Dear Yuletide 2023 author
Oct. 15th, 2023 11:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dolorosa_12Thank you for writing for me!
I'm pretty easygoing about what type of fic you want to write for me. I read fic of any rating, and would be equally happy with plotty genfic or something very shippy. I read gen, femslash, het and slash, although I have a slight preference towards femslash, het, and gen that focuses on female characters. I mainly read fic to find out what happens to characters after the final page has turned or the credits have rolled, so I would particularly love to have futurefic of some kind. Don't feel you have to limit yourself to the characters I specifically mention — I'm happy with others being included if they fit with the story you want to tell.
Feel free to have a look around my Ao3 profile, as it should give you a good idea of the types of things I like to read. You can also look at my Yuletide tag, which includes past letters, and recs posts of my previous gifts and other fic I've enjoyed in previous Yuletide colletions.
I have treating enabled on Ao3 and would be delighted to receive treats for any of my requests.
General likes
Found families and 'us against the world' dynamics
Human/non-human pairings
Relationships with power imbalances
Hurt/comfort and trauma recovery
People with vastly different backgrounds, perspectives, or life experience working together - especially grudging enemies/antagonists-to-allies/lovers stories
Explorations of characters' religious/philosophical beliefs, especially if they clash with the beliefs of other characters
Fairytale, folktales or mythology being incorporated into fic
Characters with a strong sense of home and place (whether that 'home' is a city, or other people)
Characters who are migrants, exiles or refugees, and for whom this is an important component of their identity
DNWs
Fusions and crossovers
AUs, apart from canon-divergence AUs (basically, please don't change the setting)
Incest
Unrequested ships involving my requested characters (background pairings involving unrequested characters are fine though)
Death of requested characters
Several fandom-specific DNWs, which I will outline below
Fandom-specific prompts:
The Bone Season — Samantha Shannon
Requested characters: Warden | Arcturus Mesarthim, Paige Mahoney
What I like about the series
The intricate alternate world, particularly Scion London, with its underworld of criminal clairvoyants trying to eke out an existence in the face of oppression, the uneasy shifting alliances, and all the little details about the urban geography and history of Soho, Covent Garden and so on.
The pervasive sense of threat and menace that permeates the series, and the choices this forces the characters to make.
Paige and Arcturus's relationship — the initial mistrust, the power imbalances, the secrets they keep from each other, the way they share dreams, and the way Arcturus makes Paige a bit more supernatural and she makes him a bit more human.
The hurt/comfort potential for the Paige/Arcturus relationship — I absolutely loved The Dawn Chorus, since it was one whole novella of Paige/Arcturus hurt/comfort!
The tensions and contradictions in Paige's existence — becoming a criminal mollisher for Jaxon Hall gives her a measure of safety, but also puts her in greater danger, and in some ways the series represents her slow shift from pragmatism to risk-taking revolutionary leadership.
Prompts I'd love to see
Any fic that explores Paige and Arcturus's relationship, particularly the power imbalances, cultural differences, and the ways in which their relationship forces them to reflect on their respective identities as human and Rephaite. I really love hurt/comfort fic, and would be particularly delighted to see more scenes of hurt/comfort with this pair of characters. Missing moments from when Paige was in hiding in London would be most welcome. I'd also love to read futurefic set just after the end of events in The Mask Falling — is Arcturus really dead? How do they find each other again, and how do they rebuild trust after the events of the most recent book caused Paige to doubt her own reality? I'd love to read fic set in another part of Samantha Shannon's alternate world — so far we've seen Scotland, England, Ireland, and Paris but nothing of the rest of the world. What are other Scion countries like? Alternatively, a fic that takes place entirely within shared dreamscapes would be absolutely amazing! Given this series is a retelling of the myth of Prometheus and Pandora, any fic that really leans into this premise could also be really interesting.
Fandom-specific DNWs
I'm happy for other characters from the series to appear in any fic you write, but I would prefer it if your fic didn't focus on Jaxon Hall.
The Pagan Chronicles - Catherine Jinks
Requested characters: Babylonne Kidrouk, Isidore Orbus
What I like about this series
The found families — this whole series is just one long story of hurt/comfort within found families, and I love it!
I love that it's this multigenerational story of broken, damaged orphans finding each other, healing each other and making each other whole.
The strong sense of history, and the way it makes forgotten episodes in world history come alive.
The fact that the series doesn't shy away from its characters' religious faith, but shows that their observance and understanding of religion was more flexible and pluralistic than is generally portrayed in popular fictional depictions of the Middle Ages.
The compassionate, empathetic, and forgiving way the characters deal with the realities of their world — they expect people to be flawed, and the strong to hurt the weak, but this doesn't stop them being kind, and imaginative, and skilled at talking their way out of difficult situations.
Prompts I'd love to see
I would be eternally grateful for futurefic set after Pagan's Daughter in which Isidore and Babylonne have adventures in Bologna. I ship the two characters, so would particularly enjoy fic that pairs them up romantically. (I don't mind if you don't ship them, however, and if you prefer to write about their relationship from a gen perspective I would be equally thrilled!) I love the series' emphasis on religious pluralism, scholarship and learning, and good-faith engagement with people with different religious and cultural backgrounds, and any fic that explored these ideas would be fantastic. I'd also love to see the pair travelling elsewhere, having adventures, and meeting (and reacting to) new people and ideas. I love how clever, talkative, argumentative and downright wordy all the characters in this series are, and any fic which gave free rein to their loquaciousness, differing religious perspectives, or similar ideas would be absolutely marvellous.
Fandom specific DNWs
None
Tochmarc Étaíne
Requested characters: Étaín, Fúamnach
What I like about this story and characters
It's just really, really bizarre and weird, and jumps from point to point and character to character so abruptly that it feels like a bunch of unrelated stories stuck together.
I love the sense that there's this whole story about the two women happening below the surface of what is actually written down in the source material.
In canon, both women are somewhat voiceless, their motivations never explained, and Étaín acted upon rather than acting, and I love the sense of freedom and possibility this gives to fic writers.
The interaction between the otherworldly and human worlds — the barrier between both is thin, and permeable, with the supernatural constantly bleeding into the everyday world.
Prompts I'd love to see
I particularly want to see fic set during the point in canon when Midir brings Étaín into the otherworld to be his wife. In canon, Fúamnach is immediately jealous and transforms Étaín into a pool of water in a fit of rage. But what if, instead, the two women bond, and Fúamnach transformed Étaín to protect her and keep her away from Midir? Fic where the two have a sense of solidarity in the face of being brought into the otherworld against their will would be great — I've always felt Midir has a kind of ruthless acquisitiveness, and for the two women to recognise and resist this in whatever small ways they can would be great. I'd also be interested in fic that explored the otherworldly setting and focused on the strange inhabitants and landscape of the supernatural otherworld. If you wanted to pair up Étaín and Fúamnach and write shipfic I'd be delighted, but I'd be equally delighted with gen.
When it comes to Fúamnach, I'd love to see fic focusing on her magical powers. Does Midir curtail these powers in some way? How do her powers work, and are there any other situations in which she's used them?
In terms of Étaín, fic that dug into the disorienting weirdness of her situation — an endless cycle of death and rebirth, appearing and reappearing after vast amounts of time have passed, travelling in and out of the otherworld, transformation into water, and into various types of animal — would be wonderful.
Fandom specific DNWs
Fic that portrays Étaín or Fúamnach as jealous of each other or competing for Midir's affections. Although I didn't request Midir as a character I don't mind a focus on pairing both or either woman up with Midir as long as it's non-consensual and the focus is on the female characters rather than him. Other than the aforementioned Midir/Fúamnach or Midir/Étaín, I don't want to see any pairings for either woman besides Étaín/Fúamnach.
Don't feel you have to stick rigidly within the bounds of my prompts. As long as your fic is focused on the characters I requested, I will be thrilled to receive anything you write for me, as these really are some of my most beloved fandoms of the heart, and the existence of any fic for them will make me extremely happy.
I'm pretty easygoing about what type of fic you want to write for me. I read fic of any rating, and would be equally happy with plotty genfic or something very shippy. I read gen, femslash, het and slash, although I have a slight preference towards femslash, het, and gen that focuses on female characters. I mainly read fic to find out what happens to characters after the final page has turned or the credits have rolled, so I would particularly love to have futurefic of some kind. Don't feel you have to limit yourself to the characters I specifically mention — I'm happy with others being included if they fit with the story you want to tell.
Feel free to have a look around my Ao3 profile, as it should give you a good idea of the types of things I like to read. You can also look at my Yuletide tag, which includes past letters, and recs posts of my previous gifts and other fic I've enjoyed in previous Yuletide colletions.
I have treating enabled on Ao3 and would be delighted to receive treats for any of my requests.
General likes
DNWs
Fandom-specific prompts:
The Bone Season — Samantha Shannon
Requested characters: Warden | Arcturus Mesarthim, Paige Mahoney
What I like about the series
Prompts I'd love to see
Any fic that explores Paige and Arcturus's relationship, particularly the power imbalances, cultural differences, and the ways in which their relationship forces them to reflect on their respective identities as human and Rephaite. I really love hurt/comfort fic, and would be particularly delighted to see more scenes of hurt/comfort with this pair of characters. Missing moments from when Paige was in hiding in London would be most welcome. I'd also love to read futurefic set just after the end of events in The Mask Falling — is Arcturus really dead? How do they find each other again, and how do they rebuild trust after the events of the most recent book caused Paige to doubt her own reality? I'd love to read fic set in another part of Samantha Shannon's alternate world — so far we've seen Scotland, England, Ireland, and Paris but nothing of the rest of the world. What are other Scion countries like? Alternatively, a fic that takes place entirely within shared dreamscapes would be absolutely amazing! Given this series is a retelling of the myth of Prometheus and Pandora, any fic that really leans into this premise could also be really interesting.
Fandom-specific DNWs
I'm happy for other characters from the series to appear in any fic you write, but I would prefer it if your fic didn't focus on Jaxon Hall.
The Pagan Chronicles - Catherine Jinks
Requested characters: Babylonne Kidrouk, Isidore Orbus
What I like about this series
Prompts I'd love to see
I would be eternally grateful for futurefic set after Pagan's Daughter in which Isidore and Babylonne have adventures in Bologna. I ship the two characters, so would particularly enjoy fic that pairs them up romantically. (I don't mind if you don't ship them, however, and if you prefer to write about their relationship from a gen perspective I would be equally thrilled!) I love the series' emphasis on religious pluralism, scholarship and learning, and good-faith engagement with people with different religious and cultural backgrounds, and any fic that explored these ideas would be fantastic. I'd also love to see the pair travelling elsewhere, having adventures, and meeting (and reacting to) new people and ideas. I love how clever, talkative, argumentative and downright wordy all the characters in this series are, and any fic which gave free rein to their loquaciousness, differing religious perspectives, or similar ideas would be absolutely marvellous.
Fandom specific DNWs
None
Tochmarc Étaíne
Requested characters: Étaín, Fúamnach
What I like about this story and characters
Prompts I'd love to see
I particularly want to see fic set during the point in canon when Midir brings Étaín into the otherworld to be his wife. In canon, Fúamnach is immediately jealous and transforms Étaín into a pool of water in a fit of rage. But what if, instead, the two women bond, and Fúamnach transformed Étaín to protect her and keep her away from Midir? Fic where the two have a sense of solidarity in the face of being brought into the otherworld against their will would be great — I've always felt Midir has a kind of ruthless acquisitiveness, and for the two women to recognise and resist this in whatever small ways they can would be great. I'd also be interested in fic that explored the otherworldly setting and focused on the strange inhabitants and landscape of the supernatural otherworld. If you wanted to pair up Étaín and Fúamnach and write shipfic I'd be delighted, but I'd be equally delighted with gen.
When it comes to Fúamnach, I'd love to see fic focusing on her magical powers. Does Midir curtail these powers in some way? How do her powers work, and are there any other situations in which she's used them?
In terms of Étaín, fic that dug into the disorienting weirdness of her situation — an endless cycle of death and rebirth, appearing and reappearing after vast amounts of time have passed, travelling in and out of the otherworld, transformation into water, and into various types of animal — would be wonderful.
Fandom specific DNWs
Fic that portrays Étaín or Fúamnach as jealous of each other or competing for Midir's affections. Although I didn't request Midir as a character I don't mind a focus on pairing both or either woman up with Midir as long as it's non-consensual and the focus is on the female characters rather than him. Other than the aforementioned Midir/Fúamnach or Midir/Étaín, I don't want to see any pairings for either woman besides Étaín/Fúamnach.
Don't feel you have to stick rigidly within the bounds of my prompts. As long as your fic is focused on the characters I requested, I will be thrilled to receive anything you write for me, as these really are some of my most beloved fandoms of the heart, and the existence of any fic for them will make me extremely happy.