Meme: Ghosts of Yuletide Past

[jedibuttercup]

In celebration of my prompts hitting the default list for Yuletide again this year (though I've received some really great stories other years I've turned up on that list, so I'm not worried), have a meme!

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Six Years of Yuletide Treasures

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(2006) A Clock, Ticking ♦ Equilibrium

     A lifetime of Prozium had left him without the vocabulary for so many simple things.

My first year participating! For many and varied reasons I sort of quailed at the prompt on this one, but I loved the canon and I'm good at reframing my own POV until I can get at least a glimpse of what my requester's aiming at, even if I'd never have gone there on my own: so. And the feedback I got for it, over at the original archive? Half the reason I've kept participating in fic exchanges, and developed the confidence to keep taking risks with my writing, is down to the positive reception of my various Yuletide fic over the years, starting with this one.

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(2007) Five Crosses Michael Carpenter Never Bore ♦ Dresden Files (novels)

     Michael had a difficult question to ask. And he didn't think he was going to like the answer.

.... Yeah, remember what I just said about quailing at prompts, but going forward anyway? This one probably counts as the most stressful prompt I've ever been given. But I found a way to work it that felt satisfying to me, and thereby discovered that ".... that really shouldn't work, but it does" type reviews are like catnip. :)

(2007) The Man For The Job ♦ The Mummy (1999)

     Jonathan hadn't left Hamunaptra empty-handed, after all.

Totally gen, and the first Yuletide treat I ever voluntarily wrote, purely because I adore both the canon, and the whole concept of positively framed (non-sexual) sibling relationships.

(2007) Paved With Good Intentions ♦ Drive (TV 2007)

     Alex wasn't crazy; he was hallucinating. There was a difference.

Oh, tiny fandom of my heart that died way too soon. My second treat ever, because I couldn't resist. It's also still the only non-crossover Drive fic on AO3.

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(2008) Not-So-Mutinous Insurrection ♦ DOOM (2005)

     The scents of powder, gun oil, human sweat, and spilled blood are everywhere around him. Not hell, then; and he's pretty sure heaven would be much cleaner.

Oh, what to say about this one? The third year running I was assigned a slash prompt, which, statistically, what are the odds? Probably the one I'm most embarrassed about having written due to deadline pressures affecting the quality, but I had some fun applying a bit of a fixit to the movie, and the recipient enjoyed it, and that's what counts, right?

(2008) Right Where to Find You ♦ National Treasure Series

     All things considered, a little attempted murder between partners was nothing.

My only treat in 2008. A friendship fixit fic, because Ian Howe. Why does fandom hate him so?

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(2009) Respecting Tradition ♦ Showdown in Little Tokyo

     "Hey Kenner," Johnny said. "If we're going to keep sharing the last few seconds of our lives on a regular basis, there's something I should tell you."

This story marked the first time I ever consumed a new canon because I was not at all sure I could do the prompt I had matched on justice. Which I still wrote (see next fic), but I did have a ton of fun with this one. It reminded me of my cracky love of Die Hard style cop movies and martial arts action.

(2009) With These Two Hands ♦ Trail of Glory - Eric Flint

     They'd been the right men, in the right place, at the right time.

This story taught me that I should only offer fandoms if I know I can do them justice, not just because I love them to pieces. But I made a good faith effort, and ended up with a quiet little gen piece I'm not too embarrassed to own.

(2009) Strange Attractors ♦ Jurassic Park (Movies)

     "That's just what a man likes to hear; that his best feature is his hat," Alan sighs dramatically.

Jurassic Park is one of my real go-to comfort movies. I love all the characters, and when I saw a prompt roll by that tickled my interest, they just started talking to me. When that happens, I've learned to tackle the muse and ride it on down. My most-commented story that year.

(2009) Data Quality Management ♦ Leverage

     "Can I? Can I? Who do you think you're talking to?"

A teeny little Hardison treat, because I'd just discovered Leverage that year and was having a specifically work-related issue that made writing fic from his POV a breeze. Also one of my more enduringly popular Yuletide stories.

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(2010) Keeping Busy Somehow ♦ RED

     Cooper returned to his office late one afternoon to find the door slightly ajar and the lights already on inside.

I was really spoiled for choice in 2010; it was the first year I knew all of my requester's fandoms! This one's a warm little post-movie tag from Cooper's POV; I had a blast with it.

(2010) La Luna del Cacciatore ♦ Alien vs Predator (2004)

     Fittingly, it's another hunter's moon when Alexa Woods' life tilts on its axis for the second time.

For the same requester as the previous, because this is also one of my comfort movies, ridiculous as it is. Fixit-fic, because badass chick and honorable warrior, alien or otherwise, deserve their chance. :)

(2010) Building From the Ground Up ♦ Ninja Assassin

     When Mika wakes up in the hospital, Ryan's there. Raizo isn't.

... and on the theme of badass chicks and honorable warriors? I'd been meaning to see this movie for awhile, so when I saw it pop up I gave it a chance, and it gave me ideas. Always an excellent reason to commit fic, I've discovered.

(2010) His Own Marking Cord ♦ Four Dragons - Diana Dru Botsford

     And was that not the true measure of a god: that his name and his legacy be endlessly renewed and honored?

This one was an outlier for me in a lot of ways; it's doubly derivative for one thing (from a novel spun out from a TV show) and is based in a culture I knew very little about before diving into the research. But the concept fascinated me, and it had an uptick effect on my view of the larger canon, too. And I think it also marks the first time I got a comment back from a not-the-recipient member of a culture-not-mine wanting to let me know they appreciated how much work I'd put into doing it justice! Made it totally worth the effort, despite the low overall response count.

(2010) Just The Way He Likes It ♦ Chronicles of Riddick/Buffy the Vampire Slayer

     Riddick is still settling in to his position as Lord Marshal when they find her.

...Yeah, and this was just because, a last-minute snap-up from my friends-list that seems to have induced "...that should NOT work as well as it does" glee in an amusing number of people. Second most popular story that year, after the RED one, and, ah, let's just say not very anonymous. =)

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(2011) I Whom You Seek ♦ The Mummy (1999)

     "Any and all in your power, huh?" O'Connell replied. "If you'd caught me three years ago, I might have taken you seriously enough to take that oath, myself."

Oh, this movie series. ♥ This one is Ardeth-centric, so I also ended up doing a ton of research on Arabic cultures of the times that doesn't really show (at least to Western audiences), but I had some fun spinning out the foundation for a potential AU I've actually been thinking about for a long time. The Medjai kind of fascinate me. Also Rick O'Connell, whom fandom rarely seems to take very seriously.

(2011) Testing the Leash ♦ Grimm (TV)

     Eddie had never really liked fairy tale protagonists. Their stories never ended well for guys like him.

New fandom love! I was kind of surprised by how well this treat was received, but I seem to have nailed the fanon-favorite non-canon couple early on. And people commented a lot on my treatment of sensory input? I seem to have a thing for non-human-standard characters.

(2011) Only the Journey is Written ♦ The Mummy Returns (2001)

     Ardeth has always known he would one day meet Rick O'Connell. He just hadn't known what face his brother would wear when he did.

Because my head was already full of Ardeth, and the prompt spoke to me. As they, um, occasionally do....

(2011) The Only Puzzle Worth Solving ♦ Star Wars: Thrawn Trilogy - Timothy Zahn

     Thrawn knew the truth: winning an individual's spirit was a far more productive and lasting conquest than mere puppetry or physical subjugation.

My most-recced story last year. People seem astounded that I tackled Thrawn's POV directly, which I don't think Zahn ever did, and actually made him sound like... him. ♥ It was definitely a challenge, but by now it should be clear that I kind of love those, especially in fandoms close to my heart.

(2011) So Few and Such Morning Songs ♦ Grimm (TV)

     It might not be the way Grimms traditionally did things – but Marie would do what she had to do to ensure her nephew had a chance to survive.

More new fandom love, because I was kind of fascinated by this character who'd only showed up in the first two episodes, and her outsized impact on the plot. Notable for the fact that canon didn't joss any of my wacky speculation here, even though we'd only had seven or eight episodes when I wrote it, until the last episode of Season 1.

(2011) The More I Find, The Less I Know ♦ Person of Interest

     She had a name for him, finally. And a face, out from under the grime of beard he'd worn when she'd first met him.

The other new fandom of my heart last year. And another prompt I picked up from my friends list. Probably has the honor of being tied for least-anonymous thing I've ever written for the challenge; there were very few of us writing Joss Carter regularly at the time. A very close to canon missing scene for the first season break; I don't think this one got jossed at all. My most kudo'ed story of Yuletide 2011.

(2011) Problem Solving in Complex Systems ♦ Jurassic Park (Movies)

     "Is there such a thing as a Murphy's Law of Attraction?" Ellie grinned. "Because that would explain a few things."

Returning to the JP well with another warm little story that I grinned all through writing.

(2011) A True Test of Skill ♦ Alien vs Predators: Prey - Steve and Stephani Perry

     She might be smaller than a female of his kind, ugly with her pale smoothness and oddly formed mandibles, but she was intelligent; she moved well; and they had walked the Path together. And she acted as a proper female would.

... and last but not least, returning to another facet of the Aliens vs Predator fandom to try my hand at another doubly derivative fic that fixits a badass female and honorable warrior pairing. ♥

and as for (2012) ... well, that would be telling, wouldn't it?

Comments

[rose-griffes.livejournal.com]

That's a whole lot of fic written in November and December each year.

I didn't pay enough attention to know if my assigned writers defaulted in the 2 years I participated. I don't think they did?

[graycardinal]

You won't generally know whether you got a pinch-hit unless you've signed up to follow the pinch-hitters' email list on which the assignments for pinch hits go out. (I've been on the list pretty much since first joining the game, but have never officially been assigned a pinch-hit.)

[jedibuttercup]

I'm sometimes worried I intimidate people, and that's why writers end up defaulting on me? I've never been a BNF, but I've been around a long time, and I've got a bit of a reputation in a few specialized niches.

Ah, well. I still usually end up receiving lovely fic; and it isn't about that for me anyway, my aim in the Yule season is to make other people smile. The more, the better. =)

[vialethe]

Excellent, reading material to distract me from my own unsuccessful treat-writing!

I was so sad when I saw your name pop up on the list that I'm not familiar with any of your requested fandoms. Then again, I'd probably have been too intimidated trying to write something for you anyhow. <3

[jedibuttercup]

I think that intimidation factor is probably the problem! Which is sad, because it takes all styles, and I usually love what I get regardless; but .... *shrug*

I wasn't all that familiar with any of your fandoms either, more's the pity; though I've just started collecting the Numinous Worlds books (starts with Black Ships, right?) Maybe next year. =)

[vialethe]

Yes, Black Ships is the first one. And that's awesome news, I think you'll really love them, they're right up your alley! That one is my perennial Yuletide fandom...I request it every year and suspect I'll never actually get it, but that hope is half the fun.

I hope you enjoyed the fics you got!

[graycardinal]

That's a lot of stories...and I see we started in the same year, too. Synchronicity....

This is the first year my signup has hit the pinch hit list, which should be interesting given my set of prompts (way over on the Seriously Obscure side of the meter). I am not worried either -- Yuletide writers being who they are -- rather; I am impressed that there's actually somebody besides my original writer prepared to write in one of these canons, and on absurdly short deadline at that.

[jedibuttercup]

I forget how I got drafted into the challenge ... probably somebody on my friendslist squeeing about it that year! I worry sometimes that people get my requests, side-eye my rather long and eccentric fic list, and have no idea what to write me. But I still got three delightful stories this year, so! It usually works out.

Yuletide wouldn't work nearly as well as it does with a smaller pool of writers; but in any given group of two thousand or so fic-producing fen, there's always likely to be someone who's at least heard of the tiniest fandom of your heart. (I was utterly floored last year to get Princess of Flames fic; I never thought that would happen, not in a million years.)

[pronker]

Congratulations on being default - I'm unsure what it means in this instance, but it sounds good!


Jurassic Park is one of my real go-to comfort movies. Yes, it's mine, too. It is one of maybe 25 movies that I actually own on DVD or the lowly VCR tape.

[jedibuttercup]

Defaulting actually means my originally assigned writer gave up on me, so ostensibly not a good thing; but Yuletide participants are really good about snapping requests up when they hit that list, and I've always had good luck with my voluntary writers that way.

I own... rather more movies than that; but JP was definitely one of the first. I have very vivid memories of going to the theater for that one as an impressionable teenager and screaming my way delightedly through it. *sheepish*

That movie was made for screams!

[pronker]

very vivid

I saw it maybe 4 times on first run? And the last time, Spouse had not seen it *fantasy/sci fi not being his thing, yeah I know* but we went. And the theater flattop roof had been flooded with the heavy rains that year - about half the seats were cordoned off and wet - but we were bored with the gloomy weather and wanted a movie sooooo ... we saw it in the semi-deserted theater. And a FROG got between the projector and the screen and JB, it was a GIANT BLOWN UP FROGGIE that kept standing on its hind legs, probably confused by the light. And guess when it was most active? During the rainstorm scene, right before T. Rex appeared. I must say it was a memorable showing of JP.

[earcmacfithil.livejournal.com]

But you COULDN'T tell, though, could you? I mean, nothing's been revealed yet, eh?
But, boy! You wound up with a LOT of gifts, though! They were divergent, too.
Second year in a row I wound up on the pinch-hit list, too. I still received two stories last year. Don't recall about previous years, though.

[earcmacfithil.livejournal.com]

Oh, wait...I didn't read that closely enough...those were stories YOU wrote. Bad writer...no biscuit for me!

[jedibuttercup]

=) I usually do get two or three stories. But yeah, I've gradually tackled more and more treats myself to increase the joy in teeny fandoms that might otherwise have very few or no stories.

[amedia.livejournal.com]

Great list - plan to read all the ones in fandoms I follow and maybe some of those I don't really . . . (TODS watches Grimm, and I wander into the room periodically--I think that's close enough!)

Love the hat-tip to The Prisoner in the last line of the entry!

[jedibuttercup]

=) I was so sad Grimm didn't make the list this year, and the Dresden Files books have grown too big as well, and Leverage and Castle got kicked off a few years ago ... but there are always more fandoms to have fun with.