Dear Yuletide Writer Letter 2016
Sep. 25th, 2016 03:35 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
doranwenYuletide is even earlier than last year, but I'm already so excited I couldn't wait to write my letter. :D I love all of these canons so much and I will be absolutely delighted to see the fic for me. I hope you have a blast writing it!
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 fix-it fic), 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, historical), deathfic or horror, 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
Don't worry if someone's written a similar idea before. My first real fandom was one where people used to write a dozen versions of the same TV ep, and I loved reading them all. There are never too many versions of the same story, in my opinion.
Although I mention it in various prompts below, if you're crossover-inclined, here's the full list of fandoms you could cross with the requested ones (besides, of course, any of my other requests):
Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain (1995) (Beth/Jody make the best romantic friendship ever)
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (this is in the tagset, even--Lois and Clark are my favs, though I also enjoy Clark's parents)
Lord of the Rings (books only, please)
The Pretender (this is also in the tagset--Jarod and Miss Parker are my favs)
Push (2009) (this is also in the tagset--am such a Nick/Cassie fan)
Rizzoli & Isles (through S6, I'm behind on watching and haven't gotten to watching S7 yet)
Smallville (S1-S3 only, am a Clark/Chloe fan and not into Erica Durance's Lois, nor any of the magic stuff that came in S4)
Tomorrow, When the War Began (2010) (I'm not sure exactly how you'd cross something like that with all of these American and British canons, but I love the whole idea of it, even)
X-Men movieverse (first two films only, please)
And now to the requests (in the order of which I found them in the tagset):
Worldweavers - Alma Alexander
Flood (2007)
1-800-Missing (TV)
C-16: FBI
Sue Thomas F.B.Eye
Women's Murder Club
# 1: Worldweavers - Alma Alexander
Basic premise: Galathea Winthrop (aka Thea) is a Double Seventh, a seventh child of seventh children. This should mean she's good at something really special, right? Except she can't do magic at all. And Ars Magica is part of the curriculum of every school in the entire nation—except for one: the Wandless Academy (which is sometimes called the Last Ditch School for the Incurably Incompetent). But between a summer school (with a class of one) like no other, and various unusual events, Thea begins to discover the gifts she has never known she had. Oh, and save the world in the process.
Requested character: none (none in the tagset either—this was deliberate)
I didn't request any characters because I'd like to leave things open for worldbuilding. The sheer idea of a world where Ars Magica is part of the entire school curriculum—really, where magic is so woven into the way things happen that coffeeshops use spells to keep people's orders straight, you can buy a spell to keep gardens tidy, and a magic allergy is extremely life-threatening. Oh, and throw in the feral libraries, with elevators that act like four-year-olds! I fell in love with the world with that part. Just pure awesomeness! I also enjoy that part of it's set in my region of the US (the Pacific Northwest).
I also love Thea's story, so if you're feeling more of a character-driven story, I'd love fic about her!
For this fandom I'd love OCs, especially since I'm more interested in the way things work than in the specific characters' stories (other than Thea).
My views on other characters:
I like how Thea's friends over time, and you can totally throw them in, but I'd prefer that the fic not focus on them. I'm less interested in the Anasazi, Grandmother Spider/Tawaha/the Trickster, Tesla and all of that; feel free to leave them out. The Alphiri and Faele are not my thing, and we know little of the Dwarrowrim, so I'd prefer if the fic not focus on those polities, as they're called in the books.
Fic prompts & ideas (in case you don't have something already):
1. worldbuilding: something about the education system, from a child starting their first Ars Magica classes to the creation of the Wandless Academy. I'm a teacher; I'd love to see more of it from a teacher's perspective! (or any student, really) I mean, they mention mathemagic! (spell-solving of equations! fractionators! for a math teacher this is great stuff)
2. worldbuilding: magic run amok, like feral libraries, or magic as used in crimes and criminal justice, etc.
3. Thea: I'd love something set after Dawn of Magic, where she settles into her full power, finishes at Amford, etc.
4. Thea: Does she create anything really special in her life? Like the Elemental houses, for instance. Something that no one else could do.
5. worldbuilding: something with society setup, like the Federal Bureau of Magic, or how it's integrated into the everyday lives of people (note the bit in the first book about people not using cars much due to portals, slipways, transfigurations . . .), even as regards to having magic allergies (the medical profession would be interesting!) Use whatever you know well. I'm not into sports or fashion but I'll find just about any other industry fascinating; I like complex systems and how they work (hence my recent fascination with air traffic control and airports in general). The world in Worldweavers feels familiar but there are so many interesting changes!
6. Crossover—I really have no ideas there, but see the top of this letter for a list of some other fandoms I know in case this inspires you somehow (besides the ones I've requested).
There is absolutely no fic for this so far; anything you write will be eagerly devoured! :D
Where to find canon:
You can find the books on Amazon, both paperback and e-book forms. (The e-book ones, last I looked, cost only $5 each for books 2-4, and $3 for book 1.)
# 2: Flood (2007)
Basic premise: Professor Leonard Morrison is the only one who realizes that the Thames Barrier could be overwhelmed under the right set of circumstances, and when it happens, his son Rob, Rob's ex-wife Samantha Morrison (played by Jessalyn Gilsig), and Commissioner Patricia Nash (played by Joanne Whaley) must do what they can to save as many lives possible. Note: This is both a feature-length film and a TV mini-series. The mini-series being the full version of the film (and the feature-length film being heavily edited to the point that it's hard to understand what happened in some of the middle bits), I nominated this assuming that whoever offers will have seen the full version. If you haven't, see below for ways to see it.
Requested character/s: Patricia Nash, Samantha Morrison
I nominated both women because I love their characters and couldn't decide who I wanted more. So I leave it to you to choose! I am totally OK with a fic focusing on just one or the other.
This film grabbed my heart when it got to the point where Patricia Nash had to decide what to prioritize, and told them to prioritize the schools. The way she said it, just the look on her face, I was hooked. It was real in a way I've rarely felt with disaster films, as entertaining as they are. And then when her assistant brings her tea and coffee when she's worrying about her daughters, I wanted to cry for her. LOVED the angst. Especially since her husband's dead (besides the "after losing John" line she says, notice the line about the mother of one of the inspectors trying to fatten her up by sending her some cakes? I think she lost a bunch of weight grieving for him). The girls are, I suspect, all she has left. I love how she has to do her best to save people while at the same time worrying about her own family, and just not knowing...
And then as I kept watching (and re-watching), I started to really love Sam Morrison too. She's adorable, both when she's looking nice (like when she runs into Rob in her office), and when she's more "drowned rat" than human. I particularly loved her angsting over the people left behind (when she and Rob are huddled on the boat), and her teasing Rob when trying to bandage his leg. And isn't it just adorable how she's constantly touching Rob in some way? You can tell she's still in love with him. The scene where he asks why she's telling him, and he points out he didn't ask... "Because you wanted to know." She tells him just because he wants to know, no asking, he doesn't even need to know, nor is it his business, but she volunteers that info. I love the way she says it... But seriously, if you do a rewatch, count how many times she reaches out to touch Rob. Her hand's on his shoulder, his arm, she leans her head on his shoulder (aww), she's finding some way to be close to him... And at the end, when she's holding him, you can see her whisper "It's OK" to him a couple times and I want to cry for them both. Adorable and heartwrenching at the same time. (Yes, I used the word adorable too many times, but when it's true...)
With this fandom, I am all about the angst, as long as there's some comfort to go with it. Whether that's Rob and Sam comforting each other, Leonard and Patricia comforting each other... Emotional hurt/comfort is the best. :D
I'm totally OK with this fandom either written as normal, or AUed in some way. The key things are: don't kill off either of the chars I nominated, and don't kill off Patricia's daughters without leaving her Leonard to lean on. (Was I the only one who saw something developing between them? Where he's reaching for her hand when he realizes Rob's on the phone, where they hug before he leaves... yeah, TOTALLY a possibility.) Beyond that, feel free to make it so everyone lives (because the "not enough oxygen" thing was a bit stupid), or swap who lives and who dies, etc. Or just deal with it the way it is. You pick!
Interesting fact:
While sad, it's interesting to know that Robert Carlyle's father (who he was close to) died just weeks before filming. The scene where Rob cries at the end was very real for him, and difficult for the crew to watch.
My views on other characters:
I like Leonard well enough and enjoyed the father-son interactions. I love Rob/Sam and love how they lean on each other; I love how she looks to him to get them somewhere safe throughout the film. I have no interest in the father-daughter arc (the one with the mother who's up in Scotland). No one else stands out as of particular note to me.
Fic prompts & ideas (in case you don't have something already):
1. Patricia - while her daughters may have made it in the film, there were a lot of people who didn't, and she feels responsible. Somehow I don't think a simple pep talk from Leonard is going to erase all of that. And if her daughters don't make it, then she has the guilt of "I couldn't even save them" on top of it. I love seeing her character dealing with all the angst and guilt.
2. Sam - aftermath of the film, being there for Rob... or if Leonard doesn't take his place, grieving for him.
3. Patricia - she seemed drawn to Leonard in the little bit they spent working together. What if he lives somehow? Would something develop between them? And even if you go with the film's version of events, does she think about him or grieve a little?
4. Sam - she has all this respect for Leonard, but doesn't seem to know him very well. Does she wish she'd gotten to know him as a father-in-law? Does she even have a father of her own at this point, and wishes he would be that figure? Whether he lives or not, there's something to play with there.
5. Patricia & Sam - each of them has their own responsibility guilt... Patricia for the average people who died when she was supposed to save them, Sam for the workers under her that didn't make it (Frank, for instance--that loss will hurt her greatly). I'd love to see them each trying to deal with that, perhaps discussing it or developing a friendship based on mutual understanding.
6. Patricia & Sam - AU it a bit! What if Leonard doesn't take Rob's place? And what if Patricia's daughters don't make it? There are so many interesting dynamics that would pop up. Or AU it in some other way.
There is absolutely no fic for this so far (other than the two small things I wrote); anything you write will be eagerly devoured! :D
Where to find canon:
While you can purchase the film on Amazon, you have to be careful to get the one with the full-length version! It should be something like 188 minutes or so, not the 106 minute version. You can also find the full-length version on Youtube. Be sure to search "Flood ITV" - if you just search "Flood 2007" you'll get the shorter version, but "Flood ITV" will pull up a version with two parts, which is exactly what you want.
# 3: 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: Jess Mastriani, Brooke Haslett, Sunny Estrada
I requested all three 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? You are more than welcome to write a fic about just one of those, or any combination of them.
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.
Note: I have only seen the first season of this show (1-800-Missing), not the retooling as "Missing". 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. I'm not into Hunter or Jack. Jess's family is nice as a side aspect of a bigger story.
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", which is possibly my favorite ep of all, 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? Or write a continuation of that ep?
8. All of the above: crossover with The Pretender? (in the tagset, and has been a request in previous years) 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? (The fandom's too big for Yuletide, but if the focus is on the 1-800-Missing chars, you're welcome to pull in Jane or Maura, for instance--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.
There's only a handful of fics for the 2nd/3rd seasons on ff.n. The only fic featuring Brooke is in French; the only one featuring Sunny is set in the later seasons (I'm guessing she ends up running into Jess later) and is stalled. None of them are for 1-800-Missing. You will be groundbreaking!
Because canon is awesome:
If you don't mind being spoiled for episode # 9 "Ties That Bind", this set of clips focusing on Sunny is the best compact glimpse of the characters interacting with each other.
Where to find canon:
Sadly, while this was available all over Youtube (and even IMDB!) a few years back, now it's all behind paywalls. You either have to buy them or find them floating around the less-than-legal parts of the 'net.
# 4: 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 Annie Rooney (played by Christine Tucci). 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, a much older man named Jack. Annie is a competent agent who juggles her career with being a single mother to a little boy of about four years old; her messy divorce causes a lot of stress as her ex-husband seeks custody of their son.
Requested characters: Amanda Reardon and Annie Rooney
I requested both because I like both women and couldn't decide which I'd like fic about more. I wrote a couple fics focusing on Amanda, but I love Annie just as much, she's just harder for me to write! A fic about either one (or both) will make me very happy.
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. It's not clear-cut; she's good at both (as boss John tells her in one ep), but they both demand so much of her and it's a constant balancing act. I find the realism very fascinating; I haven't seen the like on many shows (when they show women being good at their jobs, they don't usually have a family, or if they do, they don't have a lot of issues trying to do both, and that's just not how it is for a lot of women).
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 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. You could definitely sell me on either romantic or platonic Amanda/Jack. I also enjoy seeing Annie as a mentoring agent; I think she does a good job with Mal.
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. Jack is an excellent agent, if a bit cranky, but I think inside he really does care, he just doesn't know how to show it.
Fic prompts & ideas (in case you don't have something already):
1. Annie: Something delving into the balancing act that is her life between career and mommyhood?
2. Amanda: Something regarding how she gets the idea to be an FBI agent, what drives her?
3. Annie: Her being a mentor to Mal?
4. Amanda: She and Jack coming to a place of mutual respect?
5. both: ensemble casefic?
6. both: Annie and Amanda have to team up somehow? (easy Bechdel test pass, lol)
7. either: hurt/comfort in some way with one of the other teammates
8. 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!)
Any combo of the characters with regards to their relationships with each other would intrigue me.
Unfortunately there are no clips, music videos, nada related to C-16: FBI on Youtube except for the episodes. (Even those didn't appear till a couple years ago.) The only existing fics are ones I wrote. I'd love to have another C-16: FBI writer in the fandom!
Where to find canon:
The show is not available for purchase yet, but you can find them all on Youtube. (Only 13 episodes! Easy to pick up.)
Also available on public torrents (last I checked) if you need them on your hard drive.
# 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: Any (options being Myles Leland III, Tara Williams)
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.
As far as the two of them together goes, I found it very interesting that while we see both Jack and Bobby trying to "protect" the women, including Tara (who's a Special Agent! not just support staff like Sue and Lucy), Myles does not make this mistake, as far as I can remember. He seems to have a lot more respect for Tara's abilities, and seeing him in Bad Hair Day in the restaurant with her made me very curious about the conversation that led up to that. Somehow I suspect he may have gone to bat for her. At the very least, he treats her as an equal more than any of the others, and that speaks of something very interesting that I'd like to see more of.
I would love a fic that features both--as good friends, kindred spirits, soul mates, or in a romantic relationship. But, I would also 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! 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. I requested both but a fic focusing on either of them individually would be as wonderful as one focusing on both together.
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). Please don't include Bobby/Tara or Myles/Lucy (other than flashbacks to them at the beginning of the show).
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.)
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.)
There is little fic about Myles or Tara, sadly; I will eagerly devour yours should this be the fandom you write. :D
Because canon is awesome:
Funny Moments
Funny Moments 2
Sadly, the other two clips I'd love to show have been taken down. :(
Where to find canon:
Purchase: Available at this special site or this special site as well as on Amazon
Download: You can find them at most public torrent sites. I'll leave you to do your own searches on it, but "sue thomas" ought to do the trick.
# 6: Women's Murder Club (TV)
Basic premise: A small group of friends (three to start, with a fourth working her way in during the first couple episodes) who all work in related fields share information to help each other solve cases. Lindsay Boxer (played by Angie Harmon) is a homicide inspector (aka detective) who works in San Francisco's police department. She's friends with Jill Bernhardt, a deputy district attorney and Claire Washburn, the medical examiner. As the show unfolds, she begins to respect (and maybe even like?) Cindy Thomas (played by Aubrey Dollar), a young reporter who gets assigned to the crime beat. The show is an excellent mix of drama, comedy, and romance, and has a lot of similarities to Rizzoli & Isles.
Requested characters: Lindsay Boxer, Cindy Thomas
I got into Women's Murder Club because I love watching Angie Harmon in Rizzoli & Isles, and this sounded like a similar role for her. After I saw the video titled "The Best of Women's Murder Club" and read this comment, I was positive I had to see the whole show: "Now it all makes sense. Jane Rizzoli is an extension of Lindsay Boxer. The only difference, they keep butching up Angie Harmon." It is so true. Lindsay is like a milder version of Jane in some ways. But in the ways she's different, I fell in love with her character all over again. Lindsay can actually cry, she hates being vulnerable but she can actually do it and be real with her friends. And that just won me over. (Seriously, make Angie Harmon be all vulnerable and cry in a scene and you have me. Completely.) I love her dedication to her work, the toughness she can bring to the job, but I also love that she can still be human, still be vulnerable, that she doesn't feel like she has to be tough to be respected (Jane Rizzoli, in many ways, hardens herself in order to be respected in her job). I love that she cares about her friends, and that she's torn about her ex but still knows what the right thing is and even respects his fiancée. While Lindsay doesn't always take the best care of herself (or act the most responsibly), it helps that Claire can act as "mom" and give her the lectures she needs but sometimes doesn't accept even from her other friends (something Maura isn't very good at giving Jane in R&I).
Cindy stole my heart because of several reasons. One, she's cute and adorable (I don't usually find redheads fascinating but there's something about Cindy . . .). Two, she has a delightful personality, bubbly, a little lacking in some common sense now and then, which the others are happy to lecture her about. And three, she has a bravery and courage that is pretty amazing. When she volunteers for the dangerous decoy task in "Father's Day" . . . that took guts. Real guts. I think Lindsay had to respect her for that. And then with what happens to her in "And The Truth Will (Sometimes) Set You Free", well . . . I want to hear more. (I also have to admit, I might not be a sports fan, but I loved Cindy in "Play Through the Pain", especially her interaction with Claire's son.)
Which brings me to why I requested both of them. I find the interaction between the two of them fascinating. And by this I don't know whether I want to read a romantic friendship or just a good friendship, or even a sisterly sort of thing . . . I just know I want either Lindsay or Cindy or both. WMC is so intertwined that I imagine it's probably easy to include all four women, so as long as the focus is on those two, I don't care if you write me a casefic, a friends-get-together-and-hang-out fic, an AU . . . you name it! But as for Lindsay and Cindy specifically, I see a bit of hero worship--and maybe a crush of sorts--on Cindy's side, and annoyance that turns to fondness and respect on Lindsay's. What you do with that is up to you. Deep feelings, caring intensely, please-don't-die-on-me, I-don't-know-what-to-do-if-you-weren't-here . . . I would eat that up. I would also be totally OK with a fic where they're just friends and Cindy's being her usual adorably ridiculous self and Lindsay is wondering if she needs to shoot her. *g*
My views on other characters:
I love Claire's motherliness, particularly with Lindsay, and I can see her totally mothering Cindy. I don't understand Jill very well so you can leave her out of the fic, or else just keeping her focused on case stuff or being general friends. Best off steering clear of the guys in the women's lives, with the exception of Claire and Ed. (You're welcome to pretend Pete never existed, or he left early, etc. if you like.)
For a sample of that, this bit of convo still makes me giggle. Watch that Best of WMC video and see what I mean:
Jill: Worst. Liar. Ever!
Lindsay: Don't make me charge you with obstruction!
Cindy: Every time a girl gets a little flustered you start whipping out the charges.
Claire: Please spare us all the pain of watching you try to bluff!
Fun fact: To quote Wikipedia: "In the San Francisco Police Department, inspector is the normal title for a detective, and the investigative branch of the SFPD is called the Bureau of Inspectors, renamed from the Investigations Bureau." (In case anyone's confused by why she's called Inspector Boxer instead of Detective Boxer.)
Fic prompts & ideas (in case you don't have something already):
1. I'd love to see more of Lindsay and Cindy regarding the shooting in ep # 12. Maybe an alternate ending where Jill isn't the one that stays at the hospital?
2. Maybe a fic about Lindsay and Cindy's friendship starting to grow from the beginning. I see a bit of insecurity in Cindy with regards to her friendships with the others.
3. Write what happens at the end of ep # 13; the show ended with no proper finale, and a bit of a cliffhanger with Lindsay. I'd like to see what happens next.
4. Missing scene with the two women? One possibility is right after Cindy was a decoy, or later that day. I'm sure you can come up with more.
5. AU--maybe they met years before, mix it up some other way, I love a good AU. :D
6. Fic focusing on just one or the other, if you're going, "ack, I don't know how to write this pairing!" You could go into Cindy's dinner with Claire (and how Claire mothers Cindy just like she does everyone else--except Cindy's almost young enough to actually be Claire's daughter, lol). Or you could write Lindsay's dealing with the Kiss-Me-Not Killer's threat a different way, maybe telling her friends earlier, or going into her inner thoughts some? I'm sure you can come up with more ideas.
7. What-ifs. What if Lindsay actually was pregnant? Or what if Cindy got hurt being a decoy? I love AU endings to eps where one variable gets tweaked and suddenly things go in an entirely different direction. As long as the bad guys still get put away somehow, have fun fiddling with variables!
8. I'm a sucker for hurt/comfort. I'm quite content for a writer to drop a wall on a character (metaphorically, literally, whatever--any trauma is OK with me, won't squick me out) as long as they can overcome their challenges / heal from it (scars are fine in both physical and emotional senses). That said, although Cindy makes the easier hurt one physically, we got a glimpse of Lindsay hurt emotionally in "To Drag and To Hold". The case got in the way of the rest of it, though. (I wish we'd gotten to see more than Cindy's speech to Lindsay!) Feel free to do whatever you like with that. Trauma that brings characters closer together is fine by me.
Because canon is awesome:
The Best of Women's Murder Club - awesome video that will spoil some things but give you a taste of how awesome WMC is.
Where to find canon:
The show's not available for sale (unless you buy the not-professional DVD-Rs from Amazon), but you can find all the eps (including the unaired version of the pilot, which is substantially different from the regular show in some areas so shouldn't be treated as canon for this) on Youtube. Just search for "Women's Murder Club" and you should find them--they're all titled WMC - Season 1 - Episode **.
Yuletide is SO much fun every year; I can't wait to see what you write! I know I'll love it. :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 fix-it fic), 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, historical), deathfic or horror, 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
Don't worry if someone's written a similar idea before. My first real fandom was one where people used to write a dozen versions of the same TV ep, and I loved reading them all. There are never too many versions of the same story, in my opinion.
Although I mention it in various prompts below, if you're crossover-inclined, here's the full list of fandoms you could cross with the requested ones (besides, of course, any of my other requests):
Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain (1995) (Beth/Jody make the best romantic friendship ever)
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (this is in the tagset, even--Lois and Clark are my favs, though I also enjoy Clark's parents)
Lord of the Rings (books only, please)
The Pretender (this is also in the tagset--Jarod and Miss Parker are my favs)
Push (2009) (this is also in the tagset--am such a Nick/Cassie fan)
Rizzoli & Isles (through S6, I'm behind on watching and haven't gotten to watching S7 yet)
Smallville (S1-S3 only, am a Clark/Chloe fan and not into Erica Durance's Lois, nor any of the magic stuff that came in S4)
Tomorrow, When the War Began (2010) (I'm not sure exactly how you'd cross something like that with all of these American and British canons, but I love the whole idea of it, even)
X-Men movieverse (first two films only, please)
And now to the requests (in the order of which I found them in the tagset):
Worldweavers - Alma Alexander
Flood (2007)
1-800-Missing (TV)
C-16: FBI
Sue Thomas F.B.Eye
Women's Murder Club
# 1: Worldweavers - Alma Alexander
Basic premise: Galathea Winthrop (aka Thea) is a Double Seventh, a seventh child of seventh children. This should mean she's good at something really special, right? Except she can't do magic at all. And Ars Magica is part of the curriculum of every school in the entire nation—except for one: the Wandless Academy (which is sometimes called the Last Ditch School for the Incurably Incompetent). But between a summer school (with a class of one) like no other, and various unusual events, Thea begins to discover the gifts she has never known she had. Oh, and save the world in the process.
Requested character: none (none in the tagset either—this was deliberate)
I didn't request any characters because I'd like to leave things open for worldbuilding. The sheer idea of a world where Ars Magica is part of the entire school curriculum—really, where magic is so woven into the way things happen that coffeeshops use spells to keep people's orders straight, you can buy a spell to keep gardens tidy, and a magic allergy is extremely life-threatening. Oh, and throw in the feral libraries, with elevators that act like four-year-olds! I fell in love with the world with that part. Just pure awesomeness! I also enjoy that part of it's set in my region of the US (the Pacific Northwest).
I also love Thea's story, so if you're feeling more of a character-driven story, I'd love fic about her!
For this fandom I'd love OCs, especially since I'm more interested in the way things work than in the specific characters' stories (other than Thea).
My views on other characters:
I like how Thea's friends over time, and you can totally throw them in, but I'd prefer that the fic not focus on them. I'm less interested in the Anasazi, Grandmother Spider/Tawaha/the Trickster, Tesla and all of that; feel free to leave them out. The Alphiri and Faele are not my thing, and we know little of the Dwarrowrim, so I'd prefer if the fic not focus on those polities, as they're called in the books.
Fic prompts & ideas (in case you don't have something already):
1. worldbuilding: something about the education system, from a child starting their first Ars Magica classes to the creation of the Wandless Academy. I'm a teacher; I'd love to see more of it from a teacher's perspective! (or any student, really) I mean, they mention mathemagic! (spell-solving of equations! fractionators! for a math teacher this is great stuff)
2. worldbuilding: magic run amok, like feral libraries, or magic as used in crimes and criminal justice, etc.
3. Thea: I'd love something set after Dawn of Magic, where she settles into her full power, finishes at Amford, etc.
4. Thea: Does she create anything really special in her life? Like the Elemental houses, for instance. Something that no one else could do.
5. worldbuilding: something with society setup, like the Federal Bureau of Magic, or how it's integrated into the everyday lives of people (note the bit in the first book about people not using cars much due to portals, slipways, transfigurations . . .), even as regards to having magic allergies (the medical profession would be interesting!) Use whatever you know well. I'm not into sports or fashion but I'll find just about any other industry fascinating; I like complex systems and how they work (hence my recent fascination with air traffic control and airports in general). The world in Worldweavers feels familiar but there are so many interesting changes!
6. Crossover—I really have no ideas there, but see the top of this letter for a list of some other fandoms I know in case this inspires you somehow (besides the ones I've requested).
There is absolutely no fic for this so far; anything you write will be eagerly devoured! :D
Where to find canon:
You can find the books on Amazon, both paperback and e-book forms. (The e-book ones, last I looked, cost only $5 each for books 2-4, and $3 for book 1.)
# 2: Flood (2007)
Basic premise: Professor Leonard Morrison is the only one who realizes that the Thames Barrier could be overwhelmed under the right set of circumstances, and when it happens, his son Rob, Rob's ex-wife Samantha Morrison (played by Jessalyn Gilsig), and Commissioner Patricia Nash (played by Joanne Whaley) must do what they can to save as many lives possible. Note: This is both a feature-length film and a TV mini-series. The mini-series being the full version of the film (and the feature-length film being heavily edited to the point that it's hard to understand what happened in some of the middle bits), I nominated this assuming that whoever offers will have seen the full version. If you haven't, see below for ways to see it.
Requested character/s: Patricia Nash, Samantha Morrison
I nominated both women because I love their characters and couldn't decide who I wanted more. So I leave it to you to choose! I am totally OK with a fic focusing on just one or the other.
This film grabbed my heart when it got to the point where Patricia Nash had to decide what to prioritize, and told them to prioritize the schools. The way she said it, just the look on her face, I was hooked. It was real in a way I've rarely felt with disaster films, as entertaining as they are. And then when her assistant brings her tea and coffee when she's worrying about her daughters, I wanted to cry for her. LOVED the angst. Especially since her husband's dead (besides the "after losing John" line she says, notice the line about the mother of one of the inspectors trying to fatten her up by sending her some cakes? I think she lost a bunch of weight grieving for him). The girls are, I suspect, all she has left. I love how she has to do her best to save people while at the same time worrying about her own family, and just not knowing...
And then as I kept watching (and re-watching), I started to really love Sam Morrison too. She's adorable, both when she's looking nice (like when she runs into Rob in her office), and when she's more "drowned rat" than human. I particularly loved her angsting over the people left behind (when she and Rob are huddled on the boat), and her teasing Rob when trying to bandage his leg. And isn't it just adorable how she's constantly touching Rob in some way? You can tell she's still in love with him. The scene where he asks why she's telling him, and he points out he didn't ask... "Because you wanted to know." She tells him just because he wants to know, no asking, he doesn't even need to know, nor is it his business, but she volunteers that info. I love the way she says it... But seriously, if you do a rewatch, count how many times she reaches out to touch Rob. Her hand's on his shoulder, his arm, she leans her head on his shoulder (aww), she's finding some way to be close to him... And at the end, when she's holding him, you can see her whisper "It's OK" to him a couple times and I want to cry for them both. Adorable and heartwrenching at the same time. (Yes, I used the word adorable too many times, but when it's true...)
With this fandom, I am all about the angst, as long as there's some comfort to go with it. Whether that's Rob and Sam comforting each other, Leonard and Patricia comforting each other... Emotional hurt/comfort is the best. :D
I'm totally OK with this fandom either written as normal, or AUed in some way. The key things are: don't kill off either of the chars I nominated, and don't kill off Patricia's daughters without leaving her Leonard to lean on. (Was I the only one who saw something developing between them? Where he's reaching for her hand when he realizes Rob's on the phone, where they hug before he leaves... yeah, TOTALLY a possibility.) Beyond that, feel free to make it so everyone lives (because the "not enough oxygen" thing was a bit stupid), or swap who lives and who dies, etc. Or just deal with it the way it is. You pick!
Interesting fact:
While sad, it's interesting to know that Robert Carlyle's father (who he was close to) died just weeks before filming. The scene where Rob cries at the end was very real for him, and difficult for the crew to watch.
My views on other characters:
I like Leonard well enough and enjoyed the father-son interactions. I love Rob/Sam and love how they lean on each other; I love how she looks to him to get them somewhere safe throughout the film. I have no interest in the father-daughter arc (the one with the mother who's up in Scotland). No one else stands out as of particular note to me.
Fic prompts & ideas (in case you don't have something already):
1. Patricia - while her daughters may have made it in the film, there were a lot of people who didn't, and she feels responsible. Somehow I don't think a simple pep talk from Leonard is going to erase all of that. And if her daughters don't make it, then she has the guilt of "I couldn't even save them" on top of it. I love seeing her character dealing with all the angst and guilt.
2. Sam - aftermath of the film, being there for Rob... or if Leonard doesn't take his place, grieving for him.
3. Patricia - she seemed drawn to Leonard in the little bit they spent working together. What if he lives somehow? Would something develop between them? And even if you go with the film's version of events, does she think about him or grieve a little?
4. Sam - she has all this respect for Leonard, but doesn't seem to know him very well. Does she wish she'd gotten to know him as a father-in-law? Does she even have a father of her own at this point, and wishes he would be that figure? Whether he lives or not, there's something to play with there.
5. Patricia & Sam - each of them has their own responsibility guilt... Patricia for the average people who died when she was supposed to save them, Sam for the workers under her that didn't make it (Frank, for instance--that loss will hurt her greatly). I'd love to see them each trying to deal with that, perhaps discussing it or developing a friendship based on mutual understanding.
6. Patricia & Sam - AU it a bit! What if Leonard doesn't take Rob's place? And what if Patricia's daughters don't make it? There are so many interesting dynamics that would pop up. Or AU it in some other way.
There is absolutely no fic for this so far (other than the two small things I wrote); anything you write will be eagerly devoured! :D
Where to find canon:
While you can purchase the film on Amazon, you have to be careful to get the one with the full-length version! It should be something like 188 minutes or so, not the 106 minute version. You can also find the full-length version on Youtube. Be sure to search "Flood ITV" - if you just search "Flood 2007" you'll get the shorter version, but "Flood ITV" will pull up a version with two parts, which is exactly what you want.
# 3: 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: Jess Mastriani, Brooke Haslett, Sunny Estrada
I requested all three 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? You are more than welcome to write a fic about just one of those, or any combination of them.
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.
Note: I have only seen the first season of this show (1-800-Missing), not the retooling as "Missing". 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. I'm not into Hunter or Jack. Jess's family is nice as a side aspect of a bigger story.
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", which is possibly my favorite ep of all, 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? Or write a continuation of that ep?
8. All of the above: crossover with The Pretender? (in the tagset, and has been a request in previous years) 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? (The fandom's too big for Yuletide, but if the focus is on the 1-800-Missing chars, you're welcome to pull in Jane or Maura, for instance--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.
There's only a handful of fics for the 2nd/3rd seasons on ff.n. The only fic featuring Brooke is in French; the only one featuring Sunny is set in the later seasons (I'm guessing she ends up running into Jess later) and is stalled. None of them are for 1-800-Missing. You will be groundbreaking!
Because canon is awesome:
If you don't mind being spoiled for episode # 9 "Ties That Bind", this set of clips focusing on Sunny is the best compact glimpse of the characters interacting with each other.
Where to find canon:
Sadly, while this was available all over Youtube (and even IMDB!) a few years back, now it's all behind paywalls. You either have to buy them or find them floating around the less-than-legal parts of the 'net.
# 4: 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 Annie Rooney (played by Christine Tucci). 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, a much older man named Jack. Annie is a competent agent who juggles her career with being a single mother to a little boy of about four years old; her messy divorce causes a lot of stress as her ex-husband seeks custody of their son.
Requested characters: Amanda Reardon and Annie Rooney
I requested both because I like both women and couldn't decide which I'd like fic about more. I wrote a couple fics focusing on Amanda, but I love Annie just as much, she's just harder for me to write! A fic about either one (or both) will make me very happy.
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. It's not clear-cut; she's good at both (as boss John tells her in one ep), but they both demand so much of her and it's a constant balancing act. I find the realism very fascinating; I haven't seen the like on many shows (when they show women being good at their jobs, they don't usually have a family, or if they do, they don't have a lot of issues trying to do both, and that's just not how it is for a lot of women).
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 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. You could definitely sell me on either romantic or platonic Amanda/Jack. I also enjoy seeing Annie as a mentoring agent; I think she does a good job with Mal.
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. Jack is an excellent agent, if a bit cranky, but I think inside he really does care, he just doesn't know how to show it.
Fic prompts & ideas (in case you don't have something already):
1. Annie: Something delving into the balancing act that is her life between career and mommyhood?
2. Amanda: Something regarding how she gets the idea to be an FBI agent, what drives her?
3. Annie: Her being a mentor to Mal?
4. Amanda: She and Jack coming to a place of mutual respect?
5. both: ensemble casefic?
6. both: Annie and Amanda have to team up somehow? (easy Bechdel test pass, lol)
7. either: hurt/comfort in some way with one of the other teammates
8. 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!)
Any combo of the characters with regards to their relationships with each other would intrigue me.
Unfortunately there are no clips, music videos, nada related to C-16: FBI on Youtube except for the episodes. (Even those didn't appear till a couple years ago.) The only existing fics are ones I wrote. I'd love to have another C-16: FBI writer in the fandom!
Where to find canon:
The show is not available for purchase yet, but you can find them all on Youtube. (Only 13 episodes! Easy to pick up.)
Also available on public torrents (last I checked) if you need them on your hard drive.
# 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: Any (options being Myles Leland III, Tara Williams)
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.
As far as the two of them together goes, I found it very interesting that while we see both Jack and Bobby trying to "protect" the women, including Tara (who's a Special Agent! not just support staff like Sue and Lucy), Myles does not make this mistake, as far as I can remember. He seems to have a lot more respect for Tara's abilities, and seeing him in Bad Hair Day in the restaurant with her made me very curious about the conversation that led up to that. Somehow I suspect he may have gone to bat for her. At the very least, he treats her as an equal more than any of the others, and that speaks of something very interesting that I'd like to see more of.
I would love a fic that features both--as good friends, kindred spirits, soul mates, or in a romantic relationship. But, I would also 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! 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. I requested both but a fic focusing on either of them individually would be as wonderful as one focusing on both together.
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). Please don't include Bobby/Tara or Myles/Lucy (other than flashbacks to them at the beginning of the show).
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.)
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.)
There is little fic about Myles or Tara, sadly; I will eagerly devour yours should this be the fandom you write. :D
Because canon is awesome:
Funny Moments
Funny Moments 2
Sadly, the other two clips I'd love to show have been taken down. :(
Where to find canon:
Purchase: Available at this special site or this special site as well as on Amazon
Download: You can find them at most public torrent sites. I'll leave you to do your own searches on it, but "sue thomas" ought to do the trick.
# 6: Women's Murder Club (TV)
Basic premise: A small group of friends (three to start, with a fourth working her way in during the first couple episodes) who all work in related fields share information to help each other solve cases. Lindsay Boxer (played by Angie Harmon) is a homicide inspector (aka detective) who works in San Francisco's police department. She's friends with Jill Bernhardt, a deputy district attorney and Claire Washburn, the medical examiner. As the show unfolds, she begins to respect (and maybe even like?) Cindy Thomas (played by Aubrey Dollar), a young reporter who gets assigned to the crime beat. The show is an excellent mix of drama, comedy, and romance, and has a lot of similarities to Rizzoli & Isles.
Requested characters: Lindsay Boxer, Cindy Thomas
I got into Women's Murder Club because I love watching Angie Harmon in Rizzoli & Isles, and this sounded like a similar role for her. After I saw the video titled "The Best of Women's Murder Club" and read this comment, I was positive I had to see the whole show: "Now it all makes sense. Jane Rizzoli is an extension of Lindsay Boxer. The only difference, they keep butching up Angie Harmon." It is so true. Lindsay is like a milder version of Jane in some ways. But in the ways she's different, I fell in love with her character all over again. Lindsay can actually cry, she hates being vulnerable but she can actually do it and be real with her friends. And that just won me over. (Seriously, make Angie Harmon be all vulnerable and cry in a scene and you have me. Completely.) I love her dedication to her work, the toughness she can bring to the job, but I also love that she can still be human, still be vulnerable, that she doesn't feel like she has to be tough to be respected (Jane Rizzoli, in many ways, hardens herself in order to be respected in her job). I love that she cares about her friends, and that she's torn about her ex but still knows what the right thing is and even respects his fiancée. While Lindsay doesn't always take the best care of herself (or act the most responsibly), it helps that Claire can act as "mom" and give her the lectures she needs but sometimes doesn't accept even from her other friends (something Maura isn't very good at giving Jane in R&I).
Cindy stole my heart because of several reasons. One, she's cute and adorable (I don't usually find redheads fascinating but there's something about Cindy . . .). Two, she has a delightful personality, bubbly, a little lacking in some common sense now and then, which the others are happy to lecture her about. And three, she has a bravery and courage that is pretty amazing. When she volunteers for the dangerous decoy task in "Father's Day" . . . that took guts. Real guts. I think Lindsay had to respect her for that. And then with what happens to her in "And The Truth Will (Sometimes) Set You Free", well . . . I want to hear more. (I also have to admit, I might not be a sports fan, but I loved Cindy in "Play Through the Pain", especially her interaction with Claire's son.)
Which brings me to why I requested both of them. I find the interaction between the two of them fascinating. And by this I don't know whether I want to read a romantic friendship or just a good friendship, or even a sisterly sort of thing . . . I just know I want either Lindsay or Cindy or both. WMC is so intertwined that I imagine it's probably easy to include all four women, so as long as the focus is on those two, I don't care if you write me a casefic, a friends-get-together-and-hang-out fic, an AU . . . you name it! But as for Lindsay and Cindy specifically, I see a bit of hero worship--and maybe a crush of sorts--on Cindy's side, and annoyance that turns to fondness and respect on Lindsay's. What you do with that is up to you. Deep feelings, caring intensely, please-don't-die-on-me, I-don't-know-what-to-do-if-you-weren't-here . . . I would eat that up. I would also be totally OK with a fic where they're just friends and Cindy's being her usual adorably ridiculous self and Lindsay is wondering if she needs to shoot her. *g*
My views on other characters:
I love Claire's motherliness, particularly with Lindsay, and I can see her totally mothering Cindy. I don't understand Jill very well so you can leave her out of the fic, or else just keeping her focused on case stuff or being general friends. Best off steering clear of the guys in the women's lives, with the exception of Claire and Ed. (You're welcome to pretend Pete never existed, or he left early, etc. if you like.)
For a sample of that, this bit of convo still makes me giggle. Watch that Best of WMC video and see what I mean:
Jill: Worst. Liar. Ever!
Lindsay: Don't make me charge you with obstruction!
Cindy: Every time a girl gets a little flustered you start whipping out the charges.
Claire: Please spare us all the pain of watching you try to bluff!
Fun fact: To quote Wikipedia: "In the San Francisco Police Department, inspector is the normal title for a detective, and the investigative branch of the SFPD is called the Bureau of Inspectors, renamed from the Investigations Bureau." (In case anyone's confused by why she's called Inspector Boxer instead of Detective Boxer.)
Fic prompts & ideas (in case you don't have something already):
1. I'd love to see more of Lindsay and Cindy regarding the shooting in ep # 12. Maybe an alternate ending where Jill isn't the one that stays at the hospital?
2. Maybe a fic about Lindsay and Cindy's friendship starting to grow from the beginning. I see a bit of insecurity in Cindy with regards to her friendships with the others.
3. Write what happens at the end of ep # 13; the show ended with no proper finale, and a bit of a cliffhanger with Lindsay. I'd like to see what happens next.
4. Missing scene with the two women? One possibility is right after Cindy was a decoy, or later that day. I'm sure you can come up with more.
5. AU--maybe they met years before, mix it up some other way, I love a good AU. :D
6. Fic focusing on just one or the other, if you're going, "ack, I don't know how to write this pairing!" You could go into Cindy's dinner with Claire (and how Claire mothers Cindy just like she does everyone else--except Cindy's almost young enough to actually be Claire's daughter, lol). Or you could write Lindsay's dealing with the Kiss-Me-Not Killer's threat a different way, maybe telling her friends earlier, or going into her inner thoughts some? I'm sure you can come up with more ideas.
7. What-ifs. What if Lindsay actually was pregnant? Or what if Cindy got hurt being a decoy? I love AU endings to eps where one variable gets tweaked and suddenly things go in an entirely different direction. As long as the bad guys still get put away somehow, have fun fiddling with variables!
8. I'm a sucker for hurt/comfort. I'm quite content for a writer to drop a wall on a character (metaphorically, literally, whatever--any trauma is OK with me, won't squick me out) as long as they can overcome their challenges / heal from it (scars are fine in both physical and emotional senses). That said, although Cindy makes the easier hurt one physically, we got a glimpse of Lindsay hurt emotionally in "To Drag and To Hold". The case got in the way of the rest of it, though. (I wish we'd gotten to see more than Cindy's speech to Lindsay!) Feel free to do whatever you like with that. Trauma that brings characters closer together is fine by me.
Because canon is awesome:
The Best of Women's Murder Club - awesome video that will spoil some things but give you a taste of how awesome WMC is.
Where to find canon:
The show's not available for sale (unless you buy the not-professional DVD-Rs from Amazon), but you can find all the eps (including the unaired version of the pilot, which is substantially different from the regular show in some areas so shouldn't be treated as canon for this) on Youtube. Just search for "Women's Murder Club" and you should find them--they're all titled WMC - Season 1 - Episode **.
Yuletide is SO much fun every year; I can't wait to see what you write! I know I'll love it. :D
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