#hence the selection of smutty fic

[choicesficwriterscreations]

CFWC Writer of the Month: the-pale-goddess

Each month CFWC highlights one of our talented fanfic writers, and this month’s writer of the month is @the-pale-goddess! We hope you will enjoy learning more about her and her work below! The writer is selected at random. More info can be found on the navigation page.

Quick Links:

Tumblr Blog: the-pale-goddess Blog Masterlist

1- When did you start playing Choices? What was the first book you played? 

I downloaded Choices in an extremely terrifying moment of my life in late 2019. I was seeing the ads everywhere and thought that this game might serve as a fairly decent distraction. Well, I wasn’t wrong skfjksjfk 

I’m not sure which one was actually the first, but it was either the default TRR or Save The Date promoted at that time. 

2- When and why did you join Choices fandom?

My obsession with Open Heart and Ethan Ramsey tied nicely with the release of the second book in 2020. The lockdown allowed me to explore this fictional world further, so I started looking for more content. I found the legendary Denise, aka @justanotherrookie, while lurking on IG. That’s when my long-forgotten Tumblr account came to my mind, and I logged in with the intention of scrolling through the tags to satisfy my EJR thirst.

3- How did you pick your blog name? 

Oh, dear…It’s very silly! My skin is extremely pale and I have always been obsessed with music; hence the combo. 

Fun fact: this account is quite old (though still not as old as my tumbroke card; I had like three other accounts before this one), and I was slightly embarrassed to enter a new fandom with my dusty aesthetic blog signed by some ominous name, but decided to go with the flow. Then the-pale-goddess has become my brand, and it was too late for any changes–anyone who has changed their URL knows how problematic blogging is afterward.

4- Pull up the first post in your archive, and tell us about it!  

My first fandom post was inspired by the frustrating ending of the softball chapter AND the first hiatus announcement…It didn’t age well. As we all know, Ethan & MC didn’t ‘talk about it.’ What’s more, we had to survive a long OH drought before PB decided to resume the second book. 

Three years later, the very same shitpost is still the most popular Choices post on my silly little blog lol

5- How long have you been writing fanfiction?

3 years, fanfiction is my pandemic baby! Though I’ve been writing since I was a kid, it was mostly poetry and never in English. But as time passed, I got more occupied with my teenage life and eventually lost motivation to write. That old passion resurfaced several years later, at the beginning of the pandemic. Apart from the obvious need for distraction from the COVID situation, I was frustrated that my English skills were getting rusty, so I decided to dive in. 

6- What is your favorite Choices book, and what is your favorite Choices book to write about?

No surprise here: Open Heart (the first book) and Open Heart 😂 I never tried writing about any other Choices book. 

7- Share the first fanfic you wrote with us. Do you still like it, or would you change it if you were writing it today?

Miami Heat aka my smutty Miami AU. The concept is brilliant, but the execution…Yikes! I often think of rewriting the entire thing because the writing is amateur at best and my inner perfectionist cringes whenever I think of this mini-series.  

8- What is your favorite fic that you’ve written?

It all depends on my mood, so here’s a list of my favorites!

9- Do you have a fic that you didn’t expect to be well received, but it was? What about one you expected to be but found could use a little more love?

Cabin Fever - apparently this 69 plotless smut is iconic for some reason? I don’t really get the hype. It has an insane amount of kudos on ao3, my other fics can’t compare lol 

Burnt - Book 1 mutual pining E&T classic and one of my absolute favorites (we’re talking top 3); it could definitely use a little more love!

10- If you could write only angst, fluff, or smut for the rest of your writing life, which would it be and why? 

I’ll shock you all and say that I wish I could write fluff for the rest of my life kjgkdgjkdf But since I suck at it, I’d love to be stuck with angst and a dash of smut. 

It’s probably a sad thing to admit, but I feel the most comfortable while writing angst. The realism of pain and the emotions that follow are simply very familiar, and it’s easy for me to conjure up a creative image to match the idea. Besides, there’s so much to explore in the angsty realm: all the flavor, nuance, layers, and symbolism. The possibilities are endless!

Smut doesn’t need an explanation, does it? I live on the thirst street 🤡

11- Do you ever recognize yourself in any of your MCs or in your writing?

I do. That’s probably why Open Heart got me sucked right in–OH MC felt very real and relatable, I couldn’t help but see bits of myself in her. Though we share many traits and experiences, Tiffany definitely isn’t an extension of me. I poured my heart and soul into this woman, but she has become her own person and I try to avoid self-projecting into her character unless there’s a clear purpose. 

12- What element of writing do you struggle with most?

Recently, I have been struggling with writing in general lol The internet is ruthless!

My biggest issue is that self-loathing perfectionist who doesn’t let me enjoy the process, nothing seems to be good enough for her, and that attitude dims my motivation and hinders creativity.

On a more technical note, I absolutely suck at describing basic movement. I could churn out a long essay on a character’s internal struggle explaining the most complex emotions or a 4K elaborate smut, but when it comes to finding the right words to portray the simplest action, like walking down the stairs or setting the scene for an early morning conversation at the hospital, I feel lost kdhdkhdkdb 

13- Do you have any neglected work you really want to finish?

Pretty much all of my WIPs are neglected 🤡 But here are the most important projects I’m hoping to finish at some point in the not-too-distant future: 

Home With You AU

Past, Present, Future

My Way Home Is Through You

14- If someone you know in real life (who isn’t involved in fandoms) asked to read your work, would you let them? If yes, what would you recommend they read first? 

Since fanfic is based on an existing work of fiction, and the core plotlines and characters should be well-known to the readers, I guess it could be a tedious and confusing read for someone who isn’t involved in the fandom. But then I have received comments from people unfamiliar with OH who have stumbled upon my fics and gave them a chance, so maybe I’m wrong lol 

I like to think that I would be okay with sharing my works with someone I know and trust in real life, but let’s be honest: my crippling anxiety would stop me ksjfkjssd However, if I were to pick a fic rec, I’d choose Heaven Upside Down AU because it doesn’t need an extensive OH knowledge. Plus, I’m very proud of this series.

15 - Are there any writers (published authors and/or fanfic writers) who influenced your writing? 

While I try to keep my writing style unique and simply mine, there are three lovely ladies who had a huge impact on my writing journey:

@writinghereandthere (aka an actual genius and my writing role model) was the direct source of inspiration behind my fanfic revelation. I fell in love with Ethan and Mariana, Ana’s beautiful prose, her wit, unparalleled talent, and fantastic characterization. Her writing changed the trajectory of my life. Though she left the fandom long ago, her masterlist is a must-read for everyone, trust me! (Ana, if you’re reading this: I miss you more than words can convey. Sorry for the spam I leave in your inbox every now and then skgjksgjk Hope to hear about your original work soon ❤️)

@starrystarrytrouble & @terrm9 - these two literary geniuses have inspired me to follow my own writing path and develop a distinctive style. Their masterpieces offer poetic, raw emotions, encouraging me to allow myself more creative freedom. I’m in constant awe of their unmatched talent and come back to their works whenever I want to feel things ❤️

16- Which one of your stories would you most like to see as a movie/series? 

Can I have all of them, please? 

I would pay all my money to watch a TV series based on my canon OH plotline…I’m not kidding, I even made a bunch of Netflix edits because I need it in my life. On the other hand, my precious AUs would look amazing on the big screen! The most scrumptious one still hasn’t left my head though, so you have to trust me–the cinematic potential is truly there kdgjkdgjk 17- Do you write original fiction? 

I have a few ideas, but they’re so complex I’m stuck on the outlining phase. Mayhaps one day?

18 -  What other hobbies do you have?

I’m a certified music freak and a cinephile. I practice destroying male egos on a daily basis. I love photography, niche sports, playing with my dog, lifting people’s moods, random unhinged facts, and ignoring reality, and I have just entered my skincare expert era. 

19 - What’s your favorite emoji? 

🥰 + ✨ + 💀 

These three emojis perfectly encapsulate who I am as a person, I think: full of love and magic, but also dead inside ksjgksjgks 

20: BONUS - tell us anything you’d like (if you want to)

I’d like to thank our lovely admins for giving me this exciting opportunity to ramble about my tiny corner on this hellsite and showcase my word vomit. My heart is full of gratitude! I may not be as active as I used to be, and real life doesn’t allow me to change that, but our fandom will always have a special place in my heart, and I feel very lucky to be a part of this community. Thank you for still putting up with me and supporting my fictional world ❤️❤️❤️

[qqueenofhades]

Sorry to see that you've got the Rona. If you're up to writing a soft, sweet n' smutty Garcy fic maybe it'd help you feel better (and feed what feels like a dying fanfic fandom)? Thanks! I hope you feel better soon.

They have left the window open at the back of the chalet, and the wind that sweeps inside, the first vanguard of the oncoming thunderstorm, is cool and wet and rattles the dishes on the table, the bottle of wine and the leavings of the baguette and whatever brand of Camembert Flynn expertly selected from the cheese canyon at the supermarket. (Lucy has traveled to a lot of places by now, albeit largely not in the twenty-first century, but that was the first time she had seen so much cheese in one place -- welcome to Switzerland.) When the wind is followed in a few moments by the violent rattle of rain on the roof, soaking everything that it can remotely reach, Lucy sighs deeply, reaches out with her foot, and prods Flynn's leg. "Garcia," she says indistinctly. "Close the window. It'll get our books wet."

"Nnngh." Flynn is still sprawled flat on his back, looking mildly stunned, and it might be a stretch to expect coherency any time soon. (Then again, with Flynn, it is a struggle to get him to use his words at the best of times.) "Jus' a second."

Lucy supposes that she could get up and do it herself, since she was the one who kindly blew his brains out with that last orgasm, but she's also feeling boneless and breathless and utterly disinclined to emerge from the twisted nest of sheets, and it might just have to wait. It feels decadent enough as it is: lounging around in a remote Swiss chalet with her handsome European lover, having just finished a luxurious late lunch and an even more luxurious round of midafternoon sex. (Well, several rounds if you're being picky, but never mind that.) The trip was Flynn's idea; he knows how to pull her out of her own head when she's working too hard, and Lucy hasn't had the chance to enjoy traveling for its own sake, in the here and now, that's not for the express purpose of saving the world. This place is high in the Swiss Alps, an hour from the nearest village, and you can take a cable car down from there to a ski resort with shops and services. But up here on the mountain, there's nobody except them for miles and miles, and it is absolutely a place to give into your inner Maria Von Trapp and run skippingly up the hills while singing about the sound of music. Not that Lucy is running (or indeed, singing) anywhere. After all, she is from California, and hence the adjustment to thin mountain air makes her wheeze horrendously. (Flynn, obnoxiously, is as Flynn-like as ever.)

Lucy rolls over onto her side, her thick dark hair coming down on her shoulders, which are marked with the insistent brands of Flynn's hot and hungry mouth, and tries to summon up the volition to actually exit the bed. The sheets are cloud-soft, white as the summer snow that still gilds the summits of the knifelike peaks that surround them to every side, and that's not even to mention the weight and gravity of Flynn behind her, as he reaches out one long arm, loops it around her waist, and pulls her back in. "Forget about the books, Lucy," he orders. "We can always get more of them."

Lucy utters a small noise of complaint; those are very special books, picked up from a historic secondhand shop on a fairytale cobbled street in Zurich, and she doesn't trust that you can just hop on Amazon and order a replacement. Finally, seeing that she's not going to let it go, Flynn sighs deeply, rolls backwards, and vaults to his feet -- all magnificently nude six-foot-four Croatian giant of him, as Lucy eyes his backside with deep appreciation. Flynn strides across the floor to the table under the window, sweeps the books out of danger, and sets them on the sideboard. But as he's about to crank the window shut, Lucy says, "Leave it open. I like listening to the rain."

Flynn quirks a darkly sassy eyebrow at her, as if to ask what else Her Majesty would like him to attend to while he's up, but as ever, he complies. Then he turns around and comes back to bed, and Lucy reaches out both arms to pull him halfway on top of her. She buries her nose in the crook of his neck, breathing in the scent of male sweat and sex and deep satisfaction, and Flynn lets out a small growl of happiness. Lucy strokes the muscled column of his back and tips her head back on the pillows. Like rain on the mountain, she thinks, like wind on the meadow. And there is no sadness in it, no poignancy, no parting. Just the beginning of something, not an end. Not an elegy, or a lament. Only this, and them, and love, and eternity.

[thetv-junkie]

Keeping Track of Fanfics (99 % Offline) and How to Organise Them Neatly

Without a doubt, fanfiction has become an undeniably popular phenomenon in modern pop-culture. Every day thousands of avid writers provide us with their entertaining adventures, allowing us to interact with like-minded fans and friends and secretly indulge in collective swooning. ヽ( ⌒o⌒)人(⌒-⌒ )ﾉ

But then again, the sheer abundance of stories makes it hard to not be confused at times. Have I read that fic before? Did I like it??? Had there been an update that I might have missed? Where the heck did I stop reading? Damn, that story has been deleted; I wished I had saved it! ( ಥ ʖ̯ ಥ)

Especially in devastating times as this, with the corona virus running rampant on the whole globe, forcing millions of people into quarantine at home, the fear of the internet collapsing is palpable everywhere. In China, readers didn't/still do have no access to archiveofourown.com anymore.  (o_O) !

But fear not, here's a great solution for the problem. – The FREE offline programme "Calibre". Some of you might have heard of it already and shy away from its usage as it seems confusing and cumbersome at first glance. (•ิ_•ิ) ?

In this tutorial, however, I will show you that, once you've gotten through the necessary set-up (which I will guide you through step-by-step) it will be well worth the effort and you're going to love “Calibre” forever for saving your fanfiction treasures and allows you your daily fix of smutty goodness, even if being online is no longer an option.  (๑˃ᴗ˂)

So, here we go:

First, you need to download "Calibre" (either the regular or portable version):

https://calibre-ebook.com/download

and install it.

ヘ(￣ω￣ヘ)

Follow the instruction and select your device (output format is usually .epub but than can be changed to pretty much every other common format.) and click on “Finish”. If you’re not sure which device you use (or use more than one), simply stick to “Generic”.

An interface will appear:

You need to click on the three dots on the right (see arrow). An additional row of plugins will open which holds the button “Preferences”. Click that.

Scroll down to “Advanced” and select “Plugins”, “Get New Plugins”.

In the list of new plugins chose “FanFicFare” and install it (Ignore the warning.). As for the toolbars - best go with the pre-sets.

You can pick as many plugins as you like; “EpubMerge”, “Find Duplicates” and “EpubSplit” are useful additions, but see for yourself. Whenever “Calibre” asks you to close and re-open the program, do so (might happen a couple of times).

Next, go back to “Preferences” (remember the three dots on the right of the toolbar), find “Toolbars and Menus” and choose the main toolbar.

You can now pick the buttons you want to show up in your main toolbar, then click “Apply”. My toolbar looks something like this:

If you can't see all of your plugins, click on the three dots on the right, just as before. An additional row of plugins appears underneath.

Now we’re going to add the columns that are individually important to you and which will give you the information you need in order to pick the right book for your reading session.

Go to “Preferences”, “Add your columns”.

First tick and un-tick the pre-set columns that you want to keep or get rid of.

__φ(。。)

Then, click the green “+”-button on the right. An new window pops up that allows you to create new categories. Here's an example:

In my case I've picked a column that can be answered with a yes/no, but of course you also could opt for a text version instead (which is helpful when you want to sort stuff by pairing). Just make sure the lookup name is written in small letters (otherwise you'll get an error message) while for the column name you can write whatever you wish. When you're done, click "Apply".

Repeat the process as often as desired, here's my columns to give you some ideas:

ID

(like 008, so I can give individual IDs to my books which makes finding them easier.)

Title               

(No big brainer here – once you download a fanfic, this will be filled in automatically.)

Read? 

(Again, pretty self-explanatory, easy to answer with the yes/no option)

Rating               

(Now that is probably the most important column since it gives me an idea whether that fic is worth a re-read, or not. You can chose the ★★★★★-rating system in your personalised columns)

Time                    

(This column is only necessary if you know if you're a fast reader or not. We only need this column if you intend to add “Pages” as well:)

Pages                  

(That feature comes in handy when you're reading on another device like your mobile phone or tablet. Some devices show either the number of pages or the estimated reading time. In case it shows only the number of pages (just for example's sake, let's pretend you need one minute for reading one page which leaves you with e. g. 900 pages. Go to this site to break it down to hours and minutes:

https://www.unitjuggler.com/convert-time-from-min-to-h.html

900 minutes/pages leaves you with a total of roughly 15hr of reading time. You might want to note that down in your Calibre columns in order to have a vague idea if you're in for a lazy half-an-hour-read or better get settled for a marathon.)

Pairing?              

(Does what it says on the tin – If you have more than one fav pairing in the same fandom it is useful to be able to sort by pairing for easy selection when you're in the mood for certain protagonists without wanting to scroll through your library forever. Btw, I recommend to use different libraries for each fandom. (Click the arrow on the right of the button "Calibre Library", "Switch/Create Library" and follow the instructions)

NSFW?              

(Personally, a really important column for me. 'nough said. (^_<)〜☆ )

Okay, so now that we got the most important stuff done, let's finally download a fanfic!!! Leave Calibre as it is, open the internet and go to your site and fic of choice. Select the according url in your browser, copy it, switch back to Calibre.

Click on the arrow button on the right side of your plug in fanficfare, "Download from URL", the download url is automatically added, then press OK.

Now one of these two things can happen:

If you're lucky, on your bottom right corner, there's a pop up, letting you know that your FanficFare download is complete. All you have to do is press "Yes" and ét voila – you've imported your first fanfic!

All you need to do now is to double click on the title and start reading (I recommend to use E-book viewer). Enjoy !

However, if you're not lucky, you might get messages like how the sites want you to enter your username and password or that it's adult content blah blah blah, yadda, yadda, yadda. Having to fill in the information for every single fanfic is annoying, time-consuming and, most of all, incredibly annoying!

凸(￣ヘ￣)

Hence, here's the work-around:

Click on the arrow right to your plugin "FanFicFare" in the tool bar, find “Configure FanfFicFare”.

Go to the tab that says "personal.ini", then "edit personal.ini" Scroll down in the small pop-up until you can see this pre-set:

Edit in all the sites you're usually browsing for fanfiction. Always make sure that the letters of the sitename are blue, not red. If you want to make sure you aren't bothered with any verification pop-ups and such, double-check to work all of these in:

[Your fanfiction page like hp.adultfanfiction.org]

#username:YourPenname

#password:YourPassword

## default is false

#collect_series: true

#is_adult:true

#fail_on_password: false

That should do the trick and you can now easily keep track and enjoy your fics!

☆*:.｡.o(≧▽≦)o.｡.:*☆

Bonus:

When you're done reading you might want to fill in some information for later use.

For that, fill your columns on the main screen by simply double-clicking on each category. So far, so good. But we need more metadata.

Choose a fic so it’s highlighted in blue. Then go to "Edit Metadata" in the main tool bar.

A window opens:

Some information will be pre-filled but you can always edit them. Also, I highly recommend you to change the tags to your liking, same as you can add a book cover of your choice via the browse function.

On a final note: When you're following a fic that is still in-progress, you can simply click the button "FanFicFare" (NOT the arrow next to it!) to update it.

♡( ◡‿◡ ) ENJOY YOUR READ!

[margridarnauds]

Ronan/Laz and Wash/Mira

Thank you!

Ronan/Laz

To fully understand my relationship with this ship, we have to go into one of the darkest periods of my life, a period of time that, to this day, I struggle to talk about: The first time I was into 1789, circa 2015-ish. I was young, I was impetuous, I was heavily closeted (to myself; my mom had already given me my “YOU KNOW I WILL LOVE AND SUPPORT YOU NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS” conversation) and…I shipped…Ronan/Olympe. 

100%. 

Like, “Google Translated French Fanfiction on FF.net to get more content” shipped it. (Now, I suspect it’s because I was a bisexual mess, but I digress). 

As I said, a dark, cursed time where I shipped the *100% canon* brother-in- law/sister-in-law. 

I barely remember it. I scarcely acknowledge it happened. It physically pains me to mention it.

I had the Takarazuka version, but I didn’t have subtitles to it and, as a result, I didn’t really…watch it…all the way through, instead skipping around as it suited me. I knew about Laz’s sex dungeon, but it really didn’t…register, I suppose? How very, very gay it was and the chemistry that was there. I did NOT like Lazare, I didn’t see why he occupied a considerable piece of fandom time (Not enough) when he has such a small role and he’s portrayed fairly consistently as an asshole throughout the musical (Yes, he’s an asshole, but he’s my asshole now). R/L has NOTHING on FF.net to this day and, I don’t think at the time, there was anything on AO3? And if there was, I don’t remember seeing it and, if I did, I’m pretty sure my initial reaction would still have been, “Who cares about Lazare? He’s so mean! EW!” (Oh, my sweet, naive, teenaged self. How the tables will turn. How the tables will turn.) 

Now, it’s hard to sustain an interest in a show with negative chemistry between the leads and the growing realization that French!Ronan is an asshole, and eventually my interest in 1789 dimmed considerably. Not entirely faded, but dimmed. 

Then came The Stream. 

So, last year, around June-ish, the Moraholics set up a series of European Musical streams that lasted around half a year and was an absolute masterpiece of cooperation, and among them, we had the Takarazuka 1789, as subbed and hosted by the utterly phenomenal @berncat, who I’m eternally grateful to but who is also still not off the hook for getting me back into this Hell. And, suffice it to say (1) Having the Japanese actually translated and, for example, hearing Lazare promise to “give [Ronan] release” while looking at him with bedroom eyes, (2) Watching Magee with that whip, answering many questions about my sexuality that I didn’t know I had, and (3) Watching it with a group of people who were likewise cheering it on was a completely different experience with the musical than I’d had before and I jumped onto the ship HARD. (Btw, whoever said, “Someone should write a smutfic with Peyrol/Ronan” fuck you because it’s been nearly a year and the Abomination is, well, the Abomination and my 2k-4k pwp is now a sprawling universe in its own right currently clocking in at around 31k words and most of them aren’t even smutty, damn it). And, the week immediately afterwards, we watched the French and, well…

If I had any doubts about the viability of French!L/R, this kind of showed me that they were unfounded, with the Other Maniaque video (You know the one to which I refer) being the clencher (Was it really necessary to nuzzle your future arch-enemy, Ronan? And Laz, couldn’t you have been at least a little more proactive in making sure you didn’t get peasant germs on your nice fur coat rather than leaning into him?) That’s the weakest ass intimidation tactic I’ve ever seen and the only way I can justify it is Laz being in a constant state of “CUTE PEASANT BOY ABORT ABORT. CONCEAL DON’T FEEL” Right now, the only production I’m not really certain about is the Toho, since it looks like the Lazare there is significantly more…brutal than we’ve gotten before but, tbh, I can probably find some way to ship it there by selectively ignoring the canon as I always do. 

So, yeah, I’ve basically been stuck in 1789 Hell since then, because apparently my brain said, “Special Interest? SPECIAL INTEREST?” It’s a bit unusual to me since I’m really not used to actually creating content for a ship this much (even if very little of it gets published). 

I still ship it as hard if not harder than I did when I first jumped on; I think that they both have the most potential for growth and development from each other and the most potential as far as an overall plot arc (and delicious, delicious angst, hence why, across the board, no matter how much of the French production I bring into a given WIP, I always keep Peyrol being the one responsible for Ronan getting shot, though there’s also significant angst potential in Peyrol not knowing, thinking bitterly that Ronan had gotten what he wanted but still going back to their apartment only to find it empty, keeping hope that he’s alive for the rest of the night even as it becomes increasingly unlikely, thinking that perhaps Ronan’s still mad at him for everything that happened in Nous ne Sommes, only to learn the next day that Ronan’s dead). I can drop them into roughly any situation, both in the French Revolution and outside of it, and, for the most part, I can have fun with it. September Massacres? Check. Zombie Apocalypse? Check. Being dropped into the Cretaceous Period? Check. One of them’s a dragon who abducts the other one? Check. Afterlife Fic? Check. Going to Disney World together? Check. I was going to say “Childhood Friends AU” but we both know that only leads to pain but, otherwise? CHECK. 

It’s very much a multipurpose ship for me; I can do basically whatever I want with it as it suits my mood, and Lazare de Peyrol is an absolutely fantastic torture subject.10/10 would recommend. 

Mira/Wash

I hadn’t even considered this one until you brought it up and I’m very, very grateful you did because ANGST! PAIN! BETRAYAL! ANGST! WASH GETTING CHARACTERIZATION! ANGST! BONDAGE! ANGST! It’s definitely my dominant OTP for Terra Nova, I absolutely love it to bits. I liked both Wash and Mira the first time I watched it; I thought that both of them were more interesting than the main plot we got and, tbh, I wanted Wash content that wasn’t necessarily Wash/Taylor centered because I tried it once and it just felt…off. It’s not “NO BAD WRONG” for me and I have the distinct feeling that it’s what the writers were edging towards (which, given the other relationships in TN, might be why it felt off), but I definitely ended up preferring it as mutual, longstanding respect/loyalty rather than an actual romance.

 So, Mira was definitely a better fit for me, in the sense that there’s a lot of potential there for Wash’s characterization that’s not really touched on in the show, there’s a chance for conflict for both of them, there’s a lot of potential as far as backstory, etc. And, looking at the trajectory of the series after Taylor goes, to use the clinical term, bat-shit insane, I think that there’s a lot of potential for a team up between the two of them and a moment where they basically end up meeting in the center so they can fuck up their respective old sides together, get Sienna, and live happily ever after. (Which is also why the Taylor/Mira team up was such a waste compared to Wash/Mira, because WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU SET UP THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR A PARALLEL SCENE IN A FEW SEASONS AND NOT USE IT.) 

The only reason I’m not as active with it as I am with, say, Laz and Ronan is because I feel significantly more uncomfortable writing in sci-fi and fantasy settings than I am with historical fiction/modern day fics. Because with that stuff, I have a decent grasp of the world I’m dealing with, how it works, the basic technology I’m dealing with, how to navigate it, etc. whereas with a sci-fi/fantasy element, it’s harder to nail it down, especially with something like TN where we got so little time in the world and most of it was wasted doing other things. (GIVE ME A SERIES BIBLE, SPIELBERG YOU COWARD; NOT JUST THE ARCS AND MYTHOLOGY WITH CREEPY!!TAYLOR.) I can’t really do research on it the same way I can for, say, The Women’s March to Versailles, and I don’t personally feel like I have as good of a grasp on that universe as a whole. I’m fine taking the characters in places that would make the original writers faint, but I want to have a decent grounding for it when I do it. 

[flames-bring-a-ton-of-ash]

Writer Interview

I was tagged by the lovely @sherrybaby14 and @jeffreydeanneganstrash <3

1. What inspires your work most? (The show it is based on, the actor who portrays a certain character, maybe the character itself…? It could even be an experience.)

I would say the character and then my ridiculously active imagination. A character has to really intrigue me for me to want to write them, especially more long-term. They can’t just be amusing or attractive, they have to have layers to them, and live in shades of grey. I’m not much for the “good guy” or “hero” type, unless they’re really tortured (like Daryl), and prefer characters who come off as “villains” but who actually have so much more to them, and the lines are blurry of which side they’re on. Case in point, my love of Negan, Crowley, Peter Hale, and Severus Snape. They all have so much depth to them that isn’t necessarily shown in the show/book/comics, or if it is, it isn’t until the end of their arc, and they end up dying a hero, of sorts. I love trying to psychoanalyze those types of characters, and imagining what it would be like to put them up against a female OC that sees past their rough exterior to the man beneath, and how they would react to such a woman...and eventually fall for her. Basically, I write my own fantasies, of how I would love to be transported to that universe and interact with the characters myself haha. Hence, how ID was born.

2. What is your favorite fandom to write for?

It has most DEFINITELY been Negan’s Thirst Squad. I still can’t believe how far this fandom has come in the past year and a half. From literally only a small handful of fanfiction existing for him on any fanfiction site, to now multiple fics being posted daily; from a small handful of thirst squad members who huddled together against those judging us, to a huge thirst squad full of love and support...this fandom amazes me so much. It’s one of the most positive and supportive fandoms that I’ve ever seen on any site, and I love y’all so much for that.

3. Which perspective do you prefer writing in? (First-person, third-person)

I actually prefer second person now. I had never written in a “you” perspective until ID, but after creating a novel in that POV, it’s now become my default, and weirdly, even though it’s supposedly the most difficult POV to write, I find it the most enjoyable. 

4. Do you prefer writing reader fics or OCs?

Reader fics. With those, I can literally make myself the character, without having to name her. Reader fics are still an OC of sorts, it’s just that they’re typically unnamed and it’s a different point of view. It’s definitely not as easy when it comes to not giving physical descriptors and not using a name when interacting with other characters, but it feels more personal to me, and I enjoy that a lot. 

5. Do you prefer writing longer works or one shots?

Hmm...I guess it depends on the idea. The only longer work I’ve written turned into a BEAST of a novel, and I’ve really loved the journey of writing it, because it proved to me that I can indeed someday write and publish a novel someday, if I so wish. Writing ID has taught me a lottt about not only my writing, but about myself, cheesy as that sounds, and it has been so fun to finally write down one of the huge stories that I create in my head, because I create a lot of them lol.

However, there’s also something exciting to be said for those smutty one shot ideas. Once in a while, I get an idea so arousing that I’m literally obsessed with writing it down, and spend days totally focused on that idea and transferring the fantasy from my head onto paper (or word Document, I guess haha). And then, once it’s finished and posted, I get such a sense of accomplishment, and it’s like I can then purge that fantasy from my brain so that it doesn’t drive me up a wall anymore...plus I can then transfer the thirst to others, which is always fun.

6. Do you take requests?

I do not. I took commissioned requests once earlier this year, and while it was a lot of fun to expand my writing skills by forming ideas from others, it was also stressful. I realized that it’s much harder for me to be passionate about what I’m writing if it’s not an idea that I already created in my head. Luckily, the three requests I got were already fantasies I had considered before, so I was able to draw on that, but if I got requests that weren’t something I found sexy or fantasized about myself, I don’t know if I could do those ideas justice and write them properly. Or maybe I could write them...but I just wouldn’t enjoy it nearly as much.

7. Do you enjoy getting random Asks?

I do! I’ve gotten so many amazing random asks since joining this fandom, and I love them all (minus the hate). Anons have started topics on my blog that snowballed into these amazing conversations, particularly in regards to sexuality topics, and I LOVE those interactions with anonymous followers so much! My ask box is always open to y’all :) 

8. What inspires the names for OCs (or extra character names) in your works? Do you pick them from real life or just select them at random? A mix?

When I do have secondary OCs, the names aren’t really based off anyone I know in real life. For ID, I was trying to find names of characters that didn’t exist in the show or comics (which was why I was screaming when the show introduced a young character named Ben haha). And for Trixie, I tried to think of a name of someone who would be young and annoying, and that fit for me. Maria might’ve been subconsciously based off the old lady named Maria who lived above me in my old apartment haha, although I don’t think my OC Maria is anything like her. Basically, they’re kinda random but also names that I feel fit the vibe of the OC’s personality. 

9. If your story(ies) have OCs, are their appearances based on real people or celebrities? If so, who?

I don’t actually describe my OCs appearances in ID too much, because I want readers to make their own mental picture of what they look like. I realized that their personalities are more based off real people I know, even though I wasn’t consciously doing that in the beginning, but looks-wise they don’t remind me of anyone in particular. When I first created Ben, I saw him as a younger, blonder Jared Padalecki, but since they introduced TV Ben, I’ve kinda morphed him with Padalecki in in my head and created a totally new image. 

My first OC, in a Dean Winchester story I wrote years ago, I totally based off myself, though. That was my first time writing a fanfic, and I made the main character, Amy, look like me, and her friend, Robin, I made look and act a lot like one of my hometown friends. I think that’s why I stick to “you” OCs, because I know if I made an actual OC with a physical description, my vain ass would make her look like myself haha. I wrote the first chapter of ID with an OC character, who was going to be a curvy blonde (like myself) and named Lexi, but then I changed it to a “you” character at the last minute. It’s interesting though, to think where the story could’ve gone and been different, if I had stuck with that OC. But I’m glad that I made the switch.

10. How long have you been writing fanfiction?

My first fic was a Dean Winchester 2-chapter smut fic. I think I started writing it in 2013 and published it in 2014 (it took me forever to write). I then decided that was my one-time foray into writing fanfiction, and didn’t write any again...until April 2016, after the season 6 finale of TWD, when Negan showed up on my screen and ruined my life. So consistently, I’ve been writing it for a year and a half, minus that one story a few years ago.

If anyone actually takes the time to read these rambles, thank you, because holy shit am I good at rambling.

I tag (if you want to) @opheliadawnwalker3 @mamapeterson @faith-in-dean @winchesterswoonathon @kittenofdoomage @hannibalssweaters @bamby0304 @vizhi0n @wickednerdery @wheresthekillswitch @lucifer-in-leather @crzcorgi @purplemuse89 

(I tried to tag some authors I haven’t seen tagged for this yet, so apologies if you already did it!)

[katnissdoesnotfollowback]

Leading Suspects: Epilogue

Well, here we are. It’s been quite the journey, and I hope you’ve all enjoyed it, especially you, @peetabreadgirl! There’s a strong chance I’d be crying in the corner over something fic related without you in my life. Clearly, you’re my Johanna. ;-) The story will be up on AO3 and FF.net in its entirety by the end of the week. I’ve been posting chapters five at a time, so if you follow me over there, I apologize for the flood of notification e-mails. Will make one more post here once it’s complete on the other sites. Smutty MCSmutterson out!

“Do you think they’ll serve pie?”

“Don’t eat the strawberry if they do. Just to be safe.” I smother my laughter at this and lean back against the trunk of the apple tree I scaled half an hour ago, the speakers below me unaware of my presence.

The funny thing about gossip and scandal is that it’s a stupid, fickle thing. Two years after I returned to Twelve Willows to propose a joint Daily Fix and bakery franchise to Peeta and ask him out for real, so much has already changed, and yet so much remains the same.

While I had once been certain that the sheriff and the suspect to the murder that didn’t happen being together would provide the scandal of the decade in Twelve Willows, we were upstaged when, after a year of scattered traveling around the country with the funds from the sale of her and Brigham’s house, Madge packed up her bags once more and ran away to Philadelphia. To move in with her girlfriend, a raging bitch who needs her coffee as much as I do.

Together, Madge and Johanna run the original Daily Fix and I couldn’t be happier for them. It took some time for Madge to work up the courage to do it. She was not only healing from the mess Brigham made, but also coming to terms with a piece of her identity that she smothered, hid, and doubted while she lived here. They still visit as frequent customers at the lakeside spa, always spending a few days catching up with friends and family while they’re here.

During the next round of elections, Twelve Willows voted in Mayor Maysilee Donner, and even though he put up some resistance to the idea of running again, the town petitioned for him and eventually re-elected Peeta as their sheriff. I wasn’t surprised in the least by either result.

The story of Brigham’s death approached legend in the town -- hence the comment about strawberry pie beneath my tree -- shared almost as often over coffee and cake or chilled alcohol as the tale of two girls who dance naked for the moon and scare the living daylights out of Haymitch Abernathy every spring. But like all gossip and speculation, the story is never quite the same from one telling to the next, and never completely accurate, depending on who’s telling it and which way the wind is blowing that day.

Over the past two years, I’ve kept busy traveling, with Peeta when he can get away from his desk, and overseeing the openings of Daily Fixes throughout the country, all of them now also serving a selection of Peeta’s fresh baked goods and featuring his paintings on many of the dishes and the walls, but the one here in Twelve Willows holds a special place in my heart as it is the only full-up bakery and coffee shop. Peeta and I spent the months finishing it up and prepping it for opening, growing back together, discovering that cakes and coffee really do make a perfect pairing. Which brings me to today.

“Never figured Katniss Everdeen for a fancy wedding with swans on the lawn.”

“Those were geese, and I’m pretty sure they wandered over here because Haymitch’s fence got busted last night. He says there were two people in his pasture, engaged in intimate acts, but he was probably drunk again and mistook cows for people.”

A small laugh escapes me at this one because Peeta and I really did break the fence between my mother’s land and Haymitch’s last night. We had only meant to take a walk and watch the sunset over the valley, but as often happens around him, I acted out on my impulses. I blame Peeta’s dimples and excessive hotness. We planned on fixing the fence, but we’ve been a little busy today. We’ll get to it tomorrow. Maybe.

My entire family and all of my closest friends, plus most of the town of Twelve Willows, descended on my mother’s house for the event. Prim came home from her residency, Madge and Johanna from Philly, and even my dad managed to make the trip. With all those people making demands on my time, the party got a little overwhelming, and now, I’m up in this tree to steal a few moments of quiet for myself before rejoining the crowd. I enjoy the sunshine for a few more minutes after the guests finally wander away from my tree, until I hear a soft whistle below me. I shift to look down and infinite calm washes over me.

“Heard there’s a wedding around here missing it’s bride,” Peeta calls up to me. “Think I should send out a search party?”

“No need,” I say with a grin. “She’d have to be an idiot to skip out if the groom’s half as handsome as you.”

I shift in the tree and wrap my limbs around a thick branch before hanging upside down in front of him. He laughs, cupping the back of my head in his hand and kissing me until my toes tingle and I am in danger of having him against this tree.

“What are you planning?” he asks, eyeing me skeptically as our lips part. Oh, he knows me too well. I untangle my limbs and Peeta catches me, setting me on my feet and brushing escaped hair back out of my face.

“A little public indecency,” I whisper and start pushing him away from my mother’s house and the party going on there.

“We have guests,” he says, but he’s not fighting me. He bends his head and kisses my shoulder as I tremble with sudden need.

“They can wait. Besides, they’re all expecting at least one crazy thing to happen at this wedding to give them something to talk about.”

“The stray geese wandering in and disrupting the vows during that one crucial moment wasn’t enough?” he asks as we round a thick oak that will shelter us from view.

“Nah, that was just bizarre luck,” I say through my laughter. Apparently, Haymitch’s geese object to our marriage and the entire town thought that was a riot. “I’m thinking lipstick on your collar and straw in my hair,” I say as he groans at my suggestion.

“Where are we gonna find straw? And you’re not wearing lipstick,” he whispers to my neck and starts kissing me there while he lifts the layers of creamy chiffon up my legs. His lips and fingertips grazing my skin send shivers of delight through me.

“Oh well, I’ll just have to settle for sex hair and skewed clothing,” I say and grip his curls, tugging on them when his fingers move my panties aside so he can touch me. I hike one leg up over his hip and he bends his knee to support that leg as I lean back against the tree. I have to bite my lip so I don’t moan too loudly and draw attention to us before I’m done, but his fingers move swift and sure, bringing me right to the edge fast enough to make me dizzy and breathless.

“Peeta, I need you,” I breathe my plea as he holds me steady with one hand and reaches for his zipper with the other. I wrap my other leg around him and kiss along his jaw, urging him to hurry. We both sigh as he slides inside me, and I hold onto his shoulders for dear life as he moves between my legs. We hear voices calling out from the house, clearly looking for someone. Probably us.

I ignore the voices and the bite of the tree bark as it digs into my back. Peeta drops his hand between us, his thumb drawing quick circles over my clit as I bite his shoulder to keep from making any noise. Lifting his head, Peeta kisses me once on the temple and then murmurs to me about how badly he needs to feel me come on him again and again. Now, later tonight, tomorrow and every day for the rest of our lives. He orders me to look at him, and when I do, his eyes hold me as pinned to the tree as his body and his arms do. It’s when he’s whispering that he loves me that my body quakes with the beginnings of my release. I tug frantically on his hair to get him to kiss me and silence the sounds I make as he buries himself in me and gently rocks his hips to draw out our release. We cling to one another, sharing our moans as we come together.

For a moment, we remain there, shaking limbs and haggard breaths. I drop my head to his shoulder and he pants over my neck as we listen to the distant sounds of merriment. When I can open my eyes and lift my head again, Peeta’s watching me, blue eyes dark with the trailing ends of need.

“Was that enough of a distraction from the small talk for you?” he teases and sets my feet back on solid ground.

“Just what I needed,” I say as he adjusts himself before helping me clean up and straighten my dress. I don’t mention the wet patch on his vest where I bit him, or the disarray of his hair just at the back of his head.

He kisses me and smiles, taking my hand in his before leading me towards the house. Just before we reach the back porch, he leans over and whispers in my ear. “I want you to ride my face in that dress when everyone’s gone. Ride it until your juices run down my cheeks and my chin.”

I blush and need flutters to life anew inside of me. I’m about ten seconds from announcing that the party is over and ordering everyone to return to their homes when my mother spots me and shouts.

“Katniss Maureen Everdeen! Have you been climbing trees in your wedding dress?” My eyes shoot over to Peeta’s and he laughingly plucks a leaf and an apple blossom from my hair, twirling them in front of my face for me to see.

“Did you know that was there the whole time?” I hiss and he grins devilishly, bringing out those stupid dimples.

“I swear, I labor for thirty-five hours to bring you into this world, and you can’t even behave like a lady for one hour at your own wedding?”

I roll my eyes and lean into Peeta as he kisses the top of my head and takes a deep breath. I smile, thinking about how I’ve started using the honeysuckle scented, herbal shampoo that my mother makes again, not caring how much trouble I’m in with her. I have a sheriff to seduce and distract with lots of love, and a lifetime in which to do it.