Patron Saint of Falling Over Things

Yuletide! It seems like Yuletide comes around faster each year, which I don't mind at all because I FREAKING LOVE this exchange. This is my eleventh, and I've had a great time every year.

So, first up and foremost: I love Yuletide. I will love what you write. I've loved every Yuletide fic I've received. Please don't stress out! Please have fun writing.

Secondly, I write long letters with lots of suggestions, but they really are just suggestions. If you're one of those writers that does not enjoy being fenced in, then fly free, you beautiful wild thing. And if we don't gel on character choice, ODAO is a-okay with me. I like all the characters in these fandoms, I love all these fandoms for the stories and the worldbuilding. If you have to, ODAO like it's a rodeo.


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 so much the mundane kind), crossovers (see 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.

( Requests: The Black Tapes, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Inhuman Condition, Confident - Demi Lovato (Music Video), Wynonna Earp, Stranger Things )

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 it's not going to work for you, I've got a few small or easily accessed canons here:

- Inhuman Condition is a short webseries about a psychologist who treats patients with paranormal characteristics. The main character is Michelle, who is played by Torri Higginson from SGA.
- Picnic at Hanging Rock is an Australian movie set in the Victorian era, about the disappearance of three schoolgirls. It's spooky and atmospheric. It's also as old as me, which means you'll probably find it in a bargain bin. (I guess that means I belong in a bargain bin, too. Oh, dear.)
- Confident by Demi Lovato is a music video. It also stars Michelle Rodriguez, there's a lot of fighting, and women having each other's back. It's great. With explosions.
- The Black Tapes is a podcast about a journalist following the career of a paranormal investigator and known sceptic. It's just finished its second season.


For stalking purposes, I'm st_aurafina and 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. If you're writing Hanging Rock, and need an Australian beta, she'll do that. I totally volunteer her for it. (No, seriously, she will do that.)

Thank you so much! I hope you have a great Yuletide.