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Dear Yuletide Author,
Thank you so much for writing for me; it's always delightful to read a new perspective on these characters we both love, and I appreciate the effort that you've gone to in trying to make it work.
If you're so inclined, you can still look at other exchanges I've participated in under my letters tag.
Loves:
- female characters driving the action, doing the stuff, getting things done
- female friendships, friendships involving female characters
- respectful romantic relationships
- slice of life, action adventure, drama
- happy or hopeful endings
DNWs:
- Christmas/Yuletide themes (unless specifically occurs in canon)
- PWP
- pairings I haven't asked for
- character deaths, unhappy endings
S.W.A.T. (2003)
✔ Chris Sanchez (S.W.A.T. 2003)
✔ Jim Street (S.W.A.T. 2003)
✔ Dan "Hondo" Harrelson (S.W.A.T. 2003)
✔ Deacon "Deke" Kay (S.W.A.T. 2003)
- a story about Jim and Chris getting together - fraternisation on the job, careful negotiation of boundaries and relationships, and dealing with the shit that goes down while working.
- a story about the team doing stuff together (whether mandatory team-building shit, or spending time off-duty backing each other up in life and living) and how they turn it around into mischief/trouble/legend.
- Chris, Hondo, and Deke dealing with racism (and in Chris' case, sexism) on the job.
Mostly, I love the characters in S.W.A.T and the team aspect of it. I enjoyed the connections in the cop shop (Jim having dated this co-worker's sister), and really liked that Sanchez clearly has supportive family around her (she leaves her daughter to go to work) and that Deke had the uncle with the pizza parlor. They're not islands, they're a network. If you can riff off that, it would be fantastic.
Dragon Prince Trilogy - Melanie Rawn
✔ Sionell of Remagev
✔ Pol (Melanie Rawn)
✔ Jahnev of Remagev (Melanie Rawn)
✔ Jihan (Melanie Rawn)
- Pol/Sionell getting together at the end of the books; how it works, how they work it out. In spite of their best efforts to be 'just friends' at the end of the books, maybe they fall into fuck buddies? I'm pretty sure that the Princedoms won't let Pol stay single for too long - he's still young enough to be a matrimonial prize for some young thang that might be able to bear him a son, right?
- Jahnev/Jihan: I know that Rawn hinted at Meig/Jihan, but I'd kind of like that to be the stalking horse: Jahnev's calm levelheadedness tempering Jihan's passion, perhaps in much the same way that the books indicate he does for Meig as they grow up, and how it switches from exasperated friend to yearning lover, and what changes things for Jihan as she grows up.
- If you don't want to do the relationships, then any of them working through the politics of the world, especially Sionell teaching Jihan (about sex, about politics, about the subtleties of princedoms) or maybe Pol speaking with Jahnev as gravely as he would any one of his athri (which Jahnev certainly is as Lord of Remagev).
I love the worldbuilding of the Princedoms, the sense of the story unfinished, and the possibilities in not only these four but all the other characters that populate the world: where they're going, what they're doing, the feuds and friendships that develop over the years into the future. How does having an openly faradhi/diarmadhi High Prince and his heir change the balance of power among the Princedoms?
--
Valdemar Series - Mercedes Lackey
✔ Keisha Alder
✔ Darian Firkin
✔ Nightwind k'Leshya
✔ Kelvren (Valdemar)
- Keisha/Dar'ian: Lackey cheated on this - at the end of Owlflight they're attracted to each other, by Owlknight they're together. For Keisha in particular, this is probably a big step: Darian's been among the Hawkbrothers for four years at the end of Owlflight, he's had his first sexual experience, sex is something that he can be casual about. Keisha comes from a much more reserved and sexually restricted society, and I can't see her just throwing that out the window, no matter how attractive and charming a young man is. So how does their relationship progress?
- the friendships between the four would also be wonderful - between Keisha and the others in particular: unusual friendships (for their societies), unusual perspectives, and getting to know each other. Does Keisha attend the birth of Nightwind's baby? How do the Hawkbrothers practise medicine, would you like to tease out more of that? What about magic and medicine - Darian's healing magic and Keisha's healer power? And Kelvren of course, with the confidence and assurance that only a gryphon could carry off.
What I like about this canon is the way forward - how the isolated Hawkbrothers integrate with the more adventurous parts of Valdemaran society, especially in the decade after the Great Storms and the end of The Guardianship (that thing between the Shin'a'in and the Tayledras). While Lackey did tend to fall in love with her own worldbuilding around the village and the vale, I didn't mind it so much - I love seeing how worlds fit together, operate, and integrate, and the relationships, bonds, and issues that turn up in the face of those changes.
--
Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005)
✔ Jane Smith
✔ John Smith
- Adventures on the run, kissing, killing, kicking ass. Do they encounter John's ex-wife at some point? I like the idea of his ex-wife being, oh, some kind of secret government agent who kept her life to one side, but really, you could go with just about any kind of interaction and it would be pretty hilarious. (especially if she and Jane get on scarily well; I am all for a guy's exes getting along like a house on fire...)
- Sex ten times in the last week? There's got to be a story in that! (How many people died? And how much property destruction was involved?) I know I asked for no PWP, but at least this prompt is one in which the smut may run naked and free...
- Jane's co-workers (and friends), and John's friend... We see Vince Vaughn as the buddy after John and Jane work things out, but what about Jane's friends? How do those work out? Do Jane's former co-workers reach out to make contact and check that she's okay? What if they're split; some are for 'finishing the job' and others are for backing up a 'sister'?
The thing I enjoyed about this canon was the comedy of it; the jobs they took, the way they kept secrets from each other. Now that they know who the other is, what the other does, how much do they share? Do they share - do they even take jobs now that they're on the run? Are they a combined unit of killers? The potential for more stories in this universe quite fascinates me.
--
Enchanted (2007)
✔ Edward
✔ Nancy Tremaine
Back in Andalasia, how do Edward and Nancy get on? Does Nancy's New Yorker practicality come in useful? Also: where are all the people in Andalasia? What are they doing? How does the economy work? Where do Nancy’s skills fit in? I am intrigued and curious and would love more about their relationship and Nancy dealing with the talking animals and everything going on there. Worldbuilding in Andalasia and relationship stuff and making friends and…what does royalty actually do in fairytale lands? Are there things Edward has been wanting to do FOREVER only he couldn’t because Nerissa just patted him on the head and sent him off to play and Nancy gives him the opportunity to instigate some serious change around the place?
Basically, give me what happens next for these two!
The potential of this canon is, for me, in 'making their happily ever after' with emphasis on the 'making'. The other thing I'd like to see is a balance between the fantasy and the real, Nancy's real-world pragmatism and romance, and Edward's kindness and innocence against the reality of ruling (even an enchanted realm like Andalasia is going to have it's thorns).
--
Talents Series - Anne McCaffrey
✔ Asia Eagle
✔ Rojer Lyon
- Asia POV coming to love Rojer. What are the things that attract her? What kind of sex research does Asia do before telling Rojer she's tired of waiting and he should take her to bed? This request is another one where sex between the characters is okay.
- Sex and Talent. I think an exploration of sex among the Talented - particularly using their abilities for mental and physical foreplay - could be interesting. What about the 'burnout' danger for a T1's partner? Does that mean a T1 can never 'let go' during sexual intimacy? Also, what does it mean for 'kink' when you might inadvertantly broadcast to the Talented universe in an unguarded moment?
- For a more friendship-oriented story, what about more of their personal interactions over the years? (Particularly from Asia's POV.) What do they talk about? What sorts of things do they do in their free time on Deneb - fishing, yes, and roaming the countryside? Or perhaps Asia's upbringing on Deneb, and being the youngest and quietest in a rowdy family.
- Asia and Rojer's 'Dinis - friendship? Collusion? Mischief? Planning a surprise for Rojer - or maybe he and his Dinis planning a surprise for Asia for something that's important to her?
- What about a story where Asia is arguing with Afra or Jeff Raven and holding her own? I'm not sure what this would entail, except that I think it would lovely to see Asia taking a stand over something which means a lot to her, and being patient and reasonable and right.
Bring anyone else in from the universe that you like.
This canon's attraction is the way that relationships work with the extra dimension of Talented skill, the boundaries and rules for dealing with people who are extraordinarily powerful, and the negotiation of relationships. Plus, I have a fondness for the story of a quiet woman working herself out to become confident (if not showy) in her skills.
--
Ultimately, dear author, these are suggestions, ideas, starting points. Don't take them as gospel if you simply can't get your brain around them, just write what we matched on, avoid the Do Not Wants (DNWs), and I will enjoy reading your take on them!
Thank you so much for writing for me; it's always delightful to read a new perspective on these characters we both love, and I appreciate the effort that you've gone to in trying to make it work.
If you're so inclined, you can still look at other exchanges I've participated in under my letters tag.
Loves:
- female characters driving the action, doing the stuff, getting things done
- female friendships, friendships involving female characters
- respectful romantic relationships
- slice of life, action adventure, drama
- happy or hopeful endings
DNWs:
- Christmas/Yuletide themes (unless specifically occurs in canon)
- PWP
- pairings I haven't asked for
- character deaths, unhappy endings
S.W.A.T. (2003)
✔ Chris Sanchez (S.W.A.T. 2003)
✔ Jim Street (S.W.A.T. 2003)
✔ Dan "Hondo" Harrelson (S.W.A.T. 2003)
✔ Deacon "Deke" Kay (S.W.A.T. 2003)
- a story about Jim and Chris getting together - fraternisation on the job, careful negotiation of boundaries and relationships, and dealing with the shit that goes down while working.
- a story about the team doing stuff together (whether mandatory team-building shit, or spending time off-duty backing each other up in life and living) and how they turn it around into mischief/trouble/legend.
- Chris, Hondo, and Deke dealing with racism (and in Chris' case, sexism) on the job.
Mostly, I love the characters in S.W.A.T and the team aspect of it. I enjoyed the connections in the cop shop (Jim having dated this co-worker's sister), and really liked that Sanchez clearly has supportive family around her (she leaves her daughter to go to work) and that Deke had the uncle with the pizza parlor. They're not islands, they're a network. If you can riff off that, it would be fantastic.
Dragon Prince Trilogy - Melanie Rawn
✔ Sionell of Remagev
✔ Pol (Melanie Rawn)
✔ Jahnev of Remagev (Melanie Rawn)
✔ Jihan (Melanie Rawn)
- Pol/Sionell getting together at the end of the books; how it works, how they work it out. In spite of their best efforts to be 'just friends' at the end of the books, maybe they fall into fuck buddies? I'm pretty sure that the Princedoms won't let Pol stay single for too long - he's still young enough to be a matrimonial prize for some young thang that might be able to bear him a son, right?
- Jahnev/Jihan: I know that Rawn hinted at Meig/Jihan, but I'd kind of like that to be the stalking horse: Jahnev's calm levelheadedness tempering Jihan's passion, perhaps in much the same way that the books indicate he does for Meig as they grow up, and how it switches from exasperated friend to yearning lover, and what changes things for Jihan as she grows up.
- If you don't want to do the relationships, then any of them working through the politics of the world, especially Sionell teaching Jihan (about sex, about politics, about the subtleties of princedoms) or maybe Pol speaking with Jahnev as gravely as he would any one of his athri (which Jahnev certainly is as Lord of Remagev).
I love the worldbuilding of the Princedoms, the sense of the story unfinished, and the possibilities in not only these four but all the other characters that populate the world: where they're going, what they're doing, the feuds and friendships that develop over the years into the future. How does having an openly faradhi/diarmadhi High Prince and his heir change the balance of power among the Princedoms?
--
Valdemar Series - Mercedes Lackey
✔ Keisha Alder
✔ Darian Firkin
✔ Nightwind k'Leshya
✔ Kelvren (Valdemar)
- Keisha/Dar'ian: Lackey cheated on this - at the end of Owlflight they're attracted to each other, by Owlknight they're together. For Keisha in particular, this is probably a big step: Darian's been among the Hawkbrothers for four years at the end of Owlflight, he's had his first sexual experience, sex is something that he can be casual about. Keisha comes from a much more reserved and sexually restricted society, and I can't see her just throwing that out the window, no matter how attractive and charming a young man is. So how does their relationship progress?
- the friendships between the four would also be wonderful - between Keisha and the others in particular: unusual friendships (for their societies), unusual perspectives, and getting to know each other. Does Keisha attend the birth of Nightwind's baby? How do the Hawkbrothers practise medicine, would you like to tease out more of that? What about magic and medicine - Darian's healing magic and Keisha's healer power? And Kelvren of course, with the confidence and assurance that only a gryphon could carry off.
What I like about this canon is the way forward - how the isolated Hawkbrothers integrate with the more adventurous parts of Valdemaran society, especially in the decade after the Great Storms and the end of The Guardianship (that thing between the Shin'a'in and the Tayledras). While Lackey did tend to fall in love with her own worldbuilding around the village and the vale, I didn't mind it so much - I love seeing how worlds fit together, operate, and integrate, and the relationships, bonds, and issues that turn up in the face of those changes.
--
Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005)
✔ Jane Smith
✔ John Smith
- Adventures on the run, kissing, killing, kicking ass. Do they encounter John's ex-wife at some point? I like the idea of his ex-wife being, oh, some kind of secret government agent who kept her life to one side, but really, you could go with just about any kind of interaction and it would be pretty hilarious. (especially if she and Jane get on scarily well; I am all for a guy's exes getting along like a house on fire...)
- Sex ten times in the last week? There's got to be a story in that! (How many people died? And how much property destruction was involved?) I know I asked for no PWP, but at least this prompt is one in which the smut may run naked and free...
- Jane's co-workers (and friends), and John's friend... We see Vince Vaughn as the buddy after John and Jane work things out, but what about Jane's friends? How do those work out? Do Jane's former co-workers reach out to make contact and check that she's okay? What if they're split; some are for 'finishing the job' and others are for backing up a 'sister'?
The thing I enjoyed about this canon was the comedy of it; the jobs they took, the way they kept secrets from each other. Now that they know who the other is, what the other does, how much do they share? Do they share - do they even take jobs now that they're on the run? Are they a combined unit of killers? The potential for more stories in this universe quite fascinates me.
--
Enchanted (2007)
✔ Edward
✔ Nancy Tremaine
Back in Andalasia, how do Edward and Nancy get on? Does Nancy's New Yorker practicality come in useful? Also: where are all the people in Andalasia? What are they doing? How does the economy work? Where do Nancy’s skills fit in? I am intrigued and curious and would love more about their relationship and Nancy dealing with the talking animals and everything going on there. Worldbuilding in Andalasia and relationship stuff and making friends and…what does royalty actually do in fairytale lands? Are there things Edward has been wanting to do FOREVER only he couldn’t because Nerissa just patted him on the head and sent him off to play and Nancy gives him the opportunity to instigate some serious change around the place?
Basically, give me what happens next for these two!
The potential of this canon is, for me, in 'making their happily ever after' with emphasis on the 'making'. The other thing I'd like to see is a balance between the fantasy and the real, Nancy's real-world pragmatism and romance, and Edward's kindness and innocence against the reality of ruling (even an enchanted realm like Andalasia is going to have it's thorns).
--
Talents Series - Anne McCaffrey
✔ Asia Eagle
✔ Rojer Lyon
- Asia POV coming to love Rojer. What are the things that attract her? What kind of sex research does Asia do before telling Rojer she's tired of waiting and he should take her to bed? This request is another one where sex between the characters is okay.
- Sex and Talent. I think an exploration of sex among the Talented - particularly using their abilities for mental and physical foreplay - could be interesting. What about the 'burnout' danger for a T1's partner? Does that mean a T1 can never 'let go' during sexual intimacy? Also, what does it mean for 'kink' when you might inadvertantly broadcast to the Talented universe in an unguarded moment?
- For a more friendship-oriented story, what about more of their personal interactions over the years? (Particularly from Asia's POV.) What do they talk about? What sorts of things do they do in their free time on Deneb - fishing, yes, and roaming the countryside? Or perhaps Asia's upbringing on Deneb, and being the youngest and quietest in a rowdy family.
- Asia and Rojer's 'Dinis - friendship? Collusion? Mischief? Planning a surprise for Rojer - or maybe he and his Dinis planning a surprise for Asia for something that's important to her?
- What about a story where Asia is arguing with Afra or Jeff Raven and holding her own? I'm not sure what this would entail, except that I think it would lovely to see Asia taking a stand over something which means a lot to her, and being patient and reasonable and right.
Bring anyone else in from the universe that you like.
This canon's attraction is the way that relationships work with the extra dimension of Talented skill, the boundaries and rules for dealing with people who are extraordinarily powerful, and the negotiation of relationships. Plus, I have a fondness for the story of a quiet woman working herself out to become confident (if not showy) in her skills.
--
Ultimately, dear author, these are suggestions, ideas, starting points. Don't take them as gospel if you simply can't get your brain around them, just write what we matched on, avoid the Do Not Wants (DNWs), and I will enjoy reading your take on them!
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