Dear yuletide author:
Oct. 17th, 2023 02:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ravenDear yuletide author,
This is largely a repeat from last year's letter but nothing much has changed! Thank you very much for writing for me. I hope you enjoy writing your story, and please don't feel bound by the details in this letter which I include only if they're helpful to you. The only thing I do not want is violence against women.
About my tastes generally: I like stories that are about kind people and competent people; I'm happy with sex or no sex in stories but I don't generally like PWPs; I don't do Christmas myself but I'm happy for it to be in Yuletide stories. I like sad and bittersweet stories as well as happy ones, and if the story of your heart is a sad one, please don't decide against it because you think I won't like it.
Also useful: my AO3 name is![[archiveofourown.org profile]](https://p.dreamwidth.org/b164c54b26e4/-/archiveofourown.org/favicon.ico)
singlecrow, and I'm very open to (and grateful for!) treats.
Specific fandoms:
Chalet School - Elinor M. Brent-Dyer
Character: Robin Humphries
I have been rereading my old Chalet School books and I'd forgotten how moreish they are! (And deeply weird, omg, language immersion does not work like that.) Like most people I'm much more familiar with the Tyrol years than the later ones and it really struck me this time how in the journey from Tyrol to Guernsey and then the mainland (basically a book and a half) Robin goes from this kind of sentimental, angelic child character to a capable young adult, which makes sense when you realise Robin is about sixteen or seventeen by this point, but it makes me wonder, what does Robin feel about it all, anyway? What effect did the flight from the Nazis have on her? Does she think about her parents at all? When did her name lose the definite article? The books also seem to forget that she's French, and her first language is French - but presumably Robin herself didn't forget it, especially during the war years! Basically, any story you might have to tell about Robin would fascinate me, I would love to hear it.
The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison
Characters: Thara Celehar, Iäna Pel-Thenhior
Well, the Goblin Emperor universe I guess but really The Witness for the Dead and sequel. Oh, my. When I finally figured out that these books are cosy mystery instalments in a fantasy setting is when they really fell into place for me. I love sweet, bull-headed, grieving Thara and his slow unfurling into a new life. I love how utterly delighted he is with Pel-Thenhior and how delighted Iäna is with him. He brings him home to meet his mum. He shows Thara a happy, colourful world, and Thara shows him a world of strange mysteries. I adore them. Please write whatever you like about them both. Something in the theatre, maybe? Or something where Thara has to drag hisboyfriend friend into his own world. Honestly. Let them hang out and make them kiss if you want to.
On Thara's loss of his ability at the end of the second book - I'm content for you to do as you will. If you want to do a whole story about it, I'd love that; if you want to ignore it (or obv set your story earlier) then I'd love that too.
The Helios Syndrome - Vivian Shaw
Characters: Devin Stacy, Wayne Dooley
I love this book. It has everything I love. Queers, magic, and air crash investigation. If you're doing this one, one of the key things I loved about the book actually was the air crash investigation. I love the detective work they're doing, each in their own idiosyncratic ways. I also love their amazing enemies-to-lovers relationship sequence. If you want to write about how that continues, I'd love that. A case fic involving a new crash. Something about the mysterious thing in Devin's dreams. A new ghost. Anything. I loved this.
That's it! Thank you again for writing.
This is largely a repeat from last year's letter but nothing much has changed! Thank you very much for writing for me. I hope you enjoy writing your story, and please don't feel bound by the details in this letter which I include only if they're helpful to you. The only thing I do not want is violence against women.
About my tastes generally: I like stories that are about kind people and competent people; I'm happy with sex or no sex in stories but I don't generally like PWPs; I don't do Christmas myself but I'm happy for it to be in Yuletide stories. I like sad and bittersweet stories as well as happy ones, and if the story of your heart is a sad one, please don't decide against it because you think I won't like it.
Also useful: my AO3 name is
Specific fandoms:
Chalet School - Elinor M. Brent-Dyer
Character: Robin Humphries
I have been rereading my old Chalet School books and I'd forgotten how moreish they are! (And deeply weird, omg, language immersion does not work like that.) Like most people I'm much more familiar with the Tyrol years than the later ones and it really struck me this time how in the journey from Tyrol to Guernsey and then the mainland (basically a book and a half) Robin goes from this kind of sentimental, angelic child character to a capable young adult, which makes sense when you realise Robin is about sixteen or seventeen by this point, but it makes me wonder, what does Robin feel about it all, anyway? What effect did the flight from the Nazis have on her? Does she think about her parents at all? When did her name lose the definite article? The books also seem to forget that she's French, and her first language is French - but presumably Robin herself didn't forget it, especially during the war years! Basically, any story you might have to tell about Robin would fascinate me, I would love to hear it.
The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison
Characters: Thara Celehar, Iäna Pel-Thenhior
Well, the Goblin Emperor universe I guess but really The Witness for the Dead and sequel. Oh, my. When I finally figured out that these books are cosy mystery instalments in a fantasy setting is when they really fell into place for me. I love sweet, bull-headed, grieving Thara and his slow unfurling into a new life. I love how utterly delighted he is with Pel-Thenhior and how delighted Iäna is with him. He brings him home to meet his mum. He shows Thara a happy, colourful world, and Thara shows him a world of strange mysteries. I adore them. Please write whatever you like about them both. Something in the theatre, maybe? Or something where Thara has to drag his
On Thara's loss of his ability at the end of the second book - I'm content for you to do as you will. If you want to do a whole story about it, I'd love that; if you want to ignore it (or obv set your story earlier) then I'd love that too.
The Helios Syndrome - Vivian Shaw
Characters: Devin Stacy, Wayne Dooley
I love this book. It has everything I love. Queers, magic, and air crash investigation. If you're doing this one, one of the key things I loved about the book actually was the air crash investigation. I love the detective work they're doing, each in their own idiosyncratic ways. I also love their amazing enemies-to-lovers relationship sequence. If you want to write about how that continues, I'd love that. A case fic involving a new crash. Something about the mysterious thing in Devin's dreams. A new ghost. Anything. I loved this.
That's it! Thank you again for writing.