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

Gotcha, gotcha. I only really know that one stretch of Woodward rather well - from the Fox Theater/Comerica Park down to Orchestra Hall and on to the DIA/Science Center. (If you ever get a chance to go, seriously, we have one of the better art museums out there. ) Besides that, I tend to stay away from Detroit outside of work we have to do in the city. There are some good areas, but plenty of areas where it is not so good.

As for your question, I would love to write Star Trek novels. They have a great line of books going, and I would be honored to add my name to those ranks.

I really, really enjoy reading poetry. As for favourite poets, my top two would have to be e. e. cummings and Pablo Neruda, hands down. I just love their unusual and intricate way with words - every other poem by them just speaks to me. For modern poets, I just discovered Salt, by Nayyirah Waheed, and the book completely leveled me, it was so heartbreakingly beautiful. As for classic poets, I like Lord Tennyson (Charge of the Light Brigade and all of his Arthurian stuff), Emily Dickenson (another author for my loving everything), Edgar Allen Poe (Israfel and the Conquerer Wyrm are my favourites), and Elizabeth Barrett Browning (her sonnets are amazing). Oh, and Jelaluddin Rumi! He is proof that passion and faith trump all barriers between language and race. My favourite poem by him is a snippet of verse that I can find no title for, but:

"I am so small that I can barely be seen
How can this great love be inside me?

Look at your eyes, they are small
But they see enormous things."

Just . . . gah. All of his work is like that.

I also love epic poetry - especially mythology. Homer, Virgil, Ovid - I enjoy them all, even if I am still making my way through their work. The Poetic and Prose Eddas are something I have been making my way through, as well. Really, if you read nothing else, the http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe10.htm]Lokasenna[/url] (Loki's roast of the gods) and the http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe11.htm]Lay[/url] of Thyrm (where Thor and Loki have to pretend to be woman in order to retrieve Thor's lost hammer) are just too enjoyable for words.

As for my own poetry, I have dabbled, but I prefer reading - and finding inspiration in poetry - as opposed to writing my own.

I love musicals, and I have a list of them I am chipping away at seeing. So far I have seen Les Misérables, Wicked, and Phantom of the Opera live. (Erik stole my soul eleven years ago, and has yet to give it back. ) I love listening to most of Frank Wildhorn's musicals, and anything by Sondheim is just awesome.

I have seen snippets of opera performed live when going to the symphony or various recitals, but never a full opera. I only know my basics in classical music, and that is an area where I want to expand my horizons! There is always something interesting playing at the Detroit Opera House, it seems, so I need to stop saying 'oooh, we should see that!' and just buy tickets instead.

You have quite the musical background, too! Are there any production you would label as 'can't miss?' I would keep an eye out for those titles. I don't mind a little tragedy, and I have really enjoyed what I have heard by Tchaikovsky and Wagner, in particular, if that helps narrow things down.

No, I have not - I am an atrocious actor, actually . . . I don't even have a good poker face. To illustrate: my sister and I dressed up as Lady Thor and Loki for the Motor City Comic Con, and a photographer asked to take pictures of us for an online geek magazine. He wanted us to get in character when posing. I, as Thor, needed to have an 'anguished' look on my face for my sibling's betrayal, and I could not pull it off - not one look! I kept on trying to think of sad things, and nothing worked. So! I have a major respect for anyone proficient with that art.

No I have not. But it's on my list of places I would like to see.

Mmm, all of the above! I love pancakes with any kind of fruit - especially blueberries. And crepes! You can put anything in a crepe and I will be happy. I am a simple ham and egg omelet kind of girl - just, no cheese for me! Yuck!

As for sushi . . . I like California rolls and Vegas rolls (the 'amateur' sushi, I know ). . . I want to like sushi more than I do, so I keep on trying it, but I am actually not that big on sushi - or seafood as a whole, really. Wasabi is wonderful, though.

Hmm, technology? How about a time machine, where they pull a note from the Doctor's book and go back and fix some of the awful decisions made in pro-fiction? Past that, I think that the SW universe is really diverse with their technology, and I am happy with that aspect of it.

As for more things I would like to see in SW . . . just well rounded character development and character centric plot arcs in the new line of films. I will be happy with that.

Now that is quite the question. If you are asking about which differing views of the Force I like, I like the Aing Tii seeing the force as different 'colors', and their trying to manipulate their place in that spectrum. I've always found the Nightsisters and 'Witches' of Dathomir to be more than interesting, too.

 

Wonderful, fascinating answers, Mira!

Let's see, opera recommendations... my own tastes run somewhat more toward the early end of the music-historical spectrum, but I like some of the later stuff too. So I'd say, if you ever have the chance to see any opera by Mozart—and I mean anything—that's definitely not to be missed, and his operas are a wonderful introduction to opera a in general: The Magic Flute, is one of my favorites (it was the very first opera I ever saw as a kid), and The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni are both fantastic. It looks like the Michigan Opera's current season includes Puccini's Madama Butterfly, which is a beautiful, classic, tragic opera; I also love Tosca. Looks like they've got Gounod's Faust, too, which has some nice musical moments (and of course is another classic, tragic story). As for Wagner, I personally am not a big Wagner person, but lots of people like it a lot, and they're considered some of the masterpieces of Western classical opera for good reason.

And Gilbert and Sullivan's stuff is loads of fun, if you get a chance to see it. But it's not necessarily the kind of thing Michigan Opera looks like it would put on.

You mentioned mythology—do you have any favorite stories from classical myth and legend? Any favorite Greco-Roman deities/heroes/legendary figures?

 

Are you at all prone to migraines or other kinds of headaches? If so, what do you do to treat them?

 

Whew! I am here. Work started early and lasted late yesterday, and I could not sit down online.

Oh, the dressing up with the Trek uniform is just brilliant. I have to agree with you about the suits of armor - they are just the best! I am partial to the mummy, as well.

As for anime - I used to read manga a lot back in highschool, but not so much since then. Inuyasha, Saiyuki, and Rurouni Kenshin were my favourite titles - really, I love anything set back in time, with 'youkai' and other glimpses at Japanese folk-lore and mythology. Inuyasha fan-fiction used to be some of my favourite to read, at that. My favourite anime is a series called Gankutsuou - which is a futuristic retelling of the Count of Monte Cristo, with a downright strange and gorgeous animation style.

As for ones I don't like . . . I used to love Sailor Moon back in the day, but when I tried rewatching it with my youngest sister, I could not get around Usagi's whole character to enjoy the rest of the series like I used to. But that's called getting older, I supposed.

Oooh, thank-you so much! Some of those names are familiar, and I can even name a piece or two from those operas if I hear them - but Tosca, Gilbert and Sullivan - those are new names to me, and I will keep my eyes open. Thank-you.

As for favourite myths/figures . . . In Greecian/Roman mythology, I like most of Odysseus' trials and exploits, but his wife Penelope takes the cake with me with her faith and perseverance. I love Icarus' tale, and the tale of Eros and Psyche. Persephone's story fascinates me - I have always found it intriguing to have one woman as rebirth in such an all encompassing way, and that is a great way to explain the seasons.

Oooh, you can't beat natural water - the Great Lakes for me! But, a pool is just perfect for practicalities sake.

Oooh, the Wicked verse, hands down. (And I will take any version over that mess Once Upon a Time just put out. Just . . . oh, that was painful to watch. )

I am a great big chicken when it comes to rollercoasters. I do not like the drop you get in your stomach, or the speed, or the upside-down-and-all -around, or the anything really. The heights bother me least of all, oddly enough - go figure!

Now, I do love water rides. If you put water on a ride, I am more amiable to it.

I do like flying, but I have never flown an aircraft.

I love sculpture-work. It is, however, something I have not dabbled much in myself.

Auguste Rodin does my favourite sculptures, hands down - and Camille Claudel, too. I love the messy, organic way their sculptures seem to come alive from the stone. Her La Valse is probably my favourite sculpture ever. Motherhood, by Raffaelle Monti is another one of my favourite single pieces - and it is actually at the DIA. He does some amazing work with giving fabric a delicate 'feel' in such a hard medium, and that never ceases to amaze me! Cupid and Psyche by Cavona is another amazing one. I got to see it at the Louvre, and I just stopped and stared in awe. I couldn't look away.

Here's a few pics to go with my throwing names around:



La Valse by Camille Claudel



Motherhood. by Rafelle Monti



Cupid and Psyche, by Cavona (And, for the Mods - I looked for pictures that kind of hid the nudity, but if you would prefer I take them down, I will edit them out. )

Just, wow! The skill that goes into these is just breathtaking.

As for favourite time period for art, I like the Impressionists. The feel and colour of Van Gogh and Monet I like more than anything else. I like Romantic paintings, especially when they take on a historical subject - like those by Jacques-Louise David and his student Anne-Louis Girodet. I like Art Nouveau, too - especially in the hands of those masters like Alphonse Mucha.

As for art I do not like . . . I do not care for much from the Italian Renaissance. I never quite saw the allure of the Mona Lisa, and the bright colors and 'structure' of a lot of that time-period never appealed to me - I know, that is blasphemy . . . yet, while I understand the importance of that time both for technique and content, I just do not care for it personally. I love Michelangelo's sculpture-work, though.

I actually have chronic migraines - I have a headache almost every day, they just differ in severity. To treat them, I normally just do my best to ignore them - because pain medicine isn't the best for you when taken consistently over time. But, when I can't, Motrin works wonders. As for natural remedies, I use an essential oil mix called M-grain from Young Living - it's a mix of Peppermint (which is anti-inflammatory and cooling), Basil (which is anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic) with Marjoram and Lavender to sooth, and it words wonders. Or, just straight peppermint or wintergreen oil from your local vitamin/all-natural store when I can't get that. It's amazing to watch natural remedies in work - and if you are skeptical - wintergreen oil is 85-99% methyl salicylate - which is the leading ingredient in Asprin. I've found that it really works.

And! They smell awesome. Which is half the appeal.

I love ginger ale - especially Canada Dry . . . which I think is a more northern thing, but that's my favourite brand. I used to live on Mountain Dew, but I have weaned myself off of that and just treat myself to it every once and a while.

Oh, I like too many things to mention, really. Pretty much, I will listen to anything but for rap and hip-hop . . . and most modern music on the radio, now that I think about it.

Symphonic metal like Nightwish (my absolute favourite band of all time ), Kamelot, Within Temptation (everything but for their latest album . . . just, no) gets me going no matter what I am doing. (I also love Blind Guardian for their . . . unique spin on myths and legends. And their Silmarillion album! Those crazy bards.) I love European folk music - Faun, Loreena McKennitt, Blackmore's Night, John Doyle, Kate Rusby, Solas and Connie Dover - really, anything with a Celtic or old-world spin I adore! I like instrumental music - Yann Tiersan and Phillip Glass are inspiring in every way. On that vein, I also love epic music - Two Steps from Hell, Therion, Globus, and E. S. Posthumus - you can't go wrong with them. I love soundtracks, Hans Zimmer and Howard Shore are amazing, amazing men, just saying.

Lately my go-to mix has been The Civil Wars, The Wailin' Jennys, and Mumford and Sons - the latter of which just knows how to say everything with their lyrics. I am in love.

 

Wow—thanks so much for sharing those beautiful artworks with us. What a day-brightener. Now, since you mentioned some of your painting styles, too, would you be willing to share with us some of your favorite paintings with us, too? Have any of them (or any of the sculptures you showed us) exerted influence on your writing?

 

You know, when first I read your question I thought about the obvious answers like Mara Jade and Anakin Solo, and yet, events in the books really started to go south with the Yuuzhan Vong invasion. If that never happened, our heroes would have been spared to live much better lives than the ones given to them in the books (at least, I hope ). So, even though I feel the teensiest bit awful about this, I do wish that Nom Anor would have fatally choked on a peanut, or had some other sort of 'accident', soon after reaching the galaxy, thus eradicating the threat of the Vong - or, at least, push their invasion back a generation or two.

It's hard to pick one I admire the most, but I will give you one really high on the list. Florence Nightingale, for her work both as a nurse and a feminist before the term even had a name. If I can have a tenth of her compassion or fortitude in life, I will be happy indeed.

Oooh, I can share paintings.

First off (and I can't believe that I didn't mention him in the last question) a few selections from John William Waterhouse (another painter who believed that the 'Mannerism' style that emerged from the Italian Renaissance was not the way to go. ) - who mixed together ideas from the Impressionists and more Romantic-esque history painters to create his work.

Like . . .

The Lady of Shalott



and Lamia and the Soldier



I can go on with his work -- there isn't a painting that I do not like!

The French author I mentioned, Jacques-Louis David, I love for his painting things that he actually lived through. He was a major player in the French Revolution, and his drawing of the Tennis Court Oath shows that, even if the political atmosphere at the time never let him transfer it to painting:



He was imprisoned for his role in the Revolution, and found freedom through aligning himself with another power - Napoleon Bonaparte. He gained fame for painting the Emperor's many exploits and victories as his official court painter. My favourite, though, is:



Now, what is really great about this piece is the humor in it - Napoleon taking the crown from the Pope to anoint Josephine as Empress himself, and the look on Pope Pius' VII face in reply! (The Pope actually sat for David while he painted this, and blessed David for his work, to boot.) The older woman to the left and sitting was Napoleon's mother, who could not attend the coronation, so David had to work her in separately. Directly up from Napoleon's mother, hiding from behind the woman's bonnet, is David himself. Off to the right, you will notice two alter boys not interested in history unfolding before them - but with the nobleman's sword. This painting is huuuge in real life, ten meters by six meters, and it forces you to stare - which, I believe, was the point of its commission.

I love Van Gogh for the movement and color of his work - so sadly unappreciated during his time. I think you guys know his more famous pieces, but this is one of my favourite lesser known works, here:



Just beautiful!

I can't say that a particular painting or sculpture has ever inspired a specific work, but I will say that exposing myself to visual art does move me to try and create something equally as stirring. Art is universal with its aim to strike a chord and endeavoring to inspire others in turn, and I have replied to that inspiration with my own art and writing.

I still use conventional medicine, that is just one natural remedy with zero negative side effects that helps me instead of pickling my organs with pain medication. I see a chiropractor too, and have found that to be extremely helpful - especially since most of my headaches stem from an old neck injury. On top of that, the headaches are a genetic thing, my mother has the same problem. It's just a bad combo.

As for five persons of note, living or dead . . . Ooooh . . .

J. R. R. Tolkien - I need to pick his brain about his world-building and fangirl over the many beautiful aspects of his universe.
George Lucas - To hug him for creating such a wonderful world, and then slap him for ruining it.
Peter Jackson - The same goes for him.
Jane Austen - To talk about literature and boys - her boys - obviously.
Shakespeare - Because, that would make the ultimate selfie.

Pepperoni, bacon and banana peppers on my pizza for me! (And I could eat pizza every other day, really. Yum! ) Then - spice cake and buttercream frosting, and Oreo cookies are the best. Moose Tracks ice-cream - that is the ticket for me! Anything with chucks of chocolate and swirls of fudge will make me happy, though.