Hypergraphia

Anyone have old Sailor Moon merch they're willing to part with?

aishuu — Tue, 10 Oct 2017 22:06:14 GMT

I'm not sure anyone still reads this, but I thought it couldn't hurt to ask.

One of my brother's new housemates is a disabled 19 year old teen who is in love with Sailor Moon. He recently moved into the system and is not transitioning well - he's a behavior problem, and his family has pretty much abandoned him. After stopping by, I commented on a drawing of Sailor Moon in the house, and he got very excited and showed me everything he has - a cup, a blanket, and a couple of CDs. He invited me to watch an ep with him, and I couldn't say no so I'll be going over when my brother isn't around so it's clear I'm visiting with him, and not just my brother.

Something about this kid just tugs at my heart strings (even though the first time we met he fell into a tantrum and kicked me - he's mentally about 10, but emotionally about 6). I'm going through my old merch, but I never had much in the way for Sailor Moon. I'm broke (only working part time since I'm back in college yet again), so I thought I'd see if anyone had anything they could spare and wouldn't mind mailing (I am very, very broke).

The kid would be grateful for anything, and I think positive attention is something he doesn't get enough of. I'm looking for any kind of merch in good condition - he's a dubbie, but I think Japanese printing would be fine. I'm also looking for DVDs of the dubs (he has Sailor Moon R Movie, the first season of the 1990s series and the first season of Crystal). I'd also be open to other anime DVDs (I'd really love to get the kid into Cardcaptors or maybe Fushigi Yuugi) or English manga translations. Most of the animanga I have skews older (really don't want to explain things like Yami no Matsuei or CLAMP's most mature works to the house staff). He also has a couple of random shounen DVDs (Yu-Gi-Oh, Dragonball Z, Samurai Deeper Kyo), so I think he'd appreciate different genres.

If you have anything you can contribute, leave your email and I'll give you my mailing address. I appreciate anything you can donate. His birthday is this Saturday and I'm giving him the couple of collectibles I still have. He's trying to plan his birthday party, but it doesn't sound like it's going to live up to expectations from what the staff said. I'm thinking maybe Christmas....

Yuletide 2016

aishuu — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 02:20:26 GMT

Here's the annual “Way More Than You Ever Wanted To Know About My Yuletide Requests” letter, 2016 version. 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, bestiality, incest, necrophilia, etc.). I'm not into infidelity or injury to animals. 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 fine with smut, but I prefer smut to be part of the plot rather than PWP.

Elemental Blessings – Sharon Shinn
Characters: Any

I really love the world Sharon Shinn has created – the system of blessings is endlessly fascinating, and I love the concept of elemental affiliation. I will be reading Unquiet Land as soon as it's released, so don't worry about spoilers!

What I like about Shinn's writing is the storytelling. There's always an undercurrent of romance in her work, but the worlds are so vividly created with such interesting detail that the romance doesn't overwhelm the story.

I like any of the characters who are nominated – they're all appealing to me. The books left me with a desire for more, and I'm pretty open to whatever story is offered. If there's something you want to write, go for it!

Specific Prompts:

*The most awesome part of the world was the blessings (and the really awesome thing is all the blessings are listed and pictured at the Troubled Waters site). I love the construction of the world with its elemental blessings, building into the personality traits of individuals and “types” of people fascinating. There does seem to be something guiding the blessings (especially when they're pulled), and I like this element of faith. I really enjoyed Zoe helping pull blessings for the twin girls, and I'd like to see other ways blessings might be incorporated into the rituals of life. I can't see a marriage ceremony taking place without them being involved in some way, for example.

*I have a competence kink, and Darien hits that for me so I like to see him running the world. Darien running Welce prior to being named king. If it doesn't come up in Unquiet Land, I'd love to see a Welce coronation.

*What happened to Alette? It's implied she makes it safely away, but I'm curious about where she ends up. If you want to bring her to Welce, or bring Corene to her in the course of Corene's ambassadorship, I'd love to see Alette with a happy ending.

*Outsider perspective of the main cast. I would be really interested in the Blind Sisters gathering information and the way they put bits and pieces of the story together, maybe gaining a fuller picture than any of the main participants. I'd love to know more about how they work, and maybe how they interact off (if you tell one, you tell all three, so how does that work?).

*Melissande/Jiramondi, because they have a lot of potential. I'd be okay with Jiramondi/OMC and Melissande/Whoever She Wants, but I want both of them to be happy with each other and platonic soulmates.

*Darien collecting the blessings, according to custom, for Celia following her birth.

*I do love Zoe/Darien. Smut for these two is more than fine – I did get this as my gift in 2014, but I want MORE.

The Goblin Emperor – Katherine Addison
Character: Maia Drazhar

This is another world I am in love with – the world building is awesome! I love the culture and the nuance – from the language, to dress, to court structure... the society appears fully-developed.

I really like Maia's sweetness, and I find his endless compassion amazing. I want to see him succeed, but I appreciate the complexity of this world. I was very impressed that he did not try to save Dazhis, but still offered him forgiveness. I like the fact that he followed the law, and acts within the existing system. Despite being compassionate, he does have a lot of spine.

So, I would like something with Maia. I'm not really into shipping him with Cala or Beshelar (I like them with Maia without a sexual element), and I really don't want a reappearance by Tethimar, or a flashback to his time under Setheris.

Specific Prompts:

*I ship Maia with Csethiro, but I'd be up for some interesting spins on that. I enjoy reading royal history, and I think it could be interesting to have Maia and Csethiro have a political marriage where they are allies instead of soulmates. Alternately, you can show them falling in love and having them be the happiest couple in the world.

*I'd be up for an AU with Maia having been raised in the Court.

*I love outsider POV, and I want to know what the commoners think of their new emperor.

*I'd love to see gen fic with Csevet organizing Maia's life. I like how competent he is, and I love how he anticipates what is necessary. I'm curious how he manages to be so omnipresent in coordinating things, and I think this could be a fun fic to write.

*I've been reading too much history, and Maia having a “favorite” appeals to me. This would have to be with Csethiro full knowledge and consent, but Csevet becoming his favorite (in a way that doesn't ultimately lead to his downfall) would be nice, especially if it's happy-fluffy-all-is-right. Maia/Csevet smut would be fine for this scenario.

*A story told from a historic perspective, perhaps by a future Edrehasivar who chooses to take his name after it's been set aside for a couple of generations.

*A story set about ten years into his reign. What do things look like?

In Death - J. D. Robb
Character: Any

I've read all the books and short stories, so no worries about spoilers.

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.

Specific prompts:

*Minor characters making a come-back would be a plus if you're looking for supporting cast ideas. I'd even be up for an outsider POV from a minor character or secondary character – consider this license to have a ball in the universe.

*I ship Eve/Roarke hard, but I really don't like Nora Roberts sex scenes (there's only so many ocean metaphors I can take). If you want to write something down, dirty with a bit of kink, I'd appreciate that.

*I'd enjoy a day in Roarke's life or some casefic with Eve. I like Roarke and Eve's personal lives, so I'd welcome seeing his family turn up. I do not want any of Eve's neverending bio family angst, but her “found family” charms me and I love her bouncing off them. I'd also be interested in Eve helping Roarke with his life, since we see so much of him helping with hers in canon.

*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.

*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).

*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.

The Martian – Andy Weir
Character: Mark Watney

Mark Watney rocks. I love how he maintains his forward momentum despite continually being in dire straights. His sense of humor and determination to not give up really speak to me. I also like how positive the story is – about how amazing humanity can be when it works together. I really enjoy how everyone has a valid POV, is intelligent and competent, and their use of plausible science.

I selected the book because I'm fonder of the eventual rescue denouement and what happens with Pathfinder, but I'm okay if you prefer to mix and/or substitute the movie. I don't really ship anyone in this fandom except Mark Watney/potatoes or Mark Watney/rover in nonsexual ways.

Specific Prompts:

*I would really love something heavily meta. I want to know what Mark Watney's fandom is like. He's the most famous person in the world, so there has to be an RPF fandom. Ideas include epistolary/social media fic, the convention scene, yuletide 2034 (it's really not that far off considering how long yuletide has been going!), the fandom reacting to news events, the fandom's reaction to the inevitable release of his logs. I've been in fandom for quite a while, and there's nothing I enjoyed more than being able to laugh at our silliness.

*Mark Watney returns to earth. Reactions from the general public, characters at NASA, his family.... something celebratory.

*Mark Watney: NASA's science experiment. Mark Watney is facing a lifetime of monitoring following his adventure, and I'd love to see how this science is conducted. Please make this humorous instead of torturous for him (though I suppose being the subject of endless scientific thesis would get wearing).

*Mark Watney's life after he returns and starts teaching. What happens next? Where is he in ten years when the media inevitably wants to revisit the story?

*Mark Watney does something with potatoes following his return to earth. A cookbook? Using them to further advocating for food programs to combat hunger? Something entirely out of left field?

*Mark Watney – the next Bill Nye!

*I'm curious about the Chinese astronaut who ended up on Ares 5, and how the Chinese and American space organizations continued to cooperate. Send Mark to China for a thank-you tour, have him teach the Chinese astronaut in his course at NASA, have the Chinese astronaut as the main POV (as long as Mark makes more than a cameo appearance.

Mercy Thompson Series – Patricia Briggs
Characters: Any

This is my most recent series. I enjoy a world where the vampires aren't sex objects and the fall out of the fey and werewolves “coming out” are dealt with in the public realm. What I love about the books are the characters – they're all interesting to me. If you want to go beyond the nominated characters, I'm fine with that. Consider this license for free reign.

Specific Prompts:

*I am interested in Bran in the modern age. I always love really old characters who manage to adapt to their modern surroundings.

*I would be up for a crossover with Marrok Bran being tied into The Dark is Rising canon since we know there was a King Arthur in Mercy Thompson universe, and I apparently have a thing for Welshmen named Bran.

*There's a mention that Mercy has met Anna and liked her, but this wasn't covered in the books. I would love to see Mercy's visit home, and this encounter with Charles and Anna. Interaction with Bran would be a bonus.

*I want more of Mercy and Bran – preferably something humorous. I love how she undermines his authority without threatening him, and the way her natural mischievousness amuses Bran.

*Something with a non-European based mythological creature tangling with Mercy Thompson and co. I really enjoyed the use of tibicenas in Night Broken, and I'd love to have another non-mainstream creature involved.

*Mercy/Adam is my ship for this fandom. If you want to write smut, I wouldn't object.

*Leah doesn't do a ton for me, but I'd be interested in a fic where she grows up and becomes a person that is “worthy” of being loved. The fact that Bran's wolf selected her as a mate has to mean she's worth something, so I'd like to see her become that. She's at least in her forties (maybe even over 100), so she has to have changed. There was a glimpse in Alpha & Omega that she's unhappy with the relationship and wants more, and I'd like to see Bran surprised by realizing that he does love her.

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.

Dear Yuletide 2015

aishuu — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 00:44:59 GMT

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.

Dear Yuletide... (2014 requests)

aishuu — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 01:33:33 GMT

Thanks for signing up for yuletide! This year I'm asking for fics for books I loved and obsessed about, and I can honestly say I will be thrilled with whatever series you matched with me on since there's less than 20 fics for each of these. Any additional fic for any of these series would make my day.

For these book series, I would like fics that play within the canon settings/within the world rather than alternate universes. I haven't been reading much in the way of smut lately, so either gen or light romance (please nothing overly descriptive, no pwp, etc.). I love world-exploration (all of these books have really distinct settings), character expansion, and twists in perspective/unreliable narrators. I prefer first and third person POV, but if you have an idea that needs second person POV to work, I'm open to it. I'd like something that doesn't get too depressing and avoids character deaths (with certain series-specific exceptions described in optional details below).

If you have a good idea and want to tell me a story that isn't tailored to my requests, go for it because I'm desperate for more in all these worlds. That said, I know some people like a lot of detail from their prompts, so... optional details below.

Blossom Culp Series – Richard Peck
Characters: Alexander Armsworth and Blossom Culp

The Ghost Belonged to Me, Ghosts I Have Been, and Blossom Culp and the Sleep of Death were all big influences on my reading tastes growing up. I remember not liking The Dreadful Future of Blossom Culp, but I had the other three memorized.

I love Blossom's quirk and confidence, and I love her and Alexander together (friends are fine if you don't want to go a romantic route – what I love is their dynamic anyway I can get it). I'd like something with a twist of supernatural that fits into the time period they're in.

I have been on a nonfiction reading kick for a while, especially history, and I'd love to see some historical detail/ambiance thrown in. I would like something rooted in the time period - something with a sense of history that includes the little details. I'd like something set during Blossom's earlier life prior to the 1940s, because WWII just depresses the heck out of me. Also, I would greatly appreciate it if Alexander isn't send into the trenches of WWI, since that's nightmare fodder to me. I would like to see Alexander have grown up and come to some kind of mixed acceptance/resignation with his Sight, but that doesn't mean he doesn't get to be grumpy about it.

If you're looking for specific ideas:

*Blossom's mother dies (of something ridiculous because that's the way Blossom's life works). Just because she's dead and buried doesn't mean she's gone... this could be really humorous. Up to you if the Second Sight lets Alexander, Blossom or both have ongoing encounters with her. I imagine Madame Culp would make for a very different (and unwelcome) haunt.

*Same gist as above, but it's Old Man Leverette's ghost seeking revenge for the outhouse stunt.

*Blossom is “not sweet” on Alexander. Alexander becomes sweet first, resulting in a mishmash of courting disasters (most likely stemming from miscommunication and Blossom's misunderstanding of the situations). Bonus if Alexander has to ask Madame Culp for Blossom's hand (so, so many way things can go wrong).

*Epistolary fic tracing Blossom's career through different forms of communication (newspapers, letters, diaries, interview transcripts, magazines, telegraphs, posters, ads, etc.).

*Blossom vs. Harry Houdini, the famous skeptic. The time period is right for him to try to debunk her, especially after the press she received from the Titanic incident.

*Alexander and Blossom end up road-tripping in the 1920s and keep hitting haunted sites in America. Hijinks ensue. I can see Alexander being thrilled about driving since he loves cars, and they could be traveling for several good reasons (Prohibition springs to mind...).

Darkangel Trilogy – Meredith Ann Pierce
Characters: Irrylath and Aeriel

This trilogy is one of the most perfect fantasy series, and I wouldn't change a thing about the canon, although the ending of the series was majorly depressing and upset me terribly the first time I read it. The fact that Aeriel didn't get her prince bothered my teenage self, especially after everything she went through. However, the series was striking for that choice and I've never forgotten it and as an adult I've come to appreciate it more.

That said, I believe there is plenty of space in the world of fanfic for a “fix it” fic. If you're looking for specific prompts:

*I always want a happily-ever-after for Aeriel and Irrylath. This is what I would consider a “fix it” since what needed to be fixed for my shipper soul was their ending.

*There's a somewhat legendary interview with Pierce about how she would have liked to do a second trilogy with Irrylath. This Amazon review claims to have a transcript. While I can't verify the transcript validity, I would love to see anything this transcript mentions as Irrylath undergoes a hero's journey (preferably with a happy Aeriel/Irrylath ending spin on it).

*I am fond of Sabr, and while I don't ship Irrylath/Sabr, I would like to see her as an outsider perspective on Irrylath, Aeriel or Irrylath/Aeriel. I would like to see her as a character in her own right, but as part of Irrylath and Aeriel's world.

*There's some beautiful, very mythic images that create the world. I think of Aeriel spinning thread of her emotions for the brides to wear immediately, but the series is filled with this kind of thing (swapping hearts, the silver pin in Aeriel's head, the Pearl, the lons). Exploration of any of these (or creation of anything else that would fit into the world) would be welcome.

*I would be interested in seeing Aeriel/Irrylath become Aeriel/Irrylath/Erin. I've been thinking about it, and Erin is Aeriel's shadow and provides some perspective for Aeriel's unreasonable love (her reasons for falling so in love with Irrylath never really resonated with me because Irrylath was not kind to her, and the vampire was worse). I think that Irrylath winning Erin's love as well (a much more challenging prospect) could speak all kind of levels of balance for this relationship and maybe even make Aeriel/Irrylath functional.

*As Aeriel's gathering Ravenna's wisdom, how about her discovering how to bring others over into her form of immortality? I know Aeriel felt she had become a doll, but I would like to see Irrylath (and maybe Erin) offer to let her do this so she isn't alone forever. I think Irrylath making this choice could be very powerful, since he didn't choose to be a vampire, but choosing to give up his mortality and be altered for Aeriel's sake (since Aeriel doesn't have any choice now), would be fabulous.

*I'm fascinated by the creation of myth and legend, and the lines between truth and propaganda. I'd love an outsider piece about how Aeriel and Irrylath's story is passed down through the ages (since Aeriel was a singer, it would be interesting to see this worked in). Aeriel had some really bad rumors about her in the third book, so it could be interesting to see her image rehabilitated or further altered. Since Ravenna is gone, Aeriel should take that place in the culture, but it might not work out that way. Aeriel is going to be around for a long, long time, so she may eventually not even be able to recognize what happened in the stories that are told.

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. I'd like to see something that occurs in the bridge between the series, bringing the Pegasus books' world closer to what is seen in The Rowan. I did the math once, and it's a couple of centuries of time to account for (and all of the Reidinger Earth Primes must have had kids late and worked forever for the timeline to work).

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? Who was Afra Lyon related to? I'm pretty convinced the Rowan is somehow related to Daffyd op Owen and Rhyssa (that silver hair). 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.

*As I reread The Rowan and Damia, a part of me was horrified by the parenting techniques on a Talented child to make sure they turned out acceptably (and it was clear that “acceptably” was ready to work for FT&T only). Rowan's upbringing was a thing of horror. The idea of molding a child through telepathic prompts and constant evaluation for stability could be made very chilling. The part when Afra triggers an adult Damia's lullaby sleep command isn't cute when viewed from that perspective (and I loved Afra so much!). Again, this is one of the undertones of the series that could be exploited in fic.

*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.

Troubled Waters – Sharon Shinn
Characters: Zoe Ardelay and Darien Serlast

Sharon Shinn is an author I love, love, love. I've requested two of her series since I love her worlds so much.

What I like about Shinn's writing is the storytelling. There's always an undercurrent of romance in her work, but the worlds are so vividly created with such interesting detail that the romance doesn't overwhelm the story. She's my current favorite producer of “modern” fantasy (you'll note all the other canons are currently closed since the writer isn't active in those worlds).

Troubled Waters is probably my favorite book by her. I did enjoy Royal Airs as well, but I wasn't as fascinated (maybe because I was worn out on steampunk from her by reading the entire Archangel series). I would like something set around the protagonists of Troubled Waters since I liked the book better.

Specific prompts:

*The most awesome part of the world was the blessings (and the really awesome thing is all the blessings are listed and pictured at Troubled Waters site). I love the construction of the world with its elemental blessings, building into the personality traits of individuals and “types” of people fascinating. There does seem to be something guiding the blessings (especially when they're pulled), and I like this element of faith. Anything about how Zoe and/or Darien interact with the Blessings would be great. I really enjoyed Zoe helping pull blessings for the twin girls, and I'd like to see other ways blessings might be incorporated into the rituals of life. I can't see a marriage taking place without them being involved in some way, for example.

*I do love Zoe/Darien. More on their making the relationship work would be great. They are two very headstrong people, and making it work could be hard.

*Of all my requests, Zoe/Darien would be the only one I would like smut of, since that's gotta be hella hot and help define the relationship. I wouldn't want straight PWP, but as part of a larger relationship story, that would work for me.

*Darien running Welce, since we know that's what he's doing.

*More development of Zoe as the Lalindar and her interactions with the other Prime leaders, or interactions with her family as she takes control of them as Prime.

*Darien POV of his first impressions of Zoe. Troubled Waters is told from her POV, and I'd like to see the other side, especially when he picks her up from the village.

*Outsider perspective of Darien/Zoe and the events during and/or after Troubled Waters. I would be really interested in the Blind Sisters gathering information and the way they put bits and pieces of the story together, maybe gaining a fuller picture than any of the main participants. I'd love to know more about how they work, and maybe how they interact off (if you tell one, you tell all three, so how does that work?).

*Darien trying to calm the population and keep things running after Zoe floods the city, and the public's reaction to the truth about the heirs.

*Darien collecting the blessings, according to custom, for Celia following her birth.

Twelve Houses – Sharon Shinn
Character: Cammon

Everything I said about Shinn's general writing applies above. Twelve Houses is another masterful work of worldbuilding, and I love the characters.

Cammon's my favorite character - I enjoy his sweet wisdom. I like how he interacted with all his initial companions (I can't help but think of them as an RPG-style campaign companions for some reason, even though it's clear they're not that).

I have fewer specific prompts because I haven't really been able to come up with a ton of scenarios to explore for Twelve Houses. All I know is I want more. If you have any ideas, please run with them!

Specific prompts:

*I would love fic set with him as king, perhaps something post Fortune and Fate, or perhaps something about his first days as Amalie's official Consort. I could see people viewing him as a “commoner king” with some pride since he was raised as one of them.

*I would be interested in Cammon's relationship with Rappengrass (Ariane is awesome!), since this is one of the sections I reread a couple of times. I think the insertion of Cammon into the House has all kinds of interesting quirks, but the way he genuinely becomes part of the Rappengrass family is remarkable and worthy to explore.

The Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth

aishuu — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 00:57:23 GMT

I only wrote one story this year, but I think it's “solid.” I enjoyed writing it and the recipient liked it. For me, a Yuletide “win” is crafting a gift for an audience of one.

The fic I wrote: the most beautiful great city, Divergent, for scribble_myname

I got really lucky with my yuletide assignment this year, in that my recipient wanted “world building” and really liked canon-based fic. This fits right into where my current interests are at, and I was looking forward to playing in a new world (and yes, with Four because Four is all kinds of awesome).

Since I didn't want to give my recipient Jossed fic (it's like giving a sweater a size off... potentially usable, but it doesn't fit right), I waited until the third book came out so I could read it and give something that fit the entire trilogy.

I can't decide if that was a good decision or not.

In Which we discuss writer responsibility, the creation of worlds and Allegiant in general

Disclaimer: These are my personal opinions. Your mileage may vary.

When Tris died in Allegiant, I chortled. I was literally gleeful because I could not believe that Veronica Roth actually killed her heroine. As I continued and we saw Four's reaction and her cold, dead body, I gave Roth kudos for the chutzpah required to kill the first person narrator in a teen romance, and leave her dead. I knew that a lot of her fans had to be ticked off something fierce, and I couldn't help but laugh.

On reflection, this probably isn't the best reaction for a reader to have.

I've been thinking on it for a while, trying to figure out why I had such a reaction, and why on reflection, I think Allegiant wasn't a good conclusion for the series. Roth ignored the cardinal rule of writing: know your audience.

Divergent is marketed as young adult/teen (female) dystopic world. It's a niche genre, but the nearest “relatives” of the book I can think of are The Hunger Games and Twilight. It builds on a lot of previously done tropes and plays right into the sweet spot of where daydreamers want to be. It struck that something that speaks to the reader's id – something that the reader wants and may be a guilty pleasure, but oh my god it's enjoyable. It's a current hot genre because it speaks to the desire for the hero's journey with a modern, cynical spin and a touch of romance.

I picked up the book after going through my HG obsession last year, since it's always on the “if you like the Hunger Games, Try THIS” lists I see. It's easy to see why, since it fits right into the dystopic world genre. The thing I think appeals to people's id about dystopic world teen genre is that there is a fulfillment of the desire that things will get better. The main characters may suffer like ohhhhh, but in the end, they'll manage some form of success.

It was interesting that Roth didn't use the standard love triangle cliché – Four never had a rival, and there was never any choice that Tris had to make. Maybe Al was interested, but it's clear that Al is never going to be one of the cool kids (he's weeping in his bunk the first time I remember him as an individual). Al was never going to rival Four, so he was never going to be a viable option for Tris. Instead of a triangle, we had a straight-forward romance, which was novel in the current market.

Two other things that stood out for me was a dystopic portrayal of a specific US city (some of the images of Chicago are haunting), and the Faction system. The Faction system automatically engages the reader because people think on which Faction they would choose – much like the House system in Harry Potter. I can't decide if I'm Candor or Erudite... I'm probably a Candor-born Erudite.

Anyway, a writer has a contract with their audience. The writer promises the reader something in return for the reader's attention. In the case of fiction, the writer is generally promising to entertain the reader. Then we get into genre issues, and the writer has certain responsibilities to the reader.

If I'm reading a whodunnit it, I know that at the end, I will be told who did it. If I'm reading a Harlequin, I know there will be romance and a happy ending with a handsome partner. If I'm reading something from the science fiction section, I sure as heck want the science fiction to have some explanation that I can buy into. If I'm watching a Disney animated film (totally its own genre!), I get the happily ever after.

If I'm reading a teen novel, I'm expecting my hero to go on some kind of hero's quest, survive and learn from it. If I'm reading a novel aimed at teen females, I'm also expecting some romance with resolution of some type.

When you look at writers who have alienated their readers by “betraying” them (hello, Laurell K. Hamilton... whatever happened to the sex-free Anita Blake who was a tough girl doing supernatural police procedurals?), you find that the alienation often comes from defying the tropes. In Twilight, I don't think there was ever any question that Bella was going to choose Jacob over Edward. If Bella had, it would have violated the reader's trust.

Killing a first-person narrator who the audience uses as an avatar can definitely be seen as a violation of reader's trust.

Of course, killing Tris wasn't the only hole I found in the book.

It's clear at the epilogue that the character who Roth was most interested in was Four. This is fine, since the teen-girls are going to be most interested in him, too. Four is my favorite character. However, my interest in him came at the cost of any empathy I had for the rest of the cast. Four's development and complexity compromised my compassion for Tris. Roth's focus on him actually reminds me of Anne Rice and her obsession with Lestat. I bet she never, ever thought of killing Four.

Killing Four might have worked better from a genre standpoint. I've read books where major supporting characters are killed, but I can't recall having a first person narrator die successfully in teen fiction (okay, there's Christopher Pike's Remember Me and Alive Sebold's The Lovely Bones, but those are about life after death, and of course Lurlene McDaniel made a whole career of killing her main characters, but again, that was a specific genre where the reader was forewarned that the heroine would likely die).

I thought something strange was going on when I saw Free Four being offered as an e-book telling Four's side of the story of the knife-throwing scene. It sounded very fanfic to me, but I thought it was a new push to include “expanded” material and keep the story relevant between books. Then there's another Four story, and another, and I started to wonder if the author had any distance between herself and her fantasy man.

Finally, Roth made the mistake of declaring that she has to split the narrative between Four and Tris in order to tell the whole story. This gave me some really, really bad flashbacks to reading Winds of Change, which is the first book I can remember reading that used a split narrative, alternating chapters between the ultimate “romance” of the series. Considering this book is where Mercedes Lackey started to lose me, it's not a good reflection. I vaguely recall seeing it done with other stories, but I cannot remember anyone pulling it off (within the teen fiction genre – some literary efforts manage, but literature is a distinct genre written for entirely different purposes than mass market popular fiction).

The big problem with Allegiant using this style is that there's no narrative difference in his voice and the one Roth uses for Tris. The language is exactly the same, and you can't tell who is speaking without looking at the header of each chapter. The character voices are not distinct, and thus both come across as interchangeable. I also didn't see enough limited POV/unreliable narrator to believe they were two separate individuals with distinct points of view. Switching narration style in the last book of the series comes across as poor planning because it interrupted the flow of the series. Four/Tobias is also, in my humble opinion, built up with the mystique of an outsider narrator. Getting into his thoughts make him lose a bit of the romanticism.

My problems with the trilogy started in Insurgent when the world failed to build on what existed, but instead tried to expand. I would have liked more detail on how the Faction system functioned before it was destroyed. I think I would have cared more if the pacing had been better – honestly, the Divergent series has enough plot for six books and would have benefited from a slower pace. Build up the world before it's destroyed. Make us care about the status quo, or let us see the inherent flaws in the system.

The technology mesh was a huge issue for me personally, and it kept highlighting little logic fails that kept me poking holes in the universe. The technology that was available in Divergent didn't make sense – broadcasting, monitoring stations, complicated simulation and serums, but no real individual communication system or individualized computer access? No cellphones/radios, etc? How does this work? The smear campaign for the Abnegation conducted via printed press release? What kind of exchange system is in place for currency/service? The class size is way too small, because Dauntless would have had less than 200 people if you do the math... etc., etc. I thought Roth might be able to reconcile this further in the series, but it was never addressed. All these little issues contributed to my problems with buying into the world.

Do I think people need to genre-push? Definitely, that's how we get new genres.

Do I think Roth succeeded? Nope.

Roth failed because her world building wasn't strong enough to make the jump into pulling off the surprise twist of killing a first person narrator. By the third book I was having a lot of logic fails with the series. Most of it was on the depth of the world building – in order to sculpt a believable world, an author has to have answers on how things work, even if it's not included in the series. This is “iceberg” stuff – ninety percent may be below the surface, but it's there and supports the ten percent the reader sees.

Killing Tris didn't engage me on the right emotional level because I didn't care about her. My amusement is also an unwelcome sign that the book wasn't done correctly for the intended audience (female teenagers primarily). The fact that I laughed at Tris' death showed there was an emotional disconnect between me and the character and I wasn't invested in her.

I am not in the targeted demographic of the book. Killing Tris was a literary choice which I can appreciate as an adult with some perspective. It was not a teen fiction choice, and I think that will come back and haunt Roth. I have serious doubts if some of her fans will ever forgive her, and I think she will find it harder to launch another successful series.

Was I betrayed? Nope. I was amused. I think if I was fifteen years younger, I would be frothing with righteous rage and demanding fix-it fic, and leading the cavalry of “Allegiant Does Not Exist” fighters (I still believe there are only three Star Wars movies, by the way, and some of them were made before I was born!).

I don't think I will be buying her books again. If she comes up with something I want to read, I'll probably sign it out from the library. I don't want to make that much investment in a writer who I don't trust to do things right.

World building is an art. The reason I loved Divergent is that it presented some interesting twists on tropes (Sorting Personality, a Choosing Ceremony, Factions of Society being aligned in clearly delineated groups). The first book managed to pull off an interesting world with a cohesive plot and ended on a killer cliff hanger.

This is where it fell apart.

It's clear (from reading some of her journal entries) that Roth didn't know where things were going. As such, there's places where her world-building doesn't stand up to scrutiny. If a writer is creating a trilogy, they have to know their world well enough to be able to tell the entire story. There should be foreshadowing in the series for it to feel cohesive. I'm still of the Chekov's gun school of writing – details selected should feel like an ultimate part of the narrative as a whole. She made many references to “patch works” and blanket statements that denied complexity. In Allegiant, I never bought into the GD vs GP thing because there was no foreshadowing, and the attitudes didn't ring true for me. The “outside world” was very flat, and I couldn't believe the ways Tris and Four were immediately slotted into it.

My main question after reading the trilogy is what in blazes was her editor doing.

Writers like to make artistic choices. It's the editor's job to reel them back in when they start producing something which is unmarketable. A really good editor is worth his or her weight in gold. It's not just about spelling and grammar – a good editor provides perspective and keeps the writer from failing to tell a satisfying story.

I wonder if some Hollywood exec read the published book and that's the loud screaming you hear from the distance. I also wonder if Hollywood is already planning on an ending rewrite, since I don't see how they could produce Movie 3 with that ending.

The timing of the book couldn't be worse from a commercial perspective. In killing Tris and denying a “happily romantic after” to her main couple, Roth has alienated a portion of her fanbase. I'm wagering some of her truest fans are really angry, and they're going to help give the film bad press. If it's an awesome movie, the fanbase may be expanded enough so this doesn't do a ton of damage. If the movie is mediocre, it's going to hurt the bottom line quite badly, since repeat sales are one of the reasons teen-oriented films do well.

If a writer wants to be artistic, then he or she sacrifices some ability to publish. If a writer signs a book contract, they sign an agreement that they are going to be producing something that people want to read. Killing a lead character because Roth felt it was time for her to die is a really questionable choice.

Roth's editor should have been saying, “That's a great idea. Explain how it works to me.”

And I think that's my issue. Roth doesn't explain how things work. In short, I didn't buy it. When you lose the ability to suspend belief, you've lost the power of the story.

In Which Obamacare makes me livid

aishuu — Sun, 17 Nov 2013 01:13:13 GMT

The more I see of Obamacare, the more I hate it. There's going to be some winners and some losers, and I am most decidedly a loser. I just tried NY's health exchange and it is EVIL and I am praying my employers decide that maintaining my current coverage is to their benefit - I think they will, but I am not sure.

I'm holding onto being middle class by the skin of my teeth. If I get forced into the exchanges, it's going to be several hundred dollars a month for decent coverage and I'm going to be officially "working poor." It will kill my ability to save anything. I already pay about 1/3 of my income in taxes, and I cannot afford to pay more. The thing that it doesn't make clear is the status are based on gross income (actually, MAGI) which is a new term which is going to screw over the upper-middle class pretty well - if you're making about 200K, you're subject to a 3 percent income tax which was supposed to be a "medicare" tax but is actually going into the general coffers). My net income is much, much lower and I would be paying 1/5 of my net income on health insurance if I have to go the health care exchange route. But that's AFFORDABLE, according to our lovely government.

You know those so-called subsidies? I qualify for a $9 a month subsidy - but hey, it's a subsidy! When I would have to pay $300 per month for a bronze-care level of plan, and over $500 if I want decent coverage without insane copays! BUT IT'S A SUBSIDY SO I AM NOT ON MY OWN!

In theory, I support the concept of health insurance reform, but Obamacare is just a bad bill. They made too many compromises, and the resulting mess is only going to increase the class divide. It's going to help out the people who are entirely uninsured and hit the poverty lines and boost participation in Medicaid. Conversely, the people who are working their way up to the American Dream of home ownership and financial security are getting kicked in the teeth. I think this is yet another step on shifting the responsibility for the American worker from the private sector to the public sector (hello, Wal-Mart and other megaemployers that offer shit pay and no benefits). One of the major problems is that "good" jobs are not coming back from the recession, but hey, that's okay, because Uncle Sam will take care of its people!

I would be better off not working from some perspectives. If I get really sick, the best thing for me to do is quit my job, apply for Medicaid, and move back in with my parents. Is THIS the kind of policy the government wants to encourage?

I can't decide if the Republicans or Democrats hate the middle class more. I was livid about the Republicans shutting down Washington, but Obamacare is worse. Oh my god, it is worse.

I hate them all.

Dear Yuletide Author....

aishuu — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 22:04:43 GMT

Thanks for getting stuck with me.

I see Yuletide as an opportunity for creative storytelling, and that's what I'm interested in. I like fics that have strong narratives and that something happens in - i.e. I'm not that into internal monologues/scenic descriptions. I like stories that explore something new about the world, and I tend to prefer longer pieces.

Anything overtly shippy may or may not work for me - it depends on if there's a plot in there, too. Same with porn... I don't really look for porn when reading yuletide fanfic. I have few squicks left - RPF, extreme bondage, maiming of animals. I like in jokes and references, but I don't think I want any full crossovers this go round.

I want a fic that leaves me happy or feeling content - while angst is fine in the story itself, I want resolution that doesn't leave the characters in a horrible place. The writers who have gifted me in the last couple years are a good point to start if you want reference, since I was very happy with the results!

Here's the basics on my fandom desires:

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

My current obsession for the Fall 2013 season. I am not a special snowflake, and I'm sure a lot of the requests will mirror mine... I want canon (and by canon, I mean fits into the S.H.I.E.L.D. reality). At this point the world is new and shiny, so I'd like something that tells me a story about the characters - casefic would be great. I like Fitzsimmons and Coulson best of the cast so far, but I'd love something with the entire cast interacting. I like winks and nods to the movies but I don't want the Big Ticket Cast to appear in person. I'm not sold on Skye, but I could be. Ward came off as Clark Kent in episode four and I liked that vibe, and Melinda has potential.

So... consider this license to play in S.H.I.E.L.D. I want good writing and a plot. :)

The Changeover

I saw this fandom and picked it? Sorry and Laura are awesome, and hell yes, I ship it.

I don't have too many specifics, aside from I do not want kidfic. Tell me a story... I love these characters, but don't have anything more specific than I want to see them all grown up together. Possible ideas: the magic system, Sorry having issues due to his emotional limitations, what jobs do they have, modern technological magic.... throw into a blender and stir.

16th & 17th Century CE RPF

Very specific request: I want the facebook/twitter/livejournal/social media presence of historical figures, preferably focusing on England. Anything from the Conquest through the Victorian era is fine (I went with 16th/17th at random) - I nerd on it all. I would like it to stick as close to historic fact as possible. Make me laugh, please.

This was a whim choice - I'm reading a lot of European history, and I would love meta or epistolary fic based on modern communication methods. Something along the lines of Mediavengers is what I would enjoy. Doesn't need to be graphic work (I'm fine with text only), but it can be if you're so inclined.

I don't really want imagined fiction - sticking close to the history but mocking it just a bit would do me in. I do like Horrible Histories and that sense of humor regarding history amuses me.

Alternately, an outsider narrator on the history and the irony of historical accident/irony/luck of the draw would be awesome. Feel free to be creative with the narrator - London as character, Death as character, fictional maid who worked for all of Henry's wives....

The Dark is Rising

The fandom of my heart and childhood. I ship Bran/Will hard, but would be happy with genfic. I'm looking for a story that is set current day or brings them into the future. I've really enjoyed the fics that set them in a political world, and would love more of Bran's role as the Once and Future King coming out in surprising ways. In this day and age, a king doesn't need a crown to rule.

Seuss! Seuss! Seuss!

aishuu — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 23:48:03 GMT

I love Doctor Seuss, but I just had one of those my childhood is threatened! moments. I picked up Dr Seuss goes to War, and it was really interesting. It shows the editorial cartoons he did during WWII and the lead up to it. There is something really strange viewing Hitler from a contemporary perspective (especially in Seuss's oh-so-distinctive style). Strange, but after a bit, it somehow made a lot of sense. Of course, my favorite Seuss story is The Butterbattle Book, so maybe that's not surprising I liked Seuss' political comedy.

It gave me a lot to think on - it is very, very weird to read about WWII without the advantage of historical hindsight. Since I'm reading a ton of Avengers fic, I've been caught up in the nostalgia train, but America really wasn't as united as history paints it. In a strange way, nothing has changed. We talk about how polarized the nation has become, but it's always been that way. There's always been an "us" versus "them," but now we have more ways to communicate so the noise is just louder.

I've always found editorial cartoons an interesting look at presumed "joint" logic - read a book about George IV of England and the editorials are a heck of a lot more amusing way to learn about history than just reading or listening to a teacher drone on. Editorials make things "human" in a way that reading from books can't. I remember having a really good history teacher that would use editorials to help with lessons - I'll never forget I've decided I want my seat back as our intro to the Jim Crow era.

Happy Christmas, Yoko!

aishuu — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 05:30:33 GMT

1 - First off, yuletide fic! My fic was Truth in the Telling, which is President's Daughter fic. Which is one of those "OMG, my CHILDHOOD" stories that I loved that no one else seemed to know. The author caught exactly what I wanted, so I'm happy.

2 - Second off, I posted two stories for yuletide. Find them, let me know, and I'll see if I can manage a fic prize. It's very strange to be writing again - I apparently need deadlines to get anything done. I think both of the stories are solid (thanks to some awesome beta jobs).

3 - Christmas was fine until the ex-wife/husband of my sister showed up. What I did not say to my sister and her ex: I don't CARE if your kids want to play happy families, you're getting a divorce so thanks for the welcome to awkwardville. Your ex wasn't invited for a reason. PS - your kids are out of control and are going to end up in juvie. Medicating them into a stupor is not going to fix the problems that lack of parenting causes.

So would it be horribly tacky to just post plot summaries for fics I may never complete?

aishuu — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 02:53:59 GMT

I admit that I'm not writing much lately for a variety of reasons. I have so many works in progress I feel guilty - I'm wondering if it would make sense to write the synopsis versions of several fics so people get "what was supposed to happen." I saw joisbishmyoga do this recently, and at least it gave a sense of closure for the reader....

In Which Election day is Imminent

aishuu — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 02:42:56 GMT

I'm going to the polls tomorrow before work. I don't want to go because I HATE THEM ALL, but I'm going as a sign of respect for the process. Horrible as it is, Americans have it pretty good when you look at the rest of the world.

My younger brother just announced on Facebook that "I have made the conscious decision not to vote. Not because I'm lazy or don't care but more because I refuse to take part when I know that my vote doesn't make a difference."

He then rambles about the unfairness of the electoral college, and how he's making a statement by not showing up, etc., etc. I would believe it if I didn't know him. Despite him being an avid Libertarian and a poli-sci major, I am ninety percent sure he's not registered to vote because he moved within the last year and he always forgets to do things like that. This is the kid who never got his $300 "stimulus" funds because he kept putting off filing his taxes for it, and the kid who didn't get his passport (after being told his job required it) for six months and ended up missing out on a trip to Brazil because of it. I'm pissed off at him for announcing it like that, because it is really upsetting my mother. Voting is one of my family's core values, and he's throwing it in her face.

If you're an American, don't be like my asshole little brother. Vote, even if it's for Santa Claus.

Yes, I'm considering voting for Santa Claus since I am in a blue state and my vote doesn't matter on the national level and I like this guy's style. Besides, I know there's several close local elections where my vote does matter, and I don't think I could face my grandfather's ghost having neglected to vote.

I will be so glad when this is over. I am praying there is no repeat of 2000, because I don't think I can take another month of this.

Dear Yuletide Writer

aishuu — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 00:41:08 GMT

That you like the same books I do means you're literate and awesome. Thank you.

I see Yuletide as an opportunity for creative storytelling, and that's what I'm interested in. I like fics that have strong narratives and that something happens in - i.e. I'm not that into internal monologues/scenic descriptions. I like stories that explore something new about the world, and I tend to prefer longer pieces. I have few squicks left - RPF, extreme bondage, maiming of animals. I want a fic that leaves me happy or feeling content - while angst is fine in the story itself, I want resolution that doesn't leave the characters in a horrible place.

As for the requests:

President's Daughter series - Ellen Emerson White
Preston Fielding/Meghan Powers

Preston/Meghan is really what I want. I love the two together and actually approach OTP status for them.

I read these books as a teenager in the nineties (they were dated then) and I also read them when Long May She Reign came out. The difference in the versions was slightly startling to me.

These were some of my favorites as a teenager. Now that I think on it, I love the elements because of the same reasons I loved The West Wing. I like politics and intellectual debate grounded in characters I enjoy reading about. I like detail and I like optimism - I'm really sick of this election cycle, and would like the feeling of a political narrative that draws the people together.

If you're not into shipping, I'd be happy with a fic set when Meghan is about thirty - where does she end up after her mother's terms in office? I want the "after Meghan is out of the White House" story... maybe she follows a parallel path to some other first daughter, maybe she becomes a hermit, maybe she ends up as a member of a thinktank. Creativity would be a plus, but I want to know that she survived and thrived.

Bonus if you want to incorporate both together. It would be interesting to see her as First Lady to Preston's President (ohhhh, the gender politics...).

Twelve Houses - Sharon Shinn
Cammon (Twelve Houses)

Sharon Shinn is an author I love, love, love.

What I like about Shinn's writing is the storytelling. There's always an undercurrent of romance in her work, but the worlds are so vividly created with such interesting detail that the romance doesn't overwhelm the story.

Cammon's my favorite character - I enjoy his sweet wisdom. I would love fic set with him as king, perhaps something post Fortune and Fate, or perhaps something about his first days as Amalie's official Consort. I would be interested in his relationship with Rappengrass (Ariane!), since this is one of the sections I reread a couple of times.

I also like Wen quite a bit if you'd rather move in that direction.

Blossom Culp - Richard Peck

I am on a nonfiction history reading kick right now (I've been reading about the Titanic from umpteen million authors), and that brought to mind my love for this childhood series. I want something rooted in the time period - something with a sense of history that gets the detail right. I'd like something set during Blossom's earlier life - prior to the 1940s, because WWII just depresses the heck out of me.

I love Blossom's quirk and confidence, and I love her and Alexander together (friends are fine if you don't want to go a romantic route - I don't actually want a full-blown romance for them). I'd like something with a twist of supernatural that fits into the time period - while I did specifically sign up with a request for no RPF, I would make an exception for Rasputin because I'm sure she'd click with him and his "powers" in interesting ways. Maybe something about Blossom being involved with the Romanov family - adding another legend to what happens to one of the missing daughters (and it'd be more interesting if it was not Anastasia).

In Which Aishuu Walks Out

aishuu — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 21:48:43 GMT

Hotel Transylvania: The movie that sucked so hard my friend T and I walked out. Thankfully the theater comped us with "return passes" so we're not out the $12.25 (for a matinee).

In other words, the movie was godawful. Spread the word, save yourself the time and money. I haven't walked out of a film in about 10 years, but it really was that bad. It looked cute from the previews, but the previews lied. About five minutes in I hated all the characters, and things just went downhill from there. I guess it goes to show that fun character design needs story and characters in order for me to want to sit through.

In other news, I was randomly picked to give "feedback" on a trailer for an upcoming movie. I've never done one of the pretests before, and it took a heck of a lot longer than the girl said it would. It's yet another film I will not be paying for based on the previews... and they made me watch the preview twice.

Ten Hunger Games Fics I Want to Read (even if they don't exist)

aishuu — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 02:10:58 GMT

Here's my wishlist for Hunger Games fic. You know how you go into a fandom hoping to find certain fics already written? Well....

1. The one where Rue wins and becomes the mockingjay. I've seen a short version of this, but I want epic.

2. The one where Katniss doesn't volunteer, so Prim ends up going... and becoming a kick-ass alliance with Rue.

3. Thresh. The character of Thresh interests me, and I wish we'd seen more of him. I'd love his canon-based story during the games.

4. The fic where Katniss actually succeeds in saving Peeta at her own expense. And Peeta becomes the mockingjay. Sensing a trend yet?

5. A good answer to the "what really happened to Cinna" dilemma... something not too gory, but creative and in character.

6. A pleasantly creepy fic with Snow and Coin interacting face to face, maybe playing chess or having lunch and just being evil.

7. The 0T3 of Katniss/Peeta/Gale.

8. The fic where Katniss dies in the games, which lead to Peeta/Gale in a highly dysfunctionally functional relationship which ends in them destroying all of Panem in fire. IE - The Pyro fic.

9. The fic where Katniss is a mentor (ie the Quarter Quell doesn't happen, so Katniss is forced to take on the traditional role).

10. Fic focusing on the reality tv aspect... because damn, it's creepy.

If you've seen any, let me know...

In Which the Hunger Games is a distraction

aishuu — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:56:10 GMT

I caved and went to see The Hunger Games and loved it (I blame fandom for making me associate it with Twilight for so long). And then spent the weekend reading the entire trilogy. I actually liked the movie better - the "behind the scenes" of the Hunger Games really added to it since the books are all limited by the 1POV narration.

Now... I'm sure there's some lovely people on my flist who are fans, and who can point me in the direction of fic. I haven't read anything or started looking at the comms because I'm still phobic of fandom as a whole. So... some people want to point me in the right direction for the awesome fic I'm sure must exist? Individuals recs, reclists, comms... tell me where to go, please! Need. The. Distraction.

Tax deadline - T minus 15!!).

In Which the Internet World Ends

aishuu — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 02:00:21 GMT

OMG. MEGAUPLOAD FINALLY GOT BOOTED!

I am just amazed it took this long... and also amused at the amount of stupid in the timing. GREAT idea to ban one of the most popular bootlegging websites the day after the Great SOPA Blackout. I understand the case has been ongoing for almost a year and these things take time, but the irony kills...

The world will not end in fire or ice. Instead, it will end when people finally decide that taking away their illegal downloads is a step too far and some hacktivist will get access to the nuclear button and push it because they can't live without their p0rn.

Quick Question to anyone Jewish on my flist

aishuu — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 01:29:25 GMT

So I left holiday cards for all my coworkers since today was my last day. I slid them under their doors, since I'm the only one off tomorrow, and I simply want to wish them all happy holidays.

One of them is Jewish and I gave her a Hanukkah card instead since I know she's practicing. Now I'm having second thoughts - this isn't some kind of inadvertent misstep, is it? She gave me candy yesterday - pretty much shoved it at me and said "Happy Hanukkah"? She's a really abrupt person and I'm never going to know if this offends her or not...

I utterly fail at multiculturalism.

In Which Life is Excellent

aishuu — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:47:35 GMT

1 - Not only survived the annual performance review, but got a raise. I may be able to afford to eat things other than ramen this year!

2 - Yuletide fic = draft completed.

....And then learned I have three root canals. I'll survive (dental insurance = yay!), but it's kind of the gray cloud in the silver linings. But it's hard to be miserable with a purring cat on your lap.

In Which the Apocalypse Might Be Pending

aishuu — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 03:29:53 GMT

Glee? Actually did not suck tonight. OMG.

And I remember why I loved Quinn first season. Someone must have staged an intervention with RIB about her.

Dear Yuletide Author

aishuu — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 13:52:06 GMT

Thanks for signing up for this! Let's cut to the chase:

I see Yuletide as an opportunity for creative storytelling, and that's what I'm interested in. I like fics that have strong narratives and that something happens in - i.e. I'm not that into internal monologues/scenic descriptions. I like stories that explore something new about the world, and I tend to prefer longer pieces. I have few squicks left - RPF, extreme bondage, maiming of animals. I want a fic that leaves me happy or feeling content - while angst is fine in the story itself, I want resolution that doesn't leave the characters in a horrible place.

If you're really stumped, you can check rec_a_day to give you a pretty good idea of what things I really like reading.

As for the requests:

Last Friday Night - Katy Perry (music video)

I didn't think of this as a fandom until I saw it on the sign ups, but I can imagine this having the potential to be awesome. I think this would be my first pick, since there are so many possibilities for a cracktastic story.

I would love something fun about this universe. I would enjoy something that expands this world (backstory) or a different person's perspective of LFN. I'm a Darren Criss fan, so I'd really like explanation for his cameo - who is he? Bonus points if you tie it into his Glee character (it's Blaine's uncle/father!) and I love meta winks to the reader. Please note I am not a RPF fan, and wouldn't enjoy that as an explanation.

President's Daughter series - Ellen Emerson White
Preston Fielding/Meghan Powers

Preston/Meghan is really what I want. I love the two together and actually approach OTP status for them.

I read these books as a teenager in the nineties (they were dated then) and I also read them when Long May She Reign came out. The difference in the versions was slightly startling to me.

These were some of my favorites as a teenager. Now that I think on it, I love the elements because of the same reasons I loved The West Wing. I like politics and intellectual debate grounded in characters I enjoy reading about.

If you're not into shipping, I'd be happy with a fic set when Meghan is about thirty - where does she end up after her mother's terms in office? I want the "after Meghan is out of the White House" story... maybe she follows a parallel path to some other first daughter, maybe she becomes a hermit, maybe she ends up as a member of a thinktank. Creativity would be a plus, but I want to know that she survived and thrived.

Bonus if you want to incorporate both together. It would be interesting to see her as First Lady to Preston's President (ohhhh, the gender politics...).

Twelve Houses - Sharon Shinn
Cammon (Twelve Houses)

Sharon Shinn is an author I love, love, love. I was kind of disappointed Troubled Waters didn't make the list, so this is my next choice.

What I like about Shinn's writing is the storytelling. There's always an undercurrent of romance in her work, but the worlds are so vividly created with such interesting detail that the romance doesn't overwhelm the story.

Cammon's my favorite character - I enjoy his sweet wisdom. I would love fic set with him as king, perhaps something post Fortune and Fate, or perhaps something about his first days as Amalie's official Consort. I would be interested in his relationship with Rappengrass (Ariane!), since this is one of the sections I reread a couple of times.

I also like Wen quite a bit if you'd rather move in that direction.

Dark Is Rising Sequence - Susan Cooper
Bran Davies aka Pendragon/Will Stanton

The fandom I can never get enough of. This is one of my childhood fandoms.

Bran/Will in some way, shape or form is really the only thing I'm interested in. I love these two interacting, whether the dynamic is friendship, liege/servant or romantic. I would love some fic set when they're adults - it's up to the writer what story they want to tell with it. I've enjoyed the fics done with strong focus on Bran's heritage as a Welshmen, but I might also like a different spin on where Bran goes when he's an adult. While I enjoy the Arthurian background to the stories, I like that as world-support rather than the entire world (i.e. I don't want them to travel to the Lost Lands on some kind of Quest). I think Bran and Will trying to live in the modern world is what engages my mind - the fusion of their possibilities, so to speak. I would really, really enjoy a fic that makes Bran The Once and Future King in 2011...

Please note I am only interested in the bookverse, and have no appreciation for the movieverse (to put it politely).

Fake Fic Warnings Meme!

aishuu — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:29:31 GMT

New meme! Nowadays the cult of fic warnings requires lots and lots of detail to the point where it has the potential to spoil the stories... so let's take the concept just a bit further. Give me

Fandom

Character/pairing

Prompt

and I'll write you the way too detailed (and perhaps ridiculous) warning for it.

Go!

Irene and the Adirondacks: Devastating My Hometown

aishuu — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 23:30:03 GMT

I'm keeping this unlocked because I want people to link to this.

Irene was a bitch. I cannot describe the damage it's done to Upstate NY, particularly the Adirondack region (and Vermont, but it's my hometown is most immediate to me). The storm wasn't the bad part. It is the after party that really hurts.

The story seems to be "Thank God NYC was spared!!!" And while this is true (the cost in lives could have been horrible), it's not the only truth. All I can say is that while I survived (less my internet connection - it's fried and I won't have regular access until next week which is very mild compared to everything else), a lot of people I know are in so much trouble. My parents and relatives were cut off for a while (they're fine). The places of my childhood have flooded, and I don't know if they will come back.

You have to understand the region to get what this storm did. This is a sparsely populated area that is very poor. There's lots of second homes, but the residents are some of the poorest in NY state. Travel is difficult - most depends on main thoroughfares, and when they're cut off, things go to hell. Roads, bridges, house, businesses - flooded. The downtown of my hometown was gutted, and that's half the businesses. The Keene Fire Department was literally washed away (this is the town next to us). There's few permanent news sources in the region, so I'm not sure how much publicity this is getting.

Thing is? This is the second major flood this year for Clinton and Essex Counties. In May, there was some serious flooding in the same region, and a lot of the businesses didn't reopen until July. Now this - the economy is devastated. The region didn't qualify for flood relief the first time around since it was only for the three counties... not a "big enough" disaster to manage or give federal emergency status to.

If you're thinking about donating, donate through the The American Red Cross. My local charity of choice is the The North Country SPCA (because the a LOT of people are going to be having to surrender their pets). There's very few other charitable donations in the region that are equipped to have "hands on, boots on the ground" relief efforts. The other organization which has potential (in my experience) is the local United Way - it probably won't help with immediate issues much, but there are a lot of long term issues.

I don't even know how to speak about this. I'm just too tired to cry and too overwhelmed to feel anything but depressed. I'm not looking for sympathy - I'm looking to raise awareness of the people not just in Vermont, but in my hometown region. I'm not sure what else has been done - my internet is very limited. I'm worried that this will get pushed aside as the nation finishes "cleaning up."

Edit: Someone just linked me to an issue about one of the local libraries being severely damaged. This library, the Upper Jay Library, is the heart of this community (there is literally no other public gathering spot in this town).

If you have questions about a local charity in Essex (and potentially Clinton County) about their rep or what their value is, ask it. I'll get back to you shortly - please have patience for my lack of internet service.

Books to Engage Young Boys

aishuu — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 06:03:56 GMT

A coworker asked me for book recs for her young son. She wants to get him engaged in reading (and she's not much of a reader herself). He's a huge fan of House of Anubis, so she's thinking mysteries.

Here's my general thoughts. Any of you have a better bead on what to read with a six year old? I think my selections are more appropriate for someone a bit older... but then again, kids today are exposed to a lot of things I wasn't. Anyone have anything better or OMG don't tell her that's okay?

General selections:

Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective - Good for reading with a younger child. It stars a boy detective and some innocent mysteries. A rather long series, but definitely a classic.

Artemis Fowl - These are personal favorites of mine.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Lots of fun with Greek mythology, the characters are very now. There is a movie which would make a fun way to compare after reading the book.

Harry Potter - First book is appropriate for young children, but by about book four, I wouldn't let a kid under 10 read it.

In Which Aishuu Packs for Greener Pastures

aishuu — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 20:17:45 GMT

Found out I'm supposed to move on Tuesday... and I haven't started packing yet. Eep. Guess what I'm doing for the next 48 hours (aside from going to work?).

Consider me on hiatus until around Christmas time.

Couple messages before I go:

nthcoincident: Totally owe you some flailing for On Centrifugal Living, which is awesome. I crashed and burned (pun intended) on "Alikes Set Sparks," so I'm going to be working on it from scratch. Hope we can chat when I get back online sometime.

sophiap, I'll email you when I have internet access in my new place. <3

darcenciel, I want to catch up with you soon. I haven't forgotten, RL is just kicking my ass hard.

ickaimp, very belated happy birthday.

Early happy birthday wishes to the December babies: kitesareevil, xandrabelle, chrysa, ronsard, satora_chan, therhoda and to anyone I may have missed.

If you need to contact me, my email is aishuuyamada @ gmail . com, which I will be checking on via my cellphone.

Ciao, babes!

In Which Aishuu is Shakespeare Geeked

aishuu — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 03:44:35 GMT

I should totally stop vanity googling myself, but I can't HELP it. Sometimes you find the most interesting things:

Like someone who doesn't seem to know what fanfic is discussing that Romeo and Juliet Fic I wrote.

I'm actually giggling. It sounds kind of pretentious... calling fanfic sanctimonious is kind of funny in and of itself. I don't know why this strikes me as so... CUTE!