Dear Yuletide author

[tielan]

Dear Yuletide author,

Thank you so much for writing for me!

I like:
- female friendships
- respecting women's capabilities
- character studies through interaction
- action/adventure/drama

Do Not Want:
- pairings I haven't requested
- smut I haven't specified
- incest

500 Kingdoms - Mercedes Lackey
- more non-western traditions
- female heroes
- I have a great fondness for the Chinese story of the Herd Boy and the Weaver Girl and the bridge of birds that joins them together - if you can work this story into the 500 Kingdoms, I'll be rapt!

This is the worldbuilding option. I'd like a story based around traditions we haven't seen in the 500 kingdoms books, and most specifically from what we'd consider non-western cultures. There was a lovely glimpse of Japanese mythology in Fortune's Fool and the Djinn obviously comes from the Arabic traditions, but what about Indian/Hindu sagas, or the extensive spirit world of Chinese lore, or what African cultural stories remain to us after colonisation?

My favourite story from the 500 Kingdoms set is The Fairy Godmother, I think in part because Elena was the one making things happen. Although the others were generally pretty good, I feel like the stories laboured a bit towards the end of the series.

Regarding stories and how they're written, I like twists to fairy tales, stories about heroes (particularly female ones) solving problems/saving the day that happen to have a romance in them, and unexpected solutions to problems (which is kind of the challenge of the Tradition in the 500 Kingdoms - particularly in subverting/diverting the stories such as "Ladderlocks").


Ultimate Spider-Man (Spider-Man Ultimateverse): Maria Hill, Miles Morales, May Parker, Gwen Stacy
- action and interaction between any or all of the four
- May Parker interacting with Maria Hill
- Miles and his friendship with Gwen
- Gwen and her antagonism towards Maria

I like that the characters in this book/run are working with what they have - a kind of pragmatism that reflects both who they are in this world (and in other worlds) and the shit they have to deal with in their circumstances. Miles is giving it what he has, coping with it as best he can, and doing it with the assistance of those around him.

I like that officialdom (Maria Hill) is helping him out, aware of its own legalities (he's a kid playing at vigilante) and its limitations (she can't fight superhero bad guys; she has to trust the vigilante kid, but she can damn well protect his ass in the aftermath), and the idea that 'carry-overs' from Peter's life are also interacting with Miles is precious: Aunt May and Gwen taking their own knowledge from Peter's experiences and carrying it over with Miles, who's still finding the ropes.


Dragonriders of Pern: Brekke, F'nor, F'lar, Lessa
- Brekke/F'nor
- Lessa/F'lar

I was never so disappointed as when I discovered that Dragonquest wasn't still about Lessa and F'lar. That said, I do rather like Brekke and F'nor, particularly Brekke's quiet centeredness (vs. Lessa's drive and ambition). I like the dynamic between the brothers, and wonder how long it took them to get to that point, and how it reads going forward from the Oldtimers coming in to help, as F'lar and Lessa stabilise their relationship between the books.

If you want to focus on Brekke, then perhaps something about how she settles into the life of Benden weyr after losing her dragon. Maybe her friendships with Lessa and Manora and the other women of the lower caverns, both as a former queenrider and as F'nor's partner. Or perhaps her concerns over Mirrim and her fosterling's fierce personality - protectiveness of the girl (weyr-bred as Mirrim is) when it comes to the dragonriders?


Jupiter Ascending (2015): Caine Wise, Jupiter Jones
- Jupiter/Caine

This is kind of the nuclear 'anything' option. Well, so long as it has a happy/happy-for-now ending. Perhaps the story of how Jupiter Jones seduces Caine Wise (because he's never going to do it), and explains her situation to her family?

I like to think of the end of the movie as Jupiter's starting point. She's back to cleaning toilets, yes, but it's kind of an interim thing while she works out what to do with the part of the universe that she now owns. Sort of like a lottery winner who doesn't quit their job immediately, but puts it all into holding and keeps going about their life while they work out what they want to do with their winnings.

Personally, I rather like the Bolotnikovs (Jupiter's family). They're not the most classy family (especially not Vlad), but I think they care in their own way, even if it's not a particualarly tender way. If you're up to portraying them positively (but without being saccharine about it) then I'd love to see your take on them and their reaction to Caine and/or Jupiter's status out in the galaxy.


Psy-Changeling - Nalini Singh: Beatrice Gault, Kit Monaghan, Jojo, Naya Hunter
- Beatrice/Kit
- Jojo and Naya - little cats

So Beatrice/Kit is my whacko, completely off-the-wall pairing. He's a burgeoning alpha roaming the world, she's one of the few Arrow trainees who isn't struggling with the fall of Silence. I would love Kit being completely comfortable with Beatrice's Psy skills (after all, Sierra was one of his best friends), and Beatrice being amazed, shocked, and maybe a little dismissive that this young alpha feline is interested in little old her. With possible bonus Aiden and Zaira protectiveness! Or, if you don't want to do a pairing, then just friendship: Psy Arrow and prospective alpha, working together for Reasons.

Jojo was utterly adorable in 'Shards of Honor', a baby alpha in training, and I would adore seeing glimpses of her and/or Naya growing, along with any of the other 'babies' from the books - including the pupcubs, should you so wish! If you're more focused on Naya, then I'd definitely be interested in seeing her relationship with Nikita as she grows up, to say nothing of her interaction with the world as the first Psy-Changeling child in generations.

Feel free to include any of the series characters that you like - I've read all the way up to 'Ocean Light' and pretty much enjoyed them all, although my favourites are presently Judd, Zaira, Kaleb, Drew, Sierra, Sahara, Kaia, and Bowen.


Elenium/Tamuli Series - David & Leigh Eddings: Alean, Danae, Melidere, Talen
- the courtship of Danae/Talen (I'd like Talen pursuing Danae, not just Danae pursuing Talen)
- Danae: life lessons from the women around her
- any character in the Elenian court

I kind of love the crazy politics around the Elenium/Tamuli - the church and the Elenian court - how it seems very male-dominated during the early books, but once Ehlana rises to power, there are women everywhere in the narrative, with their particular skillsets. I love the characters and their OTT-ness, their snarky sense of humor, the way they interact with each other.

Danae and Talen's courtship is something that I'd particularly like to see subverted. The usual 'romance' dynamic that we see in Eddings is the woman chasing the man until she has him, and we see the start of this in the books. I'd like to see that turned on its head as Danae gets older. When does Talen realise that Danae is also Aphrael (does he?) and how does he respond/react? (Also worth noting: he spent a few of his formative years with Flute, who was also Aphrael, does that colour his interactions/expectations with Danae?)

If you want to write about Danae growing up in the court, whether from her perspective or the perspective of any of the other chosen characters, then I'm good with that, too. Elenian politics (as I said above) and how it shifts with a female ruler and a female future ruler, how the church knights are involved in that, and how Ehlana has really changed the tenor of politics and its involvement in religion through her 'divinely inspired vision' of Dolmant as archprelate.

As always, these are just ideas to kick-start your writing. If they don't work for you, go with something that does. I look forward to reading your story!