Interviews with Authors version 4.0 - interview with JediMara77!!

Wow....so you're Mara Jade, huh? Who knew? Maybe it's like my epic and Mara has been reincarnated inside of you. It makes so much sense since you write her so well. Now we know why.

And unless you're talking Phantom of the Opera, I usually don't get into theater. Great, now someone will be doing a Phantom - Star Wars crossover now.

Excellent interview and I promise to try and read more of your stuff when time permits.

 

Many thanks to Souderwan for interviewing Exeter


Ok, first thing's first, X--can I call you X? Nod your head, buddy. Good job--so X, what's up with the name "Exeter"? Is it some kind of SW nerd thing that I should know but don't? Am I a bad SW nerd?

Sure, you can call me X, Sude. As for my username, you're more of a nerd than I am, so if you're in the dark I probably am too

But in all seriousness, back when I was 11 I spent the summer with my cousin in Exeter, England and then I ended up using the name for the villain in my first short story (I'm sure a shrink would have fun with that one) later that year. I lost the story and then came across it again a few years ago while digging through the crawlspace at my parent's house. I needed a TFN username and my first choice, starwarzboi2762LOL (ok, not really ) was already taken so Exeter popped in my head and I went with it.

So there you have it, Sude. That's where Exeter came from, ya nerd.

Interviewer note: At this point, a small scuffle ensued while the interviewer and Exeter threw down. Once the dust settled, we returned to the discussion.

You ok?

I'm fine. But then again, I'm not the one who was flailing around on the carpet like Chewbacca having a seizure. I think I'll be filing a protest with NYCitygurl.

That?s right. Run to the mods! You wanna get this thing back on track or what? We?ve just started. Lots of ground to cover. Ok. So how?d you end up here on the boards writing fanfic?

Interviewer note: At this point, the tape-recorder was paused to allow Exeter to gather his thoughts. The response took a few months.

I'm a bit different that most folks in that I started out writing original works of fiction and then much later I got into fanfic. Back in May '05, as I was watching Revenge of the Sith in the theater, I thought to myself "Wow, George, you talentless hack! I could totally do better than this!" About a month and 40,000 words later, I apologized to Lucas for the hateful words and promptly deleted the junk from my computer

I'd already been a member of TFN for a few months and I came across the FanFic forums by accident. After seeing that there was a steep female-to-male ratio and a lot of romance stories (which I absolutely love! Really! Nothing like a good Padme/Aayla Secura tale of forbidden trysts. Or something.), I naturally took refuge in the golden haven for men, the Gentleman's Writing Guild in June 2005. I saw that they had a current challenge and off I went. My planned brief layover in FanFic turned into something of a writing experiment for me. Almost three years later, I'm still waiting for the results

Mmmm?oh. Sorry. Sorta tuned out around ?Padmé/Aayla Secura tale of forbidden trysts??So...yeah?where were we? Ah yes. Writing. Fanfic. Yeah. So?umm?what brought you to Star Wars, then?

I actually got into Star Wars a little late in the game, considering I've always been a big movie watcher. For some reason in elementary school, admitting you'd seen Star Wars was like saying you didn't like the Detroit Red Wings, or maybe that you were a Nazi. It just didn't go over well. So I refused my parents' nagging to get me to watch it.

And then one day I was at my grandfather's house, who was just about my favorite relative. He was such a character that he insisted I call him "uncle" because he didn't like the idea of being old enough to have a grandson. We had gone fishing all day and then we were driving back in his rusted out Chevy pickup, listening to his old CB radio and somebody jokingly used the callsign Millennium Falcon. I didn't get it. He explained it to me, and then almost jammed the brakes when I said I'd never seen a Star Wars movie.

We got back to his place and he said we were going to watch them. I said no. And I kid you not, he told me that either I watched them or I was on my own for dinner. Being a 5th grader, this didn't really appeal to me. So a

 

W00t!
Great interview, guys.

 

Great interview. Not quite as fun a read as Recognition, mind you, but that would be hard.

 

Exter still exists!!!! Great, uh, er, interview Souderwan!


Um, where was the list of updates soon to come for TGS, SotF, and Recognition? *sigh*

I guess I should just be happy that you're doing well Ex!

 

That was a great interview! Still LOL...

 

Awesome interview of an awesome author.


Thanks for the props, X , don't know that it's deserved but thanks.



Now, you can take all the time you need, but you do have to update Recognition.


And I'm still holding you to the GWG Individual challenge - you can keep it under 1,000 words if it helps, but dang it - you're writing that little Fett fic! Don't make me come over there.

 

Awesome interview! It was loads of fun to read, and there were a lot of good nuggets about writing and fanfic and Star Wars in there.

Viva la OC revolucion! And go male writers! And... yeah!

 

Who in the world let Souderwan interview X? I am seriously surprised that there weren't more girl on girl references. I'm proud of you boys for your restraint. anywho...

Awesome interview!!! I'm saddened to hear that you've stopped posting on Recog, though. And The Golden Thingie because that was next on my list to read. The characters and worlds you've developed are always so alive - a real treat to read.

Did you say that you have an original fiction up in the Non SW forums? Judging by the dates this interview has been sitting in someone's PM box for a long time. I would like a link to that story if it's available now!

Oh yeah, thanks for the plug. I knew there was a reason I liked you!


Z

 

This is one of my favorite interviews - you guys make me laugh. Exeter, you're on my to-read list, so please come back and post!

 

Thanks to MsLanna for interviewing Luton_Plunder

He's an OC writer with a great sense of humor and a nickname that's a piece of furnature. Please welcome Luton_Plunder!!


Tell us a little about yourself.

Well, I usually start out by telling people that I'm an Australian and once I have done that spend a few minutes debunking the more popular myths about this country. For example, as I type this I am in no immediate danger of being eaten by a shark. Those in the US and the UK in particular tend to worry this might be a possibility when I talk to them over the internet.

Once I move past those sorts of issues things get more run of the mill. I'm just a very average 22 year old guy that works full time, studies full time and writes Fan Fiction whenever I get a spare minute to type. I come from a small city just above Sydney, but it's got all the perks of a big city compacted into a smaller and less congested space. I'm a sci-fi nerd, I play PC games too often to be healthy and I sustain myself on a diet of coffee and coffee-flavoured side dishes. To balance these nerdy things out, I make sure I go to one football game a week ( NRL is my code of choice) and also find time to spend all my money on social outings.

One other thing that it is vital to know about me is that I hate it when people's bare feet touch my bare feet. If you ever meet me in person it will be essential that you avoid this scenario at all costs.


There we are, my first answer! I hope it is all you were expecting haha. Looking forward to more, MsL!


Yay for first answers. And don't worry about content, I am just an elaborate kind of recording device. And I would have been more scared of you being abducted by rabid kangaroos.

So, how did you get hooked on Star Wars?


I blame two people for getting me hooked on Star Wars - first, my cousin at the age of about eight. We watched the original trilogy about six hundred times over. I always had a bit of an elitist edge to my fanboy status because we discovered it on our own before all of this prequel and special edition stuff happened

Then when it came to the Extended Universe, blame falls entirely at the feet of ex-forum regular Mjsullivan. He gave me a rogue squadron book. Then another. Then about six more. Then I bought everything I could get my hands on. And really, once you get to that stage you've just gotta dig deep and admit that you're hooked. Addicted. Dependent on.

Well, maybe not quite. But you get the idea


And there we have it for another answer! I kept it a bit shorter than the last one





How did you make the transition from Star Wars Fan to FanFiction writer? And Why?


Look at this for fast turnaround! haha.


I always enjoyed writing and ever since I was little I found myself writing stories based off of the things I loved. As a ten year old I wrote a three-episode arc of Jurassic Park fan fiction that I wish I could find again. I don't remember much about it, only that I improved the original story greatly by making the cars and buildings actually built in the shape of dinosaurs. This makes a lot of sense when you think about it, and are seven years old.

As I got older I just never stopped. I wrote quite a few fan fictions based on Buffy the Vampire Slayer that got lost on an old computer. And once I was reintroduced to Star Wars via the EU, it was like a natural progression. I remember I wanted to tell some stories that didn't involve the great galactic conflict of the Jedi and the Sith, and from that the beginnings of my earliest fics were born.

Then I found these JC forums and read some really fantastic stories that were more or less exactly what I was looking for from the Star Wars universe. Original Characters, creative premises, dilemmas that didn't just involve people worrying about falling to the Da

 

LUTON
PLUNDER
IN
DA
HOUSE


For example, as I type this I am in no immediate danger of being eaten by a shark.

We all are.

I might be able to parade around, however, claiming that the character of Darin Stanic was mine. Or Synth Lydon. That would be absolutely unfair to Thumper09 and The_Face, of course.

Synth would set those Maitland boys straight. Probably Rebel-sympathizers, the whole lot.

If anyone wanted to borrow any of my characters it'd be a case of a quick PM to ask permission, a quick response to say yes and away you go.

Heh.

Great interview with one of my favorites!

 

Fun interview, MsL and Futon!

"Maximum Zero Hate Settings" is my new favorite phrase.

That was some really cool insight into the Maitlands and The User series!

-Thumper

 

Great interview.

The User series is definitely on my 'to-do' list for reading.

So much fic to read, so little time.

I?m currently trying to polish off The_Face?s Galaxy Noir series (Currently working on #3), and I owe yoda?s_waiter a read of his recently finished The Enforcer (I promise, y_w).

But I will read all of these. Oh, yes ? I will.



L_P has graciously agreed to Beta my OC project work, for which I am most grateful. He?s offered great advice on my preliminary Chapter 1.

Welcome back from your hiatus, L_P. The OC world needs you!

 

Oh hey! My interview :-D

First off a big thanks to MsLanna for taking the time to talk to me you did a great job!

Secondly thanks for the comments guys! I had a blast doing this.

BigE, my hiatus has sort of become a parody of itself but thanks for the welcome. I might go make a post on the OC thread right now!

 

Thanks for all the comments on my interview, folks. The whole process was a pretty fun ride.

Stealth lurker

I'll let you in on a tiny secret: I actually have several new chapters finished for each of those stories. As that one dude in TPM said, "Your highness, you must contact me."

It's deserved. And maybe even eventually, I'll do that Fett story, though the chances of it being under 1000 words are about one in ten trillenty. I'll get to it one of these years. Since we're going with SW movie quotes, as Han Solo said, "Hey, it's me."

Face - That reminds me, I really need to read some of your stuff. I'll have to ask you for a recommendation before I take the plunge.


Z - Yeah, I finished the original story - about two weeks after the deadline

Yeah, it was a blast to do. And that's great, I'm always looking for a new perspective from a reader.





Great interview, Luton. It was nice learning a bit more about you, especially about your writing process which seems eerily similar to mine (must explain the ridiculous hiatuses). It's also funny about deconstructing all the Australia myths, since I had most of the more outlandish beliefs before I vacationed there back in the day. Awesome continent, probably the best trip I ever took.

Oh, and that bit about the dinosaur-shaped cars and buildings in Jurassic Park stopped me short for a minute. I was like "Huh. That actually makes tons of sense." Always good to be trumped by a profound ten-year old.

Sounds like a dream sequence to me

 

Just stoppin' in to wave and say: Luton, you're an excellent writer!! It's a crying shame your stuff can't be published.

Your User fic in the Archive is only the second one in seven years of staffhood that I've printed out to keep, and WASN'T reviewing or tie-breaking.

 

Awesome interview!! I really want to the the User now

Just out of curiosity - where did the Futon nickname come from?

 

To the best of my memory, that would be good ol' JadeSolo

I think we were discussing accents in the OC thread, or puns, or both, and Luton mentioned his username as a prime example (being an Aussie, his username is of course pronounced Loot 'n Plundah). It was the first time Jade realized that his name was punny - she'd been pronouncing it as if it rhymed with 'futon', and the new nickname stuck

 

That's funny (And I've also been pronouncing it as in rhymes with futon )

 

Futon is my favourite nickname that I've ever had, in real life or teh internets. I've never felt so loved


Exeter - Thanks for stopping by! Especially given I totally and absolutely forgot to post a reply to your interview, huh. But look here!

I know this feeling. George should have made his spaceships in the shape of dinosaurs, huh? That would have been awesome. When will people understand this???

This is another of those things where I agree you and I are very similar in writing style and process. I've just got notepad file after notepad file for 'The User', and for my original projects I've got notebooks, word files, pictures, printouts...far more than actual writing I guess I just write to excuse the fact that I really like reading lots of interesting stuff on wikipedia.

It was a brilliant interview, and the combination of yourself and Sourderwan always results in the need for me to go and buy a needle and thread, with a quick stop by at the hospital to get some anaesthetic. You know why? Because I have to perform surgery on myself. To re-seal my sides, that have split. From laughing at your antics. Should i have made that more succinct? Nah.

LLL, aw! I thought I was pretty flat before. But you should see me now after your flattering comments. I'm even flatter. Thanks so much! I can't tell you how happy I am that The User was so well recieved at the archive, I was so nervous before submitting it

NYCitygurl - Thanks for stopping in And thanks so much for running this great thread. I've now given an interview AND been on the recieving end, and they're amazing fun from both perspectives. And it's all thanks to you!


Now, I'm off to go and conveniently fold away. And maybe write something

 

Aw, thanks Any time you want to do another one, PM me

 

JediMaster_Jen interviewed by NYCitygurl


She's a fabulous author in all three eras and a friend to many in fanfic. Please welcome JediMaster_Jen!



Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I'm a twenty-nine-year-old married mother of three small boys. I have a M.A. in English with a Literature Emphasis. I substitute teach at several local high schools. Teaching wasn't really something I considered even while I was attending university as an undergraduate, but I've really come to enjoy interacting with the children.

I was born in England and lived there until I was sixteen years old when my father, an American, moved us to California. For the first few years, I missed England terribly, but I've grown rather fond of California over time.

What else to say? I probably shouldn't admit this, but thanks to my eight year-old son I have become quite good at Guitar Hero. Beyond that, I read a lot and spend the majority of my time just being a wife and a mom.


When and how did you become a Star Wars fan?

I remember seeing Return of the Jedi as a four year-old kid in a small theatre in England. All three of my elder siblings were huge fans, so it's always been a part of my life. They had all the toys, the bedroom sets, everything.

As an older teen I got into reading the books. I bought Splinter of the Minds Eye and received the Thrawn Trilogy a few years later. I've been hooked ever since.


How long have you been writing Star Wars fanfiction? How did you start? Is Star Wars the first fandom you've written in?

I've been writing Star Wars fanfiction four about four years, give or take. I had stumbled upon TF.Net about six years ago and explored quite a bit. I discovered the fan fiction forums rather quickly and registered, but didn't post for quite a long time. Two years, to be exact.

I read everything I could for the first few weeks. My husband would laugh his head off at me when I would be sitting up at midnight still reading. But I loved it all. I started writing then. Sometimes just sentences or phrases that popped into my head. Low and behold, two years after first coming across this wonderful place, I posted my first story. It remains unfinished.

Star Wars is the first fandom I've written in and it's still really the only one that has kept my interest long-term. I write other stuff for other boards, but I love it here and I can never stay away too long.


How long have you been writing Star Wars fanfiction? How did you start? Is Star Wars the first fandom you've written in?

I've been writing Star Wars fanfiction four about four years, give or take. I had stumbled upon TF.Net about six years ago and explored quite a bit. I discovered the fan fiction forums rather quickly and registered, but didn't post for quite a long time. Two years, to be exact.

I read everything I could for the first few weeks. My husband would laugh his head off at me when I would be sitting up at midnight still reading. But I loved it all. I started writing then. Sometimes just sentences or phrases that popped into my head. Low and behold, two years after first coming across this wonderful place, I posted my first story. It remains unfinished.

Star Wars is the first fandom I've written in and it's still really the only one that has kept my interest long-term. I write other stuff for other boards, but I love it here and I can never stay away too long. [face_dance]


You and KELIA Wrote ?Will of the Force? and ?The Tristan Betrayal? together. What was the process like? Who came up with the story and how did you divvy up the work?

It began for me rather out of the blue. I saw a post in Resource asking if anyone was interested in co-authoring a fic. There was a basic three-sentence description in her post about the fic, and just from that I knew it would be a great story and one I wanted to help her tell. I PM'd her and the

 

This interview was so much fun to do. Jen, you're a talented author and a really nice person