Yuletide: the big one zero
Oct. 27th, 2015 03:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
st_aurafinaDear Author-shaped-person,
Yuletide #10? But how? How can it be a full decade I've been doing this amazing exchange?
I feel old, but in a festive and merry, nose-like-a-cherry kind of way.
First up, I want Yuletide to be fun for you as well as me. That means that if you're the kind of person who won't be fenced in, please don't freak out at this long and chatty letter! I like guidelines and plot bunnies, but that doesn't mean you do. I'd appreciate you steering away from my squicks, but otherwise, go be free, you magnificent wild spirit.
If you are the kind of person who wants to know all the details and preferences, or see what plot bunnies are rattling around in my head, then read on. We are sympatico!
Here are my general likes and dislikes, c&p'ed from previous letters:
Things that generally tickle my fancy:
People! Gen, slash, femslash, het. Friendship fic, relationship fic, frenemies, enemies, sexy enemies. People putting their differences aside to work with each other. Backstory, AUs (though not the no powers barista kind), crossovers (see![[archiveofourown.org profile]](https://p.dreamwidth.org/b164c54b26e4/-/archiveofourown.org/favicon.ico)
st_aurafina for fandoms), teamwork.
Plot! Big sweeping plot, small canon-compliant plot, things for the characters to do while they're snarking at each other, things going on around them while they're getting it on. I like stuff to happen.
Competence! I have a huge competence kink. I love seeing people being really, really good at stuff. I love lateral thinkers and characters who follow their instincts and people putting their skills to use in unexpected ways.
Ladies! BAMF female characters who don't have to bring other female characters down to be BAMFs. Mothers and sisters and girlfriends and girlfriends and wives. Women with agency. Women treated with respect.
Representation! People of colour. People outside the gender binary. Queer identities and culture. Non-nuclear families, found families, poly families, family that is family because you get to define it.
Things that I don't like as much (but can handle if the story takes you there):
Sad endings, character death, angst, embarrassment.
Things I'd rather you didn't write:
Cross-gen relationships, incest, teacher/student, employee/employer, non-con.
Selfie:
In-universe romance or out of this world crossovers – I am happy for Henry/Eliza but just as happy with gen. Something centric to the other characters, or alternate POV stories very welcome, as are AUs of the fantastic kind, like superheroes or space travellers or horror.
I would love anything about this ridiculous and painfully short-lived show. I do think it's ripe for AUs and crossovers (together they fight crime!!) but an in-world story would be equally as awesome. Part of the charm of the show was the ensemble cast, so while I love stories about Henry and Eliza's relationship, I'd love to see more of Charmonique and her son, Bryn and her etsy-loving cohort, Mr Saperstein's FABULOUS life, or Linda and her Yelp-fame.
#findthegirlsonthenegatives
Any fic based on the photos that kicked off this hashtag would be amazing. I'm getting a femslash vibe from the images – there's two women, so one is photographing the other, right? Is this a ritual? A rite of passage or a momentous event in their lives? Mermaids returning home?
You can see the facebook post about the how the images were found here: https://www.facebook.com/alwaysabell/posts/10204229570090449
Here's what I put in the Yuletide promotion post:
Meagan 'Irene' Abdell, a photographer, finds a set of negatives in a thrift shop. The images are of two women, dressed in fifties-era clothing, some standing in the surf, facing towards the horizon. They're beautiful and mysterious and unidentifiable. Irene Abdell starts an online search for the women, hashtagged #findthegirlsonthenegatives.
I really want to know what's going on in these images – what gives them such atmosphere, why does it feel so portentous? There's something very focused and intense about the two women, and I love the sense of mystery that comes from catching their images while the waves crash around them. Maybe there's something about how they were found – Irene Abdell came across them in a thrift shop. Was she meant to find them? Are they sending her a message?
They're just so beautiful.
Indiana Jones
Most of all, I love Marion, so a Marion-centric story would be amazing, but I'm up for anything – AUs, crossovers, in-universe extensions of what we know from the movies. Prequels or sequels.
I'm looking for a story that suits the hellbent for leather mood of the movies. A gen rollick in pursuit of some historical artifact would be awesome, but at the same time, seeing Indy try to live a normal life would provide as much entertainment, so if you want to revisit his relationship with academia, that would be great too. Maybe Sallah and his family can come visit him. Or, if you're a fan of the silver screen era, how about someone trying to make an Indiana Jones movie while Indy's still around to suffer through it? (Who would they cast for Indy?)
I'd love to see a happy situation for Indy and Marion, but I'd be equally happy with prequel/sequel stories. Or, hey, if you're feeling AU, bring Marion along into the movies we didn't get to see her in. Crossovers would be amazing – there are so many fandoms that can mesh with Indiana Jones. If you're familiar, a crossover with Sanctuary would blow my mind– how can Indiana not know Helen Magnus?
Killjoys
D'avin & Dutch & Johnny during a mission or in post-mission cuddle piles or chilling in Pree's bar. Something from the Jaqobis' childhood – D'avin and Johnny seem to have had a fairly fraught upbringing. Or something about Dutch on her own before she took Johnny on as a partner. I love anything world building-ish, and I love all the characters.
First up, I want to say that I've not nominated Alvis because I'm a bit worried about matching with someone who's into blood kink – I'm really not and I think that would make both our Yuletides unfun. But if you're fond of the revolutionary punk!monk, I'd love to know more about him, as long as you can keep it kink-free.
With that caveat, I'm good with pretty much anything you want to write for this amazing little show. I mentioned the cuddle pile in my request – this universe strikes me as a cuddle pile kind of situation, something to shelter in from the relatively life situations. I am pretty much up for a cuddle pile with everyone in it, to be honest. The finale episode did set us up for that a bit.
I'd love mission fic (The warrant is all!), I'd love something set at RAC central or about the behind-the-scenes politicking at the RAC. I'd love to know more about Fancy Lee – was he always so very fancy? Was he always the necessary asshole? Pawter wasn't nominated but I do wonder if her path ever crossed with Dutch's as a child, they have both mingled with the privileged. Gosh, there's a lot in this tiny show. I really love it. I guess the main thing I need in Killjoys fic is that feeling of camaraderie, wherever it's coming from. It's so important.
Cornetto "40 - love" Commercial
What do Maria and Debbie get up to after the events of the movie? Romance, travel, tennis, retirement? I'd love to know more about the main characters, and whether Lily Allen/Cupid ever drops in on them to see how they're going.
Here's the video, if we matched on another fandom and you're not familiar: Cornetto Cupidity Love Stories - 40 Love. I LOFF IT SO MUCH.
This thing is adorable, and I want to know more about Debbie and Maria. What was Maria's childhood like? Was she a tennis prodigy, force-grown and in training since forever? Did she ever strike out on adventures as a kid to get away from the driving force of coaches and parents? What about Debbie – how did she get to be a line umpire? Those jobs are usually seasonal – what does she do in the off-season? Does she like to play tennis herself? Does she have a day job, and is she out at work? Do they know she went viral? WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE A MEME? I have to know.
I'd love to see Debbie and Maria negotiating a relationship in the spotlight – what's great about it, what's unexpectedly difficult. (Remember that movie, Wimbledon, with Paul Bettany and Kirsten Dunst? I think this would crossover with that movie really well.)
I want to know if Debbie has that kind of tennis-ball-to-the-forehead bad luck? Speaking as a very clumsy person, I would love to know what it's like to date someone graceful and physically adept. Especially when red carpets might be involved.
I love that Lily Allen plays Cupid – has she always had an eye on these two? Has she tried before to get them together? Are they particularly intransigent about her scheming.
Dracula (TV 2013)
Alexander Grayson/Lucy Westenra/Mina Murray – something with them all working together, with Lucy learning to be a vampire, and Mina being fiercely protective of both of them. Or a gen version of this, if you don't polyship. I'd love Grayson/Renfield slash or gen – they were a great team, and this is my favourite incarnation of Renfield ever.
This show is ridic! And adorable and historically batshit and I loved it to bits. I have a fondness for the trope of baby vampire learning how to vampire, and where Lucy ended up in the last episode fits this very well. I really ship Lucy/Mina, and I think it would be interesting to see Lucy and Mina work out a dynamic, either with Grayson as a lover or as a vampire mentor for Lucy.
I love this Renfield! I love that he's a fricking badass, and that he gets shit done, and that he knows his boss is the baddest boss of all. I would love anything about them rampaging through the business world, the underworld, the world of vampires... I don't care as long as they're an awesome team and as long as Grayson never lets anything bad happen to Renfield. I'd love to see how Renfield learned the ins and outs of being a vampire's major domo. Slash or gen.
Miscellanea
I do not have a preferred fandom. I haven't put them up in any order except how they came to me tonight as I write my letter. I might have written more about one than another, but that doesn't mean I'm fixated on that fandoms over others. I love them all, and I would be equally delighted with fic for any of them.
If we've matched on a large canon, and you feel that's not going to suit you this year, I have a couple of small fandoms that are easily absorbed. One is a hashtag! #findthegirlsonthenegatives is based on some amazing photos found in a thrift shop. Cornetto "40 - love" Commercial is a youtube video, Cornetto Cupidity Love Stories - 40 Love.
For stalking purposes, I'mst_aurafina and ![[tumblr.com profile]](https://www.tumblr.com/favicon.ico)
st-aurafina. All my previous Dear Author letters are here: Dear Author. If you have any questions, you're welcome to message my partner, lilacsigil.
Thank you so much! I hope your Yuletide is awesome.
Yuletide #10? But how? How can it be a full decade I've been doing this amazing exchange?
I feel old, but in a festive and merry, nose-like-a-cherry kind of way.
First up, I want Yuletide to be fun for you as well as me. That means that if you're the kind of person who won't be fenced in, please don't freak out at this long and chatty letter! I like guidelines and plot bunnies, but that doesn't mean you do. I'd appreciate you steering away from my squicks, but otherwise, go be free, you magnificent wild spirit.
If you are the kind of person who wants to know all the details and preferences, or see what plot bunnies are rattling around in my head, then read on. We are sympatico!
Here are my general likes and dislikes, c&p'ed from previous letters:
Things that generally tickle my fancy:
People! Gen, slash, femslash, het. Friendship fic, relationship fic, frenemies, enemies, sexy enemies. People putting their differences aside to work with each other. Backstory, AUs (though not the no powers barista kind), crossovers (see
Plot! Big sweeping plot, small canon-compliant plot, things for the characters to do while they're snarking at each other, things going on around them while they're getting it on. I like stuff to happen.
Competence! I have a huge competence kink. I love seeing people being really, really good at stuff. I love lateral thinkers and characters who follow their instincts and people putting their skills to use in unexpected ways.
Ladies! BAMF female characters who don't have to bring other female characters down to be BAMFs. Mothers and sisters and girlfriends and girlfriends and wives. Women with agency. Women treated with respect.
Representation! People of colour. People outside the gender binary. Queer identities and culture. Non-nuclear families, found families, poly families, family that is family because you get to define it.
Things that I don't like as much (but can handle if the story takes you there):
Sad endings, character death, angst, embarrassment.
Things I'd rather you didn't write:
Cross-gen relationships, incest, teacher/student, employee/employer, non-con.
Selfie:
In-universe romance or out of this world crossovers – I am happy for Henry/Eliza but just as happy with gen. Something centric to the other characters, or alternate POV stories very welcome, as are AUs of the fantastic kind, like superheroes or space travellers or horror.
I would love anything about this ridiculous and painfully short-lived show. I do think it's ripe for AUs and crossovers (together they fight crime!!) but an in-world story would be equally as awesome. Part of the charm of the show was the ensemble cast, so while I love stories about Henry and Eliza's relationship, I'd love to see more of Charmonique and her son, Bryn and her etsy-loving cohort, Mr Saperstein's FABULOUS life, or Linda and her Yelp-fame.
#findthegirlsonthenegatives
Any fic based on the photos that kicked off this hashtag would be amazing. I'm getting a femslash vibe from the images – there's two women, so one is photographing the other, right? Is this a ritual? A rite of passage or a momentous event in their lives? Mermaids returning home?
You can see the facebook post about the how the images were found here: https://www.facebook.com/alwaysabell/posts/10204229570090449
Here's what I put in the Yuletide promotion post:
Meagan 'Irene' Abdell, a photographer, finds a set of negatives in a thrift shop. The images are of two women, dressed in fifties-era clothing, some standing in the surf, facing towards the horizon. They're beautiful and mysterious and unidentifiable. Irene Abdell starts an online search for the women, hashtagged #findthegirlsonthenegatives.
I really want to know what's going on in these images – what gives them such atmosphere, why does it feel so portentous? There's something very focused and intense about the two women, and I love the sense of mystery that comes from catching their images while the waves crash around them. Maybe there's something about how they were found – Irene Abdell came across them in a thrift shop. Was she meant to find them? Are they sending her a message?
They're just so beautiful.
Indiana Jones
Most of all, I love Marion, so a Marion-centric story would be amazing, but I'm up for anything – AUs, crossovers, in-universe extensions of what we know from the movies. Prequels or sequels.
I'm looking for a story that suits the hellbent for leather mood of the movies. A gen rollick in pursuit of some historical artifact would be awesome, but at the same time, seeing Indy try to live a normal life would provide as much entertainment, so if you want to revisit his relationship with academia, that would be great too. Maybe Sallah and his family can come visit him. Or, if you're a fan of the silver screen era, how about someone trying to make an Indiana Jones movie while Indy's still around to suffer through it? (Who would they cast for Indy?)
I'd love to see a happy situation for Indy and Marion, but I'd be equally happy with prequel/sequel stories. Or, hey, if you're feeling AU, bring Marion along into the movies we didn't get to see her in. Crossovers would be amazing – there are so many fandoms that can mesh with Indiana Jones. If you're familiar, a crossover with Sanctuary would blow my mind– how can Indiana not know Helen Magnus?
Killjoys
D'avin & Dutch & Johnny during a mission or in post-mission cuddle piles or chilling in Pree's bar. Something from the Jaqobis' childhood – D'avin and Johnny seem to have had a fairly fraught upbringing. Or something about Dutch on her own before she took Johnny on as a partner. I love anything world building-ish, and I love all the characters.
First up, I want to say that I've not nominated Alvis because I'm a bit worried about matching with someone who's into blood kink – I'm really not and I think that would make both our Yuletides unfun. But if you're fond of the revolutionary punk!monk, I'd love to know more about him, as long as you can keep it kink-free.
With that caveat, I'm good with pretty much anything you want to write for this amazing little show. I mentioned the cuddle pile in my request – this universe strikes me as a cuddle pile kind of situation, something to shelter in from the relatively life situations. I am pretty much up for a cuddle pile with everyone in it, to be honest. The finale episode did set us up for that a bit.
I'd love mission fic (The warrant is all!), I'd love something set at RAC central or about the behind-the-scenes politicking at the RAC. I'd love to know more about Fancy Lee – was he always so very fancy? Was he always the necessary asshole? Pawter wasn't nominated but I do wonder if her path ever crossed with Dutch's as a child, they have both mingled with the privileged. Gosh, there's a lot in this tiny show. I really love it. I guess the main thing I need in Killjoys fic is that feeling of camaraderie, wherever it's coming from. It's so important.
Cornetto "40 - love" Commercial
What do Maria and Debbie get up to after the events of the movie? Romance, travel, tennis, retirement? I'd love to know more about the main characters, and whether Lily Allen/Cupid ever drops in on them to see how they're going.
Here's the video, if we matched on another fandom and you're not familiar: Cornetto Cupidity Love Stories - 40 Love. I LOFF IT SO MUCH.
This thing is adorable, and I want to know more about Debbie and Maria. What was Maria's childhood like? Was she a tennis prodigy, force-grown and in training since forever? Did she ever strike out on adventures as a kid to get away from the driving force of coaches and parents? What about Debbie – how did she get to be a line umpire? Those jobs are usually seasonal – what does she do in the off-season? Does she like to play tennis herself? Does she have a day job, and is she out at work? Do they know she went viral? WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE A MEME? I have to know.
I'd love to see Debbie and Maria negotiating a relationship in the spotlight – what's great about it, what's unexpectedly difficult. (Remember that movie, Wimbledon, with Paul Bettany and Kirsten Dunst? I think this would crossover with that movie really well.)
I want to know if Debbie has that kind of tennis-ball-to-the-forehead bad luck? Speaking as a very clumsy person, I would love to know what it's like to date someone graceful and physically adept. Especially when red carpets might be involved.
I love that Lily Allen plays Cupid – has she always had an eye on these two? Has she tried before to get them together? Are they particularly intransigent about her scheming.
Dracula (TV 2013)
Alexander Grayson/Lucy Westenra/Mina Murray – something with them all working together, with Lucy learning to be a vampire, and Mina being fiercely protective of both of them. Or a gen version of this, if you don't polyship. I'd love Grayson/Renfield slash or gen – they were a great team, and this is my favourite incarnation of Renfield ever.
This show is ridic! And adorable and historically batshit and I loved it to bits. I have a fondness for the trope of baby vampire learning how to vampire, and where Lucy ended up in the last episode fits this very well. I really ship Lucy/Mina, and I think it would be interesting to see Lucy and Mina work out a dynamic, either with Grayson as a lover or as a vampire mentor for Lucy.
I love this Renfield! I love that he's a fricking badass, and that he gets shit done, and that he knows his boss is the baddest boss of all. I would love anything about them rampaging through the business world, the underworld, the world of vampires... I don't care as long as they're an awesome team and as long as Grayson never lets anything bad happen to Renfield. I'd love to see how Renfield learned the ins and outs of being a vampire's major domo. Slash or gen.
Miscellanea
I do not have a preferred fandom. I haven't put them up in any order except how they came to me tonight as I write my letter. I might have written more about one than another, but that doesn't mean I'm fixated on that fandoms over others. I love them all, and I would be equally delighted with fic for any of them.
If we've matched on a large canon, and you feel that's not going to suit you this year, I have a couple of small fandoms that are easily absorbed. One is a hashtag! #findthegirlsonthenegatives is based on some amazing photos found in a thrift shop. Cornetto "40 - love" Commercial is a youtube video, Cornetto Cupidity Love Stories - 40 Love.
For stalking purposes, I'm
lilacsigil.Thank you so much! I hope your Yuletide is awesome.
no subject
Date: 2015-10-27 05:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-10-31 08:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-10-29 02:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-10-31 08:14 am (UTC)A while ago there were rumours it had been picked up by another network, but I googled and that doesn't seem to be the case. :(