1. Chapter 1 by Author Interviews
Let's see... my Real Life is spectacularly unspectacular. I've been doing temp work (mostly data entry) for a little over a year and right now I’m working second shift, which leaves my days open. I love that. My hobbies are varied but mostly center around creative pursuits... I’m very into art (I sketch and watercolor), I dabble in pottery and sculpture, and I write *endlessly*. Original fiction, poetry, anything. Give me paper and pen, or a computer with a word processor, and in thirty seconds or less there will be words written whether they make sense or not.
I love music – all kinds, really, but mostly classic rock, classical, Celtic, alternative, and some heavy, edgy hard rock. I really like finding obscure artists that no one else really knows about, and nothing will make me like a song or an artist quicker than a brilliantly turned phrase in their lyrics. The late Mark Heard (folk-rock) won my heart that way. Some of my favorite artists are U2, Jeff Buckley, Mr. Mister, Peter Gabriel... I’m so pathetically Top 40 material despite my attempts at being otherwise.
I like movies – I like everything about them. I like the way they’re made and the effort that goes into them; I admire the writers, the directors, the actors... I love stories, and I especially love seeing the way good stories get told well whether it’s in books or films or a song or however.
I’m very fond of animals, especially horses and wolfish dogs. I’m a nature girl at heart and it’s just about killing me living in the middle of a big city. I’d love to move up to the mountains, maybe out west in the Rockies. I like to travel though I haven’t done very much of it, and I’m an adrenaline junkie if I have the opportunity to indulge myself.
I’m probably going back to school, hopefully starting in the summer term, and I’m moving film (my former major) into a minor and choosing English (writing) for my major.
But I probably came into the fandom with a bias because the friend who *demanded* that I watch the movie (who was also my beta reader in the X-Files fandom) also told me “This movie is for any girl who’s ever loved an older man.” (Knowing, of course, that the last guy I was serious about was 12 years older than me.) So I guess that’s how it got started. So, shout outs to Floridiana for roping me into this. (She’s also the reason I discovered Hugh Jackman. Everybody needs a friend like her.)
Then when I got into the comics and back into the cartoon and saw the subtle differences in the characters, I totally fell in love with the idea of the two of them together – they’re both so strong that nobody could see the places where they need something from others. I figured they would understand each other because nobody else is really that way. Rogue is bullet-proof and Wolverine super-heals, and yet they both are emotionally vulnerable.
Having someone who understands that about you and is willing to take care of you in those areas without making you feel like you’re needy or that you’re incapable of taking care of yourself is a big part of what I feel a relationship is about. Part of my philosophy on a romantic relationship is summed up in a quote from the Jewish Talmud: “If your wife is short, bend down and whisper to her.” In other words, if your partner has an area where maybe they don’t have it all together, do your best to help them out without bringing attention to that weakness.
I also feel like Wolverine and Rogue are people who say what they mean, so they should be able to communicate fairly easily, and communication is a huge part of any relationship – maybe ninety percent of it. I think they accept the other one for who they are without judging, and that creates a feeling of safety, a sensation of, “I can tell you anything and we’ll still be friends.” I think they feel safe being themselves with each other, and I think that’s a good sign that any relationship, romantic or not, will stand the test of time.
I guess the bottom line would be I feel like they understand each other, and you know what the Monkees say: “Love is understanding.”
That’s a terribly hard question to answer. I’m not really a hearts-and-flowers kind of girl, so my idea of ‘romantic’ doesn’t really look like what you might normally think of, especially when it comes to Wolverine. His basic personality doesn’t seem like the kind to go for clichéd romance, although he’s capable of it if the situation calls. Still, I’d be more apt to swoon over a guy stabbing himself through the chest to save me than I would a guy setting up a romantic candle light dinner. I mean, those traditional gestures are nice, but they just don’t scream of devotion in quite the same way. (And I’d be so out of place at a fancy dinner it would just be terrible.)
So when I think of romantic moments in my stories, I think of Wolverine saving a little bit of his rations for Rogue in “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” or Rogue bringing him socks because he’s sick even though either action could get them killed. I think of an upcoming scene in the ‘Slow Revival’ series where they actually talk about where they want to take their relationship and the way they bend for each other. (I won’t tell you the exact piece of dialogue I think is so romantic because I don’t want to spoil it.) I think of the scene in “You Make Me” where Logan gets sick after a nightmare and Marie takes care of him. I guess the most romantic moments to me are when there are gestures (little or big) that aren’t easy to make, but they’re made anyway in situations that maybe aren’t so conducive to romance. (That candle light dinner might suddenly look a whole lot more romantic to me if it took place in the middle of a kind of not-so-fairytale setting where food and candles were heavily rationed... *laughs*)
Sometimes a story is written in one sitting because it sort of springs into my head fully-formed. “Every Breath You Take” was one of those, as was “Red Rain.” Sometimes, the concept is in my head, but the story itself is a little trickier to get a handle on. “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” and “Bridles to Brides” go there. And then sometimes, I have one scene that I *need* to write and have to try to build a story around it. “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” might also qualify for that one.
Depending on how well the story comes out the first time, it may or may not get several detail-obsessed read-throughs from me before I send it to a beta. I’ve had several wonderful betas, and I really hate posting stories without them. Sometimes, when it’s a foof piece, I refuse to send it to a beta because I don’t take the story seriously. Once I’m comfortable with it and the betas give me the thumbs-up, then I’ll post it. And that’s the most horrifying and exciting part – seeing what other people think of what I’ve done.
I’m starting to actually get organized, though, and I’ve begun making outlines for my stories – especially the longer ones. It keeps me focused and gives me a guide to go by... a sort of “What comes next” nudge.
If I’m writing non-AU, I do try to keep it as accurate as possible. And of course if I’m writing AU’s, what is ‘accurate’ and what is not is kind of irrelevant. *grins*
In the comics, he doesn't seem as emotionally open -- but he's very emotionally vulnerable. It may have something to do with the simple difference in mediums – it's easier to show expression on a human face than maybe it is with pencils on a two-dimensional piece of paper. However, it comes out as part of the character: You don’t see what comic Wolverine is feeling in his expressions as much as you do with movie Wolverine, but he obviously feels a lot, if his inner monologues are anything to go by.
He *mopes* at times, even if it’s only when he’s by himself. That’s the same in every universe. I guess the biggest difference between those two would be to say that he seems somehow “older” in the comics... perhaps more world-weary.
And in Evolution, he seems more settled, more accepting of who he is and what he is. He doesn’t seem as plagued and tormented by self-doubt. He’d actually be a really nice guy to be around – someone I could see myself getting very attached to.
Rogue experiences some of the same self-doubt and self-loathing, but she seems to cover it up by being ‘sassy.’ If that doesn’t work, she gets defensive and closes off. She’s much louder about her moping than Logan is, but she mopes just the same. This pretty much goes for the comics, the cartoon, and Evolution. In the movie, she doesn’t seem to have so much self-hatred just yet, but she definitely has sass. She isn’t quite the bad-ass that the other Rogues are, but she shows definite potential for growing into that. The way she stripped off her glove without a second thought in X2 when Magneto pissed her off points to that side of her.
She seems to have the same basic emotions and personality in every universe, she just expresses them differently. Her outward appearance and expressions change dramatically, probably moreso than Logan’s, but inside she seems to be the same person – someone sweet and fiery who, at times, resents her mutation but has also learned to value it.
As for whether the differences are a difficulty when writing – no, not really. If anything, I like to try to blend them a little – give a little of Comic Rogue's personality to Movie Rogue if I age her at all, what have you. I try not to mix Logan’s personalities too much, though, because they do seem so different to me.
It would stand to reason that, after observing a person for awhile, you would become very attached. They’d be almost like a pet project, something that was personal. You’d become invested. The more you watched them, the more you’d understand them and become sympathetic towards them. And with Logan, who is very capable of being obsessive, I thought he’d be especially good at it. From there, the story just sort of wrote itself. I think maybe the part that I loved the most as far as showing how far gone Logan was when it came to Rogue was when one of his own teammates was about to die – and he didn’t care. When his target became more important to him than his comrades. Logan’s got a staunch idea of loyalty – but this time, his loyalty was to Rogue.
I think that if I were in Logan’s shoes, my biggest dissatisfaction would be the inability to find someone who lived life with the same passion that he does. Because I don't know why, but he does -- everything impacts him on a deeper level than most people. Possibly because being observant is a big part of just who he is, so he’s kind of detail-oriented. When you're like that, you don’t want someone who isn't observant for a mate. You always feel like two-thirds of your life is unable to be shared with the person you’re trying to share your entire life with, and it doesn’t make sense. I think Rogue is a very intense person as well, so I think they go well together. *grins*
But from what I’ve seen of Logan in the comics – he’s huge on commitment. Yeah, he has his fun and his one-night stands, but I think it’s different for him because those things aren’t done with the expectation of anything more. I think when he wants a relationship, he’s “all in.” He doesn’t do anything by half-measures, least of all love. He’s a guy who likes love, and likes being in a partnership. He likes being “it” for someone and likes having an “it.” But I also think he’s smart enough to not try to make that happen with the wrong person – except in the case of Phoenix, which is tough, because there are elements where Phoenix and Wolverine fit together, and you can see why he would think there would be potential. But I don’t think either of them will ever be the first one to back down on an issue and a relationship where no one gives in is doomed for disaster.
My favorite bounces between “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” and a work in progress called “Time For Love.” They’re my favorites because they take stories that are very personal and important to me, concepts that I’m rather obsessed with in my ‘real life,’ and make them into something that I can practically see and feel. “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” was actually based on one of the most romantic love stories I’ve ever read, and one that I read over and over – the story of Ruth and Boaz in the biblical book of Ruth. Somehow in the Bible, the basics get told and the human emotion and details get skimmed over – and when I read it, my imagination brims with the kinds of emotions these characters must have been feeling. Ruth was risking her life to be on the threshing floor where only men were supposed to be – and Boaz cared enough about her that, despite the fact that he could’ve had his way with her and no one would have blinked twice, especially her since she offered, he wanted to do it right. He respected her enough to not only do the right thing for her, but to keep her reputation from being ruined... but he couldn’t stand to let her leave so she stayed the night with him. I could go on for hours about that, but I won’t.
I’ll tell more about “Time For Love” later.
I also really like the “Slow Revival” series because it’s giving me a chance to explore what a relationship would be like if it happened more gradually, not so much a spark of chemistry and a blazing fire that just sort of sweeps you away... because in my experience, my “Fourth of July” relationships fade pretty quickly. It’s the ones that sneak up on me that last.
Sometimes, if it's a story I really, really want to finish, I will actually sit down and go over what I know of the plot – the outline, notes, scenes that I've scribbled down – and try to get interested in it again. Sometimes I’ll watch or read things that are related to that universe – like with “Bridles to Brides,” especially, I’ll watch westerns or read Louis L’Amour novels or what have you. And once I’m submerged in that universe and it’s sort of saturated into my brain, then I'm more ready to go back and write.
As for “Kitchen Chair,” there is a Word file on my doomed-to-hell computer (fortunately, the file is now saved to disk) with a working title that bounces between “Lilac Wine,” “The Lilac Tree,” and “Marble Arch.” (All phrases from the same Jeff Buckley album that gave me the title “Kitchen Chair” – I like to go with a theme if I’m in a series. *grins*) It’s not so much a sequel as a companion piece, showing the stages Wolverine went through in their little chase. I don’t know that writing a sequel to “Kitchen Chair” is something that I’m capable of. I’m not sure this companion piece will make it, either, but I haven’t been able to get rid of it yet.
My upcoming projects – I’ll give you a peek at some of my favorites.
There is one called “Zero Sum” that is the sequel to "Baby, It's Cold Outside" and is giving me more problems than a mid-term math exam. I'm excited to finish and post it, though, because I have a feeling Devil Doll's going to want to kill me by the end of the first section, so I'm spending the rest of the story trying to make it up to her. *laughs*
There's one I'm hoping happens, but it sort of depends on the author I've asked to co-author it with me and our respective schedules. If she ends up not being able to do it, it probably won’t get done, and if anybody understands the need to get away from the pressure of a WIP, it's me. But it has to do with skeletons...
Obviously, the "Slow Revival" series is being continued. That one’s a lot of fun for me to play around with. It’s easy; the characters are really laid-back and there’s no big stress or huge conflict. They’re trying to sort out their emotions, true, but not under strenuous circumstances. They’re sort of taking their time, and that’s nice for me. Gives me a break as an author. I hate it when my characters put me through the wringer. The next one is back to Rogue's point of view, and I’m looking forward to catching up with the little vagabond and seeing what she’s been up to while Logan’s been having his epiphanies. One of the upcoming installments (maybe two or three down the road), though, is the one I'm most excited about. It’s where they finally meet up on their separate little road trips, and I picked a town I lived in for several years. It’s a hick-town on the backside of nowhere, and it’s the perfect backdrop for what happens.
My big upcoming project that is sort of my baby right now is a story I mentioned in an earlier question called "Time For Love." The best word I have to describe this monster is "ambitious." I've made an outline for it (four pages long!) and have a couple of chapters written, and if the average pages per chapter stays the same, it will end up being about 90 pages long. Not only does the length of it make it ambitious, though; the concept is daunting. In my opinion, it’s an AU to end all AUs I will ever write. If I finish this one, I will probably never want to hear the phrase "Alternate Universe fic" ever again. I've had a few people glance over the chapters I have so far to give me a reaction and see if it's something that will even click with readers, and they assure me that it will. It's based on a biblical concept, much like "Baby, It's Cold Outside," but one that is much more complicated and much darker. The universe it lives in is gritty and rough (one of my main characters is a drug addict living on the streets in bad condition), there's a war that happens, and one of the characters that I didn't expect to have a very large part of the story at all actually plays a pivotal role and almost gets everyone killed, including herself. I do get to indulge my Phoenix obsession, though, and that makes me happy.
The really intimidating thing about writing this story, though, is the sheer volume of time that it spans. We get a chapter about every three to four years, and it manages to span somewhere around twenty-one years in the lives of the characters. When we first meet Jean in the beginning, for example, she's a sixteen-year-old high school student. By the time the story reaches its climactic moment, she's thirty-five with a whole history behind her that has led to where she is. I won't tell much about the journey the other characters (Logan, Marie, Scott, Hank, Charles, Ororo and more) go through because it would give too much away and in a universe like this, I think surprise may be my best element.
So that's a peek into what lies ahead, and I guess that about does it. I enjoyed this; thanks to everyone who participated and special thanks to Diane for putting it together!