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graycardinalHere we are, O fellow Yuletides, neither so early as I'd hoped, nor as late as I feared. Also, for any of the handful of folk who may have been reading my letters in years past, this one has been rather more heavily rewritten than usual -- up to and including changes to some of the Requests of Long Standing.
That said, one thing that hasn't changed, and won't, is the heartfelt annual Thank You. When I pick micro-fandoms, I tend to pick really microscopic ones, and even when I request less obscure material, I tend to put odd spins on the requests. Anyone with the knowledge and/or enthusiasm who's willing and able to write in any of these canons -- whether via assignment, treat-spawned Madness, or (dare I hope) NYR -- deserves all the thanks and virtual cookies I can supply. Nor will I rule out the possibility of real cookies in sufficiently extraordinary circumstances.
Seriously: where most of my requests are concerned, I am as Oliver Twist, and "More, please" will always be cheerfully welcomed and gratefully appreciated.
Now, as this will run unconscionably long if I don't, we start using cut tags....
ETA: I give up; the rich text editor wins. You get one cut, and here it is:
Feel free to wander backward through this journal and my fic on AO3 (linked to your left) to get an idea of my interests; what I write is very much also what I like to read -- and has, over time, added up to rather a variety of fandoms. My past Yuletide letters (and those for other exchanges) are tagged "dear santa" herein; see the "Yuletide" tag too, if you like.
To summarize, though: text-driven pluses for me include effective use of wit (aka banter aka snark, etc.), as well as strong characterization & dialogue. I value both respect for and clever use of canon (including well-developed AUs -- the plot-driven kind, not the baristas/highschoolers/alt-species kind). I thrive on UST (heavy on both U and T), and am neutral where gen/het/slash is concerned; if the pairing is well-developed, I'll read with an open mind. I have few outright M-rated squicks outside of noncon, incest, or adult/child kinks so long as a relationship is age- and canon-appropriate; OTOH, I very rarely read fanfic specific for its sexual content/smut value. [See the requests for specific relationship/pairing notes.]
I am also a sucker for the well-executed crossover, whether via oblique allusion or head-on fandom collision. Yuletide being Yuletide and Optional Details Being Optional, I have absolutely no expectations along this line...but if your muse's musings should happen to run in such a direction on their own initiative, feel free to encourage them. Again: the key word here is Optional.
On character matching and prompts
Given Yuletide's matching protocols, I almost always request single characters. This isn't because I'm opposed to relationship-fic or multi-character stories -- far from it. My goal is to give you greater flexibility in introducing additional characters, whether from those nominated or from wider canon. Even where I supply relatively specific prompts in a request, I want you to be able to shape the story; my suggestions are meant as springboards, not outlines.
Specific Requests
The Lastborn of Elvinwood - Linda Haldeman (Thomas Heaton)
I'm especially intrigued by the Vicar's back story, especially given his occult interests. What's his history with Merlin? Did he introduce Marian to the Fernlord's court, or did she recruit him? Had he any prior reason to suspect Ian's potential?
This is my permanent Yuletide Fandom-of-One™; I've been submitting versions of the above request for years and doing my best to pimp the fandom along the way. I highly recommend the novel (and the author generally) even if you don't have any intention of writing in the fandom; it's a quick and delightful read, and one of these years someone will extend on the canon and then we'll both be joyful and grateful beyond measure. And here especially, I emphasize the Oliver Twistiness of my hopes; even if your muse goes nowhere near any of the above prompts, virtually any story in this fandom will make me inordinately squeeful.
My Little Pony: Rescue at Midnight Castle (Megan Williams)
For me, it was always about Megan...and the adventure of it all. Of all the MLP stories, this is the one that balances light moments and epic sword-and-sorcery with astonishing deftness. I've been waiting for decades for someone to capture that contrast again.
Here, the request pretty much says it all, save perhaps that I really wish the Moochick (and his rabbit) had played more of a part in the later canon. I'll emphasize that despite requesting Megan alone (easiest for matching), I don't mean for you to send her off entirely on her own; she and the Ponies are at their best together. (That said, one thing I'm not really looking for here is romance; as the prompt may suggest, genre-wise I see this film as more in the heroic fantasy/sword & sorcery tradition than in a fairy-tale mode.)
One other note, just in case: if you're an MLP fan and a Yuletider, you've undoubtedly already seen Annie D's amazing Another Rainbow in Another Sky. As good as that was, and as much as it's an elephant in the room where this request is concerned, one thing I am not looking for here is a direct sequel to or remix of that story (unless I'm so insanely lucky in the matching that you are Annie D, and even then, only if you actually want to go there).
Planet Builders series - Robyn Tallis (Daphne de Vries)
Of all the PB ensemble, I am especially fond of Daphne (how could I not like a fellow theater buff with that much style?); she really should have had more stage time than she got. Show her pre-canon, during canon, long after canon; partner or pair her as you think proper; just give her a chance to shine. Bonus points for actual theatrical content.
This is another of my standing requests, and what I've said in prior years continues to apply -- I signed onto this series for the cheerfully lively space opera, stayed for the impressive SFnal ideas and tropes (lost cities, exotic aliens), and admired the amazingly well-drawn characters. If you know the fandom, I don't need to convert you; just dive in and spin me a new adventure, including whichever other canon characters feel right (nominated or otherwise), and I'll be happy. If you include a romantic element -- and I'm definitely open to that -- I'd request only that it be age-appropriate for the character(s) involved.
Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century (Sherlock Holmes, Beth Lestrade)
The dynamic between Holmes and Lestrade in this canon fascinates me, because given the chance it could go in so many different directions. Romance? Clearly possible, but hardly the only option. Let's see how they interact when sleuthing isn't part of the equation.
This one's fairly straightforward, I should think. OTOH, some further angles into the prompt: it's clear that the revived Holmes here is a good bit younger physically than we usually see him (both in Conan Doyle's canon and in most of the traditional adaptations) -- and yet unlike clone!Moriarty, he's technically well over 200 years old. And then there's that reference in the series opener indicating that Lestrade's actually Holmes' descendant (which raises some interesting questions about this Holmes's later family life....). OTOH, this is one of the few Holmesian canons where I really can see Holmes in a romantic role, so if you choose to go that route, I'm totally on board for it.
Stealing the Elf-King's Roses - Diane Duane(Lee Enfield)
Either pre-canon (how did Lee choose her profession, and how did she become successful in it?) or post (featuring either Lee's personal or professional life) would be entirely welcome, with or without Gelert and/or the Laurin.
Yet another straight up Oliver Twist request; I'm good with pretty much any direction you choose to go. Exception: one character I'm not much interested in is Lee's ex. OTOH, if you're so inclined -- and this is way out into Optional Details Being Optional territory -- I would be inordinately fascinated with anything that manages to formally interweave this canon and the Young Wizards universe. (It seems relatively clear from certain context in the climax that the two are at least nearish neighbors, but there's not a whole lot to go on even in the directors'-cut ebook text.)
Velveteen - Seanan McGuire (Celia Morgan)
Goodness knows Gov. Morgan expected trouble with the Super Patriots when she granted Vel sanctuary, but she can't have expected to land in the middle of a full-on superheroic war zone. How does she cope, does she have regrets, and is she ready for the amount of pure clockwork chaos Victory Anna leaves in her wake?
I admit it; this request goes decidedly off into canonical left field. OTOH, given the present state of canon, I'm inclined to look toward the wider Vel-verse rather than speculating too deeply about Vel's own future. Thus the request for Gov. Morgan; I'd be interested in anything from pre-canon (Celia and her super-sibling) to canon-interstitial (how she and her office staff respond to onscreen -- or offscreen -- events during the Oregon-based episodes) to post-canon (so, what is the legal process for legitimizing the status of someone from an alternate universe?).
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