A Short Q&A With Larisa

                                                                                   LARISA



Today's short Q&A with Larisa will kick off what will be twice a week postings, where several bards in the Xenaverse will answer 43 questions that will range from things like what their writing inspirations are to what their feelings are about how the show Xena: Warrior Princess ended. Now, Here's Larisa!



1. Why did you start writing?
Honestly, I read some Xena FF one day and thought how absolutely atrocious it was and thought to myself, "Hell I can do better than that!"  and here we are years later.

2. If you had to do it all over again would you still write?
Ohh yeah, I've been writing for years as a way to vent daily frustrations. After a few years of talking (venting) to myself in public and getting some really strange looks, writing became a safer way to stay out of a rubber room.

3. Once you’ve written a story do you ever read it again?
On occasion I'll go back and reread something I've wrote, usually because someone will ask me what I was thinking when I wrote such and such.

4. How did you start writing Xena fan fiction?
Ohh I got bored one day and a little disgusted after reading a really horrible Xena FF and decided to give it a go.

5. Is your muse a constant companion, or does it abandon you for long periods of time?
I don't really have a muse, I have the "wrecking crew" in my head tossing ideas around all day long. Or singing show tunes, the songs from the movie Burlesque are getting old and tiresome.

6. How do you feel about sequels? 
I have written them but find it easier to just start from scratch.

7. Is writing a quiet thing for you, where there can't be any noise or conversation going on?
There is no such thing in my life, I usually have the TV on, my IPOD playing in my ears and all my fur kids making noise while I'm writing.

8. Do you prefer to write/read romance, angst, horror etc, etc?
I read and write everything.

9. What usually sparks a story idea for you?
It doesn't take much, just a simple sentence or something I saw can spark a story.

10. Do you write a story straight through, or do you write in pieces, then put it all together?
I go from start to finish all in one shot.

11. What advice can you give to future writers?
Write with your own voice and don't let anyone try and take that voice away.

12. What has the show Xena meant to you? 
Liberation.

13. How do you feel about the way it ended?
It sucked!

14. Where do your ideas come from?
It doesn't take much for me to throw out a story, I saw a Viking horned helm one day and just with that a FF was born.

15. What do you enjoy most about writing?
Ohh I don't know, I guess that when it's finished that I might bring some laughter into someone's life.

16. Do you read books for pleasure while you are writing?
I'm constantly reading, so yeah.

17. Do you have a favorite Greek God?
Hecate.

18. Do you have a pet peeve?
People correcting my hillbilly language.

19. How real are your characters to you?
Some of my characters are actually bits and pieces of myself, usually the bad pieces.

20. Do your characters speak to you?
They're telling me to tell you yes they do.

21. Are you in control of your story, or do the characters run the show?
I am not the boss, I'm lucky they let me do anything.

22. How would you feel about another writer giving one of your characters a cameo in their story?
I don't mind if they do as long as they stay true to the character and I know about it.

23. Has online writing changed your life in any way? 
Yep, I have stalkers!

24. Which one of your online stories is your favorite?
Off the top of my head, I'd have to say Hill Jack Conspiracy.  I wrote it for a Bard challenge and the FF had to include somewhere in it Cracker Jacks, the World Health Organization and some other stuff that I forget.  I wrote it in like two days and the lack of sleep and amount of caffeine intake is evident. So it shouldn't be surprising that I could throw a WHO doctor on a long train ride through West Virginia with a paranoid nut-job that makes spy gadgets for the Gov't.    

25. What is your favorite word?
Let's just say it starts with an F and ends with a K and I use it frequently.

26. What is your least favorite word?
Suspension. I hear that after I've been caught using the F word at work. That's a big no no in the school systems.

27. What turns you on?
Expressive eyes, unless they're expressing themselves by going off in two different directions at the same time.

28. What turns you off?
Men.

29. What sound or noise do you love?
My teacup Chihuahua snoring.

30. What sound or noise do you hate?
My phone ringing.

31. What is your favorite curse word?
I have so many!

32. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
I'm a custodian in an elementary school so anything is better than what I'm doing.

33. What profession would you absolutely not like to participate in?
The road crew that picks up road kill, ever been behind one of those trucks?

34. If Heaven exists what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
If it does exist, I've already been barred. And the only thing God would say to me is a blood curdling scream as he ran for the pearly gates.

35. Do you write your stories straight through or do you have a lot of rewrites?
I don't think I've ever rewritten anything, I may change the way a sentence is written but that's about it.

36. Is there ever a point in your writing where you get stuck each and every time? How do you get out of it?
Usually I'll have a problem with a medical scene and what exactly the medical staff would do in that situation. I usually just sit and visualize the scene and write it that way. Like watching an episode of House or ER.

37. Which part of the writing process do you enjoy the most and why?
I would have to say the posting, that means I'm done and the wrecking crew can take a nap.

38. When you're working on a story are you obsessed with it until it's done?
Not usually, I can write more than one FF at a time and usually do.

39. Who are your favorite top five writers? Online or published.
Sara Paretsky, Dan Brown, Kathy Reichs, Patricia Cornwell and my favorite Janet Evanovich

40. The song says "Who rules the world? Girls." If that were true would the world be a better place?
Hell yes!

41. Have you ever been stalked on the internet by an overzealous fan?
Ohh yeah and let me tell you it's freaky!

42. Have you created a character that you would like to meet?
I'd say Abby "The spitting troll" from Operation Drop Zone, ya know so I could complete her pervert corruption.

43. What do you see yourself doing in the future?
Chasing people through Walmart in my Rascal scooter.





Here is Larisa's favorite story:

Hill Jack Conspiracy by Larisa - 84 pages
Dr. Goran Pickens, World Health Organization, is being assigned to West Virginia and along with a Security Specialist, something she's not thrilled about. She's even less thrilled upon meeting Special Agent Raith Bullshanks of the United Nations Special Security Division. The tall dark-headed woman rubs the blonde doctor the wrong way, literally, from the first second they meet. But things will change, as this Appalachia adventure will develop into something unexpected for all involved and insanity will run rampant with many twists in this Larisa romp that was written for the 'Intrepid Challenge.'
http://xenafiction.net/scrolls/larisa_hjc1.html