Fic_Corner letter
Jul. 13th, 2013 08:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thisbluespiritDear Fic Corner Scribbler,
Welcome! If you're here, given what I've requested, I like you already. Write me something for one of the below books and you can't go wrong, basically. I'm very excited about the idea of fic for any of them - I think only one of them has any fic in existence.
More details follow, but I am a great believer in the story that you want to tell being the one that's going to be the most compelling to read, so please, write that. In fact, for 4 out of 6 of these requests, what I want most of all is just to see what you would write in these worlds.
I tend not to read explicit fic as a rule, and especially for some of these, but whatever you feel the story needs, really. I don't need for everything to be angsty, neither do I want a forced happy ending. And I'm sure you'd never character-bash, my other main dislike - I tend to enjoy all the characters in my fandoms!
(If you want to know more about my fic likes/dislikes etc. my last Yuletide letter is here, in which I waffled far too much about such things.)
1. Midnight Is A Place - Joan Aiken
Any
I love this book so much, the sadness of it, the pragmatism, its main characters, (especially Mr Oakapple, but all of them). Give me post-book fic, or play with that intriguing backstory, something to do with the song, introduce me to Denzil if you dare, or crossover with the main Wolves sequence if you know both. I'd love pretty much anything you care to think of.
I tried to write more details here and came up with an essay. So, I'll try not to ramble at you about why I love it so much (the short version: I was very, very ill two years ago. This book was everything I needed to read at the time and made so much more sense now than it did when I was a teenager) and just get on with some ideas, in case "write me anything!" is a phrase that makes you tear out your hair in desperation.
So, Mr Oakapple and his love for Denzil. I wouldn't want anything explicit with them (Mr Oakapple was so young, and Denzil never realised what he meant to him), but if you want to play with that, it'd be lovely. (I like the way Denzil's effect on people is ironic/tragic and yet not bitter, except for Sir Randolph). Teaching in those 20 years, his adventures in France, until he reaches the state of despair he seems to be in pre-book (he's not exactly the kind of person to contemplate murder lightly). How were those twenty years for Lady Murgatroyd? Or post-book, what exactly happens to this little found family living in an ice house? Or a missing scene from the book, if you have any ideas. Or even a crossover with the main Wolves sequence - W of WC takes place in Blastburn in 1832, ten years before MiaP (and so, when Mr Oakapple was teaching in the area), and the main sequence must surely have at least nearly reached 1842 (the date of MiaP) by its end. I'm also intrigued by the fact that Anna-Marie and Lucas are typical of an Aiken pairing (very like Dido and Simon, and Felix and Juana), but they're going to grow up together... so would/could that work out? How? Or anything that inspires you from the book! I clung to it far too much through that time and will love anything you want to write. (And, yes, this is still the short version. This doesn't mean I want this the most. I'm just failing at being concise.)
2. The Doll's House - Rumer Godden
Any
The book creates a very odd, intense and dark world where the dolls can't act, they can only wish. I'm really interested in seeing pretty much anything you want to do with this and with the characters - you can be as cosy or as dark as you like, or explore some of the history, or what happened after.
It's very easy as a child to equate with the feeling of powerlessness that the dolls have, (and there are in some ways therefore odd parallels to abuse in the concept), so I'm aware there's an interesting darkness to this book. If that strikes you, too, feel free to explore that aspect, you won't break my childhood. I don't need it to be dark, of course - happy Plantagenets fic would be fine! Or the story of Tottie and the doll's house in previous generations - what adventures did Tottie have then, and who were the other dolls? Maybe how the story seems to some of the humans, or more about the memorably evil Marchpane. Whatever you choose, I'll be delighted. I don't think, though, that I'd know what to do with explicit doll!shipping. But, you know, prove me wrong if you really feel led.
3. The Hounds of the Morrigan - Pat O'Shea
Pidge, Brigit, Cooroo
I loved Cooroo, and Brigit especially, but these three together generally, so I'd adore anything with them set during the book, or post book (and especially, especially if they get to remember each other).
I read this book over and over when I was aged about 10-12. My first thought here, if you need ideas, is fix the ending! I've always hated things where people forget things, so any small step towards letting them remember each other in some way would please me (and my badly upset 10yr old self) immensely. That said, I love the book and the mix of myth, horror, comedy and originality that is in it. Anything with them together during their travels - I'm especially fond of some of the other animal encounters and their own distinct viewpoints on what's happening (like Puddeneen, and the earwig Napoleon), or the fun of the sweets. Anything like that! I'd prefer to avoid anything with the policeman - it was always my least favourite part. (I don't like humiliation as humour and never have really.)
4. Wolves of Willoughby Chase - Joan Aiken
Dido Twite
I usually tend to ask for minor and neglected characters when making fic requests, but in this series, I love Dido. Write me something with Dido and I'll be very happy - on her travels, dealing with her family when she gets home, with Simon, post-series, anything. Some improbable element (you know, life-saving tapestries, pink whales, stolen lakes etc.) is obligatory, though, at least in passing.
I'm not sure what else to say. I'd probably prefer nothing too angsty in this fandom, but then again, canon can be quite sad (and I do love the way Dido & Pa deals with her relationship with her father). So, really, whatever you'd like to write featuring Dido, provided it's not graphic or explicit violence/pr0n. (Definitely a childhood fandom where it would make me whimper!) I do ship Dido/Simon (from many, many moons ago when I first read Black Hearts, probably) - so while I don't necessarily want ship fic for them, it would upset me if either were paired with someone else instead. If you're looking for an idea beyond this, I really do love the way she interacts with Captain Hughes, so if that's something that would appeal to you, more of their adventures, and contrasting personalities (I like that & how they come to respect each other nevertheless) would be lovely. But anything you feel like, really! As long as there's Dido, I'll be happy. I don't think there are any characters I wouldn't want to read about, so I don't mind who else you introduce. (I'm less familiar with Is and Arun and some of the more recent characters, but I have read all the books, barring only The Whispering Mountain, so feel free to include anyone you wish.)
(If you know both the Aikens, feel free to crossover if you want - I believe they are both in the same universe - but certainly don't feel in any way obliged! They do both have quite a different mood, and I could probably see a more natural cross with Bonnie & Sylvia and the Greens than Dido.)
5. The Bastables - E. Nesbit
Any
A missing episode fic of any sort in The Story of the Treasure Seekers would be perfect, or maybe a crossover. (Given the unreliable narrator trope, it could be quite a lot of fun to do.) But again, I read this recently, was unexpectedly delighted by it and if you can capture the humour and the children's distinct personalities, anything you do with them will be much appreciated.
I really don't know what else to say in terms of ideas - more shenanigans, Noel's writing career (and his princess), Dora's responsibility issues, Alice generally, Oswald's narration, or what does Albert-next-door's Uncle do and what does he think of them? (I liked him better than the magic fixit Uncle at the end.) Also, because I didn't read this as a child, it is indelibly fixed in my mind with The Magician's Nephew and the line that Polly and Diggory's adventures happened while Sherlock Holmes was solving crimes and the Bastables were still looking for treasure in the Lewisham Rd. If you wanted to play with that particular combination, or any other crossover, it did strike me that the children's habit of meeting people, oblivious of who they are, lends itself to that. (My fandoms, your fandoms, whatever...) But don't panic, I'm not requesting a crossover, of course - it's just an idea that struck me. Please write the idea that strikes you!
6. A Traveller in Time - Alison Uttley
Any
I love the concept this book gives us of time travel, memories, dreams and places being linked, or in some way the same thing. If you want to play with that, or any other instances where Penelope's talent showed itself (we do hear of a couple instances at the start of the book), or, really anything you feel led to write about this book.
I'm almost at a loss to know what to request, so really, again, I'm asking for anything! What strikes you about this book? Which stories do you want to tell? Please, share them with me. Really, anything, even if it's at a tangent - another Taberner with Penelope's talent (her mother Carlin seems to think it a normal thing within the family - did she have her own similar experience?) in another such situation, missing scenes, Penelope remembering again later, Thackers, the historical Babington Plot. I think the only thing I don't want is any overt fixits for the ending. (I love the sadness of it.) I've read other books that had perhaps a similar concept, but never one done quite like this. (Probably the only thing that comes close is Tom's Midnight Garden, but that's different again.)
Availability: If my request in the fandom we matched on is proving awkward, the good news is, that Wolves of Willoughby Chase Sequence aside, all of these books are standalones. The Hounds of the Morrigan is longer and tied up with Irish mythology, so it probably wouldn't be the easiest to pick up, but the others are fairly easy, if you can get hold of them! So:
The Story of The Treasure Seekers - free ebook at Project Gutenberg here: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/770 (it's very short and barring the unfortunate bit of period stereotyping in the ch. The Great Benefactor, which you might want to skim over to spare yourself, it's very readable and engaging.
The Doll's House (aka Tottie: The Story of a Doll's House) - not available for free but it's an early reader (c. 6-9s) and could be read in less than an hour if you can get your hands on it.
Midnight Is A Place - slightly longer, but probably the most easily available of the non-ebooks, and Joan Aiken is always pacey and readable. (Though MiaP is slightly older and sadder if you're only familiar with the Willoughby Chase books.)
A Traveller in Time - again, could be slightly more demanding, but it's not a long read and is easily available second-hand online (in the UK at least, it might be more difficult to come by elsewhere).
Welcome! If you're here, given what I've requested, I like you already. Write me something for one of the below books and you can't go wrong, basically. I'm very excited about the idea of fic for any of them - I think only one of them has any fic in existence.
More details follow, but I am a great believer in the story that you want to tell being the one that's going to be the most compelling to read, so please, write that. In fact, for 4 out of 6 of these requests, what I want most of all is just to see what you would write in these worlds.
I tend not to read explicit fic as a rule, and especially for some of these, but whatever you feel the story needs, really. I don't need for everything to be angsty, neither do I want a forced happy ending. And I'm sure you'd never character-bash, my other main dislike - I tend to enjoy all the characters in my fandoms!
(If you want to know more about my fic likes/dislikes etc. my last Yuletide letter is here, in which I waffled far too much about such things.)
1. Midnight Is A Place - Joan Aiken
Any
I love this book so much, the sadness of it, the pragmatism, its main characters, (especially Mr Oakapple, but all of them). Give me post-book fic, or play with that intriguing backstory, something to do with the song, introduce me to Denzil if you dare, or crossover with the main Wolves sequence if you know both. I'd love pretty much anything you care to think of.
I tried to write more details here and came up with an essay. So, I'll try not to ramble at you about why I love it so much (the short version: I was very, very ill two years ago. This book was everything I needed to read at the time and made so much more sense now than it did when I was a teenager) and just get on with some ideas, in case "write me anything!" is a phrase that makes you tear out your hair in desperation.
So, Mr Oakapple and his love for Denzil. I wouldn't want anything explicit with them (Mr Oakapple was so young, and Denzil never realised what he meant to him), but if you want to play with that, it'd be lovely. (I like the way Denzil's effect on people is ironic/tragic and yet not bitter, except for Sir Randolph). Teaching in those 20 years, his adventures in France, until he reaches the state of despair he seems to be in pre-book (he's not exactly the kind of person to contemplate murder lightly). How were those twenty years for Lady Murgatroyd? Or post-book, what exactly happens to this little found family living in an ice house? Or a missing scene from the book, if you have any ideas. Or even a crossover with the main Wolves sequence - W of WC takes place in Blastburn in 1832, ten years before MiaP (and so, when Mr Oakapple was teaching in the area), and the main sequence must surely have at least nearly reached 1842 (the date of MiaP) by its end. I'm also intrigued by the fact that Anna-Marie and Lucas are typical of an Aiken pairing (very like Dido and Simon, and Felix and Juana), but they're going to grow up together... so would/could that work out? How? Or anything that inspires you from the book! I clung to it far too much through that time and will love anything you want to write. (And, yes, this is still the short version. This doesn't mean I want this the most. I'm just failing at being concise.)
2. The Doll's House - Rumer Godden
Any
The book creates a very odd, intense and dark world where the dolls can't act, they can only wish. I'm really interested in seeing pretty much anything you want to do with this and with the characters - you can be as cosy or as dark as you like, or explore some of the history, or what happened after.
It's very easy as a child to equate with the feeling of powerlessness that the dolls have, (and there are in some ways therefore odd parallels to abuse in the concept), so I'm aware there's an interesting darkness to this book. If that strikes you, too, feel free to explore that aspect, you won't break my childhood. I don't need it to be dark, of course - happy Plantagenets fic would be fine! Or the story of Tottie and the doll's house in previous generations - what adventures did Tottie have then, and who were the other dolls? Maybe how the story seems to some of the humans, or more about the memorably evil Marchpane. Whatever you choose, I'll be delighted. I don't think, though, that I'd know what to do with explicit doll!shipping. But, you know, prove me wrong if you really feel led.
3. The Hounds of the Morrigan - Pat O'Shea
Pidge, Brigit, Cooroo
I loved Cooroo, and Brigit especially, but these three together generally, so I'd adore anything with them set during the book, or post book (and especially, especially if they get to remember each other).
I read this book over and over when I was aged about 10-12. My first thought here, if you need ideas, is fix the ending! I've always hated things where people forget things, so any small step towards letting them remember each other in some way would please me (and my badly upset 10yr old self) immensely. That said, I love the book and the mix of myth, horror, comedy and originality that is in it. Anything with them together during their travels - I'm especially fond of some of the other animal encounters and their own distinct viewpoints on what's happening (like Puddeneen, and the earwig Napoleon), or the fun of the sweets. Anything like that! I'd prefer to avoid anything with the policeman - it was always my least favourite part. (I don't like humiliation as humour and never have really.)
4. Wolves of Willoughby Chase - Joan Aiken
Dido Twite
I usually tend to ask for minor and neglected characters when making fic requests, but in this series, I love Dido. Write me something with Dido and I'll be very happy - on her travels, dealing with her family when she gets home, with Simon, post-series, anything. Some improbable element (you know, life-saving tapestries, pink whales, stolen lakes etc.) is obligatory, though, at least in passing.
I'm not sure what else to say. I'd probably prefer nothing too angsty in this fandom, but then again, canon can be quite sad (and I do love the way Dido & Pa deals with her relationship with her father). So, really, whatever you'd like to write featuring Dido, provided it's not graphic or explicit violence/pr0n. (Definitely a childhood fandom where it would make me whimper!) I do ship Dido/Simon (from many, many moons ago when I first read Black Hearts, probably) - so while I don't necessarily want ship fic for them, it would upset me if either were paired with someone else instead. If you're looking for an idea beyond this, I really do love the way she interacts with Captain Hughes, so if that's something that would appeal to you, more of their adventures, and contrasting personalities (I like that & how they come to respect each other nevertheless) would be lovely. But anything you feel like, really! As long as there's Dido, I'll be happy. I don't think there are any characters I wouldn't want to read about, so I don't mind who else you introduce. (I'm less familiar with Is and Arun and some of the more recent characters, but I have read all the books, barring only The Whispering Mountain, so feel free to include anyone you wish.)
(If you know both the Aikens, feel free to crossover if you want - I believe they are both in the same universe - but certainly don't feel in any way obliged! They do both have quite a different mood, and I could probably see a more natural cross with Bonnie & Sylvia and the Greens than Dido.)
5. The Bastables - E. Nesbit
Any
A missing episode fic of any sort in The Story of the Treasure Seekers would be perfect, or maybe a crossover. (Given the unreliable narrator trope, it could be quite a lot of fun to do.) But again, I read this recently, was unexpectedly delighted by it and if you can capture the humour and the children's distinct personalities, anything you do with them will be much appreciated.
I really don't know what else to say in terms of ideas - more shenanigans, Noel's writing career (and his princess), Dora's responsibility issues, Alice generally, Oswald's narration, or what does Albert-next-door's Uncle do and what does he think of them? (I liked him better than the magic fixit Uncle at the end.) Also, because I didn't read this as a child, it is indelibly fixed in my mind with The Magician's Nephew and the line that Polly and Diggory's adventures happened while Sherlock Holmes was solving crimes and the Bastables were still looking for treasure in the Lewisham Rd. If you wanted to play with that particular combination, or any other crossover, it did strike me that the children's habit of meeting people, oblivious of who they are, lends itself to that. (My fandoms, your fandoms, whatever...) But don't panic, I'm not requesting a crossover, of course - it's just an idea that struck me. Please write the idea that strikes you!
6. A Traveller in Time - Alison Uttley
Any
I love the concept this book gives us of time travel, memories, dreams and places being linked, or in some way the same thing. If you want to play with that, or any other instances where Penelope's talent showed itself (we do hear of a couple instances at the start of the book), or, really anything you feel led to write about this book.
I'm almost at a loss to know what to request, so really, again, I'm asking for anything! What strikes you about this book? Which stories do you want to tell? Please, share them with me. Really, anything, even if it's at a tangent - another Taberner with Penelope's talent (her mother Carlin seems to think it a normal thing within the family - did she have her own similar experience?) in another such situation, missing scenes, Penelope remembering again later, Thackers, the historical Babington Plot. I think the only thing I don't want is any overt fixits for the ending. (I love the sadness of it.) I've read other books that had perhaps a similar concept, but never one done quite like this. (Probably the only thing that comes close is Tom's Midnight Garden, but that's different again.)
Availability: If my request in the fandom we matched on is proving awkward, the good news is, that Wolves of Willoughby Chase Sequence aside, all of these books are standalones. The Hounds of the Morrigan is longer and tied up with Irish mythology, so it probably wouldn't be the easiest to pick up, but the others are fairly easy, if you can get hold of them! So:
The Story of The Treasure Seekers - free ebook at Project Gutenberg here: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/770 (it's very short and barring the unfortunate bit of period stereotyping in the ch. The Great Benefactor, which you might want to skim over to spare yourself, it's very readable and engaging.
The Doll's House (aka Tottie: The Story of a Doll's House) - not available for free but it's an early reader (c. 6-9s) and could be read in less than an hour if you can get your hands on it.
Midnight Is A Place - slightly longer, but probably the most easily available of the non-ebooks, and Joan Aiken is always pacey and readable. (Though MiaP is slightly older and sadder if you're only familiar with the Willoughby Chase books.)
A Traveller in Time - again, could be slightly more demanding, but it's not a long read and is easily available second-hand online (in the UK at least, it might be more difficult to come by elsewhere).