Every few weeks we will be putting a spotlight on a fic that is well written with a serious chance at being one of the 'big names' in the fanfic world but is in need of a little help getting the word out. The staff here at ToMT all nominate a fic and then the fic that should is chosen by random from those. We welcome all nominations from readers for The Fic that Should and will include all nominations that are well written (no serious spelling errors, grammar, and the like)into the drawing. So, without further ado, ToMT presents its first Fic that Should!
Strange Bedfellows by The_bouquet
Edward Masen arrives in Forks, WA anxious to leave again - especially as unsettling dreams and strange occurrences become hard to dismiss. When he forges an unlikely friendship with Police Chief Charlie Swan, Edward uncovers the details of the incident that took the Chief's beautiful daughter Bella away from him. He soon begins to wonder why the weirdly perfect Cullen family seems too involved for coincidence....
Canon couples. Rated for sensuality and violence in later chapters.
Strange Bedfellows received a Judges Award for Special Merit for WIP with Great Potential in the Winter 2010 Indie TwiFic Awards!
by Kayla
Kayla: You are new to the fanfiction scene as a writer, but have been around a long time as a reader. What first caused you to want to write?
The_bouquet: Writing has always been a passion of mine, so when I discovered fanfiction, it seemed like a sort of natural progression from reader to writer. I'll admit I resisted a little. I had a misguided notion than fanfic was an exceedingly nerdy pursuit. ;)
Kayla: You have written both canon and AU. As a writer, what are the benefits and drawbacks of both?
The_bouquet: First let me say that I truly applaud writers who are able to write a longer works in canon. It's such a meticulous task! Canon writing restricts what you can do with the story and characters, but it also forces you to really work as a writer to find a new perspective or interpretation of events that are already established. On the other hand, AU offers the flexibility to keep what you want and toss what you don't, but then you become responsible for original plotting and even re-characterizing, which can be quite tricky.
Kayla: Where did you get the inspiration for this piece?
The_bouquet: There were a few things that got me rolling. After I finished Eyes of the Beholder, I was ready to move into a different universe, but I wanted to continue with the (spoiler ahead! Avert your eyes!) Vampire Bella motif. Also, I really love writing Edward's POV, so that was a given from the start. Lastly, there are a few songs I love that speak to me in writing events and emotions -- "Dance, Dance Christa Paffgen" by Anberlin, "Come Close" (the acoustic version) by Saosin, and "The Secret's in the Telling" by Dashboard Confessional come to mind.
Kayla: You choose to write PG or T rated fics. Do you find it difficult to maintain the lower rating?
The_bouquet: No, not at all. Probably anyone who has chatted or tweeted with me knows what a total prude I am. See my pursed lips?
>:#
Kidding aside, T-rated stories are what I feel comfortable putting out there for the fandom. I would sooner say that the stories I want to tell fall into the range of T-rating, rather than saying I actually try to maintain any specific rating. As an aside, I did write a one-shot that was rated M for violence, but after worrying for days that people would find it upsetting, I pulled it.
Kayla: What are the benefits of staying with a lower rating?
The_bouquet:I don't know about benefits, exactly, but I write what's in my heart and mind, and it makes me happy to do so. I think stories that are not "Mature" are not necessarily "immature," and I hope Strange Bedfellows is proof of that, because I'm putting everything I've got into this one. Also, I was a huge Christopher Pike fan as a teen. His YA horror never talked down to me, and I loved him for it. Still do, really.
Kayla: How did you get involved in the Twilight Saga?
The_bouquet: Oh, I was totally late to the party. My sister's birthday was coming up and I was in charge of coordinating a three-day birthday extravaganza (The Magnifico!). I decided to see if there was anything fun happening at the Fox, and it just happened that Twilight was showing one of the nights as a part of the Coca-Cola film festival. It was an incredible experience to see the movie in that grand setting. My sisters and I loved it so much, we went straight to Barnes & Noble afterward to buy the books, and of course we were hooked.
Kayla: What are some of your fave stories on Twilighted and/or FF.net?
The_bouquet: Redefined by joyousnerd is my favorite fic ever! I regard Singularity by Openhome as THE great canon-Alice fic. EliseShaw writes Esme and Carlisle's love story so beautifully in No Longer Alone Six Different Ways Inside My Heart by april09 always tugs on my heart. Legendary by WhatsMyNomDePlume and I Want Everything With You by heywoodlane are both sexy and funny.Last but not least, Brave by SunKing is inspiring and lovely.
Kayla: Are you going to continue writing fanfic once this fic is complete?
The_bouquet: Absolutely. The more I write, the more ideas I have. I have about five ideas for shorter fics that I'd like to do, and then one concept that might be better served by original characters. Speaking of which, I'm convinced that if I can write a novel-length fanfic that's coherent and complete, there should be no reason I can't write an original novel. It's not exactly the same thing, but still, I'm pushing myself and testing myself. Once SB is done, there will be no more excuses!
Kayla: What do you think a good story entails?
The_bouquet: If you have a story inside you, it will keep you up at night -- either while you labor to tell it, or while you struggle to keep it inside. A good story will have that passion -- and the readers will feel it. The technical aspects -- grammar and story logic -- are no less important though. I think these things are universally essential to fiction. Specifically for fanfic, I'm a sucker for clever twists on canon. I'm constantly amazed by the talent and originality in this fandom.
Kayla: How did you come up with the plot of Strange Bedfellows?
The_bouquet: The main story line fell together very easily when I first plotted it. Essentially, Strange Bedfellows re-imagines Twilight with a few key details changed. I really want it to seem authentic -- an "alternate universe" in the truest sense. For example, my version of Jessica Stanley might seem rather kind compared to canon, but I attribute it to the difference between how she would act toward Edward (as the hot new guy) vs. how she would act toward Bella (as a pretty new competitor). That said, the characters continually surprise me. The basic story arc has been the same from the start, but it's almost like I'm the new kid in Forks, and the characters keep showing me back roads to get to our destination. Not all of them are quicker, but they are more scenic, so it works out!
Kayla: Thank you so much for agreeing to do an interview with The Taste on My Tongue!
The_bouquet: Thank YOU! :D
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