Dear Author, let me thank you right up front for the story you are going to write. I know that many people like a bit more to go on than just the prompt; and, if so, I hope this letter will prove helpful. Whatever you write, I'm sure I will love it!

Being lazy, I'm going to copy part of this from last year's letter, starting with some general likes and dislikes.

What I Like:
* Plot and/or character (both being the ideal, of course!)
* A sense of humour and being able to recognize the ridiculous when it pops up; also wit and wordplay, if the story calls for them. (Having said that, I totally leave it up to you whether you write a serious or comic story—or a serious story with comic interludes.)
* Stories that are true to canon (though I've certainly enjoyed some flat-out AUs)

What I Dislike:
* Poor spelling, bad grammar and punctuation, and blatant Americanisms uttered by British characters (unless they're aware of what they're doing, which is another matter entirely)
* Explicit sex, especially if long and detailed. No objection to hints, but I'm not into plumbing.

My Own Writing
If you want to have a look at some of my own stories, you can find them on my website.


And a bit more detail about my requests:

Prehistoric Park
Characters: Nigel Marven, Bob (Prehistoric Park), Suzanne (Prehistoric Park)

Dinosaurs! Or mammoths, trilobites, or what have you. (Your choice of time period, but I'd prefer something as-yet-unvisited.) Ideally, something along the lines of a new episode—well, a single time trip plus a bit back at the park. I'd prefer it written as real prose, rather than an attempt at a screenplay or transcription.

Wikipedia describes this six-part series as a "mockumentary", which is fair enough. It is about a team of scientists who use a time portal to bring back extinct animals to a huge park where they hope, in time, to breed them. Each episode focuses on a different period, to which they go in search of some particular species, though they do tend to bring back more than they originally intended. Intercut with their trips to the past are scenes in the present: either problems coping with the new arrivals, or follow-ups about animals featured in previous episodes.

Why do I love it? Well, the time travel adventures are fun; the notion of saving these fascinating species from extinction is appealing; and the human touches bring it all to life, especially the scenes back at the park. (Also the animation was brilliant; but that's not exactly relevant to your writing me a story.)

Obviously, what I'd really like is the resurrection of the series and six more episodes. Realistically, you're writing me a Yuletide fic, so I couldn't expect more than a single time trip plus a bit back at the park. Nigel is the one who takes a team through the portal. However, I've also asked for Bob and Suzanne, since they're the ones who primarily deal with the animals at the park. Your choice of time period, of course; but, if you can manage it, I would prefer an era that is as-yet-unvisited.

Availability: The series is available on DVD as a boxed set, and several episodes are on YouTube in their entirety. (As usual, this is bound to vary depending on where you live. Google is your friend.)


Time Team RPF
Characters: Phil Harding.

I'd like something about the making of an episode, for there's obviously a lot more going on than just the three days' dig. Failing that, chit-chat as they work, or back at the pub. Definitely gen, please!

Time Team is a hardy perennial on British TV, though here in Canada we're a couple of seasons behind. In each episode, a team of archæologists descend on a site for three days and excavate it for the cameras. However, these are real archæologists; so they work to professional standards, often on sites that have never been excavated before, many of which turn out to be genuinely significant.

What I'd like is something about the making of an episode. Ideally, this might involve before, during, and after scenes: there's clearly a lot of preliminary organization before the three days of the dig itself. However, if that sounds a bit much (and I can see how it might!) then perhaps you could write a behind-the-scenes story: chit-chat as they dig, or setting up a shot, or back at the pub talking about the day's work. Character stuff.

Feel free to include any of the people involved with the show. You don't need to limit yourself just to those who were nominated, let alone asked for (though do bear in mind that I won't know anyone who's joined the team in the last year or so). I only specified Phil because he's created a distinct on-air character for himself that's very appealing; and it would be a great pity if he weren't in the story somewhere.

Gen, most definitely. The only thing that needs to get dirty are their boots. (Knees, hands, trowels....)

Availability: There is a section on the Channel 4 website that may be helpful. Apparently only bits of Time Team are available on DVD. However, there are a few whole episodes on YouTube. If you want to view some of the show, I suggest you try Google and see what you come up with.


The Charioteer
Characters: Any.

Quite a lot of fan fiction focuses on the canonical romances; so I'd prefer a story that's a bit different. Perhaps something about Aunt Olive (past, present, or future), or a school story (not involving Ralph/Hazell), or some slice-of-life at the E.M.S. hospital. Feel free to include other characters.

The Charioteer is the last contemporary book written by Mary Renault before she shifted to writing historicals. What do I like about it? Well, it was one of the first stories I ever read that had explicitly gay characters in it, let alone a gay hero. The characters are eternally fascinating. In addition, it's set in Britain during World War II, which makes it an intriguing period piece.

Quite a lot of fan fiction focuses on the canonical romances; so, on the whole, I'd prefer a story that is more-or-less gen—though that depends, of course, on what characters are included during which period in their lives. I certainly don't want canon ignored; it's more a question of focus. Backstory, missing scene, an exploration of characters often overlooked....

Whoever you want to include is fine by me. You don't have to limit yourself to characters who were nominated.

I'd prefer something canon-compliant. Futurefic is okay; but I'd rather not have an AU.

Availability: The preferred edition is always the 1953 Longman (or its 1973 reprint); but the paperback is a lot more available, being in print. Also, Renault's books are found in most libraries. There's an LJ community, maryrenaultfics, that is devoted to Mary Renault's novels. Current posts are members-locked; but it might be a good place to find a beta.


Forever Knight
Characters: Feliks Twist, Amanda Cohen

I'd love a story where Feliks Twist plays a major role. (I'm a keen gardener.) And/or a story focusing on Captain Cohen—perhaps involving her backstory or personal life. Failing that, casefic is always a treat. Any other characters you want to include would be great. Preferably gen; but don't feel that you have to ignore canon.

If you've matched with me on this, you probably offered "Any" characters, for the two I've asked for are not the obvious fan favourites. However, although this is one of my better known fandoms (at least by Yuletide standards), you may well have matched me on a different prompt. So, just in case you've never heard of Forever Knight, it's a '90s TV series whose hero is a homicide detective on the Toronto police force who was turned into a vampire in 1228.

As someone who's played in a Forever Knight War as a Die-Hard (if that means anything to you), I like all the characters. Okay, some a bit more than others: inevitably not every character gets the same loving attention—neither from me, nor from other fans. In fact, there are some about whom there has been very little fanfic written at all. I've specified two such characters, but do please take that as an either/or: I'm not asking for a story about both of them.

Feliks Twist: I'm a keen gardener, so I've a soft spot for Feliks Twist, even though I do my planting outdoors and he, being a vampire, has to use grow lights. We know very little about him, though, which gives you a lot of scope.

Amanda Cohen: Recently, I have started to wonder why Capt. Cohen acts the way she does, with that chilly, ultra-professional style. We know so little about her background! At one time she was a "federal agent". Might recent revelations about sexual harassment in the RCMP be relevant? Or their posting practices, for we know she is married? Her surname, which is presumably her married name, suggests a mixed marriage: Japanese-Canadian/Jewish. What is that like?

If you don't feel drawn to write about either of these characters, that's okay. I love the cop aspect of the series, both the interplay back at the station, and also the detective story plots. Casefic would be great, i.e. a mystery plot, if you can manage it. Failing that, an ensemble piece of some sort, with the focus on people's interactions.

Any other characters you want to include would be fine. I'd prefer something canon-compliant, but do feel free to ignore "Last Knight" if you want.

Availability: The series is available on DVD. There's a Forever Knight wiki, if you just want to check details.