Sep. 28th, 2017 03:38 pm
dear yuletide writer (2017)
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chicafrom3Dear Yuletide Writer:
Hello, welcome, and thank you for writing for me. ♥ All details in this letter are completely optional; just the fact that you're writing something for one of these fandoms makes you awesome. Write the story that's in your heart!
That said, if you want more from me, keep reading!
General stuff:
AO3: chicafrom3
Likes: Gen/het/femslash/slash, in no particular order. Character studies. Plot. AUs, both of the canon divergence and alternate setting kinds. Crossovers. Slice-of-life. Fluff. Angst. Darkfic. Crack. Futurefic. Backstory. Missing scenes. Outsider POV. Unusual or experimental style choices and formats.... Probably more that I'm forgetting.
Dislikes: Graphic sex. Graphic violence. References to or allegories of current US politics.
The Requests
The Bridge (Podcast): Any
And remember, no matter how enticing the water looks, don't go in it.
What is it: The Bridge is an original fiction podcast set in an alternate universe 2016. It centers on the four-person crew of Watchtower 10, a lighthouse (for cars) on the Transatlantic Bridge stretching from the Americas to Europe. Unfortunately, these days the Bridge is largely abandoned...aside from the sea monsters, of course. So far, there are ten full episodes and a handful of minisodes; they can be found wherever you get your podcasts or on their website, and scripts of each episode are also available.
The request:
This is one of those canons where I'm throwing my requests wide open for anything, because I love the setting and characters so much I just want MORE -- whether that's the Adventures Of Etta And Bertie And The Chocolate Fountain, or the heyday of the Transcontinental Hotel, or someone traveling the Bridge on their own, or a day in the life of Roger trying to get people to do their jobs, or Frank and the Hunt Club getting into trouble, or A Trip To Aqua Land, or what the hell was going on at Ocean View, or just howBob Specimen #10 came to be in the 'care' of Watchtower 10, or... You get the picture.
I love the worldbuilding of this little podcast, from the simple idea of a transatlantic bridge staffed with watchtowers (my dream job, to be honest; too bad it doesn't exist) to the creepy-as-hell monsters, both literal sea monsters (the MOCKINGBIRDS arrrgh) and metaphorical human monsters (what the HELL, POSEIDON). I also love the characters, particularly the core four, and there's a lot to explore there; we know what's driven Etta to the Watchtower, but that doesn't mean there aren't still a lot of unanswered questions about her background; ditto Kate, and we've only gotten hints and broad sketches about what brought Roger and Bertie there. Pick your favorite aspect and write about it -- I guarantee I'll be interested.
For this fandom, I would prefer not to receive any AUs that don't involve the Bridge itself, though canon-divergent AUs are totally cool.
Ships: If you have a preferred ship, throw it in; I don't have a favorite at this point but I'm open to anything and there's a good chance you'll convince me yours is best! Gen is also cool with me!
Everworld - K.A. Applegate: Jalil Sherman, Christopher Hitchcock
Again, I want to say this as a friend, and with no racial animosity, because it's not about you being a redneck, all right? But you, Christopher, you are an idiot.
What is it: Everworld is a twelve-book YA fantasy series by K.A. Applegate, better known as the author of Animorphs. It's about four kids from Chicago who, due to their connections to a girl named Senna Wales, end up drawn into Everworld, an all-myths-are-true alternate universe created by the gods of the Old World when humanity became increasingly rational and science-driven. It's currently out of print, but you can check out the fan-compiled ebooks here.
The request:
I've requested Everworld for Yuletide multiple times before, so if you are curious to read my rambling about the series feel free to check out my past Yuletide letters. This year I am asking specifically for Jalil and Christopher, and therefore will try to restrain myself to talking about the two of them. I love their screwed-up, dysfunctional dynamic with each other; they are two people who certainly would never have chosen to become friends, much less the ride-or-die comradeship Everworld eventually forces them into. That's true to varying degrees of all of the main four, of course, but I think it's particularly noticeable with the two of them, given Jalil's defensiveness and very strong self-protection streak and Christopher's kneejerk racism and automatic mockery of everyone else; just looking at the evolution of the way they are with each other is a great way of seeing just how much Everworld forces the kids to dismantle their own self-images and rebuild them. Character development!
I would love to see fic exploring how that dynamic continues to evolve, post-canon. How do they cope with the knowledge that their comradeship is now almost certainly permanent? There's no escaping to the "real" world anymore, but there's also no more pressure from the "real" world to try to hang onto who they used to be. That's got to change things for them somehow. Alternately, I'd love to see "missing scene" type fics set during the canon era, looking at how their relationship is evolving from outright antagonism to a very intense kind of friendship. We get a little of that in canon with both of them musing on how they can't quite understand how things are changing, and certainly as Christopher gets more self-aware he starts looking at his interactions with Jalil with a more critical eye towards himself, but I'd love to see more, particularly any conversations between the two of them or crises where they need to rely on each other.
For this fandom, I would prefer not to receive any AUs that don't involve Everworld itself, though canon-divergent AUs are totally cool.
Ships: I'm completely happy with either a platonic or slashy dynamic between the boys. I'm also fond of Jalil/April, Christopher/Etain, and Jalil/Miyuki, if you'd prefer to go in a het direction.
Julie's Greenroom (TV): Penelope Guadalupe Fitzgerald Sanchez
Me and my violin need to be alone!
What is it: Julie's Greenroom is a Netflix Original TV show. The first season (hopefully not the only season?) consists of 13 half-hour episodes and was released in March of this year. Aimed at preschoolers, it follows Miss Julie (Julie Andrews), who runs a theatre workshop program for young kids (a collection of original puppets created by the Jim Henson Company). Throughout the series, the kids learn about different aspects of the performing arts with the help of guest stars such as Idina Menzel, Josh Groban, Joshua Bell, Alec Baldwin, and many more. If you have a Netflix subscription, the complete season can be streamed here.
The request:
I watched Julie's Greenroom because I love Julie Andrews, because I love the Jim Henson Company, because I love the performing arts (PARTICULARLY live theatre), and because I needed something cute and sweet and low-stakes in my TV-watching habit. The show excelled on all fronts. It's adorable, earnest, and unashamed of its love for everything theatrical, and the characters are incredibly lovable. Penelope Guadalupe Fitzgerald Sanchez, better known as Fizz, rapidly became my favorite, but the entire cast holds a special place in my heart.
I would like to see what Fizz's future looks like to you. Does she pursue performing arts in some way (acting, dancing, violin, something else), either professionally or as a side hobby? Take a backstage or teaching role? Activist for the importance of arts funding? Does she keep in touch with any of the other Greenies (or reconnect with them later on!) or with Miss Julie and Gus? Alternately, something set in the canon era with Fizz's developing friendships with the other kids would be great -- her relationship with Peri is adorable (their fangirling out about real life ballerina Tiler Peck was the cutest thing, and I got unexpectedly emotional about Fizz offering to trade roles to make Peri feel better), and she's cute with everyone else too -- one of my favorite moments is when the others volunteer that the song they're trying to write shouldn't be in a minor key because it makes Fizz sad. If there's a particular area of theatre that you love that wasn't covered by the series, maybe a lesson built around that? I'm not picky; anything that includes Fizz and her enthusiasm is a win for me!
For this fandom, I would prefer not to receive darkfic.
Ships: If you're writing futurefic, any and all shipping is fine with me, but I would prefer canon-era fic not involve any romantic feelings.
Look What You Made Me Do - Taylor Swift (Music Video): Any
There she goes, playing the victim, AGAIN.
What is it: Look What You Made Me Do is the lead single and music video from Taylor Swift's sixth album and was released earlier this year. It pokes fun at the different ways she's been depicted and has depicted herself over the years, and it's a ridiculous amount of fun. You can watch it on YouTube here.
The request:
I walked away from this video with the immediate conviction that I need fic in which multiple versions of Taylor Swift team up to pull a heist, or cover up a murder, or pursue global domination, or something along those lines, but keep getting distracted by their desire to turn on each other instead. Sort of a cross between the Stream Co. robbery scenes and the final scene with the fifteen Taylors taking shots at each other.
Which Taylors? I leave it up to you, author! Ten versions are included in the tag set; take your pick. If you want to include others who weren't nominated, go for it. If you want to bring in versions that weren't included in the video (Picture To Burn Taylor Swift? Mine Taylor Swift? 2012 Grammys Taylor Swift? Any other appearance that jumps out at you as a distinct character?), feel free. Include as many or as few as you'd like; even just two having to work together has the potential to be gold, and I'd love it.
Ships: If you want to take this in a Taylor/Taylor direction, I have no objections. Gen is also cool, or if you want to include Fishnet Taylor's harem of backup dancers or Squad Dominatrix Taylor's, um, squad of models, also great.
Sit Down By The Fire - The Pogues
Sit down by the fire and I'll tell you a story to send you away to your bed of the things you hear creeping when everyone's sleeping and you wish you were out here instead...
What is it: Do you love creepy supernatural horror stories in the form of Celtic punk songs? Then you should probably be listening to the Pogues! (They also have a lot of songs that aren't creepy supernatural horror stories! But that's beside the current point.) Sit Down By The Fire can be listened to on YouTube here, and you can see the full lyrics here.
The request:
This song is so creepy and full of unanswered questions that I feel like it's perfect for fic purposes. What are the things? Faeries or demons or ghosts or something else? Where do they come from? ("They live in the small ring of trees on the hill up at the top of the field" but "they march out of that hole in the wall passing through on their way out of hell"; which one is the real explanation? Are both true? And where are they going?) Has anyone survived an encounter with them? How does the narrator know so much about them, and is he telling his subject about them as a warning or a taunt? (It's just, the whole thing about "lie near the wall and cover your head, good night and God bless, now fuck off to bed" sometimes reads to me like he's setting the kid up as a sacrifice to the things. Mostly it reads as he's made all of this up to give the kid nightmares, but that's less interesting for fic purposes.)
Basically, I just really want any kind of fic about the things and the havoc they wreak, whether that's from the POV of the narrator, the kid he's talking to, or the things themselves.
Song Of The Sea (2014): Saoirse
Saoirse the selkie will sing and save the day! The Daoine Sídhe who rescued her will cheer and celebrate!
What is it: Song Of The Sea is an animated film by the Cartoon Saloon studio, about a young boy, Ben, struggling to cope after his mother vanished several years earlier following the birth of his little sister Saoirse. And then he finds out that both Saoirse and his mother are selkies, and all of his mother's bedtime fairy stories are true... Song Of The Sea is available on Blu Ray, DVD, and Amazon streaming.
The request:
I adore everything about this gorgeous movie but especially Saoirse. She's so expressive and determined! Plus she gives her brother the best "you dumbass" looks I have ever seen from an animated six-year-old. I have a weakness for selkies and selkie stories anyway, and Song Of The Sea puts an interesting new spin on the "all selkie stories end sadly" thing with Saoirse having to make a choice between the two halves of her heritage.
And I'd love to see the ramifications of that choice explored in fic. I mean, Saoirse obviously adores both her father and her brother (especially once Ben wises up and stops torturing her), but growing up knowing that you're part faerie and that you gave that part up can't be completely easy. Does she ever regret the choice? Chase fairy tales? Have an inexplicable affinity for seals? Maybe she (and Ben?) have regular (or irregular for that matter) accidental encounters with the mythological afterwards, or maybe they go seeking out the same now that they know the truth about their heritage. Or anything about how her relationship with her family evolves -- we see in the epilogue glimpses of Saoirse and Ben bonding, Conor coming out of his grief-stricken shell, and Granny becoming a more comfortable member of the family, but there's only so much that can be shown in a short epilogue sans dialogue, and I'd love to see more!
Inclusion of any canon characters beside Saoirse is welcome but 100% optional.
Ships: If you're writing futurefic, any non-incest shipping is fine with me, but I would prefer canon-era or immediately post-canon fic not involve any romantic feelings.
To conclude: Optional details are optional, write what you want to write, I desperately crave more/any fic in all of these fandoms so just writing in a fandom off the list is enough to endear you to me forever.
Thank you, and have a wonderful Yuletide!
-Chica
Hello, welcome, and thank you for writing for me. ♥ All details in this letter are completely optional; just the fact that you're writing something for one of these fandoms makes you awesome. Write the story that's in your heart!
That said, if you want more from me, keep reading!
General stuff:
AO3: chicafrom3
Likes: Gen/het/femslash/slash, in no particular order. Character studies. Plot. AUs, both of the canon divergence and alternate setting kinds. Crossovers. Slice-of-life. Fluff. Angst. Darkfic. Crack. Futurefic. Backstory. Missing scenes. Outsider POV. Unusual or experimental style choices and formats.... Probably more that I'm forgetting.
Dislikes: Graphic sex. Graphic violence. References to or allegories of current US politics.
The Requests
The Bridge (Podcast): Any
And remember, no matter how enticing the water looks, don't go in it.
What is it: The Bridge is an original fiction podcast set in an alternate universe 2016. It centers on the four-person crew of Watchtower 10, a lighthouse (for cars) on the Transatlantic Bridge stretching from the Americas to Europe. Unfortunately, these days the Bridge is largely abandoned...aside from the sea monsters, of course. So far, there are ten full episodes and a handful of minisodes; they can be found wherever you get your podcasts or on their website, and scripts of each episode are also available.
The request:
This is one of those canons where I'm throwing my requests wide open for anything, because I love the setting and characters so much I just want MORE -- whether that's the Adventures Of Etta And Bertie And The Chocolate Fountain, or the heyday of the Transcontinental Hotel, or someone traveling the Bridge on their own, or a day in the life of Roger trying to get people to do their jobs, or Frank and the Hunt Club getting into trouble, or A Trip To Aqua Land, or what the hell was going on at Ocean View, or just how
I love the worldbuilding of this little podcast, from the simple idea of a transatlantic bridge staffed with watchtowers (my dream job, to be honest; too bad it doesn't exist) to the creepy-as-hell monsters, both literal sea monsters (the MOCKINGBIRDS arrrgh) and metaphorical human monsters (what the HELL, POSEIDON). I also love the characters, particularly the core four, and there's a lot to explore there; we know what's driven Etta to the Watchtower, but that doesn't mean there aren't still a lot of unanswered questions about her background; ditto Kate, and we've only gotten hints and broad sketches about what brought Roger and Bertie there. Pick your favorite aspect and write about it -- I guarantee I'll be interested.
For this fandom, I would prefer not to receive any AUs that don't involve the Bridge itself, though canon-divergent AUs are totally cool.
Ships: If you have a preferred ship, throw it in; I don't have a favorite at this point but I'm open to anything and there's a good chance you'll convince me yours is best! Gen is also cool with me!
Everworld - K.A. Applegate: Jalil Sherman, Christopher Hitchcock
Again, I want to say this as a friend, and with no racial animosity, because it's not about you being a redneck, all right? But you, Christopher, you are an idiot.
What is it: Everworld is a twelve-book YA fantasy series by K.A. Applegate, better known as the author of Animorphs. It's about four kids from Chicago who, due to their connections to a girl named Senna Wales, end up drawn into Everworld, an all-myths-are-true alternate universe created by the gods of the Old World when humanity became increasingly rational and science-driven. It's currently out of print, but you can check out the fan-compiled ebooks here.
The request:
I've requested Everworld for Yuletide multiple times before, so if you are curious to read my rambling about the series feel free to check out my past Yuletide letters. This year I am asking specifically for Jalil and Christopher, and therefore will try to restrain myself to talking about the two of them. I love their screwed-up, dysfunctional dynamic with each other; they are two people who certainly would never have chosen to become friends, much less the ride-or-die comradeship Everworld eventually forces them into. That's true to varying degrees of all of the main four, of course, but I think it's particularly noticeable with the two of them, given Jalil's defensiveness and very strong self-protection streak and Christopher's kneejerk racism and automatic mockery of everyone else; just looking at the evolution of the way they are with each other is a great way of seeing just how much Everworld forces the kids to dismantle their own self-images and rebuild them. Character development!
I would love to see fic exploring how that dynamic continues to evolve, post-canon. How do they cope with the knowledge that their comradeship is now almost certainly permanent? There's no escaping to the "real" world anymore, but there's also no more pressure from the "real" world to try to hang onto who they used to be. That's got to change things for them somehow. Alternately, I'd love to see "missing scene" type fics set during the canon era, looking at how their relationship is evolving from outright antagonism to a very intense kind of friendship. We get a little of that in canon with both of them musing on how they can't quite understand how things are changing, and certainly as Christopher gets more self-aware he starts looking at his interactions with Jalil with a more critical eye towards himself, but I'd love to see more, particularly any conversations between the two of them or crises where they need to rely on each other.
For this fandom, I would prefer not to receive any AUs that don't involve Everworld itself, though canon-divergent AUs are totally cool.
Ships: I'm completely happy with either a platonic or slashy dynamic between the boys. I'm also fond of Jalil/April, Christopher/Etain, and Jalil/Miyuki, if you'd prefer to go in a het direction.
Julie's Greenroom (TV): Penelope Guadalupe Fitzgerald Sanchez
Me and my violin need to be alone!
What is it: Julie's Greenroom is a Netflix Original TV show. The first season (hopefully not the only season?) consists of 13 half-hour episodes and was released in March of this year. Aimed at preschoolers, it follows Miss Julie (Julie Andrews), who runs a theatre workshop program for young kids (a collection of original puppets created by the Jim Henson Company). Throughout the series, the kids learn about different aspects of the performing arts with the help of guest stars such as Idina Menzel, Josh Groban, Joshua Bell, Alec Baldwin, and many more. If you have a Netflix subscription, the complete season can be streamed here.
The request:
I watched Julie's Greenroom because I love Julie Andrews, because I love the Jim Henson Company, because I love the performing arts (PARTICULARLY live theatre), and because I needed something cute and sweet and low-stakes in my TV-watching habit. The show excelled on all fronts. It's adorable, earnest, and unashamed of its love for everything theatrical, and the characters are incredibly lovable. Penelope Guadalupe Fitzgerald Sanchez, better known as Fizz, rapidly became my favorite, but the entire cast holds a special place in my heart.
I would like to see what Fizz's future looks like to you. Does she pursue performing arts in some way (acting, dancing, violin, something else), either professionally or as a side hobby? Take a backstage or teaching role? Activist for the importance of arts funding? Does she keep in touch with any of the other Greenies (or reconnect with them later on!) or with Miss Julie and Gus? Alternately, something set in the canon era with Fizz's developing friendships with the other kids would be great -- her relationship with Peri is adorable (their fangirling out about real life ballerina Tiler Peck was the cutest thing, and I got unexpectedly emotional about Fizz offering to trade roles to make Peri feel better), and she's cute with everyone else too -- one of my favorite moments is when the others volunteer that the song they're trying to write shouldn't be in a minor key because it makes Fizz sad. If there's a particular area of theatre that you love that wasn't covered by the series, maybe a lesson built around that? I'm not picky; anything that includes Fizz and her enthusiasm is a win for me!
For this fandom, I would prefer not to receive darkfic.
Ships: If you're writing futurefic, any and all shipping is fine with me, but I would prefer canon-era fic not involve any romantic feelings.
Look What You Made Me Do - Taylor Swift (Music Video): Any
There she goes, playing the victim, AGAIN.
What is it: Look What You Made Me Do is the lead single and music video from Taylor Swift's sixth album and was released earlier this year. It pokes fun at the different ways she's been depicted and has depicted herself over the years, and it's a ridiculous amount of fun. You can watch it on YouTube here.
The request:
I walked away from this video with the immediate conviction that I need fic in which multiple versions of Taylor Swift team up to pull a heist, or cover up a murder, or pursue global domination, or something along those lines, but keep getting distracted by their desire to turn on each other instead. Sort of a cross between the Stream Co. robbery scenes and the final scene with the fifteen Taylors taking shots at each other.
Which Taylors? I leave it up to you, author! Ten versions are included in the tag set; take your pick. If you want to include others who weren't nominated, go for it. If you want to bring in versions that weren't included in the video (Picture To Burn Taylor Swift? Mine Taylor Swift? 2012 Grammys Taylor Swift? Any other appearance that jumps out at you as a distinct character?), feel free. Include as many or as few as you'd like; even just two having to work together has the potential to be gold, and I'd love it.
Ships: If you want to take this in a Taylor/Taylor direction, I have no objections. Gen is also cool, or if you want to include Fishnet Taylor's harem of backup dancers or Squad Dominatrix Taylor's, um, squad of models, also great.
Sit Down By The Fire - The Pogues
Sit down by the fire and I'll tell you a story to send you away to your bed of the things you hear creeping when everyone's sleeping and you wish you were out here instead...
What is it: Do you love creepy supernatural horror stories in the form of Celtic punk songs? Then you should probably be listening to the Pogues! (They also have a lot of songs that aren't creepy supernatural horror stories! But that's beside the current point.) Sit Down By The Fire can be listened to on YouTube here, and you can see the full lyrics here.
The request:
This song is so creepy and full of unanswered questions that I feel like it's perfect for fic purposes. What are the things? Faeries or demons or ghosts or something else? Where do they come from? ("They live in the small ring of trees on the hill up at the top of the field" but "they march out of that hole in the wall passing through on their way out of hell"; which one is the real explanation? Are both true? And where are they going?) Has anyone survived an encounter with them? How does the narrator know so much about them, and is he telling his subject about them as a warning or a taunt? (It's just, the whole thing about "lie near the wall and cover your head, good night and God bless, now fuck off to bed" sometimes reads to me like he's setting the kid up as a sacrifice to the things. Mostly it reads as he's made all of this up to give the kid nightmares, but that's less interesting for fic purposes.)
Basically, I just really want any kind of fic about the things and the havoc they wreak, whether that's from the POV of the narrator, the kid he's talking to, or the things themselves.
Song Of The Sea (2014): Saoirse
Saoirse the selkie will sing and save the day! The Daoine Sídhe who rescued her will cheer and celebrate!
What is it: Song Of The Sea is an animated film by the Cartoon Saloon studio, about a young boy, Ben, struggling to cope after his mother vanished several years earlier following the birth of his little sister Saoirse. And then he finds out that both Saoirse and his mother are selkies, and all of his mother's bedtime fairy stories are true... Song Of The Sea is available on Blu Ray, DVD, and Amazon streaming.
The request:
I adore everything about this gorgeous movie but especially Saoirse. She's so expressive and determined! Plus she gives her brother the best "you dumbass" looks I have ever seen from an animated six-year-old. I have a weakness for selkies and selkie stories anyway, and Song Of The Sea puts an interesting new spin on the "all selkie stories end sadly" thing with Saoirse having to make a choice between the two halves of her heritage.
And I'd love to see the ramifications of that choice explored in fic. I mean, Saoirse obviously adores both her father and her brother (especially once Ben wises up and stops torturing her), but growing up knowing that you're part faerie and that you gave that part up can't be completely easy. Does she ever regret the choice? Chase fairy tales? Have an inexplicable affinity for seals? Maybe she (and Ben?) have regular (or irregular for that matter) accidental encounters with the mythological afterwards, or maybe they go seeking out the same now that they know the truth about their heritage. Or anything about how her relationship with her family evolves -- we see in the epilogue glimpses of Saoirse and Ben bonding, Conor coming out of his grief-stricken shell, and Granny becoming a more comfortable member of the family, but there's only so much that can be shown in a short epilogue sans dialogue, and I'd love to see more!
Inclusion of any canon characters beside Saoirse is welcome but 100% optional.
Ships: If you're writing futurefic, any non-incest shipping is fine with me, but I would prefer canon-era or immediately post-canon fic not involve any romantic feelings.
To conclude: Optional details are optional, write what you want to write, I desperately crave more/any fic in all of these fandoms so just writing in a fandom off the list is enough to endear you to me forever.
Thank you, and have a wonderful Yuletide!
-Chica
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