GM Story Meme

[kerravonsen]

This is a change of the "What's the first story you read by me?" meme, because, as astrogirl2 pointed out, with a chorus of agreement, that most people can't remember what the first story they read by someone is.

So I am doing a bit of genetic engineering of this meme:
1. What's the first story that comes to your mind when you think of my work?
2. What did you think of it?
3. Post this meme in your journal (yadda yadda yadda)

Comments

[mistraltoes.livejournal.com]

You are one of the very few people for whom I actually can remember which story I read first. It was Alternative Escape, and I loved it, because I felt that it got the Avon-Vila relationship exactly right. While I don't remember the exact quote, it was something to the point that the companion - Tegan, I think? - asked Vila why he was still Avon's friend, and Vila replied something like "Because he needs a friend." And that's exactly how I see it. Vila knows exactly who Avon is; after Orbit and Blake he certainly knows exactly what Avon is capable of; and yet Vila provides him with unconditional acceptance anyway.

I also think of Winning is the Only Safety, but I am ashamed to admit that I haven't read it yet. I'm looking forward to it, though.

[kerravonsen]

It was Alternative Escape, and I loved it,

Thank you so much! That was actually the first long story I wrote without a co-author. Though you could consider it a sort of Remix too, and thus argue that it wasn't original either.

because I felt that it got the Avon-Vila relationship exactly right. While I don't remember the exact quote, it was something to the point that the companion - Tegan, I think? - asked Vila why he was still Avon's friend, and Vila replied something like "Because he needs a friend." And that's exactly how I see it. Vila knows exactly who Avon is; after Orbit and Blake he certainly knows exactly what Avon is capable of; and yet Vila provides him with unconditional acceptance anyway.

Though I've also written (in "Passing Fair", actually) where Vila was bitter about Orbit, it seemed to me that, in a universe where Avon and Vila are still friends, Tegan's question is the obvious question : why on earth would one still be friends with a man like that? And "Because he needs a friend" seemed to be the obvious answer. Vila is not a perfectionist with his friendships -- and he knows how to make friends with all sorts of people; just consider Doran! Unconditional acceptance, yes, because Vila isn't blind (except when it comes to pretty women!)

I also think of Winning is the Only Safety, but I am ashamed to admit that I haven't read it yet. I'm looking forward to it, though.

No shame. Remember, this is supposed to be fun! Glad you're looking forward to it.
(Note to self: must really get around to putting up the other issues of Refractions, including the second story of Winning is the Only Safety)

[mistraltoes.livejournal.com]

Though I've also written (in "Passing Fair", actually) where Vila was bitter about Orbit,

I don't think they're mutually exclusive. I can see some real initial bitterness being washed away, or really, deliberately set aside, in favor of all that they'd been through before and after, and Vila's understanding of why Avon acts as he does.

No shame. Remember, this is supposed to be fun! Glad you're looking forward to it.

But I am ashamed, simply for the reason that it's been at the top of my 'fanfic I want to read' list for years. It's just that I read so very little fanfic that's more than about 500 words - anything longer gets an 'Ooh, I'll read that when I can enjoy it.' Which, of course, never happens. What I need to do is make it a written list rather than a mental list, so that when I do feel like reading something longer, I have the URLs handy. Ooh, now I have a cunning plan! :)

[kerravonsen]

What I need to do is make it a written list rather than a mental list, so that when I do feel like reading something longer, I have the URLs handy. Ooh, now I have a cunning plan! :)

Or you could do what I do, and download stories-to-be-read onto your computer when you find them, so that you have them around when you do feel up to reading them. Means one doesn't lose the stories even if one loses the URL. And one doesn't have to be in a hurry to read them; it's just more convenient.

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

Well, now I think it's "A View from the Madhouse, " because ccfp_ii forced me to think about it in great detail. And you know what I think of it already. :)

Um... I probably shouldn't admit this, but for a long time the story I associated with you was one that it turned out wasn't written by you, but by someone else with a similar name. You see why I've been reluctant to do these memes? :)

[kerravonsen]

(grin)

Um... I probably shouldn't admit this, but for a long time the story I associated with you was one that it turned out wasn't written by you, but by someone else with a similar name. You see why I've been reluctant to do these memes? :)

Well now you've got me curious. What was the story?

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

It was the "Synaesthesia Trilogy" by R.J. Anderson, a brilliant, beautiful series of Doctor Who fics that I recommend highly. So at least I wasn't associating you with something bad. ;)

[kerravonsen]

(blushes at being mistaken for synaesthete7, whose pencils I am not worthy to sharpen)

I will never be that good. (I know, terribly defeatist, and I can't write like her anyway, I can only write like me).
Well, thanks for confusing me with her, I think...

Have you read her other fic? I'm not into Harry Potter, but her "Darkness and Light" series is brilliant.

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

Alas, I don't think anybody's that good. I have trouble believing she's that good. :)

And I don't think I have read her other fic, or at least not much of it. And I really, really should.

[kerravonsen]

I have trouble believing she's that good. :)
LOL!

And I don't think I have read her other fic, or at least not much of it. And I really, really should.

When you get around to it. This is a Should-Free zone. (grin)

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

No, no, don't say that. I need my "should"s. I'd never get around to anything worthwhile if I didn't "should" myself. :)

[izhilzha.livejournal.com]

Well, I actually do think I know which story of yours I read first (though am not completely sure)--through the Sentinel lyric wheel. I can never remember the title, but the description has stuck: "a portrait of another universe's Blair."

To do the meme properly, the first story that comes to mind when I think of your work is "Verity," that gorgeously detailed The Sentinel/Matrix xover. I ordered the Merged Worlds zine, first zine I ever bought, just because I was interested in that story. And I loved it. Read it myself, then read it aloud to my brother, whom I had recently hooked on TS.

[kerravonsen]

I can never remember the title, but the description has stuck: "a portrait of another universe's Blair."

Ah, you mean Holding It In -- not a particularly memorable title; I couldn't remember the title myself either!
I would like to explore that universe more, eventually.

first story that comes to mind when I think of your work is "Verity," that gorgeously detailed The Sentinel/Matrix xover.

WOW. Thanks.

Mind you, I'm scared of trying to write a sequel because I know it won't be as good. Not with all the interweaving imagery and dreams and suchlike. (thinks: yes, I am very proud of that story...)

[izhilzha.livejournal.com]

I would like to explore that universe more, eventually.

That would be cool! I remember thinking, when I read it, "oh, what an awesome oneshot...but some serious potential world-building here too."

Mind you, I'm scared of trying to write a sequel because I know it won't be as good. Not with all the interweaving imagery and dreams and suchlike. (thinks: yes, I am very proud of that story...)

This is why I refrained from pestering you about a sequel. You know I want one, and will read one. :-) Also, honestly, it wouldn't be like the first story simply because that one was the setup/origin story. However, you are an idea/detail writer, and I seriously doubt that if you actually sat down to write this thing, that it would come out inferior. There's a lot of fun stuff to work with in this particular xover universe.

It's like Spiderman and Spiderman 2--I expected 2 to be less good...but nope, it was actually better.

Yeah, if you ever managed to get reinspired...I still want the sequel. *pokepoke*

[kerravonsen]

(I would like to explore that universe more, eventually.)
That would be cool! I remember thinking, when I read it, "oh, what an awesome oneshot...but some serious potential world-building here too."

It was written as a oneshot, but there were all sorts of things around the edges that could have more done with them.

(re: Verity) Yeah, if you ever managed to get reinspired...I still want the sequel. *pokepoke*

Not so much a question of inspiration as time. It's still on the list, but more things seem to get put on the top of the list, like ficathons and challenges...

Why do I keep on getting more plot bunnies? Morpheus's library must be full of stuff by me.
Will we write fanfic in Heaven?

[izhilzha.livejournal.com]

Not so much a question of inspiration as time. It's still on the list, but more things seem to get put on the top of the list, like ficathons and challenges...

Ah, one of those. Well, more free time to you (in an utterly well-meaning sense)! :-)

Why do I keep on getting more plot bunnies? Morpheus's library must be full of stuff by me.

Oh, SO true. i think I write about 1/5 of the ideas I get. *sigh*

Will we write fanfic in Heaven?

I hope so! Sometimes I wonder what beautiful sort of truth our fandom geekiness is a reflection of?

[kerravonsen]

(Why do I keep on getting more plot bunnies? Morpheus's library must be full of stuff by me.)
Oh, SO true. i think I write about 1/5 of the ideas I get. *sigh*

I try to console myself sometimes by saying that at least it demonstrates that one's imagination is still ticking over, and it would be worse not to have any ideas at all.

(Will we write fanfic in Heaven?)
I hope so! Sometimes I wonder what beautiful sort of truth our fandom geekiness is a reflection of?

Do you? I keep on getting bogged down with feeling that (my) fanfic is worthless because it isn't "real" fiction -- too many people I value the opinions of have told me I'm wasting my talent writing fan fiction and I feel really guilty that I'm not writing original fiction; irrelevant of the fact that I get a hundred fanfic ideas for every original-fiction idea, I still feel guilty. A little voice says "If you had more Discipline, then you would ruthlessly strangle all these fanfic ideas and persue the few Original ideas you have, and then you would get more Original ideas, and you would then be following your True Calling." (sigh) When I was a child, I wanted to grow up to write like Lewis. Now I'm torn between (a) still wanting that (b) feeling I'd let the side down if I don't (c) thinking that maybe I was mistaken and I'll never write like Lewis, only like me, and (d) that it was a naieve childish ambition and I should accept that I'll never be a great Christian Fantasy writer.

[izhilzha.livejournal.com]

it would be worse not to have any ideas at all.

That's true.

I keep on getting bogged down with feeling that (my) fanfic is worthless because it isn't "real" fiction -- too many people I value the opinions of have told me I'm wasting my talent writing fan fiction and I feel really guilty that I'm not writing original fiction; irrelevant of the fact that I get a hundred fanfic ideas for every original-fiction idea, I still feel guilty.

I sympathize. My best friend is anti-fic (mostly), and I don't think she quite understands why I bother with it. The way I deal with the guilt (presently, at least) is to work on original fiction and fanfics at the same time. I have 2 original screenplays being written, with the mental understanding that if an SG-1 or CSI or TS bunny bites me, I need to obey the urge.

And every time I get blindsided by something amazingly personal or profound in a fic, I renew my love for it. [current example, Shadow Though It Be: an Excursus, by penwiper26]

When I was a child, I wanted to grow up to write like Lewis. Now I'm torn between (a) still wanting that (b) feeling I'd let the side down if I don't (c) thinking that maybe I was mistaken and I'll never write like Lewis, only like me, and (d) that it was a naieve childish ambition and I should accept that I'll never be a great Christian Fantasy writer.

My early ambition (abandoned quite soon afterwards in despair over my inability to think up truly original fantasy worlds) was to write like Tolkien (set our sights high, don't we?). [a] is a perfectly sensible desire; [b] sounds like the guilt talking (it's not like you're not reaching people with your fic); [c] I accepted, myself, and found that just writing "like me" meant that I wrote some pretty good stuff; and [d], well, I have no idea whether that's true for you or not. It was true for me, but I'm still writing, just had to switch my focus.

As for fanfic in heaven...all those ideas can't just go to waste, can they? Surely, at least, there's something like Morpheus' library up there.

Or maybe we'll write Real Person fics. ;-) Dunno how much drama there could be in heaven, but there will surely be many stories to tell from "before."

[kerravonsen]

Or maybe we'll write Real Person fics. ;-) Dunno how much drama there could be in heaven, but there will surely be many stories to tell from "before."

Sometimes I get a niggling worry that, since Heaven is going to be Perfect, and that fiction is supposedly based on Conflict, that there won't be anything to write about and our writing urge is simply because we are Incomplete and Imperfect. And then I remember that God is the Creator, and that we are sub-creators. And, as you so wisely point out, we could write about The Time Before -- and know for certain that all stories have happy endings.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Words in the Dark because it's cute, funny, perceptive, and quite revealing of Vila's character: he's much more loyal and brave than people give him credit for--and he'd like them to think.

[kerravonsen]

Really? (blushes) But, but it's only a ficlet! I'm surprised.
Trust you to pick the most Vila-centric of my fic, though.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I don't know much, but I know what I like. :-)