damzel

Dear Yuletide Author,

Firstly, thank you for writing for me. And may your Yuletide be merry and bright!

I have no real squicks/ DNWs: if you enjoy writing it, then it's a strong bet I'll enjoy reading it. If there's a plot bunny that's been hopping around for some time feel free to let it run wild...

I'm happy to receive fic rated extra Mature with a cherry on the top, right the way down the ratings: all the AUs, all the kinks. Throw me some vampires, werewolves, ghosts. Seriously, whatever works for you...

I particularly enjoy stories that are rich in local and/or period detail. I enjoy both plotty adventures, and writing that is more character or relationship-focussed. Lastly, don't feel obliged to write me a happy ending if your story pans out another way.

As above I'm very open to reading whatever it is you want to create. Nonetheless here are a few fandom-specific prompts that appeal to me.

Chicago Fire
Jessica “Chili” Chilton
Rebecca Jones

I admit this is a crack ship as the two don’t appear on the show together, but this idea has been dancing around my brain for quite a while! I like to think that the two personalities would play off really well against each another, whether depicted romantically or as friends and comrades. I’d love fix-it fic for Rebecca. What if Rebecca survived her suicide attempt, and ended up working the ambulance with Chili? Could Chili help Rebecca resolve things with her father, or would Rebecca be able to comfort Chili following Jellybean’s death? What if Chili entered rehab after the events of 4x14, only to meet fellow patient Rebecca Jones? Bonus points for a Dr Charles cameo! Alternatively, what if a (literal) ghost began to haunt Chili after she took her place on Ambulance 61? Could Rebecca steer her in a new direction?

The Four Marys (comic strip)
Mary “Cotty” Cotter
Mary “Fieldy” Field
Mary “Raddy” Radleigh
Mary “Simpy” Simpson

I only got to experience the tail end of Bunty and “The Four Marys” as a child, but I have great memories of this story. The shy, creative Cotty was definitely my favourite. I’d really enjoy fic that takes the Marys back to their first incarnation in the late fifties/ early sixties – dodgy plaits and jolly hockey sticks and all! There’s lots of (poly?) shipping potential with the Marys. Would the seemingly unsinkable friendship group survive if two or more of the Marys got together? What if one of the Marys began an affair with a teacher, and the other girls discovered her secret? I’m a sucker for good old-fashioned schoolgirl adventures, and stories featuring traditional boarding school pranks. Ducking and diving to avoid detection from Dr Gull and/or Creefy could be a lot fun. Perhaps the Snobs Mabel and Veronica start another scheme to bring the Marys down a peg or two? With optional romantic interludes? Hauntings, gypsy curses or alien invasions at St Elmos would all work for me!

New Tricks
Brian Lane

I’ve always enjoyed the tone of this show; the balance between the grim subject matter of the investigations, and the light-hearted team dynamic. The initial casting was a stroke of genius. I’m not, however, hugely keen on the substitute leads in the last few seasons, and I’d prefer fic featuring the original quartet.

In particular, I enjoy the light and dark shades of Brian’s character – his alcoholism, regrets about how he parented Mark, and the events surrounding the death of Anthony Kaye, alongside his loveable quirks and foibles. Fic featuring Brian geeking out about trains (could this clinch a case?) would definitely work for me! I have lots of love for his unconventionally stylish cycling helmet and overcoat, his passion for AFC Wimbledon, and of course his brilliant relationship with the long-suffering Esther. I’d love anything about life on “Planet Brian” as Sandra puts it. A high school AU in which Brian encounters school bully Sandra, bad boy Gerry, and fair-minded Jack? Would Brian have been something of an obsessive fanboy back in his teens? How might his passion for wargaming factor in? I’d also love to hear more about Brian’s early days in the police force. Could he have exploited his incredible memory and other talents to prevent the Anthony Kaye cover-up? (With a little help from his future UCOS comrades?) I’d also enjoy a scenario in which the UCOS team put together an “intervention” for Brian. What ideas could Jack, Sandra and Gerry bring to the table to help him back onto the straight and narrow?

No Name – Wilkie Collins
Magdalen Vanstone
Norah Vanstone

On balance this is probably my favourite Collins novel (although this frequently changes – they’re all great!). I'm a fan of any and all tropes associated with Sensation fiction, and always appreciate a touch of the Gothic. Basically I’ve got a huge soft spot for Victorian melodrama - the more hammed up the better!

I’ve always loved the Vanstone sisters, particularly their “sense and sensibility” dynamic: the more contained and measured Norah alongside the headstrong and impetuous Magdalen. I’d be happy to receive fic that explores any aspect of their relationship, ranging from a strong sisterly bond through to slashy incest. Looking back to the girls’ childhood, did Magdalen’s dramatic abilities surface at a young age? Could the Vanstone girls have exploited her talent for disguise to fool their parents and the household staff at Combe-Raven? Revisiting the events of the novel, what if Norah was secretly by her sister’s side as she carried out her elaborate plot to regain their inheritance? Perhaps Norah has her own talent for theatrics. Could the sisters have worked together to successfully dupe Mr Noel Vanstone, to defeat Mrs Lecount once and for all, and to reclaim their places in society? Lastly, I’m interested in how things might have worked out for the Vanstone sisters post-canon. How does their relationship fare as they settle down to life with their new husbands?

Again, thank you for writing for me. And I wish you a wonderful Yuletide!