Dear Author, let me thank you right up front for the story you are going to write. Although you've seen the requests on my sign-up, I know that many people like a bit more to go on than just the prompt. If so, I hope this letter will prove helpful. All these fandoms are dear to my heart. Whatever you write, I'm sure I will love it!



My Requests:

The Charioteer - Mary Renault:
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 a school story not involving Ralph/Hazell: e.g. Ralph and Hugh Treviss; or Laurie and his study mates; or even Jepson and Straike in their boyhood? Or maybe war-time futurefic: e.g. Andrew on the Continent with the Friends Ambulance Corps meeting Alec or Sandy as army doctors; or a P.O.W. story (Bim at StalagLuft I, or Ralph at Marlag)? Other possibilities: an insider's view of the Bridstow scene, slice-of-life at the E.M.S. hospital; life for the Straikes in the wartime village. Feel free to include other characters besides those nominated.

On the whole (see letter), I prefer canon-compliant stories that are gen or character-driven mild romance. Nothing more than PG13, please.

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?)

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 a DW community, renaultx, that is devoted to Mary Renault's novels. That might be a good place to find a beta.


Choir School series - William Mayne
Characters: Charles Unwin Sutton, Dr Sunderland (Choir School), Mr Ardent (Choir School), Trevithic (Choir School)

I'd like you to write about some incident at the school, similar to the sort of thing that Mayne used to flesh out his books. Preferably seen from the point of view of one of the boys (since that's how he wrote), but not leaving out the adults, who are so much part of the series. Which boys to include is up to you: Trevithic is the only one nominated; but feel free to use any of the others Mayne mentioned, or an O.C.

Canon-compliant PG gen, please.

Although each of the four choir school books has a plot, it's the incidents that really make up the story. Through them we get to know the characters; and, when I say "characters", I refer less to the protagonists (though Mayne does distinguish them) than I do to the many and varied people in the supporting cast, references to any of whom would be welcome, though I think I nominated the most obvious ones. Don't feel you need to work all of them into one short story. Still, the more the merrier.

Suggestions.... Well, the setting is a school (with the inevitable lessons in various academic subjects); but, more specifically, it is a choir school. Music lessons and practice, as well as cathedral services, are a major part of the boys' lives. As well, it's a boarding school: you might perhaps write of personal rivalries, interactions between boys and staff outside school hours, hobbies, or holidays.

As these are boys whose voices have not yet broken, the oldest Choristers cannot be more than 13 or 14 (and the youngest Probationer is only about 7 or 8); so please keep to a PG rating.


Forever Knight:
Characters: Any.

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, perhaps family/personal life/backstory (for police characters), or history/backstory (for the vampires, whether Nick's "family" or Vachon's crew). By all means include characters who weren't nominated if you want. 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 stories with a modern setting to focus on Nick as a detective, with vampires on the side, so to speak. I love the cop 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. Or, if you fancy focusing on a character who was not nominated, I'd be fine with a story from the p.o.v. of one of the police captains or Natalie's assistant, Grace.

You might, on the other hand, prefer to write something with an historical focus. LaCroix in the Dark Ages, before he brought the others across? Nick's years as a crusader? Janette managing on her own (since they did not always travel together as a family)? Yet another of Nick's attempts at a mortal career? Or any combination of them during an actual period of history, whether war or peace? I enjoy historical fiction, whether as the main focus of the story or as a flashback.

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 his "crew"? For about a century their number included Urs: what was her life like, say, during the flapper era, World War 2, or the Sixties? Or you might prefer to write about their lives 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.

Basically, I'm pretty easy on what you write, though my preference is for gen. (If romance does sneak in, please stick to a PG-13 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.

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


Hellspark - Janet Kagan
Characters: Any.

I love this book for Lassti, linguistics, the cast (especially Maggy!), and the detective plot. So as much of that as you can get into the story the better. A missing scene? Something aboard ship? A new case for the new judge? The survey team after Tocohl leaves Lassti? I love all the characters (including those who weren't nominated); so please feel free to include any of them.

Canon-compliant gen, please.

If you don't know Hellspark, it's set in a far-future where humanity has spread out over many federated planets, each of which has evolved its own cultures and language. The "science" in the SF is Linguistics: the heroine comes from a polyglot people who serve as translators, traders, and judges. When murder is committed among a team of scientists evaluating a newly discovered planet, she is called in to investigate—not just to find the killer, but to determine whether the native species is sentient.

Suggestions, suggestions....

Well, I don't think it's reasonable to ask you to write a sequel. I'd love a sequel, of course; and it's not as though people have never written novels for gift exchanges. (I did myself once. Nearly killed me.) However, it's not really a practical request. *g*

I love casefic. Some other mystery for now-Byworld Judge Tocohl Susumo to tackle would be a joy. We saw one other world in some detail, at the beginning of the novel, so—if perchance some other year she were back there and some crime were committed—perhaps she might be enlisted to solve it. If you want something less plotty, I'd love a missing scene, either on board ship or on Lassti.

The survey team still have much to do after the end of the story. Buntec is always fun (with or without Edge-of-Dark). However, do feel free to use any or all of the other characters if you want: the other survey members, Tocohl's mother, sprookjes....

Geremy might offer an option for a story set off Lassti, perhaps in the future as he tries to upgrade his own ship's AI. I love Tocohl's friendship with Alfvaen, and her relationship with swift-Kalat—any of the characters, in fact. They all have their charms.

Really, anything would be wonderful.

Availability: Now back in print.


General Guidelines:

As far as general guidelines are concerned, I seem to say pretty much the same thing for every gift exchange. (Which makes sense, I guess.)

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)
* Background research, esp. for stories with an historical setting
* Rating: no higher than PG13, please.

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.