Remix babble and recs

[raven]

My own remix was a surprise on many levels; I'd have laid bets on either Effects or Another Horsedreamer's Blues being remixed. But no, it was Morningstar, a fic I wrote in a moment of whimsy about a year ago. The remix, Don't Shoot The Messenger (the strangers in the night remix) is a lot like my original story in terms of dialogue, but the style is very different, fitting a POV change from Tara to Doyle. It's got lots of detail, a wonderful Doyle voice, and I just really, really liked it.

But beyond that, all the remix stories I have read have been Harry Potter, and a huge amount of the HP Remix stories are Remus-centric. I am nothing but delighted by this. Recs:

All The Answers (Call And Response Remix)
In which Harry asks Remus a question I suspect a lot of people want to ask him. I'm quite into my Remus/Tonks kick at the moment - ohgod I know, I know, it is weird and inexplicable - and this story feeds into it admirably. The structure is perfect, and so are Remus's relationships with Sirius and Tonks. Love it.

The Evidence Of Things Not Seen (The Substance of Things Hoped For Remix)
The title made me read this one. And it's a lovely, lovely story about Lily and James and the importance of the past and having things to believe in.

Frost (a prelude to the season of ice)
"In the early weeks of winter, in the slow, shivering exhale of November mornings, before freezing rain slicks roads with black ice, frost descends like crystalline mist to wrap the surface of all things in a shroud of burning stillness."

I would give years of my life to be able to write like this.

But The Liquor Was Clean (Of The Race That Knows Joseph)
"Lupin, you're a werewolf. Werewolves don't cook breakfast and put daisies in vases and talk to people they left to die as if they were a beloved chum!"

"I do, and I'm a werewolf," said Remus. "I think that means werewolves do."

Whoever she is, I want to marry this author. She fizzes with random asides, side-splitting similes and hysterically pointed characterisation whilst telling a vaguely serious story about Remus, Tonks and Regulus Black. I like it very much, for all it's relentlessly surreal.

Sleeping With Ghosts (I'll Have What He's Having Remix)
This story could be designed to hit all my kinks. To start with, it's called "Sleeping With Ghosts". And beyond that, it's a deliciously fucked up Remus/Tonks story and I love it. It is, in fact, the Remus/Tonks I am trying to write, and failing. This is what I wanted to tell.

In addition to this, the Life On Mars recs I've wanted to post for a while, retyped after my mother deleted them this afternoon:

Subject To Change by elfinessy.
Sam wakes up, and it's all gone wrong. This story impresses me with its portrayal of Sam, who is, beneath everything, fundamentally broken. The action he takes is horrifying but perfectly believable.

Lawman and Beating Up The Wrong Guy by tigertrapped.
Holy angst, my dears. Much, much angst and whumping, but used to make a specific point about life in 1973, and the pointed dialogue and richness of the dialogue make these two stories for me. There are Spangles! I grew up eating those!

Don't Mess With Mister In-Between by hellblazer06.
This is the only slash story I've read and really enjoyed, because for reasons of my own - which I will no doubt expand on, one of these days - I can't buy Sam/Gene. Still, I bought it for the duration of this story. It's long and in-character, and tied in with Sam's mental issues in a way that's very believable. I would have liked to give it a swift beta, though.

Round In Circles by flurblewig.
Short, introspective slice of melancholy, with beautiful turns of phrase.

Chalk Another One Up For The Girls by uberwald.
Awwww. Just, awwww. Another fic that could do with a swift beta going-over, but I'm willing to ignore that. It's so funny, and so sweet, and has Sam staring at his peas like they're resisting arrest. Love!

Edited to add: I COMPLETELEY FORGOT. My mother deleted my recs! I have an excuse! But, still, I forgot: if anyone is wondering how on earth a fourteen-year-old Daniel Jackson ended up at a Brian Slade concert, as depicted somewhat crack-addedly in Momentary Seizure of Love, I highly recommend this delicious snippet by the_acrobat, Voix-de-voleurs. It is LOVE. (And no, my written French has not dramatically improved over the last week or so; it's in English for the benefit of us monolingual plebeians.)

Now I leave you all. Mwah.


To-do list for tomorrow:

-post letters
-watch eBay auction(s)
-go to dentist
-pick up parcel

Comments

[musesfool.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... my comment doesn't seem to have posted. I was going to say that I almost assigned you to me so I could remix Another Horsedreamer's Blues, because I love that story, but it didn't work out with the whole matching thing.

sorry if you get two comments. feel free to delete one.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

I got emailed it, but it didn't appear. How bizarre. Anyhow, I was going to say: perhaps it's best you didn't, because I'm sure you, like casirafics, would have shown me up admirably. *g*

[musesfool.livejournal.com]

It did appear after I posted the second one, so I just deleted it.

would have shown me up admirably.

Pfft. I doubt that.

[amchau.livejournal.com]

You don't buy Sam/Gene? Okay, I've only seen episode 1 yet, but I don't see there being any other pairing (unless you want Sam/Annie, which is... just too easy).

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

I knew someone would want to know why! Oh, all right, here goes. I buy Sam. I love Sam and his liberal self and his anti-homophobia and big, pretty eyes that linger on Gene in far too many shots. It'd be the easiest thing in the world to spin Sam as bisexual. In fact, the same arguments apply to him as to Jack Harkness - he's from the twenty-first century, he's flexible. ;)

But then there's Gene, who is a seventies copper and fits a lot of the classic slash-writing stereotypes. It's quite possible - probably inevitable - that Gene's irritated interest in Sam, his manhandling and casual contact, and more than that, the continuous wrangling between the two, is a subconscious manifestation of more slashy feelings for Sam. But Gene's a seventies copper. I just can't get round this roadblock. I think to write Gene as accepting of being queer, or having any sort of relationship with Sam, would be to write him out-of-character. The story I rec above works in this respect because it gives us a fucked-up Gene, who is trying to ignore the relationship in the hope it will go away, and that rings truer to me. It's different, I think, for say, Sirius and Remus growing up in the seventies, becuase they want to rebel, they want to shock, and when it comes to it, their environment is far less hostile than Sam and Gene's.

*exhales* There ya go. Thoughts?

[amchau.livejournal.com]

From a *logical* point of view, you are totally correct. It's highly unlikely that Gene could ever comes to terms with having a relationship with Sam. However, there are three things which can be said in favour of writing slash regardless (watch out, here comes another list). Firstly, that slash is fantasy; I cite M*A*S*H slash as an example of highly unlikely behaviour which, because we want it to happen, we accept as possible if not always plausible. Secondly, that it can only improve the story that Gene will have problems with it-- we must remember them, but you and I both like a fucked-up relationship (at least when it's fictional).

And thirdly, that in this specific context, it's highly likely that Sam is dreaming it-- okay, his dream is detailed and period-specific in many ways, but he imposes space for himself and his own needs and desires, so it's not impossible that he could dream Gene as less homophobic than he would actually be (Or have been? Damned time-travel grammar!)

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

cite M*A*S*H slash as an example of highly unlikely behaviour

Ah, but is it? You know me and my canon-based slash! Like Sirius and Remus, Hawkeye is fundamentally liberal and he always wants to shock, rebel and all the rest of it, and add that to the fact it's wartime, he's a long way from home, and slashing him seems an awful lot more plausible. These are arguments that could also apply to Sam, but not to Gene.

Secondly, that it can only improve the story that Gene will have problems with it

This I will get behind to a certain extent. For example, I'd go for it being unrequited or unacted-upon. I just can't write Gene into acceptance.

you and I both like a fucked-up relationship (at least when it's fictional).

I have said this before, but here I am saying it again. In the context of our relationship, clearly I am the Remus figure. *pouts*

not impossible that he could dream Gene as less homophobic than he would actually be (Or have been? Damned time-travel grammar!)

That's a really, really good point. It'd make a perfect plot bunny, actually; put Sam and Gene in a relationship, and then get Sam worrying about whether it's all a dream because Gene is so accepting of it? That way you could write slash that also gives room to my quibbles above. *thinks* Further thoughts?

[amchau.livejournal.com]

You know me and my canon-based slash!

I do indeed. I also know me and my desire for unlikely and sometimes highly improbable pairings.

Like Sirius and Remus, Hawkeye is fundamentally liberal and he always wants to shock, rebel and all the rest of it, and add that to the fact it's wartime, he's a long way from home, and slashing him seems an awful lot more plausible.

This argument applies to Hawkeye, but I invite you to consider the others-- Trapper perhaps you can argue on the same lines, but BJ I suspect you can't; with Frank you could try for an insanity or hysteria defence, but what about Charles? Even more Mulcahy. No, it won't stand for many of the pairings people like to write.

These are arguments that could also apply to Sam, but not to Gene.

Unless you can produce a situation which makes it seem more likely-- one of the stories you recc'ed above had Gene hunting for Sam for months, and the emotional stress (and alcohol) which accompanies his return makes the quick-and-dirty sex which follows seem more plausible.

Which brings me onto another point: alcohol. Although I myself am teetotal, very few of my character are, and they tend to be of the opinion that almost anything can be excused by sufficent quantities of alcohol. That goes for most of the M*A*S*H characters, and LoM characters, and Remus and Sirius too.

For example, I'd go for it being unrequited or unacted-upon. I just can't write Gene into acceptance.

I agree; it would be difficult if not impossible to ever write Gene into total acceptance. He's unlikely even to tolerate it becoming a pattern.

I have said this before, but here I am saying it again. In the context of our relationship, clearly I am the Remus figure. *pouts*

Please don't pout about it. Being Remus is a compliment! (Though I must confess that if it means I get to be Sirius, I'm not going to argue with you. Until I need to get out of Azkaban, leastways.)

put Sam and Gene in a relationship, and then get Sam worrying about whether it's all a dream because Gene is so accepting of it?

My further thoughts consist mainly of 'how can I make Iona write this without ending up as co-author?'

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

I invite you to consider the others

Ah, but you can't accuse me of inconsistency, because the one thing I have never done is consider the others. I'm with you on Mulcahy, Frank, BJ, all of them - but the only pairing I wrote in M*A*S*H fandom was Hawkeye/Trapper. The curse of canon slash strikes again!

almost anything can be excused by sufficent quantities of alcohol

Amen to that. Although I am yet to read the definitive Sirius/Remus drunken fic. It always seems to be fluffy Hogwarts fic for them. I want them as adults getting pissed. Ahem. I digress.

(Though I must confess that if it means I get to be Sirius, I'm not going to argue with you. Until I need to get out of Azkaban, leastways.)

You get to be Sirius, oh yes. *g* Being Remus does mean you get all the self-deprecating humour, the soul of a copy-editor and a wicked streak a mile wide, so I didn't pout for long.

'how can I make Iona write this without ending up as co-author

With great, great difficulty, I fear.

[amchau.livejournal.com]

The curse of canon slash strikes again!

Oh, *handwave*.

I want them as adults getting pissed.

That could still go two ways, though: happy-night-out fic, or angsty-need-a-drink-to-cope fic.

You get to be Sirius, oh yes. *g*

*wears tight leather trousers and plays loud rock music*

With great, great difficulty, I fear.

I think my fic-writing career will stand as testimony to the fact that I like a challenge. :)

I'm not going to make any further points about Sam, or Gene, or Sam/Gene, until I've watched some more of the show. I suspect that if the fandom doesn't lend itself to slash-- and from what you're saying, the obvious choice might not be so obvious-- I'll do a bit of meta and wander away. I have one mostly-meta fandom as it is!

[phantomas.livejournal.com]

Hi *waves* here via the lifein73 comm (too asleep still to do the LJ thingy, sorry)

I managed to watch only the second half of the series, but i was in love already with the concept as soon as housemate told me about it. I hope to catch it all again soon.

What I wanted to say (and relevant to your comment above! :) is that I understand where you'r coming from re: Sam/Gene. I've been a fan of The Professionals for years and Gene presents the same problems that slashing Bodie and Doyle does. Happy-happy and lovey-dovey won't do. At all. Too many political and social consequences, and most men were homophobe then. (probably still are).
So, yes, a very good writer that takes all that in consideration, can make it work. But it has to be harsh, and f-up, and angsty and twisted and very probably, a Gene that-is-not-gay-he-just-fucks-Sam kind of thing (back to the WANGWJLEO discourse).

thanks for the rec! :)

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

WANGWJLEO

It worries me that I understood this acronym with the barest of mental effort. I've been in fandom too long. *g*

You're right, of course. I think the definitive-in-my-eyes Sam/Gene is yet to be written, and when it is, it wil have all the characteristics you've mentioned above.

[amchau.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask what WANGWJLEO means. Clearly I need to spend more time in fandom.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

We're Not Gay, We Just Love Each Other!

[amchau.livejournal.com]

Oh, of course! I had 'not gay' and 'love each other', but the wrong POV for the pronoun.

[phantomas.livejournal.com]

Have you read any Pros fanfiction? There a few that are, well, dark and bleak, but oh so 'realistic'.

Fandom is good for the soul *G*

[amchau.livejournal.com]

*breaks randomly into conversation*

I have read Pros fanfic. I probably even still have some bookmarked somewhere... You're right, it did tend to be very dark. Very bleak. I was expecting it to be more like Starsky and Hutch fandom--which has a number of good AUs--than it actually was.

[phantomas.livejournal.com]

*welcomes*
The Oblique zines are all online ( I think it's obliquepublications DOT net).

There are two very active and very different archives on line (worth checking both), The Hatstand:
http://hatstand.slashcity.net/

and the Circuit Archive:
http://www.thecircuitarchive.net/

Erm, yes, pimping Pros :D
There are of course happy-ending stories and fluffy fics, too, of the choosing-curtains-together variety...but lots of great dark stuff too.

/rambling :)

[amchau.livejournal.com]

Indeed. I remember downloading stuff from Oblique, and discovering that as it was all in .pdf, it was nearly unreadable if you didn't print it out-- so I didn't actually read most of those. I do recall a story of Sebastian's I enjoyed, though.

I used to have some Pros icons... *tries to remember what happened to them* And somewhere I still have a disk with copies of every songvid in the fandom (they're really aren't that many).

[phantomas.livejournal.com]

Oh, but there are more songvids now! New vidders have started making them, too. If you check the Circuite archive, they upload vids as well, I know the new ones are there :)

oh, and the_safehouse...for icons and chat and fic...*stops pimping*

[amchau.livejournal.com]

Ooh, new vids! *goes to hunt for them*

And the lj comm is new to me.

Don't worry about the pimping (unless Iona minds us discussing random stuff in her lj!)-- as far as I'm concerned, it's always good to bump into people who sharemy obscure fandom interests. :)

[phantomas.livejournal.com]

Yay! :D
*waves to lona, apologises for taking space in her LJ*

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

*waves right back atcha* I'm all for people making friends in my LJ. And it saves me being dragged into a new fandom by amchau. *g*

[phantomas.livejournal.com]

LOL

but it's a shiny fandom...with snark...horrible clothes...totally un-pc dialogues... quoteI'm a male chauvinist pig unquote...pwetty cars...green-eyed &broken-toothed wiry lean&mean man opposed to tall-dark-handsome-and-NOT-modest man...

*runs away*

[tigertrapped.livejournal.com]

Thank God you said this. I adore Sam. My love of Gene knows no bounds. But Sam/Gene? Gene/Sam? No no no no no. Never in a month of Sundays. Not if the sky turned purple and they brought back Catweazel. It ruins the dynamic for me. Utterly ruins it. It would change everything that I love between them, forever. I don't buy it. I don't want it. I will fight it off with a blunt stick if it comes near me. And, trust me, I am a slash-fiend. I vault canon in a single bound. But some pairings are just not meant to be.

Oh, and thanks for the fic recs!

(Like my icon??)

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Heee. What a glorious turn of phrase! When the sky turns purple, indeed. I absolutely agree with you, of course. Although I think the slash can be done well on occasion, I think I prefer them to remain subtexty.

You're welcome! And of course I like the icon. *g* It is LOVE, as are you.

[tigertrapped.livejournal.com]

I have no problem with slash (as readers of my lj will atest) but there are some pairings that benefit, in my opinion anyway, from as you say, remaining subtexty. I want Gene to stay just that right side of sympathetic. I don't want him "understanding" or "empathising" too much. That would spoil the tension between them, and the vibe. It's one of those rare and beautiful relationships were they're more kinky without the, um, kink.

[eternalwings.livejournal.com]

You, have not DIED!

[eternalwings.livejournal.com]

Or you have now joined the ZWG (zombie writers guild).
Either way

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated. Why did you think I was DEAD? *g*