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ETA 11/22/11: Okay, I'm finally going to stop compulsively editing my letter. IT IS DONE. FINIS.
For some reason, I only do Yuletide in odd-numbered years. This is an odd-numbered year. I am so excited!
In a few days, with any luck, there will be a "Dear Yuletide Writer" letter here. Hello Dear Yuletide Writer!!! There is now a letter for you here, if you're looking for it!
Sorry it took me so long to get it together. I tried to keep it short, but well... I don't really do short.
Yuletide: Iam thinking of requesting have requested Bartimaeus Trilogy, Misfits, Borderliners by Peter Høeg. Fourth fandom to be determined! And The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead makes a return for another year.
Dear Yuletide Writer,
You are awesome! Thank you so much for signing up to write my request in one of these fairly-rare-to-completely-nonexistent fandoms! I hope it will be fun and low stress for you (unless you enjoy flanicking? but even then hopefully fun!)
I'm very easy to please and will likely enjoy any story that you enjoy creating. I really, really believe that optional details are optional, so if I say something here that contradicts a story idea you already have, please go with your gut and write the story of your heart. (Hmm, mixed metaphor?)
On the other hand, if you want some suggestions... I will try to provide some! :-)
Things I like:
fantasy
enigmas/mystery
mythology
experimental forms
non-linear narrative (<3 Borderliners!)
darkness
bittersweet endings
happy endings
first time fic
femslash, gen, slash*, non-trad het
smut and kink**
travel stories
history
crossovers
humor
adventure
missing scenes
quiet moments
science!
*not sure if (m/m) slash is really applicable for these requests but if you see a way to do it, feel free
**totally optional and probably not applicable for Borderliners or The Intuitionist
Things I dislike: not much, really. Gratuitous gore/violence, OTT fluff, established relationship sap, one-dimensional characters. Please warn for the usual things (non-con, death fic, incest, child abuse, etc.) but nothing is off limits.
Bartimaeus - Jonathan Stroud: Jane Farrar
Jane and Kitty encountering each other post-trilogy or a piece focusing on the Night Police and/or Jane's backstory. Redemption fic, femslash, a gen character piece, travel, time travel, chance meetings, letters, mysteries, footnotes. Who is Jane behind the sinister sex appeal (from Nathaniel's POV)? What is the new world they're living in like?
ETA:What I love about the Bartimaeus trilogy: the alternate/magical London setting; use of historical and mythical figures like William Gladstone, Gilgamesh, the Golem and so on; Bartimaeus (of course) and his freewheeling commentaries and footnotes; dangerous straits and clever escapes; the Other Place; themes of freedom and slavery; fun and whimsical narrative with a dark underbelly.
I debated including Kitty Jones as a character in my request, but I didn't want to overcomplicate things. Basically I would be totally happy with a story about both Jane and Kitty OR a story about EITHER of these awesome ladies. This - redemption fic, femslash, a gen character piece, travel, time travel, chance meetings, letters, mysteries, footnotes - should be taken as a smattering of potential prompts, not a list of demands. I should say that while I would be thrilled by femslash, I can't really see a relationship between them not being complicated and messy.
Jane/Nathaniel could also be VERY interesting. I would not be averse to smut fic with Jane domming the hell out of Nathaniel (perhaps with commentary by our favorite djinni.)
If you're having a hard time, don't despair! I also adore Bartimaeus, Nathaniel, Ptolemy and a heck of a lot of others (including Quentin Makepeace <3) so if you want to focus the story on one of them or some other neglected character(s) and give Jane a cameo, I'm down with that too. (Just to be absolutely clear, you have permission to NOT write about Jane Farrar if you want to write about Kitty Jones instead. But at least one of them should show up.)
Misfits: Curtis Donovan, Kelly Bailey
Curtis! I really really loved the storyline in episode 3x02 and want to see how Curtis will continue using his new power. Kelly is awesome and bad-ass so if you can include her too, that would be excellent.
SERIES 3 SPOILERS AHOY!
What it says on the tin. I really liked Curtis in the first series but then it felt like his character kind of got dropped so I'm pleased he's getting more development in S3. I love Mel and I loved how the episode didn't make a huge deal about Emma's bisexuality. Open to gen or pairing fic, exploration of shifting gender and sexuality, etc. Kelly and Curtis don't seem to interact that much on the show and I'm interested in whether/why they get along or not - doesn't have to be romantic. It would be fun to see Mel and Kelly hanging out and passing the Bechdel test together.
Or, on a more meta level: how does experiencing sexual harassment/assault affect Curtis' interactions with Alisha and Kelly and his perceptions of himself? I would love to see some recognition from Curtis that, this is what they have to deal with all the time, you know?
One note: I am transgender and there are certain things that can "ping" me about sex change stories. The main ones (e.g. people being non-consentually changed into another sex and then the narrative immediately referring to them by a new pronoun and poorly-researched trans!fic) are unlikely to be an issue in this case, but if you're worried about it there are other folks around who can beta for these issues.
END OF SERIES 3 SPOILERS
I don't have any hard-core ships. Alisha and Simon are cute, but Simon is actualfax creepy sometimes and I really dislike the slut-shaming routine they put Alisha through. Nathan's always good for a laugh, Rudy is okay (don't hate him, don't love him.) I also really liked Nikki, if you feel like bringing her back. ETA: Forgot to mention, I also like poly/OT3-6/everyone-ends-up-in-bed-together-eventually fic.
Pre-series 3 fic is also okay! All sorts of cool things you could do with Curtis' old power too. I also <3 future fic. When they were all in those dorky superhero costumes, my heart totally melted into a puddle. I'm a sucker for (post-)apocalypse stories too.
Borderliners - Peter Høeg (no characters specified)
This is one of my favorite books ever. I love the enigmatic patchwork storytelling, the theme of young people being oppressed in an educational system, the ideas about time. Anything you feel like writing for this source text would be amazing!
First of all, lovely Yuletide writer, if this is the fandom that we matched on, then I may owe you an apology. I realized on Sunday that there were TWO requests for Borderliners and I wanted to change my signup to offer it but it took me forever to figure out how to edit my signup and then the second request was GONE OH NOES. So, if you are the person who offered and requested (or OMG if there is ANOTHER person out there who requested it! that is also possible) then WE SHOULD TALK. WHEN YULETIDE IS OVER. And work something out. :D:D:D
I first read Borderliners (the English translation of De Måske Egnede) when I was a teenager and I treasured it. I think I connected to it b/c I myself felt trapped by school (and eventually dropped out) and, like Peter, was treated at times as "above average" and other times as "below average." I have ADD so the feeling of losing time, struggling with not being late, just plain not getting time the way other people do is very, very familiar. (Although I have a feeling that Høeg would question whether ADD is a meaningful diagnosis. *g*)
It is a really intense book. A lot of terrible things are described, often in achingly plain ways, and that is part of its power. So I'm not expecting fluffy bunnies or undiluted happy endings.
If you offered it (or if you're interested in picking it up) I don't want to stifle your own creative response to it, because I think that whatever it is will be amazing and precious.
Nevertheless, here is a sampling of things I find intriguing or have curiosity about:
- non-linear time and narrative
- manipulating time
- blurring of fiction and autobiography
- to whom the story is being told (Katarina, the child, Hessen?)
- Norse mythology (e.g. the ravens, Delling, Ragnarok)
- "Growing up means first of all to forget"
- why did they go into the tunnels under the school?
- how did Peter learn so much about locks?
- what was Katarina's perspective on events? how did she perceive time?
- ideas about family, how August became their child
- ghosts, traces, memory
Really, you could stay very close to the canon or go as far as you want (an alternate universe, original characters, a philosophical digression, etc.) You could even take a more RPF-ish approach. Anything you write will be a pleasure to read.
The Intuitionist - Colson Whitehead (no characters specified)
James Fulton intrigues me. Where did he get the idea of the black box? Was it just a joke? It's also more than fine if you'd rather focus on Lila Mae or another character. Anything you want to write for this source text would be amazing!
I was stoked that someone nominated it this year, so I'm recycling the more or less the same request from 2009:
I read The Intuitionist several years ago and it blew me away. It's epic. The eloquent elevator dreams and the harsh, infamous unnamed city and Lila Mae, who is so pragmatic yet sensitive and defiant. I kind of love her a lot, but I am also really interested in James Fulton because he is such a mysterious figure. Seriously though, anything at all, focusing on any of the characters. Or world-building, if you like! I could read elevator theory and elevator inspector intrigue all day. All I ask (and if you're offering this fandom, I trust you on this) is don't ignore the intersections of racism and sexism in that era, which are integral to the story.
...Sorry, I wish I had more specific suggestions but I'm losing out to tiredness.
(Okay, here's one off-the-wall idea - if you felt like writing a crossover with the ArchAndroid 'verse - something about elevators of the future? That would be pretty sweet.)
ETA: Just wanted to note that even though this is request #4, I will be equally happy to receive fic for it as for the others! Any fic at all is a wonderful surprise. <3
Where to find source texts/media
I highly recommend purchasing these books and TV series if you can. But, for fast canon review/viewing before buying, here are some things wot I found on the internets.
Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud
Download ebooks
Buy from Better World Books
(There may also be audio books? I haven't looked.)
Misfits
Watch first two seasons free on Hulu (in the US)
Outside the US/UK and for S3, try this.
Content notes: (highlight for details) scenes of rape and dubious consent, violence, a black man turning into a murderous monster in the pilot episode, a perenially offensive character, possibly other potential triggers
Borderliners by Peter Høeg
Download as an ebook
It seems to be out of print but you can buy it used cheap from Amazon sellers or Better World Books.
Content notes: (highlight for details) child abuse, corporal punishment, explicit description of a suicide, and references to rape.)
The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead
Read an excerpt here
Buy from Better World Books
For some reason, I only do Yuletide in odd-numbered years. This is an odd-numbered year. I am so excited!
Sorry it took me so long to get it together. I tried to keep it short, but well... I don't really do short.
Yuletide: I
Dear Yuletide Writer,
You are awesome! Thank you so much for signing up to write my request in one of these fairly-rare-to-completely-nonexistent fandoms! I hope it will be fun and low stress for you (unless you enjoy flanicking? but even then hopefully fun!)
I'm very easy to please and will likely enjoy any story that you enjoy creating. I really, really believe that optional details are optional, so if I say something here that contradicts a story idea you already have, please go with your gut and write the story of your heart. (Hmm, mixed metaphor?)
On the other hand, if you want some suggestions... I will try to provide some! :-)
Things I like:
fantasy
enigmas/mystery
mythology
experimental forms
non-linear narrative (<3 Borderliners!)
darkness
bittersweet endings
happy endings
first time fic
femslash, gen, slash*, non-trad het
smut and kink**
travel stories
history
crossovers
humor
adventure
missing scenes
quiet moments
science!
*not sure if (m/m) slash is really applicable for these requests but if you see a way to do it, feel free
**totally optional and probably not applicable for Borderliners or The Intuitionist
Things I dislike: not much, really. Gratuitous gore/violence, OTT fluff, established relationship sap, one-dimensional characters. Please warn for the usual things (non-con, death fic, incest, child abuse, etc.) but nothing is off limits.
Bartimaeus - Jonathan Stroud: Jane Farrar
Jane and Kitty encountering each other post-trilogy or a piece focusing on the Night Police and/or Jane's backstory. Redemption fic, femslash, a gen character piece, travel, time travel, chance meetings, letters, mysteries, footnotes. Who is Jane behind the sinister sex appeal (from Nathaniel's POV)? What is the new world they're living in like?
ETA:What I love about the Bartimaeus trilogy: the alternate/magical London setting; use of historical and mythical figures like William Gladstone, Gilgamesh, the Golem and so on; Bartimaeus (of course) and his freewheeling commentaries and footnotes; dangerous straits and clever escapes; the Other Place; themes of freedom and slavery; fun and whimsical narrative with a dark underbelly.
I debated including Kitty Jones as a character in my request, but I didn't want to overcomplicate things. Basically I would be totally happy with a story about both Jane and Kitty OR a story about EITHER of these awesome ladies. This - redemption fic, femslash, a gen character piece, travel, time travel, chance meetings, letters, mysteries, footnotes - should be taken as a smattering of potential prompts, not a list of demands. I should say that while I would be thrilled by femslash, I can't really see a relationship between them not being complicated and messy.
Jane/Nathaniel could also be VERY interesting. I would not be averse to smut fic with Jane domming the hell out of Nathaniel (perhaps with commentary by our favorite djinni.)
If you're having a hard time, don't despair! I also adore Bartimaeus, Nathaniel, Ptolemy and a heck of a lot of others (including Quentin Makepeace <3) so if you want to focus the story on one of them or some other neglected character(s) and give Jane a cameo, I'm down with that too. (Just to be absolutely clear, you have permission to NOT write about Jane Farrar if you want to write about Kitty Jones instead. But at least one of them should show up.)
Misfits: Curtis Donovan, Kelly Bailey
Curtis! I really really loved the storyline in episode 3x02 and want to see how Curtis will continue using his new power. Kelly is awesome and bad-ass so if you can include her too, that would be excellent.
SERIES 3 SPOILERS AHOY!
What it says on the tin. I really liked Curtis in the first series but then it felt like his character kind of got dropped so I'm pleased he's getting more development in S3. I love Mel and I loved how the episode didn't make a huge deal about Emma's bisexuality. Open to gen or pairing fic, exploration of shifting gender and sexuality, etc. Kelly and Curtis don't seem to interact that much on the show and I'm interested in whether/why they get along or not - doesn't have to be romantic. It would be fun to see Mel and Kelly hanging out and passing the Bechdel test together.
Or, on a more meta level: how does experiencing sexual harassment/assault affect Curtis' interactions with Alisha and Kelly and his perceptions of himself? I would love to see some recognition from Curtis that, this is what they have to deal with all the time, you know?
One note: I am transgender and there are certain things that can "ping" me about sex change stories. The main ones (e.g. people being non-consentually changed into another sex and then the narrative immediately referring to them by a new pronoun and poorly-researched trans!fic) are unlikely to be an issue in this case, but if you're worried about it there are other folks around who can beta for these issues.
END OF SERIES 3 SPOILERS
I don't have any hard-core ships. Alisha and Simon are cute, but Simon is actualfax creepy sometimes and I really dislike the slut-shaming routine they put Alisha through. Nathan's always good for a laugh, Rudy is okay (don't hate him, don't love him.) I also really liked Nikki, if you feel like bringing her back. ETA: Forgot to mention, I also like poly/OT3-6/everyone-ends-up-in-bed-together-eventually fic.
Pre-series 3 fic is also okay! All sorts of cool things you could do with Curtis' old power too. I also <3 future fic. When they were all in those dorky superhero costumes, my heart totally melted into a puddle. I'm a sucker for (post-)apocalypse stories too.
Borderliners - Peter Høeg (no characters specified)
This is one of my favorite books ever. I love the enigmatic patchwork storytelling, the theme of young people being oppressed in an educational system, the ideas about time. Anything you feel like writing for this source text would be amazing!
First of all, lovely Yuletide writer, if this is the fandom that we matched on, then I may owe you an apology. I realized on Sunday that there were TWO requests for Borderliners and I wanted to change my signup to offer it but it took me forever to figure out how to edit my signup and then the second request was GONE OH NOES. So, if you are the person who offered and requested (or OMG if there is ANOTHER person out there who requested it! that is also possible) then WE SHOULD TALK. WHEN YULETIDE IS OVER. And work something out. :D:D:D
I first read Borderliners (the English translation of De Måske Egnede) when I was a teenager and I treasured it. I think I connected to it b/c I myself felt trapped by school (and eventually dropped out) and, like Peter, was treated at times as "above average" and other times as "below average." I have ADD so the feeling of losing time, struggling with not being late, just plain not getting time the way other people do is very, very familiar. (Although I have a feeling that Høeg would question whether ADD is a meaningful diagnosis. *g*)
It is a really intense book. A lot of terrible things are described, often in achingly plain ways, and that is part of its power. So I'm not expecting fluffy bunnies or undiluted happy endings.
If you offered it (or if you're interested in picking it up) I don't want to stifle your own creative response to it, because I think that whatever it is will be amazing and precious.
Nevertheless, here is a sampling of things I find intriguing or have curiosity about:
- non-linear time and narrative
- manipulating time
- blurring of fiction and autobiography
- to whom the story is being told (Katarina, the child, Hessen?)
- Norse mythology (e.g. the ravens, Delling, Ragnarok)
- "Growing up means first of all to forget"
- why did they go into the tunnels under the school?
- how did Peter learn so much about locks?
- what was Katarina's perspective on events? how did she perceive time?
- ideas about family, how August became their child
- ghosts, traces, memory
Really, you could stay very close to the canon or go as far as you want (an alternate universe, original characters, a philosophical digression, etc.) You could even take a more RPF-ish approach. Anything you write will be a pleasure to read.
The Intuitionist - Colson Whitehead (no characters specified)
James Fulton intrigues me. Where did he get the idea of the black box? Was it just a joke? It's also more than fine if you'd rather focus on Lila Mae or another character. Anything you want to write for this source text would be amazing!
I was stoked that someone nominated it this year, so I'm recycling the more or less the same request from 2009:
I read The Intuitionist several years ago and it blew me away. It's epic. The eloquent elevator dreams and the harsh, infamous unnamed city and Lila Mae, who is so pragmatic yet sensitive and defiant. I kind of love her a lot, but I am also really interested in James Fulton because he is such a mysterious figure. Seriously though, anything at all, focusing on any of the characters. Or world-building, if you like! I could read elevator theory and elevator inspector intrigue all day. All I ask (and if you're offering this fandom, I trust you on this) is don't ignore the intersections of racism and sexism in that era, which are integral to the story.
...Sorry, I wish I had more specific suggestions but I'm losing out to tiredness.
(Okay, here's one off-the-wall idea - if you felt like writing a crossover with the ArchAndroid 'verse - something about elevators of the future? That would be pretty sweet.)
ETA: Just wanted to note that even though this is request #4, I will be equally happy to receive fic for it as for the others! Any fic at all is a wonderful surprise. <3
Where to find source texts/media
I highly recommend purchasing these books and TV series if you can. But, for fast canon review/viewing before buying, here are some things wot I found on the internets.
Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud
Download ebooks
Buy from Better World Books
(There may also be audio books? I haven't looked.)
Misfits
Watch first two seasons free on Hulu (in the US)
Outside the US/UK and for S3, try this.
Content notes: (highlight for details) scenes of rape and dubious consent, violence, a black man turning into a murderous monster in the pilot episode, a perenially offensive character, possibly other potential triggers
Borderliners by Peter Høeg
Download as an ebook
It seems to be out of print but you can buy it used cheap from Amazon sellers or Better World Books.
Content notes: (highlight for details) child abuse, corporal punishment, explicit description of a suicide, and references to rape.)
The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead
Read an excerpt here
Buy from Better World Books
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