Superhero Muses

Is your current WiP a series or stand-alone?

Probably a stand-alone! I don't think the subjects are likely to pile up another 20 years of history at this point...

Also, which do you prefer to write? I've always preferred stand-alone one-shots, although I've always gotten the most response and engagement with series...

--What's your favorite ship from your current WiP?

I think this will be a pretty easy question for all of us because we're all writing very pair-based stories! Even all romances, if we stretch the definition a bit to include a more Platonic romance for my book. :)

So obviously if I'm writing a book about the history of a pair of people, they're going to be my favorite ship! One of my favorites won a title two weeks ago and this week he said he was "leering" at them, and a bunch of people were like "Oh, that reminds me of that one fic where they have sex on top of their titles," and I had to be all innocent as though it were not my own fic, lol. Awkward.

Tell me about your current favorite pairs! I love hearing about them afresh.

Favorite deleted scene from your current WiP?

I don't usually delete much (it's fic! It's fun to leave everything in!) but I did actually have to adjust something in the book I'm working on, because a scene that I had described actually took place like three months before I thought it did, so I had to re-write! In the end, I think this one worked better, but I did like some of my descriptions of the older version. Here's hoping you haven't had to delete much!

--How long did it take (to finish the draft/idea//get to your current stage)?

Well, about 7 years of research that I didn't really realize was research! I've gotten almost 6 chapters in now (out of probably 30) and I've been writing seriously on it for about 3 months, so that's not so bad. I know some of you have some WiPs that are clocking similarly long prep times!

--Describe your current PoV character with one word

One word??? That's hard! I guess I would describe Kevin as "stubborn," more than anything else. Once he gets an idea in his head, he's never going to give up on it!

I've been traveling in the US and Canada to see family and do fannish research (both fun!). My husband started coughing on the plane, by the time we got home he had a fever, two hours later a positive covid result, after three years of avoiding it. Luckily he was only sick for a few days, and luckily I managed to avoid getting it completely! But it's been a busy and stressful few weeks. I've gotten back into the working jag and am trying to make a thousand words a day--I don't usually get that many but I do usually get 700-800 or so, which is not bad! Hope your writing is also going well and your characters are behaving themselves!

What was the inspiration for your latest WiP?

Haha, my latest WiP is that biography, and is likely to remain so for some time--and I suppose my inspiration is the publisher getting in touch with me and suggesting I write it! I have made very little progress, but the publisher is going (he says) to write me up a contract and talk about advances and such things. I'll believe it when I see it, but I do have to get back to work a lot harder, that's for sure.

The holidays really took it out of me with work, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! I hope you can too and you're feeling inspired!

Most chaotic to least chaotic characters in your WiP?

Haha, this question has made me realize that in wrestling almost everyone is basically chaotic! In regards to my two main characters, it's interesting because Kevin is pretty anti-chaotic in his real life, but plays an extremely chaotic character. This fits with the idea that wrestlers often base their heel persona on what they think the worst thing in the world is, actually. Sami, on the other hand, tends to play a pretty lawful character (whether evil or good), but in reality is all about standing up to unjust systems and bringing some chaos to the situation. It makes for a very complex dynamic!

Who's bringing chaos to your WiP this week?

--best qualities about your current POV character in your recent WiP?

Oh, Kevin Owens! Ironically, considering he plays a character who betrays and backstabs everyone, the real person is loyal almost to a fault. I guess that makes sense because when crafting his heel persona he went with a base of disloyalty, which is probably the most heinous thing a guy like him can imagine.

What are the good qualities of the person whose head you're currently in?

--favourite future (unwritten) scene in your current WiP?

One of the things I love about having WiPs is anticipating writing certain sections! Right now I'm looking forward to writing about the first time Sami and Kevin meet each other--they've never talked about it much, just enough that there are interesting hints and clues about why they didn't like each other much at first. So there'll be some fun detective work there!

What are you eagerly anticipating right now?

--What are your top four character tags? Does this match how you feel about the characters, or are you puzzled?

Bruce Wayne (229)
Clark Kent (209)
Dick Grayson (39)
Alfred Pennyworth (36)

No surprises there! Clark is my favorite a little more than Bruce, but Bruce has so many options for connections with other characters (like Dick and Alfred!) that he shows up more in gen fic, I suspect.

How goes writing? I'm getting close to done with the preface to the book I'm writing. It's slow going and classes are starting again, which doesn't bode well, alas!