A Short Q&A With Vivian Darkbloom

VIVIAN DARKBLOOM

1. Why did you start writing?
I’ve been writing since I was very young. I love language, words, and telling stories. So it’s as habitual to me as reading.

2. If you had to do it all over again would you still write?
Yes. In fact, I still write!

3. Once you’ve written a story do you ever sit down and read it for enjoyment?
I will reread it in its entirety to see how it holds together as a story. Then I start seeing mistakes and typos and sentences I don’t like—but sometimes I find something to appreciate. Sometimes not!

4. How did you start writing Xena fan fiction?
I had discovered Xena fic online, and started reading it. Fanfic encompassed such a diverse spectrum in terms of quality, genres, themes, length, and so forth that I thought there was a place for me as a writer, so I decided to try my hand at writing a story.

5. Is your muse a constant companion, or does it abandon you for long periods of time?
I don’t really think of myself as having a muse. But like so many writers I have my blocks, my dry spells.

6. How do you feel about sequels?
I think they are fine as long as the writers holds herself/himself to the standards of the first story, that there’s a conscious attempt to match or exceed the overall quality and tone of it, and if there’s a good, compelling reason for it—to develop the characters, to follow them on a different path or journey.

7. Is writing a quiet thing for you, where there can't be any noise or conversation going on?
Yes. I like listening to music while writing, but aside from that I can’t concentrate around noisy people. I find it very difficult sometimes to write in a public space—if I have to listen to stupid conversations or bad music, it’s impossible.

8. Do you prefer to write/read romance, angst, horror etc, etc?
I like to read and write most genres, although I’m not much of a sci-fi/fantasy person (to the frustration of my partner). But I can appreciate a story in any genre as long as it’s well written and interesting to me.

9. What usually sparks a story idea for you?
Thinking in hypotheticals, questioning myself: “What if x happened to y, and z was involved?”

10. Where do your ideas come from?
Books and movies and that most dangerous and unpredictable of places: my mind.

11. What advice can you give to future writers?
Be open to feedback, both positive and critical. Don’t assume that people are criticizing you just to be hurtful. Unfortunately sometimes that happens—if someone writes you and just says “your story sucks,” well, there’s nothing beneficial to that and you’re within your rights to ignore it or tell them to fuck off. But I find that many times when a reader takes the time to offer any kind of criticism, even if it seems negative or nitpicky to you (and those nitpicks are important—the devil is in the details), it means they care, they are invested enough in the story that they want it to be even better than it is already. Feedback is essential tool in seeing how others view your work, and learning/growing as a writer.

12. What has the show Xena meant to you?
A lot. I’ve met some really wonderful people through the fandom, and it really helped me creatively as well; as a writer I became better (I think).

13. How do you feel about the way it ended?
Shitty ending, to put it mildly. But I have to respect that it was not “my” show to end—I wasn’t the creator.

14. How real are your characters to you?
After all these years they are still astonishingly vivid to me. If they seemed real to me, though, I fear I would need medication.

15. Do your characters speak to you?
Not really.

16. Are you in control of your story, or do the characters run the show?
I like to think I’m in control of the story, but when the story doesn’t work then I know I’m not being true to the characters.

17. Have you created a character that you would like to meet?
Given that the relationship between Victor Frankenstein and his creation did not pan out so well, I think I’ll take a pass.

18. How would you feel about another writer giving one of your characters a cameo in their story?
As long as they seek my permission first and give proper credit, it’s fine. It’s very flattering, actually.

19. Has online writing changed your life in any way?
Yes. Because Vivian Darkbloom has been my best creation, my beautiful online monster.

20. Have you ever been stalked on the internet by an overzealous fan?
Not that I’m aware of.

21. Which one of your online stories is your favorite?
“Coup de Grace.” A lot of work and love went into that one.

22. Do you have to do a lot of rewrites?
Who doesn’t? Rewriting is an essential part of the process. “Writing is rewriting,” someone once said—God, I hope it wasn’t Hemingway, but still, that’s the truth of my process.

23. Is there ever a point in your writing where you get stuck each and every time? How do you get out of it?
The beginnings—just getting enough material on the paper to work with it and build upon it. Once I get rolling, I’m much better.

24. Which part of the writing process do you enjoy the most and why?
The rewriting. Every time I rewrite something I feel I get closer and closer to what I want to say, and how I want to say it.

25. When you're working on a story are you obsessed with it until it's done?
Pretty much. I don’t like to leave things unfinished, and I don’t like to start new things until I’m done with something or, at the very least, I have it all plotted out and finished in my mind.

26. Who are your favorite top five writers? Online or published.
Published, in terms of influence: Vladimir Nabokov, Virginia Woolf, Sybille Bedford, Elizabeth Bishop.

Online favorites: There are a lot of excellent writers online, so it’s really hard to whittle it down to only a few. Most of these are old-timey XWP writers; I don’t know what the kids are up to these days: Baermer, Ella Quince, Mary Morgan, Fewthistle (not an XWP writer, but Old Like Me), Osito-Panda (who writes original fic and in a variety of fandoms as well) and KG MacGregor (who actually made me care about a story with golf in it, no small feat).

27. The song says "Who rules the world? Girls." If that were true would the world be a better place?
I’d like to think so. But eventually power corrupts anyone who has it for long. I think it’s our turn to rule the world for a bit and see what we can do, though.

28. Do you write a story straight through, or do you write in pieces, then put it all together.
I write in pieces. (Written to the tune of “I Fall to Pieces.”)

29. Do you read books for pleasure while you are writing?
Always. Sometimes I will avoid fiction while I’m deeply immersed in writing something, but I’m always reading something.

30. Do you have a favorite Greek God?
I like Hermes, because he has a cool hat and a staff. Also, my partner says I’m a trickster, and he’s the trickster god.

31. Do you have a pet peeve?
Rudeness. People who wear clothing with wording on their butts. People with a sense of entitlement. Bad coffee. White people with dreadlocks. Republicans. Trust me, I could go on.

32. What do you see yourself doing in the future?
Going to the bathroom.

33. What is your favorite word?
In trying to answer this, I have been wracking my brain for days, and—too many words!

34. What is your least favorite word?
Liverwurst. Bratwurst. Wurst is da wurst, ya know?

35. What turns you on?
A good sense of humor.

36. What turns you off?
Arrogance.

37. What sound or noise do you love?
Trees rustling in the wind, rain softly falling.

38. What sound or noise do you hate?
Construction noises—power drills, saws, jackhammers. The screech of a smoke detector. Any time a member of the Tea Party speaks.

39. What is your favorite curse word?
Fuck in all its fucktacious glory. Also, “Sweet Fancy Moses!”

40. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
A chef or a musician. Sadly, the talent is not there!

41. What profession would you absolutely not like to participate in?
Corporate finance. Well, anything corporate, really.

42. If Heaven exists what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
“Yeah, about that—actually I meant that pizza and ice cream would be good for you, but this is what happens when you outsource to cherubim. Sorry.”


Here is Vivian's favorite story:

Coup de Grace by Vivian Darkbloom - 355 pages
This story is number 3 in a trilogy. The other stories are The Secret Histories and Venezia
The fabulously ill-tempered archaeologist Janice Covington and Southern-Belle-in-Exile Melinda Pappas gradually discover the real truth at the heart of the Xena Scrolls, in a story that darkly plays with time and memory, loss and desire, and the nature of what is real and what is not. While the story references characters and incidents in earlier stories ("Venezia" and "The Secret Histories") it is possible to read this as a stand-alone piece, particularly if one is drinking heavily.
http://thestoreelounge.wordpress.com/authors/coup-de-grace-by-vivian-darkbloom/

A Short Q&A With Julia Noël Goldman

 Julia Noël Goldman 

1. Why did you start writing?
It was a requirement of my education, and the positive feedback I received for it was pleasurable.

2. If you had to do it all over again would you still write?
Of course.

3. Once you’ve written a story do you ever sit down and read it for enjoyment?
Yes. I enjoy falling into the little worlds I’ve created just as much as I do the little worlds of others.

4. How did you start writing Xena fan fiction?
I was obsessed with the show and wanted to investigate and share my vision of the romantic aspects of Xena and Gabrielle’s relationship.

5. Is your muse a constant companion, or does it abandon you for long periods of time?
I don’t believe in muses.

6. How do you feel about sequels?
All depends on whether I like them or not.

7. Is writing a quiet thing for you, where there can't be any noise or conversation going on?
Quiet is necessary.

8. Do you prefer to write/read romance, angst, horror etc, etc?
None of the above.

9. What usually sparks a story idea for you?
Usually it’s when I combine a few ideas in the correct fashion.

10. Where do your ideas come from?
My Enormous Brain.

11. What advice can you give to future writers?
If lots of people tell you your work is bad, it probably is.

12. What has the show Xena meant to you?
Really? Let’s just say there were a few years there when it was the most important, beautiful part of my life.

13. How do you feel about the way it ended?
I am still appalled. The whole point of Xena’s journey was that a person can live with the pain of their past, and then she just gives up on that whole thing and sacrifices herself for something that wasn’t her fault. Woulda been fine if it wasn’t the finale, but it was.

14. How real are your characters to you?
Very real, just like characters in other people’s work.

15. Do your characters speak to you?
Not to me. They kinda do what they do and I mold it into coolness.

16. Are you in control of your story, or do the characters run the show?
I write it and sometimes things just happen, and I turn it into what it looks like it needs to be. My characters are part of my unconscious, so we’re all me, and are revealed to me like unconscious things are.

17. Have you created a character that you would like to meet?
I like most of my characters, but I think I’d like most to hang with Kate from my unpublished novella “Tonight.”

18. How would you feel about another writer giving one of your characters a cameo in their story?
It would depend on the situation.

19. Has online writing changed your life in any way?
It’s allowed me to share my work easily with millions of people and get positive feedback for it, so it’s been a wonderful thing.

20. Have you ever been stalked on the internet by an overzealous fan?
Surprisingly, no.

21. Which one of your online stories is your favorite?
I’m gonna go with The House of Lao.

22. Do you have to do a lot of rewrites?
Rewrites are a necessary part of writing, so yes of course, I choose to make the story the best it can be.

23. Is there ever a point in your writing where you get stuck each and every time? How do you get out of it?
Work on another story.

24. Which part of the writing process do you enjoy the most and why?
When I’m on a roll, really into the piece, and it just comes out.

25. When you're working on a story are you obsessed with it until it's done?
Sometimes yes sometimes no. Depends how long I’m working on it.

26. Who are your favorite top five writers? Online or published.
I’m gonna go with William Faulkner.

27. The song says "Who rules the world? Girls." If that were true would the world be a better place?
I’m not sure girls would do a great job, but women, yes a much better place.

28. Do you write a story straight through, or do you write in pieces, then put it all together.
It depends.

29. Do you read books for pleasure while you are writing?
Not particularly.

30. Do you have a favorite Greek God?
Athena. Since forever.

31. Do you have a pet peeve?
Rudeness.

32. What do you see yourself doing in the future?
Becoming a famous writer.

33. What is your favorite word?
I’m gonna go with “appalling”.

34. What is your least favorite word?
Foodie.

35. What turns you on?
Good feelings.

36. What turns you off?
Cruelty.

37. What sound or noise do you love?
Purring.

38. What sound or noise do you hate?
Unnecessary honking.

39. What is your favorite curse word?
Fuck.

40. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
I shoulda been a therapist.

41. What profession would you absolutely not like to participate in?
Ballet.

42. If Heaven exists what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
“I’m sorry how bad life is on earth. There’s actually nothing I can do because I don’t exist.”


Here is Julia's favorite story:

The House Of Lao - 43 pages 
Travel to an alternate timeline where Xena and Borias stayed in Chin and ruled it with Lao Ma. Needless to say, Gabrielle shows up eventually, and nature takes it's course.
http://xenafiction.net/scrolls/xenas_little_bitch_thol.html

Julia's Links:
http://julianoelgoldman.com/wordpress/
https://www.facebook.com/JuliaNoelGoldman
https://twitter.com/Beautifala

A Short Q&A With Malaurie Barber

 MALAURIE BARBER

1. Why did you start writing?
I have been writing since I was a kid. I always like telling stories and it seemed like a natural progression to start putting them on paper.

2. If you had to do it all over again would you still write?
Absolutely

3. Once you’ve written a story do you ever sit down and read it for enjoyment?
Well, often I put the story away for a while when it’s finished and go back to it a few week after.

4. Is your muse a constant companion, or does it abandon you for long periods of time?
I write stories based on my life, so it really depends on what is going on at the time.

5. How do you feel about sequels?
I think they are great as long as the characters’ story can still be entertaining to the readers.

6. Is writing a quiet thing for you, where there can't be any noise or conversation going on?
I need silence.

7. What usually sparks a story idea for you?
As I said earlier, I take ideas straight from my life most of the time. In a Year in Paris, the main character is an au pair in France. I came to the US 20 years ago as an au pair and I grew up in Paris, France. Awakening is about someone who leaves her successful career as a real estate agent to become a yoga instructor. That’s what I did 10 years ago.

8. What advice can you give to future writers?
Don’t try to imitate someone’s style, just be yourself.

9. What has the show Xena meant to you?
Interesting question. My answer might be a little more personal than most people since I had an up close and personal experience with the show. I spent the first 3 years of my life in California living with Hudson Leick and going to Xena conventions with her. She is the one who introduced me to yoga and meditation, I became a teacher so I could help out during our yoga retreats. While our relationship didn’t have a happy ending, if it wasn’t for the show I would have never met her and change my life path. So I am very thankful.

10. Have you created a character that you would like to meet?
Yes, Aloke Redwood from Awakening. She is mysterious, sexy, spiritual and somewhat  conflicted.

11. How would you feel about another writer giving one of your characters a cameo in their story?
Honored

12. When you're working on a story are you obsessed with it until it's done?
Yes and no. I sometimes can’t stop writing for hours and suddenly the inspiration stops and I won’t be able to move the story forward for a few days.

13. Who are your favorite top five writers? Online or published.
I love Gerry Hills for lesbian love/suspense novel and David Ballacci for a good crime novel.

14. The song says "Who rules the world? Girls." If that were true would the world be a better place?
I think there would be less fighting in the world. Women would be less likely to send their children to get slaughtered in mindless wars.

15. Do you read books for pleasure while you are writing?
Absolutely. I love to read.

16. Do you have a favorite Greek God? 
No but I have a favorite Hindu God – Ganesh, remover of obstacles.

17. Do you have a pet peeve?
Dishonesty

18. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
I would have loved to be a spy.

19. What profession would you absolutely not like to participate in?
I would hate to be the president.

20. If Heaven exists what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
Well, I don’t believe in pearly gates, but I’d like to hear ‘Good job, this time you got it right, so no need for another go around. Welcome home.”


Reading recommendation:

A Year In Paris - 138 pages  
What happens to Chloe Jones when she comes  to Paris to spend the year as an au pair, and is placed in the family of the very enigmatic Laurence Glairon?
http://thestoreelounge.wordpress.com/authors/a-year-in-paris-by-laurie-cambiermalaurie-barber/

A Short Q&A With at3sparky

           AT3SPARKY

1. Why did you start writing?
I started writing because I was complaining about some really bad fiction I was reading on the internet. The person I was complaining to told me that if I thought I could do better, why didn’t I write something. So I did. And I didn’t get hate mail. So while I was bored at work, I would open up my doc file and write a little bit more, and a little bit more until I had a story or three.

2. If you had to do it all over again would you still write?
Probably, since I am an engineer by temperament and training and do writing as a hobby.

3. Once you’ve written a story do you ever sit down and read it for enjoyment?
No

4. How did you start writing Xena fan fiction?
I started out writing original fiction, not really even Uber fiction. It’s just that places like the Academy of Bards was willing to post my stories. I like doing my own world building so I don’t like to play in other people’s universes.

5. Is your muse a constant companion, or does it abandon you for long periods of time?
I always have story ideas, running movies of my own in my head constantly. For me, it’s getting my ADHD under control enough to try and put the pictures I see in my head down on paper. Sometimes I can get the movies to replay enough to capture the stories on paper, most of the time I can’t.

6. How do you feel about sequels?
I love following my characters through story arcs, so I guess you can say I’m big on sequels.

7. Is writing a quiet thing for you, where there can't be any noise or conversation going on?
Yes, I have to eliminate as many distractions as I can because it is so easy for me to get off track. My wife really wants me to go on some type of ADHD drug. On bad days, she can follow my progress through the house because of the started but not completed projects I leave scattered around.

8. Do you prefer to write/read romance, angst, horror etc, etc?
Right now, my big obsession is Urban Fantasy, and I think that is because it is currently dominated by women, so most of the protagonists are women. I do love to read almost everything except romance. At the moment, I like to write sci fi and urban fantasy.

9. What usually sparks a story idea for you?
Dreams, bad movies/TV shows, what if conversations with my wife.

10. Where do your ideas come from?
The movies playing in my head.

11. What advice can you give to future writers?
Write. Just write everything down so the act of writing becomes easy for you. The converting of ideas/stories from what I see in my head to the page is the hardest part of the whole thing for me and I am told it gets easier with practice.

12. What has the show Xena meant to you?
When Xena first came out, I was in A school in the military, which meant I lived in the barracks with 1 TV per floor. I didn’t spend a lot of time watching TV and rarely anything I wanted to watch because communal TV. Then I was stationed in Spain for a number of years and got to watch AFRTN (afarts) so no Xena there either. When I finally came back to the states, there was this thriving culture in the lesbian community in Kansas City built up around these two TV shows, Xena and Buffy. For me, the TV show will always be about the fan culture and not so much about the actual show.

13. How do you feel about the way it ended?
That was some brutal shit. I know they were trying to make her go out like a warrior and all, but really? I am not a fan of the ending.

14. How real are your characters to you?
My characters have this whole back story and motivations and life that don’t always come out in the story but does influence how they interact. So they are very 3D to me. Do I expect to turn a corner and bam, there they are? No, they are figments of my imagination.

15. Do your characters speak to you?
Do they address me by name? No, but I get to watch the movie of their lives.

16. Are you in control of your story, or do the characters run the show?
Most of the time, I feel like I am just watching it all go by and I just write down what I see. For example, I did not want to move my werewolves to Orange County. I hate LA. I work down there all the time, so I am quite familiar with it, but I wanted the werewolves to stay up here, in the Bay Area. I couldn’t write that story. It just wouldn’t work. I finally threw up my hands and went ‘Fine! You get to move to LA’ then I was able to write that story. Of course, I got to cheat as well and move parts of LA around to suit myself, but the story had to take place in So Cal no matter what I thought I wanted.

17. How would you feel about another writer giving one of your characters a cameo in their story?
Depends on who the author is and what the story is about.

18. Has online writing changed your life in any way?
It’s how I met my wife, and I have made quite a few friends this way.

19. Have you ever been stalked on the internet by an overzealous fan?
Yes. But not for my fiction writing.

20. Which one of your online stories is your favorite?
It’s a toss up between Damage and Territory. One is about science geek girl and the other is about werewolves.

21. Do you do a lot of rewrites?
Not really. I should, I know it would make me a better writer and my stories so much better, but once again, ADHD girl does not want to do boring stuff and it’s really hard for me to keep going over and over stuff.

22. Is there ever a point in your writing where you get stuck each and every time? How do you get out of it?
Endings. Oh my God, I can’t end stories.

23. Which part of the writing process do you enjoy the most and why?
World building. I love creating these universes that my characters live in.

24. When you're working on a story are you obsessed with it until it's done?
Sometimes. If I can get hyper focused on a something, that’s usually when I can finish it.

25. Who are your favorite top five writers? Online or published.
In no particular order because they change depending on what I am currently reading:

Lilith Saintcrow
JA Pratt
Anne Bishop
Windstar&Zee
Jennifer Estep

26. The song says "Who rules the world? Girls." If that were true would the world be a better place?
No. Replacing the patriarchy with a matriarchy won’t fix the problems with sexism in our society; it would only slant them in our favor.

27. Do you write a story straight through, or do you write in pieces, then put it all together.
I have to write a story straight through. I have tried the pieces thing, and that did not work out well.

28. What do you enjoy most about writing?
Getting the stories out of my head so there is room for more stories.

29. Do you read books for pleasure while you are writing?
I am an addict and books are my drug of choice. I usually read 10 books a week so I am always reading, even when I am writing.

30. Do you have a favorite Greek God?
I always liked Hephaestus, because he was always making cool stuff.

31. Do you have a pet peeve?
People who form opinions not based on facts. And refuse to change opinions when overwhelming evidence is presented showing that their opinion is wrong.

32. Have you created a character that you would like to meet?
Yeah, I have created a couple. I’d like to meet Justice, from Damage and I would like to meet Shea, from Wolves of Orange County.

33. What do you see yourself doing in the future?
Traveling around fixing stuff, writing more stories as the mood strikes me.

34. What is your favorite word?
Amuck. I love that word, both the sound and the meaning.

35. What is your least favorite word?
Cunt

36. What turns you on?
Smart women

37. What turns you off?
Willful ignorance

38. What sound or noise do you love?
The sound of a well-tuned muscle car engine.

39. What sound or noise do you hate?
The ringtone I assigned to my supervisor on my work phone.

40. What is your favorite curse word?
Fuck. I was in the Navy and learned to use it as a noun, a verb, and an adjective.

41. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
Astro physics. Yes, I am a math geek.

42. What profession would you absolutely not like to participate in?
Anything that involves working in an office.

43. If Heaven exists what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
I’m an atheist, so I haven’t really ever given this any thought.


Here is at3sparky's favorite story:

Damage - 43 pages
Jay Rollins is a crime tech at the Johnson County Crime Lab. She faces some of her most difficult challenges, professional and personal when she gets called in to help with a muder in her hometown of Lawrence, Kansas.
http://www.academyofbards.org/fanfic/s/sparky_damage.html

A Short Q&A With CJ Wells

           CJ WELLS

1. Why did you start writing?
I have been writing since I was a teen. I enjoy writing. I believe that I have a natural talent for it, although that belief may be mine alone.

2. If you had to do it all over again would you still write?
Absolutely.

3. Once you’ve written a story do you ever sit down and read it for enjoyment?
Oh, yes.  I’ve read my stories over and over. If nothing else, it helps keep the continuity in place for future chapters. And yes, I do read them because I enjoy them.

4. How did you start writing Xena fan fiction?
I started writing Xena fanfic because I was disheartened by what was transpiring during the fifth season.

5. Is your muse a constant companion, or does it abandon you for long periods of time?
It never really abandons me, because if I had the time, I could write volumes about many of the sub characters of my stories. In particular, I find the “past lives” of my two uber characters in January Thaw to be almost as fascinating as the ubers.

6. How do you feel about sequels?
Well, since I’ve written several, I love them.

7. Is writing a quiet thing for you, where there can't be any noise or conversation going on?
I can’t write with commotion. Since I have two young boys who love to pick fights with each other, writing at home is virtually impossible.

8. Do you prefer to write/read romance, angst, horror etc, etc?
I’m not a big romance fan, unless it’s in the context of an epic narrative.

9. What usually sparks a story idea for you?
History.

10. Where do your ideas come from?
I glean ideas from the show, from historical events, and from my own experiences.

11. What advice can you give to future writers?
If you love it, do it.

12. What has the show Xena meant to you?
It still ranks as my favorite show, even though I didn’t start watching it until the third season was airing first-time episodes.  Granted, there are far better television shows out there, in terms of style, narrative and continuity. XWP was majorly flawed with all three, and I never got into the Jackie Chanesque fighting or the fantasy genre aspect of the show. But the core story of Xena and Gabrielle; despite the fact that they never did an on-screen consummation of their relationship, still ranks as the greatest lesbian relationship in television.

13. How do you feel about the way it ended?
I was pissed off at first. I even wrote an article in Whoosh for it back in 2001 entitled, “A Clue in Need” (whoosh.org/issue59/fosterv59.html -- under my real name).  But, as time passed, I got over it. I still think that the ending was stupid, but I can watch it without cringing... much.

14. How real are your characters to you?
My characters are very real to me, especially the character of Bahri, who is essentially my alter-ego.

15. Do your characters speak to you?
Uh, no.

16. Are you in control of your story, or do the characters run the show?
I’m in control.

17. How would you feel about another writer giving one of your characters a cameo in their story?
In one sense, I’d be flattered. But what if that writer portrayed the character in a manner that is inconsistent with how I view the character? At the end of the day, I probably wouldn’t like it, even if the other writer didn’t do anything wrong by the character.  I’m a control freak, I guess.

18. Has online writing changed your life in any way?
Oh, sure. It’s one of the best simple pleasures of my life.

19. Have you ever been stalked on the internet by an overzealous fan?
Thank God, no.

20. Which one of your online stories is your favorite?
I don’t play favorites with my stories or my sons. Start from the beginning with “The Embrace” and go from there.

21. Do you have to do a lot of rewrites?
No, because the story is pretty much complete in my head before I start typing. I do a lot of edits, however. I’m a Virgo.

22. Is there ever a point in your writing where you get stuck each and every time? How do you get out of it?
The time that I’ve taken to write January Thaw (ten years now – crazy!) isn’t because of writer’s block. Real life; work, family, home, etc., have been all-consuming.

23. Which part of the writing process do you enjoy the most and why?
When the thoughts flow from my head to my fingers as I type is when I feel that euphoria.

24. When you're working on a story are you obsessed with it until it's done?
Yes, I’m a Virgo.

25. Who are your favorite top five writers? Online or published.
There were writers in the Xenaverse that I consider my favorites. Some of them were given kudos in my early writing days.
Catherine Wilson
Angharad Governal
Katrina Blau
Sharon Bowers
B.L. Miller

26. The song says "Who rules the world? Girls." If that were true would the world be a better place?
They say that men fight wars, but women wage them. If women ruled the world, there’d be far less poverty (since women are more frugal and better money managers), and far less human rights violations (since women don’t rape and pillage on average), but I don’t know if it would be better. Men are simple. Two dudes will fist fight, get over it, and then have a beer together.  Women are complex. We have emotional drag-outs and hold grudges… for decades. Also, female sociopaths are scarier because they crave power and will kill men, women or children, even their own. Think Countess Erzsebet Bathory de Ecsed, Aileen Wuornos or Casey Anthony. On a global stage, female complexity would be different, but could be just as toxic as male simplicity.

27. Do you write a story straight through, or do you write in pieces, then put it all together.
When I write a chapter, I’m writing until it’s done. And then I spell check, edit, walk away, edit, walk away again and edit again.

28. Do you read books for pleasure while you are writing?
No.

29. Do you have a favorite Greek God?
No. I don’t incorporate the gods, centaurs, bacchae or any of those fantasy elements of XWP in my stories for simple reason that I don’t like them. But, if the question is; who was my favorite god on the show, I’d have to say Aphrodite, the SoCal ‘80s tubular god of love.

30. Do you have a pet peeve?
Dirt and clutter. I’m a Virgo.

31. What do you see yourself doing in the future?
Growing old and playing with grandbabies.

32. What is your favorite word?
Green and peace, but not Greenpeace.

33. What is your least favorite word?
The N word, but only when a white person utters it.

34. What turns you on?
I write lesbian fanfic. Lesbians!

35. What turns you off?
The N word, but only when a white person utters it.

36. What sound or noise do you love?
Water flowing, leaves rustling and children laughing.

37. What sound or noise do you hate?
Screaming children.

38. What is your favorite curse word?
Fucking douche-bag. It was James Gandolfini’s favorite curse word as well. I loved that dude, rest his soul. He was a Virgo too.

39. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
Screenwriting.

40. What profession would you absolutely not like to participate in?
I totally respect nurses because I could never do what they do.

41. If Heaven exists what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
“We have Pizzeria Uno’s, Ben & Jerry’s and caffeine-free diet Pepsi up here.”


Here is CJ Wells' Conqueror series:

The Embrace Series by CJ Wells - 420 pages
The Conqueror is in love with her slave, but she hates it. How long will it take for her to give in to the feelings, and stop being brutal, and start being loving?
http://thestoreelounge.wordpress.com/2013/08/21/the-embrace-series-by-cj-wells/

A Short Q&A With Enginerd

           ENGINERD

1. Why did you start writing?
When I was grade school, before computers were for home use, I dabbled with scenes that I wanted to see on TV shows I liked.  I never finished a story, save for one (Chiseling stone does get tiring, you know).  It involved the 70's Battlestar Galactica running into a, yep, lost ship from Earth with a female Captain!  It was a super-short, awful, Mary-Sue type story - but amusing when I look back.  When I got my first laptop, a huge improvement with the mechanics of writing, I continued to dabble in scenes that I'd want to see on TV, but I wasn't trying to develop stories. Then I saw the TV show, Xena: Warrior Princess. Xena's relationship and journey with Gabrielle and the online community really inspired me to try my hand at writing a complete story.  

2. If you had to do it all over again would you still write?
Yes.  It was and is rather therapeutic, actually.

3. Once you’ve written a story do you ever sit down and read it for enjoyment?
Occasionally. Especially if I get an email or comment about a story that's been out there for several years. I am surprised by the detail I have forgotten.

4. How did you start writing Xena fan fiction?
After a few episodes where it was clear to me Xena and Gabrielle had a "more than friends" kind of relationship. I wanted to explore that aspect and slowly develop over a few stories, a romantic relationship that wasn't subtext.

5. Is your muse a constant companion, or does it abandon you for long periods of time?
She comes and goes. I may abandon a story for a while and dabble in another genre that inspires me. I go where she takes me.

6. How do you feel about sequels?
Well, if anyone is familiar with my sequel-laden work, I'm clearly not adverse to them.  

7. Is writing a quiet thing for you, where there can't be any noise or conversation going on?
It is a solitary thing. I can't write when another person is near me, let alone talking. I may have either some music quietly playing in the background or silence.

8. Do you prefer to write/read romance, angst, horror etc, etc?
I like romantic dramadies. Life is a mix of humor and drama and I love a story that can balance that. Having humor with drama can provide for some amazing contrasts and poignant moments.

9. What usually sparks a story idea for you?
(Whiskey)  Thankfully, there isn't a single source. (Vodka, wine, beer….) I get ideas all over the place.  But alas, not all sparks will result in a story.

10. Where do your ideas come from?
I tend to gravitate towards ironic or incongruous situations. I like to ask "what if?" for different scenarios. For example, what if Janice went to Mel's home and found the purported Southern Hospitality wasn't for someone like her? Or what if Jane Rizzoli became jealous over the last person she should be jealous of, as in Facts, Just the Facts.

11. What advice can you give to future writers?
Write for yourself.

Commit to finishing a story, if you write and post in parts; not finishing is not fair to the reader.

Don't beg for reviews or worse, threaten to write slowly or stop unless you get more reviews; that indicates to me you don' t have a sincere desire to tell a story and may not care whether you finish or not.  

Put some effort into writing your summaries.  Starting off with "I suck at summaries" indicates to me that 1) you don't know what story you are really trying to tell and 2) the chance you will finish the story is slim.  

Seek continuous improvement. The goal should be to make it easy for readers to get swept up into your awesome tale; don't let them stumble over spelling errors, poor grammar, unconventional punctuation, or endless paragraphs.

Don't be discouraged if you get negative feed back. Sure, sometimes people can be mean. But most of the time, there is something to learn if someone takes the time to point out something negative. Learn from it and keep writing.

12. What has the show Xena meant to you?
It got me on the slow road to self-discovery.

13. How do you feel about the way it ended?
Disappointed. Seems kind of silly that someone could be so disappointed by a TV show but I actually was.

If you are going to have bad story telling, the ending of a popular series is certainly the most memorable time to do it, especially if you want to be "bold" and kill off the lead character. Frankly, I just couldn't fathom the story logic. It seemed like convincing the audience of the credibility and logic of what was happening wasn't as important as getting all of the desired elements crammed into a huge finale. New beautiful scenery, costumes, cinematography - check! Good music - check! Lots of impressive fighting - check!  Shocking death of Xena - check! Gabrielle growing as a warrior and going on a hellish journey - check! Having Xena have major showdown - check! Have the troubled hero finally get redemption by dying (and staying dead this time) to save a really large number of people…uh, spirits, uh... (never mind) - check!

Sometimes bigger isn't better.

14. How real are your characters to you?
When I'm in the moment writing, they seem real.

15. Do your characters speak to you?
Not directly. But I get a feel for their voices and how they would/should react.  

16. Are you in control of your story, or do the characters run the show?
If I'm lucky, the characters drive the story along between the major story points I want to achieve. Sometimes I have to abandon some points if it doesn't flow well ...or the characters disagree.

17. Have you created a character that you would like to meet?
Yes. Janice Covington's sister Roberta and Martha Calderón from Dolcemente. Uh, does that make me crazy? If so, no. Cause, like, I know it's not really possible to meet your fictional character. I know that. I do.

18. How would you feel about another writer giving one of your characters a cameo in their story?
If I was asked and convinced they would be respected, I'd be honored.

19. Has online writing changed your life in any way?
It gave me a hobby that has introduced me to me and some really awesome people.

20.  Have you ever been stalked on the internet by an overzealous fan?
No.  

21. Which one of your online stories is your favorite?
Well, I'd be surprised if any author could pick just one. And there is no one perfect story for me, as much as it pains me to say after all these years. So I'm going to cheat and give you a couple and the reasons why they are notable to me:

Xena:
Curse of the Conqueror (X/G) - I enjoyed taking the standard conventions and turning them on their ear and carrying them throughout the story in hopefully a humorous way.  "You know" what I'm talking about. Well, at least I was amused. There is also some of my frustration from the finale buried in here, which the reader might pick up on if looking.

Duty (J/M) - I enjoyed exploring telling a story through several characters' perspectives. But I got a lot of flack for this story. But I stand by Mel's choices, which several readers argued she would never make. Of note, there are more stories in the series that resolves the major complaint.

Voyager:
Asylum (J/7) - I enjoyed fleshing out the Janeway family and their relationships with Seven and Seven's view on the Janeways.

Birds of Prey:
Just a Matter of Time (B/H) - Loved the idea of Helena going back in time and meeting a younger Barbara on the cusp of becoming Batgirl.

Rizzoli and Isles:
Dolcemente (J/M) - I wanted to explore the role of the piano in Jane's life and her struggle with her feelings for Maura and some unwanted attention.

22. Do you have to do a lot of rewrites?
I rewrite and tweak while the story is in progress and figure out the way ahead. Sometimes I'll go in a direction that requires an earlier scene or two to be added or altered to help the flow and consistency. When nearing the end, I'll review it from the very beginning, hopefully catching inconsistencies. This may explain why I'm a very slow writer.

23. Is there ever a point in your writing where you get stuck each and every time? How do you get out of it?
No one point and no one solution, unfortunately.

24. Which part of the writing process do you enjoy the most and why?
Sometimes when I'm in a writing "zone," I love how the ideas flow the story forward and I enjoy getting caught up in the dialogue. When I have an emotional or pivotal scene to write, I like figuring out the best way to set the right tone. When I'm stuck, I like to polish what I have already written to feel like I'm doing something productive…and pray I can figure out what's next. After the story is ready, the effort to actually publish it online is perhaps my least favorite part.

25. When you're working on a story are you obsessed with it until it's done?
In the late 90s and new to the online writing gig, I was. I was actually worried someone would have the EXACT same story ideas and post them before me. Now, I'm not feeling any pressure to rush, pretty sure my take on an idea will always be unique. Not necessarily good…but unique.

26. Who are your favorite top five writers? Online or published.
That is tough. Some of my favorite books are from Douglas Adams, H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, Johann David Wyss, Alexander Dumas.

Online, Ella Quince, LJ Maas, Pink Rabbit Productions, and Vivian Darkbloom are just a few that come to mind out of an abundance of talent out there.

27. The song says "Who rules the world? Girls." If that were true would the world be a better place?
No. Human kind is fallible, even girls.

28. Do you write a story straight through, or do you write in pieces, then put it all together.
Usually straight through. But sometimes I'll have a scene that I want to write that should come later that I'll outline. One time that comes to mind is in For Better or Worse. I had an opening scene where Xena was dutifully practicing while Gabrielle was trying to distract her for hopefully a romantic encounter. As I was getting near the final couple chapters to tie the story up, I thought it would be a great closing scene to mirror the opening and get Xena trying to distract a dutifully practicing Gabrielle, who had learned much since the opening scene. So I jumped on that scene before the preceding closing chapters.

But that is atypical.

29. Do you read books for pleasure while you are writing?
Yes. More fan fiction, though. Which is also another reason I'm a slow writer; I find I enjoy reading. And it is hard to get the solitary time to write these days.

30. Do you have a favorite Greek God?
Athena.

31. Do you have a pet peeve?
You'll find a few in my answer to question 11. Oh! And people talking on the cell phone in a rest room, who don't seem to be bothered by the sounds of bodily functions in the background of their conversation.

32. What do you see yourself doing in the future?
I think more writing, even if I'm slow and don't produce too many stories. I may even venture to original fiction some day.

33. What is your favorite word?
Bodega.

34. What is your least favorite word?
Impossible.

35. What turns you on?
Dry humor and bacon.

36. What turns you off?
Insincerity and hypocrisy.

37. What sound or noise do you love?
Heartfelt laughter.

38. What sound or noise do you hate?
Barking at 5AM.

39. What is your favorite curse word?
The vulgar slang of intercourse and all its derivatives and associated phrases and phrasal verbs.

40. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
Brain surgeon. At least once. Possibly twice. But not more than three times.

41. What profession would you absolutely not like to participate in?
Septic tank cleaner. I hear it's a really shitty job.

42. If Heaven exists what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
Welcome.


Here is Enginerd's favorite story:

Curse of the Conqueror by Enginerd - 184 pages
A very funny Conqueror story - yep you heard me. Xena the Conqueror rules all of Greece but is unhappy - she has problems with her love life. So she goes to her mother for advice and gets the cryptic response to "find someone with good oral skills." So Xena takes that advice and being of a literal bent kidnaps her mother's bard, Gabrielle. From there on the reader is taken on a humerous adventure as the couple cope with scheming henchmen, naked amazons, comas and assorted odd adventures. Enginerd creates a wonderfully wacky alternative universe that deftly combines humor and adventure.
http://thestoreelounge.wordpress.com/authors/the-curse-of-the-conqueror-by-enginerd/

A Short Q&A With Ingrid Diaz

       INGRID DIAZ

1.Why did you start writing?
I started writing when I was ten. I had just moved to Florida from Puerto Rico and was having a really hard time at school with kids making fun of me because my English wasn’t very good. I started reading books to help improve my English, and found that I really loved reading. Reading led to writing, and I’ve been writing ever since.

2. If you had to do it all over again would you still write?
Absolutely. I wouldn’t change anything about my life.

3. Once you’ve written a story do you ever sit down and read it for enjoyment?
Not for enjoyment, no. I always cringe internally whenever I read over something I’ve written, and my inner editor goes into, “Change ALL the things,” mode.

4. How did you start writing Xena fan fiction?
I’ve never really thought of myself as a Xena fan fiction writer because I only really wrote the one uber (and I never finished it). But it all started because my friend and I were really into reading Xena fan fiction back in the day, and we really loved the stories at The Bard’s Corner. One night, my friend dared me to write a story and submit it. The Bard’s Corner was invitation-only, so it seemed like a very bold thing to do.

All the same, a dare is a dare, so I wrote a couple of chapters of a story I titled “8x10” and sent it off to MaryD. The next morning, I was shocked to discover that not only had she accepted the submission, she had written a special recommendation to it at The Bard’s Corner. I woke up to about 50 emails in my inbox from people praising the story. I was completely overwhelmed. I was eighteen at the time, and had fully expected to be, at best, yelled at, and at worst, laughed at.

5. Is your muse a constant companion, or does it abandon you for long periods of time?
My muse’s name is Bertha. She’s a migrating chicken from Reykjavik. She says she’s always been faithful, but I strongly suspect she’s been cheating on me with other writers.

6. How do you feel about sequels?
I love sequels. I get really excited when my favorite books continue on and I get to see what my favorite characters have been up to. I’ve never written one, so I don’t know how I feel about writing them. I hope to find out soon.

7. Is writing a quiet thing for you, where there can't be any noise or conversation going on?
Hmm. I find it hard to write in public places, though I’ve done it in the past. When I was in high school and college, my favorite place to write was in class. I got through a lot of really boring lectures that way. Don’t tell my parents. These days, I prefer the comfort of my home office. I live in a city, so there are always noises coming in from outside. The sound of neighbors yelling at each other is very soothing.

8. Do you prefer to write/read romance, angst, horror etc, etc?
I read everything. Fantasy, horror, paranormal, non-fiction, you name it. So far, I’ve only written romance. I’d love to expand into other genres in the future.

9. What usually sparks a story idea for you?
Anything. Everything. I imagine this is true for most writers or creative types.

10. Where do your ideas come from?
I’m pretty sure my cat whispers them in my ear while I sleep.

11. What advice can you give to future writers?
You can’t please everyone, but you can’t displease everyone, either. Someone out there will love your work. Someone out there is waiting for your story. Make sure you write it. Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not good enough. Especially yourself.

12. What has the show Xena meant to you?
I don’t think there’s ever been a television show that has impacted my life as completely as Xena. I discovered the show at seventeen, when I was just coming out to myself. The online community around this show shaped the course of my life in so many ways that it’s hard to imagine where I’d be right now if Xena hadn’t existed.

13. How do you feel about the way it ended?
I cried for a week straight. I had a lot of feelings… But I think I’m okay now.

14. How real are your characters to you?
Not real enough that they make me coffee in the morning, but there’s always hope.

15. Do your characters speak to you?
Nooooo… my characters are all in my head. They are made up. They can’t speak to me. (My therapist told me to say that).

16. Are you in control of your story, or do the characters run the show?
My characters actually keep me locked up in a dungeon while they write the stories themselves. They only let me out to watch my favorite TV shows and eat waffles. So I can’t really complain too much.

17. Have you created a character that you would like to meet?
I feel like that would be an awkward encounter. I’m trying to picture it, but no. I’m too shy. Maybe if I met them online.

18. How would you feel about another writer giving one of your characters a cameo in their story?
I’d be honored.

19. Has online writing changed your life in any way?
I think about 90% of my closest friends these days I met through my writing. My partner of ten years I met through my writing, and because of her, I dropped everything and moved to France. So, oui.

20. Have you ever been stalked on the internet by an overzealous fan?
Yes, and then I married her. My fans are awesome. There’s a few that actually live in the bushes outside my apartment. I can’t see their eyes behind the binoculars and night-vision goggles, but they strike me as perfectly lovely people.

21. Which one of your online stories is your favorite?
The Blind Side of Love has a special place in my heart, mostly because of the people I have met through it, and the amount of time I have spent trying to get this story right. I’m currently working on the final version, so I can finally, finally publish it. But all of its drafts are special to me in their own way.

The first two drafts are available online, at my website: http://ingriddiaz.com/books/the-blind-side-of-love/

22. Do you have to do a lot of rewrites?
I didn’t do any rewrites for Alix & Valerie, just a few revisions here and there before it was published. TBSOL is another story. I’ve re-written the entire book three times. Because I’m crazy.

23. Is there ever a point in your writing where you get stuck each and every time? How do you get out of it?
I get stuck a lot. I get out of it by deleting the parts that have me stuck and trying something different. Usually that helps.

24. Which part of the writing process do you enjoy the most and why?
I love writing dialogue. I find it to be a lot of fun.

25. When you're working on a story are you obsessed with it until it's done?
Yes. Writing occupies most of my thoughts.

26. Who are your favorite top five writers? Online or published.
Caitlín R. Kiernan, Sarah Waters, Seth Godin, Libba Bray, and Jacqueline Carey.

27. The song says "Who rules the world? Girls." If that were true would the world be a better place?
Depends on the girls. I think the world would be a better place if there was less greed and more compassion.

28. Do you write a story straight through, or do you write in pieces, then put it all together.
Straight through. I can’t seem to write things out of order because I change too many things as I go along. They’d never match up.

29. Do you read books for pleasure while you are writing?
I do! I am always reading.

30. Do you have a favorite Greek God?
I feel like I should. I love Greek mythology, but I don’t think I have a favorite god.

31. Do you have a pet peeve?
Sponges left in the sink.

32. What do you see yourself doing in the future?
Hopefully not writing a tenth version of TBSOL.

33. What is your favorite word?
Foofoo. It’s fun to say.

34. What is your least favorite word?
Prolly.

35. What turns you on?
Awesome female characters. Diversity. Weirdness. Great dialogue. Goats.

36. What turns you off?
Cookie-cutter stuff. I like when things fall outside of the box.

37. What sound or noise do you love?
The sound of coffee trickling out of the machine and into my cup. Also, I installed this addon in World of Warcraft that plays this “cha-ching” sound whenever one of my auctions sell. That’s a great sound. Nothing makes you feel quite as accomplished as making fake money in a virtual universe.

38. What sound or noise do you hate?
The doorbell. Ours makes this very loud, shrill sound that always feels like doom.

39. What is your favorite curse word?
Abracadabra! I like to whisper it at people who piss me off and pretend I just gave them a very nasty rash in a very awkward place. It’s very satisfying.

40. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
I’d love to go into film or TV production.

41. What profession would you absolutely not like to participate in?
Anything that involves jumping from great heights. I’d be terrible at that.

42. If Heaven exists what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
“Here’s your coffee.”


Here is Ingrid Diaz's favorite story:

The Blind Side of Love by Ingrid Diaz - 450 pages
A famous (and closeted) actress named Julianne Franqui, who buys a painting while visiting New York City. She emails the artist, Kristina Milano, to tell her how much she loves the painting, and the two strike up an online friendship. Of course, Julianne fails to mention who she really is, at first …
http://ingriddiaz.com/books/the-blind-side-of-love/ 

A Short Q&A With Kamouraskan

   KAMOURASKAN 

1. Why did you start writing?
I read a lot when I was a child, I think the word was 'voracious' and when you read a lot, you start having stories of your own in your mind.

2. If you had to do it all over again would you still write?
Has anyone ever said no to this question? No, my writing did not cause any deaths that I know of, or the collapse of the banking system, though it might have furthered the corruption of western society.

3. Once you’ve written a story do you ever sit down and read it for enjoyment?
Of course I do! I write stories that are like the ones I loved, so when I get parts of them right on occasion, I will reread them as I would some of the greats.

4. How did you start writing Xena fan fiction?
Here we go…Single parent, raising a daughter that I thought needed a few strong female role models so we started watching Xena together. I bought her first computer about the same time, and for our first online search we tried Xena and found Lunacy’s fanfiction reviews site. There was a recommendation for Merwolf, and I devoured everything she’d written and then started working my way alphabetically through all the rest. Was stunned at some of the quality and love in the pages. Then while staying in our television free family home in Kamouraska, Quebec, my daughter and her best friend wanted Xena bedtime stories. They picked the character names, chose some of the plot directions, and after they fell asleep, I started writing it down. I got a beta reader from Lunacy, the amazing MyWarrior who thrilled me when she wrote back and told me she would be happy to help me. She bullied me into posting some of the homework exercises she assigned and the main piece, a clear Mary Sue, was posted as The Joining months later. By that time several of the authors I admired had given me help and advice and I was hooked. It was the most fun I’d ever had clothed, and I have continued betaing for several hundred authors because of that debt owed to the people who first got me started.

5. Is your muse a constant companion, or does it abandon you for long periods of time?
Muse, and inspiration is almost always present, but discipline and incentive… not so much.

6. How do you feel about sequels?
I have written a few, and as a reader I love that there’s more after the first story is finished. But as a beta and a writer, I discourage them as much as possible. I see fanfiction as a place to learn, to take risks, to try to write the things you have trouble with. Not to settle into a comfortable groove and simply type because you have an audience. Bad enough that the majors publish only series’ and force writers to repeat themselves. Don’t do it when you’re free to choose.

7. Is writing a quiet thing for you, where there can't be any noise or conversation going on?
No idea. If I could figure out why and when is the best to write, or for that matter how anyone does it, there’d be a lot more writing.

8. Do you prefer to write/read romance, angst, horror etc, etc?
I like good writing, whatever genre. As I am a huge big soppy moo, and my partner calls me, I will tolerate mediocre writing with heart or a great plot.

9. What usually sparks a story idea for you?
Anything

10. Where do your ideas come from?
Well, clearly from incredible archetypes like Xena and Gabrielle, but usually by something that upsets me, or something I want to believe in, things that I want to say. I’ve written Xena and uber stories ‘inspired’  by the Montreal Massacre, (Judgement) Columbine, (Schools Out) trips around the world (When In Rome, City of Ghosts) including Potidaia ( And It’s Only Love) but I always hope that the next will be the best and different from the ones before.

11. What advice can you give to future writers?
Write, of course. Write the stuff that means something to you, read dialogue out loud or to a trusted friend. Send it to a beta that is also a writer you admire. But Write First, Then  Edit. Get it on the page and worry about the right word afterwards. Or there won’t be words on the page to edit.

12. What has the show Xena meant to you?
Aside from the small fact that it completely changed my life? After the 4th season, I became more a fan of the fanfic community, which is its own danger. You can become too involved, too obsessed with hits and reviews. It should be about the writing, first and last.

13. How do you feel about the way it ended?
I own a copy of FIN. I know how it goes in detail. I have betad several award winning fictions on it and I have written a few of them myself. But I have never watched the episodes.

14. How real are your characters to you?
Read my stories, that should give you an idea.

15. Do your characters speak to you?
Long endless conversations in my head, fortunately, only a tiny percentage have been printed.

16. Are you in control of your story, or do the characters run the show?
Depends on the story. Sometimes it’s a scene I try to build up to, sometimes it’s a conversation I start with and build around, but generally after a starting point (which could be the beginning, middle or end) they go where they want to.

17. Have you created a character that you would like to meet?
My version of Gabrielle and Xena (often cribbed from Missy, DJWP, Gin and others?) Of course.

18. How would you feel about another writer giving one of your characters a cameo in their story?
When it has happened, and the author admitted it to me, pretty damned honoured. Though one in particular, told me she’d deny it if asked, but I still have her letter telling me she would refer to a specific story of mine whenever she felt she was losing the 'voice'

19. Has online writing changed your life in any way?
Let’s see. I married my xenaverse writing partner and moved 5,000 miles to be with her, so I guess the answer is yes.

20. Have you ever been stalked on the internet by an overzealous fan?
God, yes. But there are pretty basic rules you learn. First is, never answer an overly enthusiastic fan letter within 24 hours, and take even longer to reply when their response comes seconds later.

21. Which one of your online stories is your favorite?
Quick, which of your children is the cutest? And it depends on what you like. I’ve gotten rave reviews for stuff I thought sucked. I think In the Heart of the Siege and When In Rome worked as well as any, but no one reads them, whereas the shorts, especially the comedies get lots of fanmail and good reviews to this day. First Date and Whose Child are special as they were my first, they get great reviews so what does that say about my learning process? I honestly think my collaborations with Lariel are fine, because they aren’t entirely mine, so I can look at them impartially. I think our Last of the Conquerors is one of the best of the genre and our As Good As It Gets is one of the best parodies of ubers that is out there.

22. Do you have to do a lot of rewrites?
Again, depends on the stories. Short character pieces, usually ones with a first person narrative, are banged out in a few minutes and probably shouldn’t have been changed. Novel size pieces are constantly edited until I know I am making them worse and force myself to stop.

23. Is there ever a point in your writing where you get stuck each and every time? How do you get out of it?
If the scenes ahead are not exciting enough for me to want to write them, then how can they excite the reader? If that’s the case, it’s time to change the direction of the story.

24. Which part of the writing process do you enjoy the most and why?
The plotting and dialogue. But as that’s one of the things I can do, I try to include more descriptive narrative and stuff like fight scenes etc, so that I can improve.

25. When you're working on a story are you obsessed with it until it's done?
Depends on the story. I am hard to talk to, because I am writing in my head on drives, bike rides, walks and not very good company.

26. Who are your favorite top five writers? Online or published.
Impossible question. Too many to mention. Yes, I love Chaim Potok, Dostoevsky, I love the classics, the dinosaur bards and have been lucky to exchange letters, meet  and even have a few stay with me. DJWP, Della Street, Vivian Darkbloom, Lunacy, Advocate and many others were saints to put up with me. About a dozen bards have stayed in our home including Gin, Mary Morgan and Verrath and Lariel is a few yards from me now. Meeting online or off one’s heroes has not been a disappointment for me yet. But I truly love the new online writers, the ones trying something different. Giving them a hand has been the biggest thrill of my life.

27. The song says "Who rules the world? Girls." If that were true would the world be a better place?
Not until the world changes what we want in female leaders. Margaret Thatcher, Ann Coulter, Indira Ghandi, are these the role models we want for our children? Fight at the grass roots to get better representation. We have such massive problems today, that having only white males make the decisions is perverse, eliminating the possible solutions from huge sections of the community.

28. Do you write a story straight through, or do you write in pieces, then put it all together.
Cut and paste the words: Depends on the story. <g>

29. Do you read books for pleasure while you are writing?
Essential. How can you write well if not reading the best? Though, that implies I write well, when it’s just a fervent wish.

30. Do you have a favorite Greek God?
If they make the story work, then they are my favourite at the time.

31. Do you have a pet peeve?
Not getting stuff on the page that sounded so good in my head

32. What do you see yourself doing in the future?
Trying to make a contribution and irritating my wife and daughter at the same time.

33. What is your favorite word?
End. Usually preceded by the word The

34. What is your least favorite word?
Decimate. People use it incorrectly all the time!

35. What turns you on?
My wife.

36. What turns you off?
A small switch at the back of my neck

37. What sound or noise do you love?
My wife talking to our chickens

38. What sound or noise do you hate?
The purring sound our cat makes when preparing to attack our toes in the much to early morning

39. What is your favorite curse word?
Thatcher?

40. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
I think I’ve already attempted pretty well all of them.

41. What profession would you absolutely not like to participate in?
The job is seldom the problem, it’s the person and/or the bosses’ demands that makes it evil.

42. If Heaven exists what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
 You realize this is only a trial thing, it will depend entirely on you keeping your mouth shut occasionally.

Here is one of Kamouraskan's favorite stories:

The Last Conqueror by Kamouraskan and Lariel - 115 pages
The Empire is crumbling and a struggle for power is about to begin. Dark forces are converging, and crucial choices have to be made. But which choice is the right one? And what difference can a streetsmart kid from Corinth and an insane prisoner make anyway, against forces which draw their power from the evil of the earth?
http://www.academyofbards.org/fanfic/l/lariel_kam_conqueror1.html

A Short Q&A With J. Brownell

     J. BROWNELL

1. Why did you start writing?
That’s a really good question and I don’t have a really good answer for it. I’ve been putting my stories on paper since I learned how to write. Maybe because I started reading at a young age I just thought it was what you do with stories that aren’t real.

2. If you had to do it all over again would you still write?
Today the answer to that is yes. But there are times I wish I had an off switch for my brain.

3. Once you’ve written a story do you ever sit down and read it for enjoyment?
No. The only time I ever look at the stories that are posted online is if I need to verify a fact. I do however have alternate versions of stories and chapters that didn’t go where I wanted and those I do go back and read for ideas.

4. How did you start writing Xena fan fiction?
I was a fan of the show and I liked what I was reading online.

5. Is your muse a constant companion, or does it abandon you for long periods of time?
She’s a constant and fickle companion. It’s not always easy to get down on paper what is happening in my head.

6. How do you feel about sequels?  
As a reader, I love them. As a writer, I hate them. Sequels are harder to write than the originals for me. I can’t just write anything this time because I am limited by the choices I made in the first story. I like it best when I can write whatever I want for whatever reason I want to write it.

7. Is writing a quiet thing for you, where there can't be any noise or conversation going on?
I would probably write more often if I did write in a quite space, but I always have the TV on.

8. Do you prefer to write/read romance, angst, horror etc, etc?
I like romance for reading and writing. I like the exploration of relationships and not just those of the main characters. People fascinate me.

9. What usually sparks a story idea for you?  
Song lyrics, something seen on TV or read in a book. There are parts of my brain that seem to always be working on something.

10. Where do your ideas come from?
See #9

11. What advice can you give to future writers?
Write the kind of books you like to read and about what interests you. Books aren’t read the way they are written and you will never be able to satisfy everyone, so write what you like so you’ll enjoy the writing.

12. What has the show Xena meant to you?
I don’t know that I would have ever posted if I had not been a fan of the show and found the wonderful world of uber fiction.

13. How do you feel about the way it ended?
I hated it, but there wasn’t a real finality to that ending for me so I believe that Gabrielle finds a way to bring Xena back and they are together working for the greater good.

14. How real are your characters to you?
They are very real for me. I know everything about them. I am entertained by them. They are with me always in ways that no one else in my life can ever be.

15. Do your characters speak to you?  
Not to me, but they talk to each other a lot.

16. Are you in control of your story, or do the characters run the show?  
I’m in control, but they don’t always want to go where I want them to go. That’s why I have alternate chapters that are never read by anyone.

17. Have you created a character that you would like to meet?
Whitney or Shea from Charade. I would love for time travel to be real and one of them could get me on the fifth floor.

18. How would you feel about another writer giving one of your characters a cameo in their story?
I’m not sure I would like that very much. These people belong to me and I don’t know that I want them playing with someone else.

19. Has online writing changed your life in any way?  
Not really.

20. Have you ever been stalked on the internet by an overzealous fan?  
No.

21. Which one of your online stories is your favorite?
I love them all, but I had the most fun with Charade. I love history and if I could do anything in the world, I would chose to go back into the past. I would never chose to go to the future because I’m a little concerned that the future I envision for this planet is too close to being a reality. I would rather not know that we destroy the planet.

22. Do you have to do a lot of rewrites?
Yes and I sincerely wish that I didn’t. I would probably post more often if I didn’t keep editing things I’ve already written.

23. Is there ever a point in your writing where you get stuck each and every time? How do you get out of it? The longer I write on a story, the closer I seem to get until I reach a point that I am looking at a tiny part of the story and just can’t see the whole of it anymore. When I reach that point, I put that story away and pull out another one.

24. Which part of the writing process do you enjoy the most and why?
I love the beginning. There are all those wonderful choices to be made and the world I create can be anything I want it to be.

25. When you're working on a story are you obsessed with it until it's done?
No. I am always working on more than one story at a time. Right now I have four going.

26. Who are your favorite top five writers? Online or published.
Nora Roberts (AKA J D Robb), Melissa Good, Mavis Applewater, Catherine Burke, Advocate/ T Novan.

27. The song says "Who rules the world? Girls." If that were true would the world be a better place?
Yes. There could be a debate on how much better, but yes, I do think it would better.

28. Do you write a story straight through, or do you write in pieces, then put it all together.
The story itself is written straight through, but I never work on just one story until it’s completed.

29. Do you read books for pleasure while you are writing?
Yes and I have this horrible little voice in my head that tells me that if I have time to read then I have time to write.

30. Do you have a favorite Greek God?
Not really. My love of history has never extended to mythology.

31. Do you have a pet peeve?
Bad, slow and stupid drivers. I have a video game I can play when I’m driving so that I don’t get absolutely crazy insane when someone’s grandmother drives really slow in front of me until she sees the light go yellow and then speeds up to leave me sitting at a red light.

32. What do you see yourself doing in the future?
I see myself where I am now, but hopefully with a few more stories posted online.

33. What is your favorite word?
I don’t have one, but I love adjectives. They are the most awesome words.

34. What is your least favorite word?
Any word that is solely used to cause someone pain.

35. What turns you on?
Ahh . . .

36. What turns you off?
Crude humor.

37. What sound or noise do you love?
A little kid laughing.

38. What sound or noise do you hate?
People yelling.

39. What is your favorite curse word?
I don’t have a favorite word, but phrase would be- Son of a fucking bitch.

40. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
My brain lit up on that question so probably a lot. I don’t know that there is a certain profession I would like to devote my life to doing.

41. What profession would you absolutely not like to participate in?
Anything that does anything with dead people.

42. If Heaven exists what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
I’ve been waiting for you.


Here is J. Brownell's favorite story:

Charade - 184 pages
Whitney Eisner leads a double life. In one she is a playgirl who travels and in the other she works for a secret agency that allows people from the future to travel into the past. Her life becomes even more complicated when she is implicated in a series of assaults on women travelers. When one of the women dies and Whitney is the only suspect, she breaks all the rules when she reaches out to Atlanta Detective Lauren Shea for help.
http://thestoreelounge.wordpress.com/authors/charade-by-janneen-brownell/

A Short Q&A With Carole Giorgio

   CAROLE GIORGIO 

1. Why did you start writing?
Because it’s what I do. I have been writing since grade school. Had my first poem published in Honor Society Booklet when I was 12. It just comes naturally and when I write, as when I read, I’m taken to wherever it is I am ‘visiting.’

2. If you had to do it all over again would you still write?
Absolutely!

3. Once you’ve written a story do you ever sit down and read it for enjoyment? 
Not really for the books, but maybe for the short stories and definitely for the poetry.

4. How did you start writing Xena fan fiction?
It was actually on a dare from a friend. When I first found out about FanFic I told my friend, “I can do that,” and she said, “Well, then do it.” So, I did.

5. Is your muse a constant companion, or does it abandon you for long periods of time?
She is usually a constant companion, but in 2001 our only daughter developed a glioblastoma multiform brain cancer tumor. Our world crumbled! My beautiful, smart, Nicole who had just become a speech therapist and who was looking forward to going into the Peace Corps and accepting her assignment in Africa had a terminal disease. She fought for 22 months and then lost her battle. I had lost my Muse, as well as my #1 Fan. Just when I thought it was time to tap the Muse again, I received a diagnosis of Stage III breast cancer – well, there went the Muse. She has finally returned this year, and I intend to put her to work! But I also have a little more help now; I have an Angel who has joined my Muse.

6. How do you feel about sequels?
There are three books in my Alex and Samantha series, Laguna Nights, Sedona Rain, and California Gold (which is not yet finished). Sequels can be difficult when you have to remember all the components to each story and all the characters as they continue on with their lives and new experiences, but the readers seem to love them so. . .

7. Is writing a quiet thing for you, where there can't be any noise or conversation going on?
I would probably say yes to that. When writing I usually unwind from the real world and go into a world of own. My favorite time to write is early, early morning like 1 a.m. or 2 a.m., and then there is being awaken from a deep sleep by the Muse to go write something down before being allowed to go back to slumberland.

8. Do you prefer to write/read romance, angst, horror etc, etc?
I prefer to write romance, poems, and fantasy. Reading has always been one of my loves, and I read quite a variety of genres such as detective, sci/fi, fantasy, and some horror. I enjoyed horror (King, Koontz, John Saul, Robin Cook) more when I was younger and not as much now, and never the really horror/horror like ‘Freddy.’ Reading detective stories is a new thing for me, but I really like James Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club;.  When younger I also read Shakespeare and a lot of the classics – but I always preferred the comedies to the tragedies. I loved Dune and the sequels, and anything Anne McCaffrey wrote. I have also always enjoyed self-help and personal growth-type books. I guess I could go on, but will stop now.

9. What usually sparks a story idea for you?
Could be anything, something I see, feel, desire, joy I wish to share, sorrow I wish to get rid of, questions I would like answered.

10. Where do your ideas come from?
Kind of the same answer from question #9.

11. What advice can you give to future writers?
If writing is your passion, be passionate about it. Don’t do it haphazardly, you will never be content with the outcome. If you want to write and need to write to complete yourself ~ then by all means write and continue to do so until you are all written out, and remember to write for yourself first. If you are not happy with what you write, no one else is going to be either and if you try to write just for others you are not going to be fulfilled.

12. What has the show Xena meant to you?
New friends, new interests, writing again, and a story line I absolutely loved!

13. How do you feel about the way it ended?
I absolutely Hated the way it ended; I cried for days (maybe weeks – yes, I was a Xena-freak!). The next day I posted my own ending to the show – “She Who Talks to the Air.” I really needed to vent!

14. How real are your characters to you?
When I am immersed in the writing they are very real to me, they have to be to have the feelings and experiences I want them to have. I do not want them to be shallow figments of my imagination, but complete individuals that readers can actually relate to and believe in.

15. Do your characters speak to you?
They do.

16. Are you in control of your story, or do the characters run the show? 
I’d say it’s a little of each.

17. Have you created a character that you would like to meet?
I believe I have met all my characters in the only way I need to meet them.

18. How would you feel about another writer giving one of your characters a cameo in their story?
If I am asked to grant permission and if the cameo is one that is positive, I see no reason to deny the request, it would even be quite an accomplishment for someone to think enough of my girls to want to include them in a story.

19. Has online writing changed your life in any way?
Yes, in so much that I have a large group of readers who are very devoted. They waited all through the troubled years of my daughter’s and then my own illness and they still write and ask if I am going to finish the third in the series that began with Laguna Nights. I feel extremely blessed to have them and have finally given them two new chapters in the nearly finished California Gold.

20. Have you ever been stalked on the internet by an overzealous fan?
Pretty close to it and it was close enough.

21. Which one of your online stories is your favorite? 
Of my online stories and not my published works, I would have to narrow it down to 2; “And Baby Makes. . .” and “She Who Talks to the Air.”

22. Do you have to do a lot of rewrites?
No.

23. Is there ever a point in your writing where you get stuck each and every time? How do you get out of it?
No

24. Which part of the writing process do you enjoy the most and why?
The actual writing because I feel as though I’ve accomplished something and the feedback from the readers because they let me know that although they are my characters and my stories they are very involved with them, appreciate the writing and desire me to continue.

25. When you're working on a story are you obsessed with it until it's done?
Not really.

26. Who are your favorite top five writers? Online or published.
Anne McCaffrey, John Saul, James Peterson, Piers Anthony, and Ann Rice.

27. The song says "Who rules the world? Girls." If that were true would the world be a better place?
I truly think it would be, once we get past sabotaging each other.

28. Do you write a story straight through, or do you write in pieces, then put it all together. 
Write it right through.

29. Do you read books for pleasure while you are writing? 
Yes, but I don’t read much lesbian fiction; I don’t want people to think I get my ideas from other authors.

30. Do you have a favorite Greek God? 
Not really but my favorite Goddess is Isis.

31. Do you have a pet peeve?
People who try to run other people’s lives without knowing the wherefores or the whys.

32. What do you see yourself doing in the future?
Writing more and becoming more accomplished doing so.

33. What is your favorite word?
Wow – that’s a difficult one. I love words and to pick just one is impossible.

34. What is your least favorite word?
Probably faggot (and I don’t mean a bundle of sticks).

35. What turns you off?
Mean people, especially to animals or children who cannot defend themselves.

36. What sound or noise do you love? 
My dog running in circles (his bell ringing) letting me know that Tricia is home.

37. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
Being a regression hypnotist.

38. What profession would you absolutely not like to participate in? 
Anything to do with sports.

39. If Heaven exists what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
I would want her to say, “Well, it’s about time – the rest of the group is waiting for you to go over what it is you learned this time around.”


 Here is Carole Giorgio's favorite story:

She who talks to the Air - 18 pages
Epilogue to A Friend In Need.
http://sedonarain.com/Other/shewho.htm