AU writing meme

[thisbluespirit]

I have a lot of things I should be writing (and also being careful about not writing too much, self) but, what the hell, I have finished my epic Runaway Tales/Unconventional Courtship rough draft (the wretched thing is 20,000 words long) and I did manage to type up the ending of that TARDIS/Sapphire/Silver/Steel WIP, so, totally ignoring my ficathon and leftover fandom_stocking things, here goes:

Give me a character/pairing and I will write snippets of ten different alternate universes for it. One line, ten lines, a ficlet if you're lucky.

Wild West
Coffee Shop
Shapeshifters
Pirates
. . . In SPACE!!
Born Another Gender
Schoolfic
Police/Firefighters
Urban Fantasy
Regency

We'll see what happens. (If my brain collapses and what happens is no words at all, I apologise in advance.) Also, I altered the meme. I thought if I came up with one AU for 'harem' it'd be a miracle, let alone doing it several times over. And I'm never totally sure what Cyberpunk means.)

Comments

[ylla.livejournal.com]

Justin Alistair

Justin Alastair, Duke of Avon

[thisbluespirit]

Okay, it has been a long while since I've read These Old Shades so bear with me. Also I seem to be incapable of doing the 'in space' one for anyone so far, so I'm striking it out of the meme! Here goes:

***

Wild West
The Sheriff opened his mouth to object to the shooting and then took one look at the Devil’s face and decided that discretion was the better part of valour and it wasn’t as if the dead man hadn’t been the worst kind of villain anyhow.

Coffee Shop
Avon raised his eyebrow fractionally on hearing shouts coming from the coffee shop. It seemed, he thought, that Justin and Léonie had been making a mess of the business again and he regretfully bestirred himself to go and deal with the inevitable ensuing confusion of orders.

Shapeshifters
One should, Avon reflected rather belatedly, perhaps be more careful about the strays one picked up. . .

Pirates
“But we were after a treasure map!” said Léonie. “Gold, enfin! Not – what is this? Crates and crates of it!”

“Burgundy,” said Avon. “Rupert does have a nose for it. And I must admit, it would have been a crime to let the sea water ruin it.”

Born Another Gender
The Earl of Tenbury had been far too persistent. Justine Alastair had been forced to take measures.

“’Pon rep,” said Rupert, who’d run into the room on hearing the loud report. “The fellow was as rich as they come! Couldn’t you wed him first and shot him after?”

Justine gave a shudder. The man had clammy hands and was far too fond of onions. “I fear not. Come, Rupert, you must help me dispose of the body.”

Schoolfic
Devil Alastair, Terror of the Sixth, pushed aside the last of the Forth Form bullies to lend a hand to the scruffy and battered First Former lying in the mud of the school field. “Up with you, and cease that snivelling. What is your name?”

“Leon,” said the new boy.

Police/Firefighters
Detective Inspector Alastair waited until he had heard the sound of gunshots die down and then gave the nod to the waiting Sergeant Davenant. “Since the villains have now ceased obliging us by killing each other – time to round up the survivors!”

Urban Fantasy
“When will you learn?” Avon said to Rupert, leading him out of the strangely sunny glade. “Such flowers in bloom in January, leaves on the trees – clear markers of the uncanny. One must keep a watch for these things and take precautions – bring protective charms – or iron perhaps,” he added, somehow skewering a fairy who had not been their before with his blade. He withdrew it and glanced at his brother. “However, steel will do.”

Regency
(I know TOS is technically not Regency, but it is Heyer, so it does seem a bit redundant!)

RE: Justin Alastair, Duke of Avon

[ylla.livejournal.com]

Hee, I love the shapeshifters and the pirates especially! :-)

I did look at the last one and wonder if you would have to do a modern AU! But it's an interesting question what difference that 50 years would make...

Re: Justin Alastair, Duke of Avon

[thisbluespirit]

I was pleased with those two as well! The Alastairs, pirates who steal all the wine is kind of inevitable. What else would they do? Apart from shoot people, obv.

It is an interesting question, because obviously there's quite a shift in manners, but I thought it'd still work out as basically the same story, just a little more polished and polite. And, ha, I didn't think of reversing it with a modern AU - I cut and run while the going was good!

(Oh, and, damn, I wrote Justin where I obv. meant rupert in the Coffee Shop one. Grr.)

Re: Justin Alastair, Duke of Avon

[jaxomsride.livejournal.com]

I am surprised we didn't get him in Space - Blake's 7 universe of course!

Re: Justin Alastair, Duke of Avon

[thisbluespirit]

I did write a crossover once, I'm sure, but ages ago, and it was probably terrible!

Re: Justin Alastair, Duke of Avon

[ylla.livejournal.com]

I did write 'Avon', and then realise that probably meant something else to you!

Re: Justin Alastair, Duke of Avon

[thisbluespirit]

Indeed! I might have realised, because I know you from Heyer things really, but I am used enough to B7 fans that it wouldn't be worth risking, lol.

Re: Justin Alastair, Duke of Avon

[ylla.livejournal.com]

I don't think I've ever seen it, but many years ago I had a friend who was crazy about it, so I still have a vague idea that there were characters called Avon and Servalan and Orac, and possibly no one called Blake :)

Re: Justin Alastair, Duke of Avon

[thisbluespirit]

:lol: There is a Blake! It's just that he's not necessarily always there. :-) (And, yes, there is an Avon and a Servalan and an Orac. Basically it is cardboard SF with 1970s glam rock costumes, epic snark, Robin Hood shenanigans, a 1984 type gov't, and eventually Shakespearean tragedy. It's a thing. With the best worst SF ever seen.)

*points to icon* This is Servalan. She rules the galaxy and wears a dress with a silver lizard fastening to go with this hat.