My Old Fandom letter
Mar. 27th, 2016 12:13 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
doranwenI'm delighted that you're writing me a fic! I promise that I will leave you a lovely comment, both because I know how much those mean, and because I know your fic will be wonderful. I've gotten a wide range of fics in exchanges and enjoyed all of them. I can't wait to see yours!
General likes:
deep platonic friendship, romantic friendship, asexual romance, found families, apocalyptic fic, hurt/comfort, nonsexual physical touch (including cuddling), self-sacrifice, characters being vulnerable, character redemption, survival fic, positive treatment of religion, characters dealing with trauma, trust building, missing scenes, alternate universe (especially when fixing issues with the original canon), any trope on this list: http://doranwen.livejournal.com/246063.html
DNWs: sex or sexual feelings, supernatural/fantasy beings (elves, vampires, werewolves, gnomes, zombies, etc.), certain AUs (medieval, fantasy, supernatural, fairytale, feudal, space), deathfic, calling an adult "baby" or "darling", mpreg, crackfic, gore (mild violence is OK, just not as graphic as a surgery documentary), uncensored profanity, first/second person fic
And now to the requests (in the order of which I found them in the tagset):
1: Gold Diggers (1995)
Basic premise: Beth moves to a small town (from L.A.) with her mother after the death of her father. She meets troubled kid Jody and forms a strong friendship; they save each other's lives and are generally the best friends ever.
Characters requested: Any (Group: Beth Easton & Jody Salerno, Beth Easton, Jody Salerno)
Oh, fandom of my childhood. I LOVED this movie to death. So much so that I spent hours imagining what I now know to be called fanfic, whereupon I changed Beth and Jody's name to Sara and Ricki, and made their family lives nasty enough so they would run away to live in Bear Mountain for the rest of their lives and adopt runaway orphan kids and . . . yeah. I kid you not. I thought the whole "best friends run away and live together forever happily ever after" was the perfect ending EVER when I was 13.
The thing that captivated me about the movie was most particularly the friendship between the two of them. Beth is fascinated by Jody from the get-go (she goes from confused by just seeing her fight with a kid, to mad with running into her with the groceries--and yet she still heads off with her after the Winnie the Pooh discussion), her toughness that hides an underlying vulnerability and hurt. And Jody appreciates Beth as someone who actually listens to her, who is loyal and supportive. (I think I saw myself some in Beth, and longed for something like what they had.)
I also loved the survivalist theme of Jody wanting to live in Bear Mountain. A lot of my "mindfic" from my childhood days centered around some character surviving by a combination of scavenging (which included raiding "civilization" for anything useful, sometimes by less than legal means), farming/hunting, etc. I wasn't always very realistic about it (since I didn't know much about survival as a 12-year-old), but I loved the idea of it.
My views on other characters:
Beth's mom is a bit protective but quite caring, Jody's mom needs (and gets, in the movie) some real help, though she loves Jody, and the sheriff is nice. We won't speak about Ray. :P (I'm also ignoring Molly Morgan--the whole speculative plot there is cute, but it doesn't interest me at all.) *listens to question* Other girls? What other girls? ;)
Fic prompts & ideas (in case you don't have something already):
1. Show me the healing that happens in that interim between finding Jody in the cave and the girls getting the gold from their mysterious benefactor. "The scars that were invisible took the longest to heal." That, imho, doesn't just refer to Lynette (Jody's mother), but also to Jody.
2. AU where they run away? I'm sure you could do tons better than my 13-year-old brain, lol.
3. What if Beth had gotten back with the boat safely (and didn't crash, and thus Jody was living all by herself in Bear Mountain)? How would they have handled that? (Optional inclusion of prompt # 4 to add spice to the mix.)
4. What if Jody had killed Ray with the fishing pole? (Try not to end too depressingly if you go with this one, lol. But this would inherently require a darker theme than some of the others, I admit, and I'm game for it.)
5. What if Ray didn't just beat Lynette and Jody up? What if it was worse?
6. I'd love to see Beth and Jody develop a romantic friendship a couple years down the road. I don't think I'll ever shake the whole "they belong together" feeling I had as a teenager. :)
7. What happened to Beth's dad? We know he's dead but that's IT. We never see her handle losing him. (Jody either, for that matter.)
8. We see the movie from Beth's POV. We don't really get inside Jody's head at all, without the benefit of following her around like we do Beth. I'd love to see some scenes from her perspective. There's got to be a lot of complex emotions going on inside.
2: 1-800-Missing (TV)
Basic premise: Jess Mastriani (played by Caterina Scorsone) gets struck by lightning and starts dreaming about missing people. When the FBI discovers her dreams have clues that lead them to said missing people, they twist her arm into working cases with them as a special consultant, and she's partnered with field agent Brooke Haslett (played by Gloria Reuben). The second episode brought in Sunny Estrada (played by Justina Machado), "outstanding evidence support supervisor" and "Einstein of Indianapolis". The three of them work together to solve missing persons cases, amidst a little snark and digging into Jess's family history. (Note that the show focuses on three women, with varying ethnicities, two of which are FBI agents! Awesomeness!)
Requested characters: Any (Brooke Haslett, Group: Jessica "Jess" Mastriani (1-800-Missing (TV)) & Brooke Haslett & Sunny Estrada, Group: Jessica "Jess" Mastriani (1-800-Missing (TV)) & Sunny Estrada, Jessica "Jess" Mastriani (1-800-Missing (TV)), Sunny Estrada)
I requested any because of the three nominated characters (all of which I nommed), I couldn't possibly pick which I liked best. Is it Jess, whose young innocent feel conceals a caring heart and quirky sense of humor? Is it Brooke, whose cool exterior (particularly when she has to interrogate or face down uncomfortable situations) hides any self-doubt or insecurities she may have? Or is it Sunny, whose warmth and snark are as valuable as her intelligence and computer prowess? And I love Jess's relationship with Sunny, or the relationship between all three. They're just all so interesting, so whichever you end up writing will make me very happy.
I like Jess because of the fresh innocent feel, but I think it's also a bit deceiving. Consider what she's dealt with in regards to her brother--she can handle a lot tougher things than she makes out. Given what we know of Brooke's upbringing, there must be a lot of scars inside that she's learned to cover up and ignore; at the same time, she's very competent and an excellent agent. And Sunny's warmth and snark add so much to the team--particularly the friendship she has with Jess and to some degree, with Brooke. I love how she's sort of like a big sister to Jess, and how the three of them make an excellent team to solve their cases.
I should note that I have only seen the FIRST season of this show, hence why I nominated it as 1-800-Missing and have not nominated any character that only appears in 2nd/3rd seasons, while nominating two that only appear in the first. If you offered to write this because you saw Jess . . . I hope you noticed the other two were not from the later seasons! From everything I've read on IMDB, the retooling made "Missing" an entirely different show from 1-800-Missing. According to one commenter, Missing is "a bad spinoff of 1-800-Missing", and hence why I've held off watching the 2nd and 3rd seasons. What I love about the show best is the friendships between the three women. I love that Jess is NOT an actual agent, and the dynamics that that brings. I like the family background for Jess.
My views on other characters:
Alan Coyle is interesting--the friction between him and Brooke could use some more exploration. Hunter is a mildly interesting diversion for Jess but I really don't care much about him. I don't care for Jack. Please do not include him. Jess's family is nice as a side aspect, though I'm not particularly interested in focusing mainly on them.
I should also note that my favorite episode is probably White Whale. The ending . . . I started writing a continuation but got bogged down in PTSD details and trying to keep characters from being OOC. Currently it's over 7k and stalled. If you'd like to beta, feel free to offer after reveal. :)
After ep # 15, the show gets a little odd, with the inclusion of Jack, exploring Jess's waking dreams, etc. I'd be fine if you pretended those eps never happened, or just set your fics earlier in the show.
Fic prompts & ideas (in case you don't have something already):
1. Jess: Introspective look at her new job, at her friendships, etc.?
2. Jess: Maybe take a look at some of the loose ends the show left with regards to her dad?
3. Brooke: What if we got to see what happened between her and Coyle?
4. Brooke: What was it like for her growing up? Anywhere from childhood to getting into Quantico . . .
5. Sunny: How did she get to Quantico? I mean, what was the path of her life to that point? (Keep in mind she's amazing with computers, something I love and that we don't see enough with women!)
6. Sunny: Sunny calls herself "the Einstein of Indianapolis" but in the next moment says she "was beginning to wonder" about having a career at all. There's some backstory there that I'd love to see.
7. Jess & Sunny: At the end of "White Whale" we see Jess as the only person to really comfort Sunny. Coyle isn't close, he just steps off and takes charge of the situation (which is what he's supposed to do, anyway). Brooke pats Sunny's shoulder and then looks away--she's uncomfortable. But Jess doesn't hesitate: as soon as she's allowed to approach, she's there for Sunny. That speaks of a closeness we don't really get to see a lot of. How did that develop? (You're welcome to write your own ending to that ep if you like, even though I've got a WIP of that; the more the merrier! I am one of those readers who loves multiple takes on something. It's what fanfic's for, after all.)
8. Jess & Brooke & Sunny: Casefic with them working together, or in danger, etc. The show was far too short, would love more of their banter!
8. All three chars: crossover with The Pretender? (also one of my requests) I could see Jarod popping up in a missing persons case--that is one of the ones close to his heart, after all. Or Sue Thomas F.B.Eye? (Maybe the two taskforces have to team up for something.) Or Rizzoli & Isles? (As long as the focus is on 1-800-Missing, since R&I isn't eligible; note that Jane and Jess BOTH have Italian ancestry, that might be interesting.)
Any combo of the characters with regards to their relationships with each other would intrigue me.
3: C-16: FBI
Basic premise: Amanda Reardon (played by Angie Harmon) and another rookie join Criminal Division 16, the Major Case Squad, whose four experienced agents includes Jack DiRado (played by Zach Grenier). The squad tackles cases from kidnappings to mob hits to bank robberies, with arcs following each character through various situations in their life. Amanda, as a newbie, doesn't always do things right, and has a lot of friction with her assigned partner and training agent, who happens to be Jack.
Requested characters: Group: Jack DiRado & Amanda Reardon, Amanda Reardon
I've written a couple fics featuring Amanda and Jack, but I would love to see someone else write them! (I think I'm the only writer EVER for this show; it's a bit lonely.)
I love Amanda's earnestness, trying to get it right, be good at what she does, and trying to earn respect from Jack. She witnesses a lot during the show, and I really feel for her in that. I also love her snark; Angie Harmon seems to have been destined to play snarky characters (a decade later, her role of Lindsay in Women's Murder Club and present-day role of Jane in Rizzoli & Isles both have lots of snark).
I love the relationship between the two because it starts out as pretty hostile (Jack is a bit sexist, and Amanda reacts by jumping to conclusions and generally being wrong as she's a newbie and doesn't know all that much), but they gradually learn to work together. I love when Amanda has to take care of him, like when he was shot in the one ep.
I love the show in its entirety pretty much, except for the addition of the romance between Amanda and Scott. That's the only thing I can think of; Scott just isn't one of my favorite characters (though I love when he's being supportive of Annie in the pilot), and I can't buy him in a relationship with any of the others on their team. I'd ship Amanda/Jack before Amanda/Scott (and with regard to Amanda and Jack, I feel more drawn to just seeing a mutual respect for each other, than some sort of romance, which doesn't seem to be Jack's thing anyway—though we do know he likes Amanda! so I'm not opposed to their relationship becoming something more if that's how you want to go).
It's impossible to pick a single favorite episode, but I love the pilot (there's a lot of really good conversations in the second half, ep # 2, from Annie talking to Scott while sitting on the squad car, to John talking to his boss Dennis at the end). I also love the way ep # 3 ends (the one about the radio station). I love the scenes where Amanda's dealing with Jack hurt (particularly in the hospital!), and I love how Jack handles her in the episode where she witnesses the shooting.
My views on other characters:
John is a great boss—I like how he handles things a lot. Scott is a very good agent, but he's not my cup of tea and can irritate me a bit on a personal level. Mal has a good heart and is in a difficult spot, with his brother being what he is. I love Annie's competence, and the fact that she is trying to be both awesome FBI agent AND mommy—and she struggles, like many women do in her situation (which is rarely addressed in media). She's competent and fascinating (I'd have requested her as well, if I'd remembered to nominate her!).
Fic prompts & ideas (in case you don't have something already):
1. Amanda: Something regarding how she gets the idea to be an FBI agent, what drives her?
2. Amanda: She and Jack coming to a place of mutual respect?
3. both: ensemble casefic?
4. both: partners on a case together?
5. either: hurt/comfort in some way with each other, or with one of the other teammates
6. both: crossover with The Pretender? Jarod can pop up anywhere. Or Sue Thomas F. B. Eye? (Maybe the two taskforces have to team up for something—though how to manage that across the US, I don't know!)
Pretty much ANYTHING would make me happy, since I've never gotten to read any fic for this show except for what I wrote.
4: The Pretender
Basic premise: The best description is probably the slide that ran on the pilot episode: "There are extraordinary individuals among us known as Pretenders. Geniuses with the ability to insinuate themselves into any walk of life, to literally become anyone. In 1963, a corporation called the Centre isolated one such Pretender, a young boy named Jarod. Locked in a controlled environment they exploited his genius for their "unofficial" research. Then, one day, their Pretender ran away..." While Jarod grew up in that environment he met a girl known as Miss Parker. They bonded as children, but were separated as teens. Now that Jarod is on the outside, Miss Parker (now tough as nails, the "Ice Queen" of the Centre) has been called back to bring him in. In between righting wrongs through Pretending to be different people in various careers, Jarod hunts for the missing pieces of his life--and Miss Parker's.
Requested chars: group: Miss Parker & Jarod, group: Miss Parker/Jarod
This show is incredibly complex, so if you actually offered to write it, my hat's off to you! I couldn't; this is partly why I requested it.
I requested Jarod and Miss Parker together because the connection between them is one of the most compelling things about the show. Even if the fic doesn't focus on them romantically, just the two of them working together on anything is fascinating. Both of them are very very scarred characters, but the intriguing thing is how they react so differently to their scars. Jarod clings to innocence in as many realms as he can (while suspecting just about anything from the Centre), while Miss Parker is as cynical as she can be. One of the best things about the show is seeing her warm up to Jarod slowly over the four seasons, trying to learn to trust him. Trust is a key element, something Jarod keeps asking of her, while all along she keeps putting her trust in the wrong people.
This show is probably the darkest of my requests, as the show's tone overall is darker, and there's so much potential for angst. That said, I don't want an unhappy ending, please! I couldn't bear it if either one of the two were killed, or hated each other, or Miss Parker got Jarod re-captured, etc. (And please don't even go into mutual Lyle/Miss Parker. *shudder*) But I'm perfectly fine with fics exploring the damage they've suffered. They're really an OTP for me here, because I think they're the only ones who really understand each other. (Mind you, they get things wrong some, but I think they still understand each other better than anyone else.)
I really love this quote (from one of the movies):
Miss Parker: Why is it that the one person that I've been trained to distrust, to hate, to capture...is always with me during the most difficult moments of my life?
Jarod: Maybe...it's supposed to be that way.
Canon never does establish Miss Parker's first name, though by the time they finish with the novels, we're supposed to discover it. But I have to admit that one name seems to pop up more in the fanfic I've read, and that one has stuck in my mind as her name (whether I'm right or not won't be revealed for a while): Melissa. You're unlikely to need her name for a fic, but if you do . . . please make it Melissa! (Somehow reading Melanie, Melinda, etc. makes my skin crawl.) If you can't stand that as her name, well, just don't reveal her real name. Considering she hasn't done so in FOUR SEASONS and TWO MOVIES . . .! Probably not an issue, lol. (I could write a thousand-word essay just discussing the weirdness that is the situation with names on The Pretender, but then you probably are already aware of it, if you're offering to write it!)
My views on other characters:
Sydney has a lot of depth to him that we don't get to explore; he's got a lot of guilt for his past actions. I love how he's always undermining the Centre's efforts to get Jarod back while appearing to be searching for him. Broots is a bit spineless at times, but he does have his daughter to be worried about, so the Centre has more leverage over him. Lyle is evil and creepy and I do not like him at ALL, but he makes a good villain at times (see prompt below). Mr. Parker is also truly evil as I think he only thinks of Miss Parker for how he can manipulate her to do what he wants. Mr. Raines is also really evil. There's a lot of evil characters in this show! I love how Angelo helps Jarod behind the scenes (I'm totally okay with fics that reveal he is really Miss Parker's brother—c'mon, the Centre could totally have messed with the DNA tests).
Fun fact: Miss Parker really is Miss Parker: the actress's name is Andrea Parker.
Fic prompts & ideas (in case you don't have something already):
1. Lyle & Miss Parker, the Westermarck effect doesn't affect Lyle (since he only met his bio-family in his adulthood), Jarod comes to Miss Parker's rescue (how soon is up to you) [yes, this one is the one real exception to my usual squicks, probably because Lyle is such a creepy nasty guy and I could see him actually doing that]
2. Miss Parker, nightmares of abuse from her father (emotional and/or sexual), Jarod enters the picture to help somehow? (so sue me, I like h/c *g*)
3. Crossover with Sue Thomas F.B.Eye (maybe they work together to bring down the Centre? or any other idea you come up with) or 1-800-Missing, or even Rizzoli & Isles (as long as The Pretender is the main focus, since R&I isn't eligible for this)
4. Missing scene--anything with Jarod and Miss Parker . . .
5. Standard Pretend--with Jarod and Miss Parker spending time in each other's physical presence somehow--but Jarod escapes from the sweepers in time, as usual . . .
6. The movies left off with a pretty ominous declaration by Raines. What would it take to get Miss Parker to finally break away from the Centre? (And go be with Jarod, of course.) Could that declaration be the beginning of the end of her there? She'd want to make sure her closest friends are safe: Sydney, Broots, Sam, and of course Angelo . . .
You may also find this episode guide useful if you set a fic within or after a specific episode, as there's a lot to keep track of with this show!
You may also find transcripts useful.
5: Sue Thomas F.B.Eye
Basic premise: A Deaf woman (Sue Thomas, played by Deanne Bray) who can read lips very well is hired by the FBI and joins a surveillance unit consisting of five FBI agents (Jack, Bobby, Myles, Tara, and Dominick aka "D") and a "rotor" (Lucy, who calls herself that because she keeps the office running for all the agents). There's a lot of drama, humor, and bunch of "will they or won't they?" between her and her good-looking training agent (Jack Hudson, played by Yannick Bisson). Agent Myles Leland III (played by Ted Atherton) is disdainful of Sue at first but grows to respect her. Agent Tara Williams (played by Tara Samuel) is the lone female agent on the team and the tech whiz.
Requested characters: Group: Myles Leland III & Tara Williams, Tara Williams, Myles Leland III
Aww, Sue Thomas. I fell so madly in love with this one a few summers ago, and it still makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. The show is a delightful mix of drama (solving FBI cases! terrorists and corporate theft and kidnappings), humor (witty banter that makes you wish you worked with such a fun group of people), and heartwarming (people making connections with each other, understanding the world of the Deaf, etc.).
Just about any fic you come up with for this will be welcomed! I requested Myles and Tara because they are woefully underrepresented in fic. We know some about Myles' background, but very little about Tara's. And what we know of Myles' could prompt all sorts of interesting fic, but there is a paltry number that focus on him. And Tara! The only female full-fledged FBI agent on the team, and we don't have hardly anything on her. It makes me super curious!
Myles is portrayed somewhat unsympathetically in the show--very much so at first, but as time goes on we see a bit of a softer side to him, a vulnerable side. I read one fic that put it well: "beneath that arrogant, cynical, downright obnoxious at times, persona of yours, beats the heart of a knight and the soul of a poet". That's exactly how I see him! There's so much potential for depth to Myles that we don't get to see.
Then there's Tara. What made her who she is? She's also small and doesn't look particularly tough physically. She must have had to work hard to get where she is now. Yet we have no idea what drives her, what's behind some of her different facets. Of all the team's characters on the show, we probably see her the least, which is a real shame. When we do see her, she's always running the electronic side of things, which, given that she's supposed to be a tech whiz, that makes sense. But I think I can only remember ONE episode where she's out in the field with the others, with her gun and all--season 1, ep # 2. It's a cryin' shame that we don't see more of her kicking butt, lol.
I would love a fic focusing on either one separately (either alone or developing friendships with others--such as Myles connecting with Sue or D more, or Tara connecting with Sue), because they're both so neglected that anything focusing on one or both of them would make me very happy! I requested the group of the two of them because I would also very much love a fic that features both—as good friends, as soulmates or romantic friends, or even as a regular pairing (as long as I don't have to see the sexual side of things *g*). If you feel more inspired to do some awesome case with them as part of the team solving it, I'd love that too! Anything that has them doing what they do, or being who they are, and lets me see it, would make me incredibly delighted.
If you do match with me on this one, or want to write it, please do what you can to learn about any relevant details if you include Sue in some way; it's important to me that her world be respected and accurately represented when possible. :) (Though the show was inaccurate at times for convenience's sake, like having Sue be able to read people's lips instantly all the time, pretty much. In real life it's a painstaking process and you only catch so much of what is said.)
My views on other characters:
Lucy is sweet but a little too matchmaker at times (and a bit nosy), Jack is definitely infatuated with Sue but needs to be a bit more mature and make more of an effort to enter into her world if he's serious about being with her, Bobby is (in my opinion) a bit immature yet and has some real growing up to do (I don't see him as being really ready for a mature relationship in some ways), and Sue is sweet and likes Jack but wants him to make the first move--and show her that he really loves her by becoming more of a part of her world. And then there's D, who's solid and has his family and kids (he's the other one we don't see a ton of but he doesn't interest me as much). I am not a Bobby/Tara fan at all, mostly because I see them as utterly unsuited for each other, personality-wise (initial attraction that would turn sour later on), and Bobby needs to grow up first, lol. But, I think that perhaps down the road, Bobby/Lucy is a potential one (if you're trying to match everyone up, lol—I'm definitely not wed to that ship).
And as for the whole dating the colleague rule, there is NO such rule in the FBI; they made it up for the show. It's not the only show to have that, iirc. But I can't remember where that rule comes in STFBE anyway, or if it was made up by other fanfic writers. Methinks I need to rewatch canon. :D (There might be something about direct chain-of-command relationships, in which case Jack couldn't be Sue's training agent, but they wouldn't have to switch units or anything.) So as long as Myles and Tara are not in a line of command, they should be fine (as far as I know, they're both fully fledged agents, but I could see Myles being a mentor to Tara as she's had little field experience in the show, which could cause issues).
Fun fact: Tara's real name is also Tara--just a different last name.
Fic prompts & ideas (in case you don't have something already):
1. "Crash and Burn" by Savage Garden
I've always thought of that song as a song for Myles and Tara, in the sense of a deep friendship or even romantic friendship. Does it inspire any ideas in you?
2. This poem/quote:
"There is in certain living souls
A quality of loneliness unspeakable,
So great it must be shared
As company is shared by lesser beings.
Such a loneliness is mine; so know by this
That in immensity
There is one lonelier than you." - Theodore Sturgeon
I've always thought that Myles and Tara were sort of . . . a bit on the outside? Jack has Bobby, and Sue has Lucy, and D has his family, but who do Myles and Tara have?
3. What prompted Tara to become a Special Agent? What was it like growing up a brilliant female computer whiz in a male-dominated world? Her backstory isn't well-developed; I'd love to see more. :D
4. Missing scenes! You'll notice Myles and Tara were chatting inside the restaurant in Bad Hair Day while waiting for Crazy Loco to come try to kill her? How did Myles end up being the one to stand in for her date? What did they talk about? Or pick any other scene where they could have been discussing things. Throwing other characters into the mix is quite OK too! As long as Myles or Tara are in the collection I will love it. :)
5. Something that shows Myles "thawing out" a bit. We've seen him with his sister, but having him connect and bond more with other teammates would be great. (Having that be Tara would be the cherry on top, but if you don't see that it's fine! I'd love to see him bond with any of the others—that connection, being vulnerable, LOVE it.)
6. Crossover! I could see the team running into Jarod from The Pretender, joining forces with Jess, Brooke, and Sunny from 1-800-Missing to solve a missing persons case, running into Walker from Walker, Texas Ranger, or Jane and Maura from Rizzoli & Isles. (I would imagine Maura would have moved in similar circles as Myles, so that's another point of possible connection.) As long as the fic focuses on the requested fandom or fandoms, you're good to go, just keep it something I know. :)
There is little fic about Myles or Tara, sadly; I will eagerly devour yours should this be the fandom you write. :D
General likes:
deep platonic friendship, romantic friendship, asexual romance, found families, apocalyptic fic, hurt/comfort, nonsexual physical touch (including cuddling), self-sacrifice, characters being vulnerable, character redemption, survival fic, positive treatment of religion, characters dealing with trauma, trust building, missing scenes, alternate universe (especially when fixing issues with the original canon), any trope on this list: http://doranwen.livejournal.com/246063.html
DNWs: sex or sexual feelings, supernatural/fantasy beings (elves, vampires, werewolves, gnomes, zombies, etc.), certain AUs (medieval, fantasy, supernatural, fairytale, feudal, space), deathfic, calling an adult "baby" or "darling", mpreg, crackfic, gore (mild violence is OK, just not as graphic as a surgery documentary), uncensored profanity, first/second person fic
And now to the requests (in the order of which I found them in the tagset):
1: Gold Diggers (1995)
Basic premise: Beth moves to a small town (from L.A.) with her mother after the death of her father. She meets troubled kid Jody and forms a strong friendship; they save each other's lives and are generally the best friends ever.
Characters requested: Any (Group: Beth Easton & Jody Salerno, Beth Easton, Jody Salerno)
Oh, fandom of my childhood. I LOVED this movie to death. So much so that I spent hours imagining what I now know to be called fanfic, whereupon I changed Beth and Jody's name to Sara and Ricki, and made their family lives nasty enough so they would run away to live in Bear Mountain for the rest of their lives and adopt runaway orphan kids and . . . yeah. I kid you not. I thought the whole "best friends run away and live together forever happily ever after" was the perfect ending EVER when I was 13.
The thing that captivated me about the movie was most particularly the friendship between the two of them. Beth is fascinated by Jody from the get-go (she goes from confused by just seeing her fight with a kid, to mad with running into her with the groceries--and yet she still heads off with her after the Winnie the Pooh discussion), her toughness that hides an underlying vulnerability and hurt. And Jody appreciates Beth as someone who actually listens to her, who is loyal and supportive. (I think I saw myself some in Beth, and longed for something like what they had.)
I also loved the survivalist theme of Jody wanting to live in Bear Mountain. A lot of my "mindfic" from my childhood days centered around some character surviving by a combination of scavenging (which included raiding "civilization" for anything useful, sometimes by less than legal means), farming/hunting, etc. I wasn't always very realistic about it (since I didn't know much about survival as a 12-year-old), but I loved the idea of it.
My views on other characters:
Beth's mom is a bit protective but quite caring, Jody's mom needs (and gets, in the movie) some real help, though she loves Jody, and the sheriff is nice. We won't speak about Ray. :P (I'm also ignoring Molly Morgan--the whole speculative plot there is cute, but it doesn't interest me at all.) *listens to question* Other girls? What other girls? ;)
Fic prompts & ideas (in case you don't have something already):
1. Show me the healing that happens in that interim between finding Jody in the cave and the girls getting the gold from their mysterious benefactor. "The scars that were invisible took the longest to heal." That, imho, doesn't just refer to Lynette (Jody's mother), but also to Jody.
2. AU where they run away? I'm sure you could do tons better than my 13-year-old brain, lol.
3. What if Beth had gotten back with the boat safely (and didn't crash, and thus Jody was living all by herself in Bear Mountain)? How would they have handled that? (Optional inclusion of prompt # 4 to add spice to the mix.)
4. What if Jody had killed Ray with the fishing pole? (Try not to end too depressingly if you go with this one, lol. But this would inherently require a darker theme than some of the others, I admit, and I'm game for it.)
5. What if Ray didn't just beat Lynette and Jody up? What if it was worse?
6. I'd love to see Beth and Jody develop a romantic friendship a couple years down the road. I don't think I'll ever shake the whole "they belong together" feeling I had as a teenager. :)
7. What happened to Beth's dad? We know he's dead but that's IT. We never see her handle losing him. (Jody either, for that matter.)
8. We see the movie from Beth's POV. We don't really get inside Jody's head at all, without the benefit of following her around like we do Beth. I'd love to see some scenes from her perspective. There's got to be a lot of complex emotions going on inside.
2: 1-800-Missing (TV)
Basic premise: Jess Mastriani (played by Caterina Scorsone) gets struck by lightning and starts dreaming about missing people. When the FBI discovers her dreams have clues that lead them to said missing people, they twist her arm into working cases with them as a special consultant, and she's partnered with field agent Brooke Haslett (played by Gloria Reuben). The second episode brought in Sunny Estrada (played by Justina Machado), "outstanding evidence support supervisor" and "Einstein of Indianapolis". The three of them work together to solve missing persons cases, amidst a little snark and digging into Jess's family history. (Note that the show focuses on three women, with varying ethnicities, two of which are FBI agents! Awesomeness!)
Requested characters: Any (Brooke Haslett, Group: Jessica "Jess" Mastriani (1-800-Missing (TV)) & Brooke Haslett & Sunny Estrada, Group: Jessica "Jess" Mastriani (1-800-Missing (TV)) & Sunny Estrada, Jessica "Jess" Mastriani (1-800-Missing (TV)), Sunny Estrada)
I requested any because of the three nominated characters (all of which I nommed), I couldn't possibly pick which I liked best. Is it Jess, whose young innocent feel conceals a caring heart and quirky sense of humor? Is it Brooke, whose cool exterior (particularly when she has to interrogate or face down uncomfortable situations) hides any self-doubt or insecurities she may have? Or is it Sunny, whose warmth and snark are as valuable as her intelligence and computer prowess? And I love Jess's relationship with Sunny, or the relationship between all three. They're just all so interesting, so whichever you end up writing will make me very happy.
I like Jess because of the fresh innocent feel, but I think it's also a bit deceiving. Consider what she's dealt with in regards to her brother--she can handle a lot tougher things than she makes out. Given what we know of Brooke's upbringing, there must be a lot of scars inside that she's learned to cover up and ignore; at the same time, she's very competent and an excellent agent. And Sunny's warmth and snark add so much to the team--particularly the friendship she has with Jess and to some degree, with Brooke. I love how she's sort of like a big sister to Jess, and how the three of them make an excellent team to solve their cases.
I should note that I have only seen the FIRST season of this show, hence why I nominated it as 1-800-Missing and have not nominated any character that only appears in 2nd/3rd seasons, while nominating two that only appear in the first. If you offered to write this because you saw Jess . . . I hope you noticed the other two were not from the later seasons! From everything I've read on IMDB, the retooling made "Missing" an entirely different show from 1-800-Missing. According to one commenter, Missing is "a bad spinoff of 1-800-Missing", and hence why I've held off watching the 2nd and 3rd seasons. What I love about the show best is the friendships between the three women. I love that Jess is NOT an actual agent, and the dynamics that that brings. I like the family background for Jess.
My views on other characters:
Alan Coyle is interesting--the friction between him and Brooke could use some more exploration. Hunter is a mildly interesting diversion for Jess but I really don't care much about him. I don't care for Jack. Please do not include him. Jess's family is nice as a side aspect, though I'm not particularly interested in focusing mainly on them.
I should also note that my favorite episode is probably White Whale. The ending . . . I started writing a continuation but got bogged down in PTSD details and trying to keep characters from being OOC. Currently it's over 7k and stalled. If you'd like to beta, feel free to offer after reveal. :)
After ep # 15, the show gets a little odd, with the inclusion of Jack, exploring Jess's waking dreams, etc. I'd be fine if you pretended those eps never happened, or just set your fics earlier in the show.
Fic prompts & ideas (in case you don't have something already):
1. Jess: Introspective look at her new job, at her friendships, etc.?
2. Jess: Maybe take a look at some of the loose ends the show left with regards to her dad?
3. Brooke: What if we got to see what happened between her and Coyle?
4. Brooke: What was it like for her growing up? Anywhere from childhood to getting into Quantico . . .
5. Sunny: How did she get to Quantico? I mean, what was the path of her life to that point? (Keep in mind she's amazing with computers, something I love and that we don't see enough with women!)
6. Sunny: Sunny calls herself "the Einstein of Indianapolis" but in the next moment says she "was beginning to wonder" about having a career at all. There's some backstory there that I'd love to see.
7. Jess & Sunny: At the end of "White Whale" we see Jess as the only person to really comfort Sunny. Coyle isn't close, he just steps off and takes charge of the situation (which is what he's supposed to do, anyway). Brooke pats Sunny's shoulder and then looks away--she's uncomfortable. But Jess doesn't hesitate: as soon as she's allowed to approach, she's there for Sunny. That speaks of a closeness we don't really get to see a lot of. How did that develop? (You're welcome to write your own ending to that ep if you like, even though I've got a WIP of that; the more the merrier! I am one of those readers who loves multiple takes on something. It's what fanfic's for, after all.)
8. Jess & Brooke & Sunny: Casefic with them working together, or in danger, etc. The show was far too short, would love more of their banter!
8. All three chars: crossover with The Pretender? (also one of my requests) I could see Jarod popping up in a missing persons case--that is one of the ones close to his heart, after all. Or Sue Thomas F.B.Eye? (Maybe the two taskforces have to team up for something.) Or Rizzoli & Isles? (As long as the focus is on 1-800-Missing, since R&I isn't eligible; note that Jane and Jess BOTH have Italian ancestry, that might be interesting.)
Any combo of the characters with regards to their relationships with each other would intrigue me.
3: C-16: FBI
Basic premise: Amanda Reardon (played by Angie Harmon) and another rookie join Criminal Division 16, the Major Case Squad, whose four experienced agents includes Jack DiRado (played by Zach Grenier). The squad tackles cases from kidnappings to mob hits to bank robberies, with arcs following each character through various situations in their life. Amanda, as a newbie, doesn't always do things right, and has a lot of friction with her assigned partner and training agent, who happens to be Jack.
Requested characters: Group: Jack DiRado & Amanda Reardon, Amanda Reardon
I've written a couple fics featuring Amanda and Jack, but I would love to see someone else write them! (I think I'm the only writer EVER for this show; it's a bit lonely.)
I love Amanda's earnestness, trying to get it right, be good at what she does, and trying to earn respect from Jack. She witnesses a lot during the show, and I really feel for her in that. I also love her snark; Angie Harmon seems to have been destined to play snarky characters (a decade later, her role of Lindsay in Women's Murder Club and present-day role of Jane in Rizzoli & Isles both have lots of snark).
I love the relationship between the two because it starts out as pretty hostile (Jack is a bit sexist, and Amanda reacts by jumping to conclusions and generally being wrong as she's a newbie and doesn't know all that much), but they gradually learn to work together. I love when Amanda has to take care of him, like when he was shot in the one ep.
I love the show in its entirety pretty much, except for the addition of the romance between Amanda and Scott. That's the only thing I can think of; Scott just isn't one of my favorite characters (though I love when he's being supportive of Annie in the pilot), and I can't buy him in a relationship with any of the others on their team. I'd ship Amanda/Jack before Amanda/Scott (and with regard to Amanda and Jack, I feel more drawn to just seeing a mutual respect for each other, than some sort of romance, which doesn't seem to be Jack's thing anyway—though we do know he likes Amanda! so I'm not opposed to their relationship becoming something more if that's how you want to go).
It's impossible to pick a single favorite episode, but I love the pilot (there's a lot of really good conversations in the second half, ep # 2, from Annie talking to Scott while sitting on the squad car, to John talking to his boss Dennis at the end). I also love the way ep # 3 ends (the one about the radio station). I love the scenes where Amanda's dealing with Jack hurt (particularly in the hospital!), and I love how Jack handles her in the episode where she witnesses the shooting.
My views on other characters:
John is a great boss—I like how he handles things a lot. Scott is a very good agent, but he's not my cup of tea and can irritate me a bit on a personal level. Mal has a good heart and is in a difficult spot, with his brother being what he is. I love Annie's competence, and the fact that she is trying to be both awesome FBI agent AND mommy—and she struggles, like many women do in her situation (which is rarely addressed in media). She's competent and fascinating (I'd have requested her as well, if I'd remembered to nominate her!).
Fic prompts & ideas (in case you don't have something already):
1. Amanda: Something regarding how she gets the idea to be an FBI agent, what drives her?
2. Amanda: She and Jack coming to a place of mutual respect?
3. both: ensemble casefic?
4. both: partners on a case together?
5. either: hurt/comfort in some way with each other, or with one of the other teammates
6. both: crossover with The Pretender? Jarod can pop up anywhere. Or Sue Thomas F. B. Eye? (Maybe the two taskforces have to team up for something—though how to manage that across the US, I don't know!)
Pretty much ANYTHING would make me happy, since I've never gotten to read any fic for this show except for what I wrote.
4: The Pretender
Basic premise: The best description is probably the slide that ran on the pilot episode: "There are extraordinary individuals among us known as Pretenders. Geniuses with the ability to insinuate themselves into any walk of life, to literally become anyone. In 1963, a corporation called the Centre isolated one such Pretender, a young boy named Jarod. Locked in a controlled environment they exploited his genius for their "unofficial" research. Then, one day, their Pretender ran away..." While Jarod grew up in that environment he met a girl known as Miss Parker. They bonded as children, but were separated as teens. Now that Jarod is on the outside, Miss Parker (now tough as nails, the "Ice Queen" of the Centre) has been called back to bring him in. In between righting wrongs through Pretending to be different people in various careers, Jarod hunts for the missing pieces of his life--and Miss Parker's.
Requested chars: group: Miss Parker & Jarod, group: Miss Parker/Jarod
This show is incredibly complex, so if you actually offered to write it, my hat's off to you! I couldn't; this is partly why I requested it.
I requested Jarod and Miss Parker together because the connection between them is one of the most compelling things about the show. Even if the fic doesn't focus on them romantically, just the two of them working together on anything is fascinating. Both of them are very very scarred characters, but the intriguing thing is how they react so differently to their scars. Jarod clings to innocence in as many realms as he can (while suspecting just about anything from the Centre), while Miss Parker is as cynical as she can be. One of the best things about the show is seeing her warm up to Jarod slowly over the four seasons, trying to learn to trust him. Trust is a key element, something Jarod keeps asking of her, while all along she keeps putting her trust in the wrong people.
This show is probably the darkest of my requests, as the show's tone overall is darker, and there's so much potential for angst. That said, I don't want an unhappy ending, please! I couldn't bear it if either one of the two were killed, or hated each other, or Miss Parker got Jarod re-captured, etc. (And please don't even go into mutual Lyle/Miss Parker. *shudder*) But I'm perfectly fine with fics exploring the damage they've suffered. They're really an OTP for me here, because I think they're the only ones who really understand each other. (Mind you, they get things wrong some, but I think they still understand each other better than anyone else.)
I really love this quote (from one of the movies):
Miss Parker: Why is it that the one person that I've been trained to distrust, to hate, to capture...is always with me during the most difficult moments of my life?
Jarod: Maybe...it's supposed to be that way.
Canon never does establish Miss Parker's first name, though by the time they finish with the novels, we're supposed to discover it. But I have to admit that one name seems to pop up more in the fanfic I've read, and that one has stuck in my mind as her name (whether I'm right or not won't be revealed for a while): Melissa. You're unlikely to need her name for a fic, but if you do . . . please make it Melissa! (Somehow reading Melanie, Melinda, etc. makes my skin crawl.) If you can't stand that as her name, well, just don't reveal her real name. Considering she hasn't done so in FOUR SEASONS and TWO MOVIES . . .! Probably not an issue, lol. (I could write a thousand-word essay just discussing the weirdness that is the situation with names on The Pretender, but then you probably are already aware of it, if you're offering to write it!)
My views on other characters:
Sydney has a lot of depth to him that we don't get to explore; he's got a lot of guilt for his past actions. I love how he's always undermining the Centre's efforts to get Jarod back while appearing to be searching for him. Broots is a bit spineless at times, but he does have his daughter to be worried about, so the Centre has more leverage over him. Lyle is evil and creepy and I do not like him at ALL, but he makes a good villain at times (see prompt below). Mr. Parker is also truly evil as I think he only thinks of Miss Parker for how he can manipulate her to do what he wants. Mr. Raines is also really evil. There's a lot of evil characters in this show! I love how Angelo helps Jarod behind the scenes (I'm totally okay with fics that reveal he is really Miss Parker's brother—c'mon, the Centre could totally have messed with the DNA tests).
Fun fact: Miss Parker really is Miss Parker: the actress's name is Andrea Parker.
Fic prompts & ideas (in case you don't have something already):
1. Lyle & Miss Parker, the Westermarck effect doesn't affect Lyle (since he only met his bio-family in his adulthood), Jarod comes to Miss Parker's rescue (how soon is up to you) [yes, this one is the one real exception to my usual squicks, probably because Lyle is such a creepy nasty guy and I could see him actually doing that]
2. Miss Parker, nightmares of abuse from her father (emotional and/or sexual), Jarod enters the picture to help somehow? (so sue me, I like h/c *g*)
3. Crossover with Sue Thomas F.B.Eye (maybe they work together to bring down the Centre? or any other idea you come up with) or 1-800-Missing, or even Rizzoli & Isles (as long as The Pretender is the main focus, since R&I isn't eligible for this)
4. Missing scene--anything with Jarod and Miss Parker . . .
5. Standard Pretend--with Jarod and Miss Parker spending time in each other's physical presence somehow--but Jarod escapes from the sweepers in time, as usual . . .
6. The movies left off with a pretty ominous declaration by Raines. What would it take to get Miss Parker to finally break away from the Centre? (And go be with Jarod, of course.) Could that declaration be the beginning of the end of her there? She'd want to make sure her closest friends are safe: Sydney, Broots, Sam, and of course Angelo . . .
You may also find this episode guide useful if you set a fic within or after a specific episode, as there's a lot to keep track of with this show!
You may also find transcripts useful.
5: Sue Thomas F.B.Eye
Basic premise: A Deaf woman (Sue Thomas, played by Deanne Bray) who can read lips very well is hired by the FBI and joins a surveillance unit consisting of five FBI agents (Jack, Bobby, Myles, Tara, and Dominick aka "D") and a "rotor" (Lucy, who calls herself that because she keeps the office running for all the agents). There's a lot of drama, humor, and bunch of "will they or won't they?" between her and her good-looking training agent (Jack Hudson, played by Yannick Bisson). Agent Myles Leland III (played by Ted Atherton) is disdainful of Sue at first but grows to respect her. Agent Tara Williams (played by Tara Samuel) is the lone female agent on the team and the tech whiz.
Requested characters: Group: Myles Leland III & Tara Williams, Tara Williams, Myles Leland III
Aww, Sue Thomas. I fell so madly in love with this one a few summers ago, and it still makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. The show is a delightful mix of drama (solving FBI cases! terrorists and corporate theft and kidnappings), humor (witty banter that makes you wish you worked with such a fun group of people), and heartwarming (people making connections with each other, understanding the world of the Deaf, etc.).
Just about any fic you come up with for this will be welcomed! I requested Myles and Tara because they are woefully underrepresented in fic. We know some about Myles' background, but very little about Tara's. And what we know of Myles' could prompt all sorts of interesting fic, but there is a paltry number that focus on him. And Tara! The only female full-fledged FBI agent on the team, and we don't have hardly anything on her. It makes me super curious!
Myles is portrayed somewhat unsympathetically in the show--very much so at first, but as time goes on we see a bit of a softer side to him, a vulnerable side. I read one fic that put it well: "beneath that arrogant, cynical, downright obnoxious at times, persona of yours, beats the heart of a knight and the soul of a poet". That's exactly how I see him! There's so much potential for depth to Myles that we don't get to see.
Then there's Tara. What made her who she is? She's also small and doesn't look particularly tough physically. She must have had to work hard to get where she is now. Yet we have no idea what drives her, what's behind some of her different facets. Of all the team's characters on the show, we probably see her the least, which is a real shame. When we do see her, she's always running the electronic side of things, which, given that she's supposed to be a tech whiz, that makes sense. But I think I can only remember ONE episode where she's out in the field with the others, with her gun and all--season 1, ep # 2. It's a cryin' shame that we don't see more of her kicking butt, lol.
I would love a fic focusing on either one separately (either alone or developing friendships with others--such as Myles connecting with Sue or D more, or Tara connecting with Sue), because they're both so neglected that anything focusing on one or both of them would make me very happy! I requested the group of the two of them because I would also very much love a fic that features both—as good friends, as soulmates or romantic friends, or even as a regular pairing (as long as I don't have to see the sexual side of things *g*). If you feel more inspired to do some awesome case with them as part of the team solving it, I'd love that too! Anything that has them doing what they do, or being who they are, and lets me see it, would make me incredibly delighted.
If you do match with me on this one, or want to write it, please do what you can to learn about any relevant details if you include Sue in some way; it's important to me that her world be respected and accurately represented when possible. :) (Though the show was inaccurate at times for convenience's sake, like having Sue be able to read people's lips instantly all the time, pretty much. In real life it's a painstaking process and you only catch so much of what is said.)
My views on other characters:
Lucy is sweet but a little too matchmaker at times (and a bit nosy), Jack is definitely infatuated with Sue but needs to be a bit more mature and make more of an effort to enter into her world if he's serious about being with her, Bobby is (in my opinion) a bit immature yet and has some real growing up to do (I don't see him as being really ready for a mature relationship in some ways), and Sue is sweet and likes Jack but wants him to make the first move--and show her that he really loves her by becoming more of a part of her world. And then there's D, who's solid and has his family and kids (he's the other one we don't see a ton of but he doesn't interest me as much). I am not a Bobby/Tara fan at all, mostly because I see them as utterly unsuited for each other, personality-wise (initial attraction that would turn sour later on), and Bobby needs to grow up first, lol. But, I think that perhaps down the road, Bobby/Lucy is a potential one (if you're trying to match everyone up, lol—I'm definitely not wed to that ship).
And as for the whole dating the colleague rule, there is NO such rule in the FBI; they made it up for the show. It's not the only show to have that, iirc. But I can't remember where that rule comes in STFBE anyway, or if it was made up by other fanfic writers. Methinks I need to rewatch canon. :D (There might be something about direct chain-of-command relationships, in which case Jack couldn't be Sue's training agent, but they wouldn't have to switch units or anything.) So as long as Myles and Tara are not in a line of command, they should be fine (as far as I know, they're both fully fledged agents, but I could see Myles being a mentor to Tara as she's had little field experience in the show, which could cause issues).
Fun fact: Tara's real name is also Tara--just a different last name.
Fic prompts & ideas (in case you don't have something already):
1. "Crash and Burn" by Savage Garden
I've always thought of that song as a song for Myles and Tara, in the sense of a deep friendship or even romantic friendship. Does it inspire any ideas in you?
2. This poem/quote:
"There is in certain living souls
A quality of loneliness unspeakable,
So great it must be shared
As company is shared by lesser beings.
Such a loneliness is mine; so know by this
That in immensity
There is one lonelier than you." - Theodore Sturgeon
I've always thought that Myles and Tara were sort of . . . a bit on the outside? Jack has Bobby, and Sue has Lucy, and D has his family, but who do Myles and Tara have?
3. What prompted Tara to become a Special Agent? What was it like growing up a brilliant female computer whiz in a male-dominated world? Her backstory isn't well-developed; I'd love to see more. :D
4. Missing scenes! You'll notice Myles and Tara were chatting inside the restaurant in Bad Hair Day while waiting for Crazy Loco to come try to kill her? How did Myles end up being the one to stand in for her date? What did they talk about? Or pick any other scene where they could have been discussing things. Throwing other characters into the mix is quite OK too! As long as Myles or Tara are in the collection I will love it. :)
5. Something that shows Myles "thawing out" a bit. We've seen him with his sister, but having him connect and bond more with other teammates would be great. (Having that be Tara would be the cherry on top, but if you don't see that it's fine! I'd love to see him bond with any of the others—that connection, being vulnerable, LOVE it.)
6. Crossover! I could see the team running into Jarod from The Pretender, joining forces with Jess, Brooke, and Sunny from 1-800-Missing to solve a missing persons case, running into Walker from Walker, Texas Ranger, or Jane and Maura from Rizzoli & Isles. (I would imagine Maura would have moved in similar circles as Myles, so that's another point of possible connection.) As long as the fic focuses on the requested fandom or fandoms, you're good to go, just keep it something I know. :)
There is little fic about Myles or Tara, sadly; I will eagerly devour yours should this be the fandom you write. :D
