desert_vixen's lair

First, my apologies.  It sort of snuck up on me.

So of course, whatever you write will be a delightful thing to have in my inbox.  I'm one of the people who always wants more details from their recipient, so I provide a lot. 

My general preferences on fanfic are here.

There's a tag for Yuletide letters but honestly...I've already cribbed out of the previous letters.  But if you want them they are there!

On to the specifics!

 

1. Eleanor & Park - Rainbow Rowell 

Park Sheridan, Eleanor Douglas, Jamie Sheridan, Min-Dae Sheridan

Give me the AU where Jamie Sheridan uses his status in the neighborhood to put the fear of God into Eleanor's stepfather, or maybe the story where Park does help his mom get Eleanor ready for their wedding day (without seeing her)

This is a repeat request from 2016, when I read the book originally and was blown away.  I reread it this year, and still loved everything about it.

These are the two prompts that are loudest in my head, but if you think of something else that works, that's awesome too.  What I loved about this novel and these characters was how REAL they were. 

I really liked Park's dad, who was a little dubious about Eleanor at first (and all the changes in his son), but had no real hesitation about supporting his son doing what Park saw as the right thing.  I really really wanted the scene where he pounded on Eleanor's stepdad.  The whole scene where Park kicks the kid in the face during the fight, and his dad is all “Good job” – I love that one too.

I also loved the relationship between the parents - passionate and fun, like the whole interchange about how he'll use whatever language he likes and her threatening to send him to his room.  I want a little of everyone, but show me a little of this relationship.  Maybe post-Eleanor and Park marriage fic?  I also really liked Park's grandparents and Eleanor's relationship with the black girls in her gym class.  I really just wanted MORE.
 
If you go the route about the hairdo, don't let Min-dae make Eleanor too someone she isn't.  One of the lines that caught my eye more this time was how Park with eyeliner was like having the volume turned up to 10 – or Ming the Merciless.  What about makeup that turns Eleanor up to 10?

 

2. Nantucket Trilogy - S.M. Stirling 

Althea Walker (Nantucket Trilogy), Odikweos (Nantucket Trilogy)

So, what I would really like here is an exploration of Odikweos against the familiar Odysseus. Much like Kashtiliash, he's an ally NOW because it suits him, but what if that changed?

Or perhaps the rise of Althea Walker (we get 10-plus books of Survival through SCA but nothing on her?) causes rifts among the allies. I think she would be interesting because she isn't an uptimer, and she isn't exactly a native of the time period, she's a hybrid. And she's pissed.

I couldn't nominate her because she isn't in the book, but feel free to add Odikweos' Penelope.

This is a repeat for last year.  So I’ve written a bunch of the fic for the other requestor, and I want someone else to tackle it.  Last year I was very focused on Odikweos (and his Penelope – please feel free to include her, invent her, be my guest) but I really want to know more about Althea.  The last we see, she’s riding away from her home with Ohotolarix, and she’s pissed.  I’d love to see her rising up, and maybe causing some rifts.  Do Odikweos and Kashtiliash want to deal with her?  Does she try to get vengeance for her father?

With Matilda Arminger, I feel like we get little echoes of what Althea might have been like (although Sandra and Norman are way more developed and evolved characters than Walker and Alice Hong).  But I want Althea.  And the Bronze Age.

3. The Nonesuch - Georgette Heyer 

Tiffany Wield, Mrs. Underhill, Patience Chartley (The Nonesuch), Courtenay Underhill (The Nonesuch)

Patience gets to shine. Tiffany gets her comeuppance. London or Staples. Courtenay gets to help make sure his spoiled cousin doesn't get her way.

So I have asked for a few variations on the theme, but this is the sixth request in seven years – I skipped a year…but don't feel bad if this isn't what we matched on. 

So, Tiffany Wield is one of the Heyer characters that many people (including me) love to hate. She’s strikingly beautiful, rich, self-centered, petted and spoiled beyond belief, but still young enough that she could change. She probably won’t though. When last seen at the end of the Nonesuch, she was off to London to wind a bachelor uncle or two around her thumb. I would be willing to bet, however, that she doesn’t stay there long… I envision her being sent back to Staples for either her own good or her guardian’s sanity.

Give me a Heyer-esque romp, possibly concerning Patience and Julian’s wedding (don’t let her ruin it, but comeuppance is always fun to watch) in the vicinity of Staples. I’m a big fan of Patience.

Maybe a story where she *almost* creates havoc.  Maybe Mrs. Underhill will finally get a little spine where little Miss Tiffany is concerned?  I really would like to see Courtenay play a role in her comeuppance, because I really enjoy him.  Feel free to drag in Lizzie Colebatch as well.

Basically, I want Patience to have a victory over Tiffany.  Patience is a nice girl, but not so nice she wouldn't enjoy it a little.  Especially if Tiffany makes a play for Julian.

This one is tied with Cotillion for my absolute favorite, and it's on my read when I'm depressed list.  If I was going to step into a Heyer book, I'd pick this one.  If only so I could strangle Tiffany.

If you feel like crossing over with other Heyers, that's cool too (I also enjoy A Civil Contract (Julia Oversley v. Tiffany Wield, I'd bet on Tiff), Cotillion, The Unknown Ajax, Venetia) but certainly not required.

4. The Scoop - London Detection Club 

Geraldine Tracey, Beryl Blackwood, Mr. Hemingway (The Scoop)

I really just want some fic about this, with a focus on Geraldine Tracey.

Turn the Lonely Bungalow case on its head, or give me a big showy trial (with requisite headlines).

I requested this one the last four years, with no luck. I just want fic in this fandom. 

 All right, so there is a computer game and the novel, but the two are very close.  It's written by the London Detection Club, and is very focused on the newspaper business in 1930s-ish London.  The game is available at Abandonia if you need something to goof off on.  I had the computer game in 1990, and might have actually written my first (very bad) fanfic for it.

 For "Mr. Tracey" (Hemingway), the book/game ends with him slipping and falling to his death.  Give me another ending, preferably one with a big showy trial that the papers can cover!  (Or even give me another killer who is framing him...) 

Or maybe focus on Geraldine Tracey. Maybe he doesn’t successfully kill her, which makes the case quite different (see big showy trial). Maybe she is the killer instead, and leaves his dead body in her bungalow.  (I like the Lonely Bungalow aspect.) I like to keep it in the 30s milieu. Maybe it’s not her real name and Beryl actually knows her.

Denis/Beryl is fun, but I’d like to see something more focused on the crime/trial aspect. Maybe Beryl does some more investigating on her own to help him out.

Or…feel free to drag a Christie sleuth right in.  I’m down for Poirot, Marple, whoever.

5. Parker Pyne - Agatha Christie 

Parker Pyne (Parker Pyne - Christie), Madeleine de Sara (Parker Pyne - Christie), Ariadne Oliver (Parker Pyne - Christie)

I find the whole setup where Parker Pyne helps make people happy with scripted adventure plots. I'd love to see setup for that, or a staff meeting.

I read this with my daughter earlier this year, and just feel like it’s a good Yuletide choice – no fic, short canon, but so much possibility.  I’d love the staff meeting, or an adventure that doesn’t go right, or an adventure that’s a little too adventurous.  Or maybe Pyne and his staff are trying to have a vacation, and end up with a Busman’s Holiday?  A train or boat trip would work…

6.  And Then There Were None - Christie 

William Blore (And Then There Were None - Christie), Philip Lombard (And Then There Were None - Christie), Vera Claythorne (And Then There Were None - Christie), Emily Brent (And Then There Were None - Christie)

A few possible options here:

1. Miss Brent as Mrs. Owen - She's one of the characters everyone loves to hate, and I don't think it's too far a stretch to have her masterminding the thing. Especially since she so disapproves of everyone.

2. William Blore as Mr. Owen - Towards the end there is suspicion of Blore (especially concerning Armstrong's death) - and why couldn't he be Mr. Owen? If you would like to have Vera working with him, that would be aces.

I'm partial to Vera/Philip.

While I’ve had the “Emily Brent as Miss Owen” idea for awhile, I was reading the book with my 11-year-old last year and realized how easily Blore could be Mr. Owen.  I’m interested in an exploration of that.  I prefer fics where Philip and Vera survive BUT am okay with you sticking more to the general tone of the novel.  Also, whichever prompt you take, I’d pay good money to see Emily Brent vs. Vera Claythorne.  I love in the play where Emily Brent tries to shame Vera about her outfit, and Vera claps back.

The play, the novel – go for either one. 

Some dialogue from the play I enjoyed:

EMILY. I should have thought you might feel a little uncomfortable in that dress.
VERA. (Not taking the point) Oh, no.
EMILY. (Nastily) It’s rather tight, isn’t it?
VERA. (Good-humoured) Oh, I don’t think so.
EMILY. (Sits Left sofa; takes out grey knitting) You’ll excuse me, my dear, but you’re a young girl and you’ve got your living to earn— VERA. Yes?
EMILY. A well-bred woman doesn’t like her secretary to appear flashy. It looks, you know, as though you were trying to attract the attention of the opposite sex.
VERA. (Coming to Right Centre) And would you say I do attract them?
EMILY. That’s beside the point. A girl who deliberately sets out to get the attention of men won’t be likely to keep her job long.
VERA. (Laughing at her) Ah! Surely that depends on who she’s working for?

VERA. (Rises, flaring up) A drink! Two corpses in the house at nine o’clock in the morning and all you say is “Have a drink!” An old man going quite crackers—“Have a drink!” Ten people accused of murder—that’s all right—just have a drink. Everything’s fine so long as you have a drink.
LOMBARD. All right. All right.—Stay thirsty.

Bring in Poirot if you like… or someone else!