, and a touch of the absurd. Casefic, Five and One, Outsider POV... any of these would hit the right spot with me.
I'd also be up for some crossovers with some of the larger fandoms if you want to send Christopher and/or Cat crashing through the worlds. I'm familiar with the following: Sherlock, Harry Potter, Kingsman, MCU (all series), DC Comics (primarily the Bat family series – I've never met a Robin I didn't eventually love). A crossover can be something subtle and mundane or world shaking epic, I just love watching characters bounce off of each other and the universes colliding in unexpected ways.
The Dark is Rising
Character: Will Stanton
The fandom of my heart and childhood. I always think of it around Christmas time because of the setting of the second book (TDiR). What always pulled me to the books is the deep grounding in the mythology and the use of the poems within the storytelling.
I'd like Will gen, or Will/Bran in the background. I'd really like a story about Will being awesome and not Eternally Alone. Touches of folklore or Will in the 21st Century would also be bonuses. I can't really think of any specific prompts to offer since DiR is such a well established Yuletide fandom. I just always want more.
In Death - J. D. Robb
Character: Delia Peabody
I've read all the books and short stories, so no worries about spoilers.
Delia Peabody kicks ass. I'd love casefic, future fic, or some outsider POV that shows her standing as a BAMF on her own. Some background Peabody/McNabb is fine, but I'd really love something about her being a cop, although a different kind of cop from Eve Dallas. I like her competence, and I also like how grounded she is. She doesn't have a tragic backstory, but is just a good person who believes in doing the right thing.
I love the familiarity of the setting of In Death, and the way it has that slight sci-fi tone to it. It's appealing in how close the time period is to now, and how some of the characters actually originated in the current time.
Minor characters making a come-back would be a plus if you're looking for supporting cast ideas.
Specific prompts:
*Peabody doing something remarkable through the power of paperwork. I love paperwork ninja tales.
*Peabody in 15 years, maybe training up her new partner (since at some point, Dallas is going to have to get promoted, or Peabody will become too senior to remain a junior partner).
*An epistolary story. It seems like that style might work centered around Peabody.
*A divergent fic where McNabb never entered the picture exploring the possibility of Peabody/Morris.
*If you really want to go off the wall, I've sort of wondered how Roarke/Peabody would have worked if she had met him first, and Eve wasn't in the picture. I'm not into infidelity, so a true AU would make me happy with this concept.
Talents Series – Anne McCaffrey
Character: Peter Reidinger
Telepathy, telekinesis, precognition... what's not to love? I love the whole idea of ESP becoming a recognized reality. My favorite book was Pegasus in Flight, although I liked most of the Tower and the Hive series until Lyon's Pride. I was not a fan of the Hivers, Mrdini culture, etc. since it took away from the ESP angles I liked so much.
I selected Peter because he's the obvious linking character between the Tower and the Hive and the Talents series.
Specific prompts:
*We know there's four Peter Reidingers. How about introducing them all and show the evolution of the Talent universe through them? For Peter IV to be the way he is, there has to have been a lot of modesty lost from the original. The Reidinger dynasty is fascinating since it would have lasted for centuries, and they're the default royalty of the Talents.
*Along those same lines, how about creating ties between Pegasus characters and the personnel of The Tower? How about a lost line of the Reidingers eventually founding the bird-clans of Deneb? Jeff Raven and Reidinger IV are very, very similar, and I would appreciate the irony of the Reidinger dynasty being “replaced” by one of their own.
*The Talent rating system and how it was developed could be interesting reading. We know that Peter was the first Prime, but how did they measure this? The Pegasus books mentions featherweights and hints at the internal divisions occurring, and the ratings seem to be taking shape by the end of Pegasus in Space. We know these divisions are really bad by the end of the Tower books, so I'd like to see its roots taking shape. Any of the canon Pegasus characters being involved would be great.
*I was a bit disappointed in Peter's having his spinal cord fixed and overcoming his quadriplegic status. I get what McCaffrey was trying to do, but I found his circumstances much more interesting when he was using his Talent to cope. An AU where he never regains use of his body could be interesting.
*One line that always struck with me was that the “Talents became incorruptible.” The Talents are such a monolith and spoken of as a singularity, when it's clear there's elements of dissent and there's many Talented people out there. These elements of dissent are dismissed as “evil” and “wrong” and there's some clear signs of manipulation of the weaker Talents by the stronger Talents. The idea of mind-burning offenders or shutting off their abilities strikes me as totalitarian. There's no place for dissent and no room for discussion on what is right. Earth Prime has all the power, and it's pretty much hereditary. Seeing the Talent verse with this perspective in mind could be intriguing.
*The idea of FT&T creeps me out a bit, too. At some point, this business took over the rule of the Talented. The Earth Prime appears to control everything, and has the power to imprison people without trial, mindburn offenders, and take control of people's lives. While some Talents work outside of the FT&T system, all Talents seem bound by the FT&T code. This is really interesting, especially since one of the stories in To Ride Pegasus was about winning the Talents legal protections to exercise their skills. There's a line or two about Jeff Raven dismissing the elected government's concerns (I think in Damia's Children, but could be wrong) by pointing out that they would have to breed their own Talents to replace the control his family has over FT&T which is surprisingly scary when you think on the fact that there doesn't seem to be any effective check and balance for FT&T.
Valdemar - Mercedes Lackey
Character: Karal Austreben
Karal is such a woobie, and I latched onto him as a teenager when I read the Mage Storm books. He really has a good heart, and that's what has always appealed to me about him. I like the idea of being a relatively ordinary person in extraordinary circumstances.
I'm interested in the culture of Karse that was later revealed through Alberich's story and the short story collections. I think there's been a lot about Valdemar that's been revealed that could impact Karal.
Specific prompts:
*One of the points the Mage Storm books make is that Karal is a true priest of Vkandis. I'd love an exploration of what this means, and why Karal is one while so many are not.
*A day in the life fic. Something light and silly that play off of how busy Karal is as an ambassador. If the story is set post-trilogy, this style of fic might be a good device for exploring the changes Karal's made to his lifestyle since losing his sight (plus think of all the interaction with Altra!).
*Five and One. I almost always enjoy “Five Times” fics, and I think Karal would be a good subject for one.
*I don't really ship Karal with anyone, since I never bought into him and Natoli. They always seemed thrown together as a pairing of convenience (mainly to show how very Straight Karal Is). How about a story that makes me believe he and Natoli are right for each other?
*An outsider POV, maybe from students in the Collegium on the Karsite ambassador.
*Ulrich says that at some point, Solaris may need to call on Karal for advice. I'd love to see a relationship with them develop with him as her confidant and conscience.
*The Karse/Valdemar relationship fifteen or twenty years down the road. It's going to take a lifetime (or several) to create a friendship that will last due to centuries of mistrust.