Let me thank you right up front for whatever you are going to write. Although you've seen the tags on my sign-up, I know that most people like more than that to go on, so I hope this letter will prove helpful.


FANDOMS:

The Charioteer - Mary Renault:

Ralph Lanyon & None, Sandy Reid & None, Aunt Olive & Lucy Odell Straike, Jepson (The Charioteer) & Gareth Straike, Alec Deacon/Sandy Reid

Quite a lot of fan fiction focuses on the canonical romances; so I'd prefer a story that's a bit different. Perhaps war-time futurefic: e.g. Ralph's future in the Navy, life for the Straikes &/or Aunt Olive during the war; an insider's view of the Bridstow scene; Alec and/or Sandy as army doctors (or any combination thereof)? Other possibilities: the friendship between Jepson and Straike or between Olive and Lucy, whether in the present/wartime or backstory. Feel free to include other characters besides those nominated.

I love worldbuilding and character pieces—stories that explore more deeply—through backstory, or by elaborating the setting/history/culture or exploring people's motivations and personal interactions.

I prefer canon-compliant stories that are gen or character-driven mild romance. However, I don't like anything more than PG13: explicit sexual detail is definitely a DNW for me. I prefer not to have characters die in the story; but references to canonical deaths are okay. DNW second person fic.

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.

The prompts I listed in the sign-up are only suggestions: I'm not wedded to any of them. If none hits the spot, then write me something different. On the whole, though, 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....

Total longshot (which I only mention since I know a lot of Renault fans are also into World War II history): Sandy Reid shares a surname with Pat Reid, who was Escape Officer at Colditz. This is obvious crossover material. (Cousins, maybe?)


DC's Legends of Tomorrow:

Leonard Snart & Lewis Snart (LoT), Nate Heywood & Leonard Snart (LoT), Leonard Snart & None (LoT), Mick Rory & Leonard Snart (LoT), Mick Rory & Zari Tomaz (LoT), Mick Rory & None (LoT)

I love worldbuilding and character pieces—stories that explore more deeply—through backstory, or by elaborating the setting/history/culture or exploring people's motivations and personal interactions.

Mick's undergone major character shifts over the course of the series; and I love it. Something about him as writer, continuing influence from his Chronos period, old friendship with Snart, daily life, relationship with other crew members (& rather than /). Zari is perhaps my favourite of the new characters; but I enjoy Mick with any/all the crew.

I enjoyed the inclusion of Leonard Snart in the original Waverider crew, but the tone of the show has changed since then. What would be the reaction if he were to rejoin the ship (his to both the old and new guys, theirs to him)?

I prefer gen, but don't feel that you have to ignore canon. (Nothing more than PG13, though, please.) DNW soulmates, A/B/O, mpreg, wingfic, genderswap, kidfic. I prefer not to have main characters die in the story; but references to canonical deaths are okay. DNW second person fic. Any other characters you want to include would be fine.

I love what they've done with the Legends in the last couple of years. Each episode leaves me chortling with joy. On the other hand, the first season bugged the hell out of me: there was so much promise; but too much of the Hawks and Vandal Savage, who weren't my cup of tea. On the other hand, although I'd regretted the decision to take Cold and Heat Wave out of The Flash (since I'd hoped to see the Rogues as a group in Season Two), I enjoyed seeing their interactions—with each other as well as the rest of the crew. Killing off Snart was a major error, in my book.

Since then, we've seen a lot of really interesting new characters: Amaya, Nate, Zari, Charlie, Constantine: love 'em all. So anyone you want to include is fine. However, I still have a soft spot for Mick; and the character development this season has been delightful.

As for Snart: well what if he did come back? I'm less interested here in how he'd return as in reactions and consequences. A lot has happened on board ship in the meantime.


The Flash (comics):

Hartley Hathaway & James Jesse & Mark Mardon & Mick Rory & Leonard Snart & Sam Scudder (Comics)

I'd like a story about the Rogues interacting with one another. Perhaps a heist, pre- or post-heist in their safe house, personal time, etc. If you want to include the Flash, I'd prefer (if it's a heist story) that the Rogues manage to escape, with or without the loot. Humour would be great, and very much in character.

My favourite version is the original pre-Crisis line-up. However, this is before Hartley came out to Wally. If appropriate to your story, I'd prefer if you retcon him as also gay in this period.

I love worldbuilding and character pieces—stories that explore more deeply—through backstory, or by elaborating the setting/history/culture or exploring people's motivations and personal interactions.

I prefer gen, but don't feel that you have to ignore canon. (Nothing more than PG13, though, please.) DNW soulmates, A/B/O, mpreg, wingfic, genderswap, kidfic. I prefer not to have main characters die in the story; but references to canonical deaths are okay. DNW second person fic. Any other characters you want to include would be fine.

I've read The Flash since Carmine Infantino days, which was a decade or two ago, to say the least. There are obvious differences between the comics then and now, never more so than with the Rogues. My favourite version is the original pre-Crisis line-up. I'm not that keen on them having the actual superpowers Neron gave them: I prefer them with their weapons.

Among groups of supervillains, one of the things that always made the Rogues stand out was their characterization. As each had fought the Flash separately in the Silver Age, they had their own schticks long before they were combined asa a team; and, as a result, their interactions with each other were a large part of the charm. That and the fact that they had a Code that meant they didn't go in for wholesale slaughter, but were more interested in pulling off successful heists. Their relationship with the Flash was always an odd one, particularly since most of them reformed—at one time or another, with a fair bit of backsliding. They were a lot of fun.

I find the Rogues in the current reboot to be a lot less interesting. For one thing, their individual characterizations are indistinct. Even more, the latest iteration of Captain Cold seems primarily motivated to become the mob boss of Central City. That's fine Batman territory: most of the Batvillains are mobsters of one sort or another; and I enjoy the Bat books. However, as far as the Rogues are concerned, I find them better compared with Catwoman, who's a sometime villain and occasional ally, but always a thief.

If you want, I always saw hints of one-sided Barry/Len. My head canon is unrequited feelings on Len's part (which he mostly can't even admit to himself), with the Flash being pretty oblivious.


Forever Knight:

Nicholas Knight & Don Schanke, Nicholas Knight & Tracy Vetter, Javier Vachon & Tracy Vetter, Feliks Twist & None, Amanda Cohen & None, Screed & None, Screed & Urs & Javier Vachon, Grace Balthazar & Natalie Lambert

Casefic is always a treat; and I enjoy ensemble stories, both in terms of the interplay back at the station and also the detective story plots. If you prefer to focus on an individual, we saw little of Natalie's work as a pathologist (with her lab assistant, Grace) or Amanda Cohen's family/personal life/backstory. Vachon and his friends have centuries of history that were never touched on. For Screed, in particular, I'd be interested in seeing more about carouches. Or tell me more about Feliks Twist: a vampire who likes to garden.

I prefer not to have main characters die in the story; but references to canonical deaths are okay. DNW second person fic. Any other characters you want to include would be fine. I like all three seasons equally. I prefer gen, but don't feel that you have to ignore canon. (Nothing more than PG13, though, please.) I'm not interested in AUs or crossovers. However, feel free to ignore "Last Knight" if you want.

If 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.

I prefer cop stories with a modern setting to focus on Nick as a detective, with vampires on the side, so to speak. I love that aspect of the series, both the interplay back at the station, and also the detective story plots. I like both Tracy and Schanke as Nick's partner, all the captains, and Natalie's role as pathologist. Of course, you may prefer to explore one or more specific characters. Both Tracy's and Schanke's families are familiar from hints, but largely unseen. Natalie's family is only slightly better explored; and we know little about the family life of any of the police captains.

And then there are the vampires introduced in Season Three. The series only told their "origin stories": much remains unknown. What was Vachon's life as a conquistador, or shortly after he was brought across? How did he get together with Screed (or any other member of his crew)? What was it like for Screed as a carouche among vampires who prefer human blood? Indeed, what's it like being a carouche? And then there's Urs: what was her life like, say, during the flapper era, World War 2, or the Sixties? Or you might prefer to write about the lives of these characters since coming to Toronto—whether on their own, or as affected by Vachon's friendship with Tracy, their acquaintance with Nick, or events at the Raven.

There is also one more nominated vampire character. 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.

Basically, I'm pretty easy on what you write, though my preference is for gen. (If romance does sneak in, please stick to a PG13 rating at most.) 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.


GENERAL POINTS:

• I love stories that explore more deeply—through backstory, or by elaborating the setting/history/culture or exploring people's motivations and personal interactions.


• I prefer gen, unless otherwise specified. However, I don't care for anything more than PG-13: explicit sexual detail is definitely a DNW for me. (When I encounter it in stories, I skim over it.) For pairings, my tastes are pretty vanilla.


• I love casefic; and, more generally, I like stories that are canon-compliant. The general exception to this is ignoring canonical character death if you want. (There may be other specific exceptions.)


• I'm okay with violence if necessary to the story; but not gore for the sake of gore. On the whole, I prefer not to have characters die in the story; but references to canonical deaths are okay. (I'm fine with having original characters murdered in casefic, and that sort of thing.)


• I enjoy comedy—being able to recognize the ridiculous when it pops up; also wit and wordplay. 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.


• No second person fic, please. First person is okay, especially for book canons that were written that way by the author.