FanFic Ask Me Anything ~*~ Version 3.0 Daily Questions (See list on pg 164 or 1)

I would really like to be able to play the piano better, and play guitar. I have both and never use them.

 

Thanks for answering taramidala!

Remember, if you want to be a subject of FFAMA, PM either Briannakin or myself. Also, if there is someone you would like to see as the subject of FFAMA, send us a PM and we can ask the person if they would like to participate.


This week's subject is K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku

 

I gotta know: where did you get that most interesting username from?

 

K'Tai - What SW character(s) is/are your fave and why?

 

What is your hands-down favorite all time piece of fanfiction? The most influential?

 

Tips for developing OCs/plots?

 

Who do you consider best dressed in SW?

 

Wow! My turn and there are already a slew of good questions.

Anne McCaffrey and Mercedes Lackey are particular sci-fi/fantasy favorites. I also like J.A. Jance and Tony Hillerman as mystery writers. Anne McCaffrey probably influences my writing the most through her consistantly strong female characters coupled to her ability to make worlds and then link together different story arcs. I love the Pern books - Lessa is hands down my favorite with Menolly a close second when it comes to characters. I'm also partial to Killishandra from "The Crystal Singer" and the Rowan, particularly before that became a full-fledged series. Her worlds are vivid and full of their own cultural peculiarities. Many of her books started with a short stories that then became a novel before they became series. It has solidified in my head that I can have a timeline with characters that interact and be able to successfully write about them in a episodic format over many years.

I wanted to write an OC Jedi for the Ultra-Stressed Jedi Students but I didn't want my username to be the same as my character's (T'lor). So I needed a different name. At the time, I was developing a plot bunny spurred by the Ultra-Stressed Jedi Students: How would a Force-user from another tradition handle being on an exchange program in the Temple? I figured using the main character's name as my username would ensure that it would be available. I did have to check, with both K'Tai and T'lor, that they weren't names of Pernese dragonriders that I was ripping off because they both follow that naming convention.

Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, Luke, Leia, Han, and Yoda, in no particular order. All of them have interesting character development in the movies and books. Obi-Wan fascinates me the most because he is the padawan of a rebel with the heart of a traditionalist and this motivates his entire understanding of the Force and his approach to training Anakin. Yoda and I share a lot in common as far as our physical size relative to our colleagues go.

That's a tough one, particularly since I tend to get on jags and don't read very broadly. Favorite would probably be either one by Jemmiah (and possibly others...I seem to remember it was a round-robin, so JediKnightObi-Wan and Jane Jinn were likely involved) where the sub-title was something like "Braid-boy does the full-Jedi" or '"The USJS Play Truth or Dare." I can only answer the most influential in terms of my own writing and that would have to be all four parts of the "Ultra-Stressed Jedi Students."

Hmmm...my OCs arise either because they reflect a certain stage in my life or I need to create them to make the story work. For example, T'lor came about because I wanted to write a padawan in the Temple during the exchange program but I wanted to write a character that was on the cusp of facing her trials. For me, plots evolve from scenes between characters. The plots then become the answer to how to get in and out of that scene and link it to other scenes. They come about organically, which then usually requires a lot of editing to get the pacing right.

Bail Organa or Padamé, leaning slightly more toward Bail.

 

Which comes first, the character or the story?

 

What's your writing process from start to finish?

 

The character and the first vignette or scene usually go hand in hand. The whole story comes later.

What is this finish thing that you speak of? I don't think I've actually finished any fanfic, except the drabbles I did for UDC7. For writing in general, it starts with some sort of rough outline that is in my head as often as I get it on paper. I then just start in writing. When I get stuck, I leave myself a note to come back to and move on to the next section, unless I have a serious deadline. In that case, I switch genres...so if I'm writing a grant, I switch to fanfic...can't say that I've switched from fanfic to a grant, but I have gone to working on publication draft or a journal entry. I try to write in a place where I won't be disturbed. Given that right now I do not have an office at home or at work with a door, that can be hard to come by. If it is casual writing, ambient noise is fine. If I have a deadline or require intense concentration, then there is music. I have a couple of playlists depending on my mood, but I'm usually writing to movie soundtracks with musically driven themes (think Iron Man, Avengers or Bourne Identity), some set of SW movie soundtracks, or contemporary classical guitar like Rodrigo y Gabriella. Oh, and if it is a grant or paper that is giving me fits, my nails will be painted a power color (electric blue is a fave) and I might just break out my alternative/punk 80s music.

 

If you feel comfortable answering, what kind of grant writing and publications do you work on? Excellent music choices.

 

I write a lot of grant proposals that go to various institutes at the National Institutes of Health as well as private foundations that provide support for either genetic or cancer research. My publications are mostly scientific papers reporting my research results.

 

Favourite non-human species and why?

Favourite SW culture?

 

Lessa! Oh yes. Cool on the grant/research focus.

My question is:

In Episode 7, what do you wanna see as respects Luke, Leia, and Han's character and any family they have? Which characters, hypothetically, would you like to see emerge from the EU/legends?

 

In SW, Wookies would take both favorite non-human species and culture. I like the idea of tribes and life debts in a long-lived species. I also like that while they understand Basic, they speak their own language because of their anatomy. The biology nerd in my likes that. Outside of the SW universe, it's hard to say...the "mountains" in the Dinosaur Planet series by McCaffrey are definitely up there as are the Goa'lud and Tok'ra from SG1. I like the idea of incredibly long-lived beings and the concept that an entire species' memory could be passed down genetically, particularly now that there is some evidence that a variation of that may actually happen.

I'd like to see some evidence of how Luke and Leia's relationship has developed as siblings. Beyond that...I'm not sure I have a lot of wishes or expectations. As for characters from the EU/Legends: Mara, Thrawn, and Coran Horn. I really wanted to see the Thrawn Trilogy on screen.

Yes, I like riddles. However, I tend to remember the punch lines much better than the actual riddle, so I'll have to look a couple up to make sure I get them correct before I post them. Nothing worse than not getting them right.

 

What fictional culture would you like to see used as an inspiration in SW and how?

What real life culture would you like to see used as an inspiration in SW and how?

 

Most memorable vacation spot(s)?

 

If you could have one Force power, what would it be?

 

Hmmm...fictional culture...that's a tough one. I'm going to have to think about that a bit more and come back to it. As far as a real life culture, I'd like to see the culture of the Acoma Pueblo. The Acoma Pueblo in New Mexico is the longest continually inhabited settlement in the US, if I remember correctly. What I remember most about it is that it is matriarchical (?sp), but it doesn't look that way from the outside. All property is owned by women and passed down to daughters. The women decide which men will sit on the governing council and deal with the rest of the world because as our guide said the women have better things to do, like care for children and run the actual Pueblo than deal with that nonsense. If the men don't do what the women want, they get replaced. It think it would be an interesting twist for Jedi to encounter a culture like that.

Right now that would be the Mayan ruins of Tikal in Guatemala. The rebel base on Yavin was one of the temples at Tikal. We didn't have a chance to hike to it, but I did get to see it from afar. It was cool to walk around in the jungle and have coatis just stroll up next to us. And I got to appreciate some of the local humor: I'm still trying to figure out whether the hut that had the sign "Gringos perdidos" (lost gringos) was where you picked them up or dropped them off. I think they didn't believe gringos would be able to figure out información was information.

I only get one?! Hmmm...probably Jedi mind trick. It is rather useful and would save a lot of headaches when it comes to big grants..."Yes, you are right. 3 weeks is not enough time to write a credible $15 million center grant..."

First the riddle: What three letters alter boys into men and girls into women?

Spoiler: Answer

AGE

As for humor, I'm fond of humor that requires a little thought, corny puns and jokes, and good (not raunchy) dirty jokes. A few of my faves:
What do you call 100 dairy cows that won't give any milk?

Spoiler: Answer

Udderly useless!

Where does the king keep his armies?

Spoiler: Answer

Up his sleevies!

What do you call a shaky cow?

Spoiler: Answer

Beef jerky

 

LOL on the riddles.

What was your fave/least fave subject in school and/or college, and is that reflected in your current career?

 

What has eighteen legs, and isn't going anywhere?