The Fanfiction Interview Thread - Current Interview: Vehn

@Seldes_Katne

1. Where did you get your unique user name?

2. Favorite SW novel, movie, character, and why?

3. Favorite sweet snack, burger topping?

4. When you write, do you need complete quiet, or does there need to be music in the background?

5. What is your dream car?

 

Thank you, devilinthedetails. It's been a while since my last job interview, but I'll do my best.

Wow. That's a lot of questions folks have. Thankfully they're all more interesting than the ones I usually get at job interviews.

From @devilinthedetails:

1. Do you like winter, and if so what do you like about it? I have to confess that Autumn is actually my favorite season, but I do enjoy aspects of winter (although as Richard Adams wrote in Watership Down, what humans often mean when they say they like winter is that they like their ability to survive it in relative comfort. ) I live in the northeastern United States, so we get snow (just as we’re doing today), and I enjoy the quiet and unique beauty of it. It appeals to my introvert nature. Plus, the local wildlife leaves all kinds of tracks, so I get to see what lives in the wooded area behind my house. I also like the slower pace of, well, pretty much everything here in winter.

2. What is your favorite winter activity? I wish I could say shoveling snow, but no. I do like walking, which I should do more often, and occasional photography of snowy woodlands and ponds/rivers. I used to cross-country ski, but I think I’ve aged out of that.

3. What is your favorite Star Wars planet and why? Naboo, which has been a favorite for the last couple of decades. It looks like a beautiful place, and the humans living there seem to have found a good balance between human-made structures and natural features. There appears to be no pollution, most of the inhabitants are peaceful, and the society is stable. Plus, Gungans! Ever since I read Mia Mesharad’s Welcome to Mandalore and its related Galactic Travel Guide thread, I’ve wanted to write a travel guide to Naboo. Maybe someday….

4. How would you describe your writing style or how would you like others to describe it? Simple and straightforward. Which is an actual description someone in my journalism practicum class applied to my work many years ago. Not a lot of plot-twists or hidden meanings, just people having adventures or exploring places/cultures or developing character.

I’d like to think that “well-researched” applies as well.

5. What inspires your fan fiction? Background characters – supporting cast members who may play a significant role or just have a cameo appearance, but about whom we learn very little. I enjoy exploring and developing their histories and personalities.

Fanfic also allows me to try culture-building based on biology and environment. How would certain beings develop a civilization if they were avian? Or amphibian? Or protean? (Something similar has been done – I recommend Robert Forward’s novel Dragon’s Egg, which chronicles a civilization built by tiny beings living on a neutron star.) Sometimes a character or culture will remind me of a book I've read, or a concept another writer has explored, or with a field of study that interests me (Gungans as Indigenous People, for example).

 

When will we see you make a fanon post in the Fanon thread?

 

@Gamiel

What other fandoms do you follow/are part of?

Well, the main ones are:

• Star Trek (DS-9 is my favorite, but I’ve watched all of the series and movies, and have read many of the novels as well) I’m a member of STARFLEET International, and of a related local science fiction fan group.
• Harry Potter -- much more about the books than the movies.
• Various Marvel comics titles: She-Hulk, some of the X-Men books, Ms. Marvel – both the Carol Danvers and the Kamala Khan eras, Mystic Arcana, Dr. Strange, and some of the supernatural titles back in the ‘90s. (The art was awful and some of the character angst was over-the-top, but the stories were fun).
• A couple of DC comics titles: I like Zatanna (depending on the writer/artist), and I followed the assorted Green Lantern titles back when Geoff Johns was writing for them and did the “War of Light” volumes.
• Stargate: Atlantis (own all five seasons and have read most of the novels, and lurked on their message boards when the series was active)
• Ghostbusters (the movies and the graphic novels – and yes, I like the 2016 versions of both as well.) There’s a relatively local fan group, but they’re very much anti-2016, so not joining. I do, however, have my very own homemade jumpsuit.
• The early GNs of Elfquest (I’ve kind of lost track of that fandom)
• Babylon 5.

I have a whole assortment of book series interests, but I don’t participate in the fandoms.

Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean series is a guilty pleasure. (Seriously, do we not have an “embarrassed” emoticon? I’m not sure I should be admitting to this one in public.)

And if folks are not familiar with Aaron Williams’ webcomic PS-238, I’ve enjoyed it for years and highly recommend it.


Any podcast recommendations? Here’s what I’m currently following. Please keep in mind that everyone else’s mileage may vary:

Preserve Halloween Podcast. It’s the ultimate no-frills podcast – just a guy named Gregory Hallows (yes, really) and a microphone. However, he’s really invested in research, so he’s done episodes about the history of Halloween, costume manufacturers, types of Halloween candy and how they were developed, the official Halloween Capitol of the World (Anoka, Minnesota, in case you’re wondering), etc. The host has been broadcasting since the beginning of October and has found ways to fit his topics into different times of the year; for example, he read old ghost stories each week in December, based on the “scary ghost stories” lyrics of “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”.

Mini Magic. This is a witchcraft podcast for children (and the young at heart, I suppose). The hostess covers basic topics like Wiccan holidays, spells, wands, potions, etc. The episodes run about 20 minutes, and she takes children’s questions on witchcraft-related topics.

The New Abnormal. This is a twice-weekly dive into US politics hosted by a left-wing pundit and a former Republican strategist (he’s currently in recovery). Warning: this podcast is absolutely Not Safe For Work, especially if, like me, you work with children and families. There is a fair amount of profanity, and of course, political discussion. Understandable if it’s not everyone’s cup of Earl Grey.

I remember the screaming (in some cases literally) backlash to Jar Jar Binks in particular, and often to the Gungans in general, so I tend to keep my thoughts on that topic to myself. However, if you think my conjectures on Gungan culture would be of interest or use to someone over there, I will dig out my notes and write something up.

 

Do you know about the Hypnogoria podcast? It's a good podcast that has a series of episodes about the history of Halloween, with the view from the UK since the host is English. Maybe of interest.

I think the blushing one can be used as “embarrassed”, also I like the Pirates of the Caribbean to.

I'm following that one also, it's good but I feel like he is leaing a bit to much on the concept "grown up are stupid" a bit to much in the later storylines.

Yes, we alread have one about Jug-Jug, the Gungan goddess of surfing, by @Acaciathorn , for example.

And at least the guy with most posts there (a.k.a. me ) like Jar Jar and the gungans.

 

@gizkaspice

Excellent. I like cats and will happily answer cat questions.

Do you think cats should wear cute hats? Why or Why not? I think that should be left to the cat to decide – I’m a firm believer in requiring consent for this sort of thing. If the cat agrees to wear a hat, I’m personally partial to a broad-brimmed hat like the ones worn by the Suffragists -- with a feather, of course, as the hat can then double as a bed and the feather as a toy. (The cat, of course, may have different preferences, and that should absolutely be respected.) If the cat chooses not to wear a hat, offer them a different option: Boots? A fancy collar? A cape? Perhaps a rapier….

Who in SW (any period) do you think is more of a cat or a dog person and why? Cat persons: Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker, Qui-Gon Jinn and Padme Amidala. While they are all capable of action when necessary, they also have a stillness to them, which I think attracts cats. (Or at least the cats of my acquaintance.) All four of them would also allow cats to be themselves, with no expectation of them providing entertainment, or fetching objects, or learning tricks.

Han Solo impresses me as being more of a dog person. And part of me wonders if Master Yoda would turn out to be a dog person as well – probably a shelter rescue of an older dog, rather than a puppy. I’m not sure why I see him that way, to be honest. Perhaps it’s his sense of humor.

Do you have your own fanon ideas about loth-cats? I’m currently trying to decide if I think loth-cats are the descendants of tookas which were brought to Lothal (either as domesticated animals, or as stowaways similar to nunas), or an example of parallel evolution. Perhaps Loth-cats are actually the original species that gave rise to tookas, instead of the other way around. If the latter is true, I may have found another story for my Mythologist thread.

More research is required. (Very much wish I could just go to Lothal and do the research in person, but I guess I’ll have to settle for the Terrestrial Internet.)

@Gamiel
The Halloween podcast does sound interesting, and I will look into it. Thank you!

All right. I will go find my notes and write up something for the Fanon Thread. I take my Gungans a little more seriously than this, but people are welcome to use my ideas if they wish.

 

Follow up cat questions!

What do you think of Millicent the cat? Do you think she'll like a Suffragist-like hat?
Favourite breed of cat and why?
Favourite non-humans that are feline? (any fandom)
Do you have cats? If so, please tell us about them so we can make them Internet stars.

 

@Sadie Erso. Some weird answers:

1. Would you rather be best friends with Boba Fett or Baby Yoda? Why or why not? I’m not sure how literally to take this question – the term “best friend” is, for me, an elite group. Only two or three people have ever earned that title.

However, if you’re asking which one I would rather just hang around with…. Hmm. Boba Fett travels a great deal but has a questionable occupation. I enjoy travel, but really prefer not to have people shooting at me as soon as I get off the ship. Baby Yoda would be a better fit, as I work with toddlers and preschoolers (and yes, I know he’s 50, but seems to be operating at a 3-year-old’s level), so I’m capable of reading books (picture or otherwise), doing crafts, creating snacks (I can make things that at least look like frogs), and working on basic motor skills. As long as I don’t have to do Force training, and Din Djarin is taking care of the parenting part, I think this could work.


2. Would you rather be a Porg or a rancor? Why or why not? A rancor. They are large, powerful creatures, but can form strong bonds with others (even outside their own species). Adult females take care of their offspring, so there is a family structure. They seem reasonably intelligent when not forced to fight for others' entertainment. Rancors have a reputation of being dangerous and savage, but, as in the case of rottweilers and pit bulls, we may be blaming the wrong end of the leash for that.

And forgive me for being indelicate here, but porgs seem pretty far down the food chain, and I’m squarely in the “I’d rather eat than be eaten” camp.


3. Would you rather be a dead Jedi ghost or a Sith that never dies? Why or why not?

I must confess, this is one philosophical quandary I have never considered.

Well done, Sadie Erso. Well done.

Let’s see. I can’t imagine I would be a Sith under any circumstances – it’s not in my nature. I get that some of them think they’re “imposing order on the universe” or whatever, but it’s usually at the expense of people’s individuality or a culture’s ability to define itself, or it’s just done to be mean-spirited.

One the other hand, being unable to die means that I would have time to re-think my decision to adopt the Sith lifestyle and could therefore turn back to the light side. And who doesn’t love a good redemption story? Also I would have all kinds of time to travel the entire galaxy (and possibly beyond), so this would be an amazing opportunity to experience (possibly literally) everything the galaxy has to offer.

On the third hand (gonna need Dexter Jettster for this one, since I’m running out of hands here), if I’m immortal it means I will be around long after the “heat death of the universe” (or whatever), so I’m going to a long time without having anyone to talk to or anything new to experience. I’m perfectly comfortable being alone, but I do like conversation occasionally. (And appreciate having someone else do the cooking from time to time.)

On the fourth hand, being a ghost means I could also travel anywhere in the GFFA, plus I wouldn’t need public transportation to get there. (A real time and money saver! Bonus!) I wonder if Force ghosts have been to The Great Beyond and have returned, therefore knowing what actually comes next after this life? Or is it still a mystery to them?

Also, already being dead mean I don’t have to worry about illness or having someone attempting to kill me because they’re trying to prove they’re tough and think taking out a Jedi is the way to go. And Jedi seem to command a certain amount of respect from most folks. Assuming they can even see me, of course.

Is anyone else confused? I’m confused. However, I think the answer is … 42!

Wait, what was the question again?




4. Would you want to meet Luke Skywalker or Han Solo? Why? Han Solo. (Luke Skywalker prior to the flashback sequence we see in the ST, but... Han Solo.) He’s been all over the galaxy, has met all sorts of interesting folks, and likely has many stories to tell. Plus, bonus! I’d get to meet Chewbacca, too. (Like Maz Kanata, I like that Wookiee. He’s been a favorite since I saw the first commercial for the first movie back in the ‘70s.)

 

@Seldes_Katne

More weird questions!

1. If you could be a lightsaber who would you want to be your owner. Why?
2. Would you rather be scarred like Snoke or Palpatine? Why?
3. Would you rather eat Porgs or Wampas ? Why or why not?

 

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

1. Where did you get your unique user name? I love it when people ask me this, because I get to recommend one of my favorite books. The name comes from the novel Dog Wizard, by Barbara Hambly, and as I’m fond of saying, it’s a book with many strange and unique wizards, but it has, alas, no dogs. (In Hambly’s universe, a dog wizard is someone with magical abilities but who won’t take the Wizard Council vows and therefore receives no formal training, so can only practice on the fringes of society.) In the novel, Seldes Katne is the Librarian at the Citadel of Wizards, which is rather like a magical university with students and academic research.

I chose this name because it was similar to my real-life situation (I am a librarian, and I did school work once upon a time), but also because it didn’t belong to any particular popular fandom, so I could use it everywhere. (And to my surprise, I recently received a PM from someone here on the JCC boards who had read the book and recognized the name.)

2. Favorite SW novel, movie, character, and why? This is a tall order, but here goes:

Favorite Novel is actually a trilogy: The Black Fleet Crisis, by Michael P. Kube-McDowell. The story has three plotlines that eventually merge at the end, two of which I found fascinating: Leia Organa-Solo, now President of the New Republic, has to deal with a xenophobic race convinced it’s destined to rule everything; and Lando Calrissian assembles a team (R2-D2, C-3PO, and Lobot) to locate a mysterious alien artifact and discover its secrets. Aside from the exploration of non-human races, I loved what the author did with Lobot – he’s kind of the ultimate Space Librarian, with a dry sense of humor and a philosophical bent.

An honorable mention to The Cestus Deception, by Steven Barnes, for featuring Nautolan Jedi Kit Fisto.

Favorite movie: Argh. I do love the original Star Wars movie, closely followed by Empire Strikes Back. However, I have a soft spot for The Phantom Menace, in part because it was the first SW movie released after a long dry spell; and because I got a whole new non-human race to play with (Gungans!); and, on a personal note, it was released the same year my mother was diagnosed with cancer and going to see this movie multiple times was an escape from doctor’s offices and tests and all the medical stuff. (My mother beat it, by the way.)

Favorite character: This has changed over the years. In the OT it was Han Solo; in the PT it was Qui-Gon Jinn, and now… it’s kind of all over the place. Still like Qui-Gon, but also like Maz Kanata, so… It’s a work in progress, I guess.


3. Favorite sweet snack, burger topping? I used to be able to say I’d never met a brand of chocolate I didn’t like, but that’s not true anymore. Still, I love dark chocolate (Dove, Milky Way Midnight, Gertrude Hawk’s dark chocolate sea salt caramels).

And I think I just gained five pounds while typing that.

Burger topping: Onions, ketchup. Occasionally sweet pickle. I like my lettuce and tomato on the side.


4. When you write, do you need complete quiet, or does there need to be music in the background? I like having music in the background, but if I’ve hit a snag or can’t get the writing to “flow,” I will turn the music off for a while. I prefer instrumental pieces: classical or similar music like movie soundtracks. A lot of my playlists sound like action/adventure film scores, but I do have a few that are just light background music.


5. What is your dream car? I had the opportunity to test-drive a Tesla at a science fiction convention, and I’d like a car like that, if not that actual brand. Clean, comfortable, capable of doing everything a gasoline-powered car does, including highway speeds. Just include a (safe!) self-driving option, and we’re good. However, if I had a choice of any form of transportation, I want the transporter from Star Trek. Just beam me where I need to go (along with my luggage). No traffic, no pollution, no crowds -- just a quick and easy trip from point A to point B.

 

@gizkaspice

What do you think of Millicent the cat? Do you think she'll like a Suffragist-like hat? I am quite envious of Millicent and her ability to acquire and keep a literal fleet of staff members. (Isn’t that the saying? Dogs have owners, cats have staff?) One of her underlings needs to start offering seminars that teach the rest of us how to do that.

I wouldn’t presume to speak for Millicent on the topic of haberdashery. (A cat needs to choose for themselves, after all.) It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that she has hat showings arranged for her, and her advisors would have a much better idea of her taste in hats than I would.

Favourite breed of cat and why? I like Maine coon cats. They have a very distinctive look, and they’re HUGE. Having one around would be almost like befriending a lion. It could almost double as a blanket. Plus once upon a time many Maine coon cats served as ship’s cats, and as someone who loves boating and the ocean, I find that appealing as well.

I like the look of tuxedo cats (which of course isn't a breed, but a coloration). They appear quite fashionable -- understated, yet elegant. Very chic. Goes with everything.

Favourite non-humans that are feline? (any fandom) I’m partial to the Caitians from Star Trek. STARFLEET International has a whole online Academy, and one of the branches is the “Institute of Alien Studies.” I took almost all of the courses in the Caitian Orientation College, including an upper-level course in which I created a Caitian member of Starfleet. I even experimented with facial prosthetics and makeup so I could present as a Caitian at conventions. So far, the only place I’ve shown it in public was at a Free Comic Book Day at a local comic shop, so it’s still a work in progress.

Do you have cats? If so, please tell us about them so we can make them Internet stars. Sadly, I do not have a cat housemate. (I have family members with allergies, and it’s not fair to them or the cat to put either of them in this uncomfortable position.) I’m hoping someday I will be able enjoy the company of a cat (or two) at home.



@Sadie Erso

More weird answers!

1. If you could be a lightsaber who would you want to be your owner. Why? As much as Qui-Gon Jinn is a favorite Jedi, I think I would go with Kit Fisto. Because oceans and underwater adventures. (I love the ocean – beaches and boat rides are among my favorite vacation activities.) Plus Jedi Master Fisto seems to have an excellent sense of humor and empathy for others, which is something I could certainly support.

2. Would you rather be scarred like Snoke or Palpatine? Why? Whichever makes me look scarier. I need something – the only people who are sometimes actually afraid of me are preschool kids, and that usually lasts about two minutes. I want a look that will make grown men faint from fear – as long as it doesn’t scare the kids or small dogs (or cats).

3. Would you rather eat Porgs or Wampas ? Why or why not? I had considered a switch to vegetarianism for this question, but you know what? Forget that! A helping of each, please. Along with Kentucky fried monkey lizard and a sauteed side order of gorg (the frog-like thing on a string that Jar Jar Binks tried to eat in the Mos Espa marketplace). After all, I have survived eating buffalo burgers, frogs’ legs, and alligator, so yeah, I’m game. (Figuratively speaking, of course.)

And I’m not joking, I really have eaten all of those foods at various times.

 

Hello! This is a really fascinating interview!

A few questions:

Do you have a favorite Pirates of the Caribbean character?

Any favorite Halloween memories you'd care to share?

Do you have a favorite ocean or beach spot?

 

@Seldes_Katne

In SW, what would be your profession and why?

Favorite season of the year?

Favorite musical instrument to listen to, or that you have learned or would like to?

Have you ever been horseback riding?

Do you like roller coasters?

 

Thank you! To be fair, people have asked fascinating questions, and that helps a great deal.

Do you have a favorite Pirates of the Caribbean character? I like Captain Barbosa, who’s ably played by Geoffrey Rush. I also get a kick out of Pintel and Ragetti (the pirate version of Laurel and Hardy), as well as First Mate Mr. Gibbs.


Any favorite Halloween memories you'd care to share? I’ll share three:

A friend and I went to Salem, Massachusetts the weekend before Halloween one year, and it was amazing. (There were too many people there for me to want to repeat that experience – for the last several years I’ve gone the first weekend in October instead.) There was an open-air street fair on Essex street with vendors from all over New England, and the “witch shops” in town were (and are) fascinating. People in costume were just walking the streets; some were set up in specific spots and let visitors take picture with them for donations. It was like Halloween with 30,000 of my closest friends.

Three years ago, the director at my library gave me the okay to do a haunted house in the library’s Children’s Room. We hung up sheets of black plastic to channel people through the room, and at certain spots, we had displays featuring something from Goosebumps book covers, as well as a few generic Halloween objects. Two women dressed up as witches and stood in front of our large fireplace and pretended to be making witch’s brew, asking the kids to help put things in their cauldron. It was an insane amount of work, but we had 300+ people turn out for it. And I got to do Tarot card readings for folks.

When I first heard the term “Trunk or Treat,” I thought it sounded corny, but our local YMCA does one every year for a fundraiser. The first year I did it, I had a Ghostbusters theme for my car, which looked as though there had been a containment breach and the ghosts were exploding from the trunk. I spent three months wrapping little bottles of bubbles in white tissue paper so they looked like ghosts. People seemed to really like those, since they weren’t candy and everyone likes to play with bubbles. It was a blast – I got to see all kinds of cool costumes. I live in a rural area and we don’t get trick-or-treaters anymore, so this way I could get my Halloween fix.


Do you have a favorite ocean or beach spot? I love the Outer Banks area of North Carolina. I’ve been down there twice; both times my mother and I stayed in a condo in Kill Devil Hill (near where the Wright Brothers tested their plane at Kitty Hawk). Just walking along the beach and seeing the ocean is enough, although one of these days I’d like to take one of the dolphin watching excursions, preferably one that actually goes out into the Atlantic.

I also enjoyed our trip to Ocracoke Island, where we walked through the Blackbeard Museum, visited a lighthouse, and found the graves of the British sailors killed by a German submarine off the coast of North Carolina during World War II.

 

Do you watch Firefly?

If no: Why not?

If yes: Firefly got screwed over by the Network, true or false?

Who is your favorite character?

Some of your favorite quotes?

 

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

In SW, what would be your profession and why? I suppose Librarian/Archivist would be the closest to my current career, but one of the reasons I’ve been writing The Mythologist stories is because I would also be interesting in anthropology. I’ve been doing casual research on Native American cultures for many years, just because I find them fascinating. I’ve also become interested in the South Sea Islanders in recent years as well.

Favorite season of the year? I’m very much an autumn person. Between the colors and the activities (picking apples, harvest dinners, Halloween!), I particularly enjoy September and October. Autumn, rather than spring, represents new opportunities, probably because school has always started during that season, so we begin new classes and meet new people.

Favorite musical instrument to listen to, or that you have learned or would like to? I took three years of piano lessons, but I haven’t kept up with it. I can at least read music, and I was introduced to a lot of classical music because much of what I was practicing was an adaptation from classical composers like Brahms and Mozart.

I do at some point want to learn to play the xylophone. I’m particularly fond of the “Fossils” piece from Camille Saint-Saens’ Carnival of the Animals, which uses the xylophone extensively. The instrument just has such a unique, playful sound.


Have you ever been horseback riding? I have. I actually got to take a one-semester horseback riding course in college that counted as a phys. ed. credit. (I’m not sure why – the horse got far more exercise than I did.) I’ve been riding in various places like Taos, New Mexico, and North Royal, Virginia.

At one point, however, I took a rather nasty fall off a horse and decided it was time to stop. I remember what happed to actor Christopher Reeve, who was a much better rider than I. So now I sometimes go white-water rafting instead. (Because that’s ever so much safer…. )


Do you like roller coasters? Other than the “Ladybug” roller coaster (for kids) at an amusement park many years ago, I’m not really a fan. Splash Mountain at Disney World was fun, though. I’m more of a carousel or scrambler rider instead.

 

@Cowgirl Jedi 1701

Do you watch Firefly? I don’t. I watched a couple of episodes when it first aired but couldn’t really connect with it.

If no: Why not? I remember it being a confusing set-up (someone later told me that the first episodes were shown in the wrong order), and there seemed to be randomly-inserted scenes from someone either having a drug-induced hallucination or a stress-related flashback, which startled me out of the story. None of the characters really appealed to me, and I’m not a huge fan of westerns, which is what this story basically seemed to be modelled upon.

I have friends who love Firefly and talk about it frequently, and who have discussed starting a local fan group. I’m happy that they found a show they liked, but it just doesn’t work for me.

 

Favourite Halloween film/s? As in a movie where Halloween is an important/notable part of the movie

Favourite automn film/s?

Favourite horror film/s?

- you can pic short films if you want.

 

@Gamiel

I have to confess I am less of a movie person than a book person, so I’m going to throw a couple of book titles into the questions as well.

Favourite Halloween film/s? As in a movie where Halloween is an important/notable part of the movie. The Nightmare Before Christmas (which I consider to be a Halloween movie, as opposed to a Christmas movie – I believe there’s some debate about that), It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown (a perennial favorite – we show this at the library almost every year, and get a big turn-out. I think it’s the older generations wanting to share the experience with the children/grandchildren).

Books: Hubknuckles, by Emily Herman. A young girl decides that the ghost that supposedly appears on Halloween isn’t real, and to prove it she will go outside on Halloween night and dance with it. Spooky and mysterious, rather than scary, this book is unfortunately long out of print.


Favourite automn film/s? The closest I can get on this is Dead Poets Society. This isn’t my usual genre, but I love Robin Williams’ performance, and the rest of the cast did well, too. Likewise To Kill a Mockingbird, which I saw back in the 1970s in high school. The season doesn’t really play into the movies much, but they are set in autumn, so….

Books: The Stranger, by Chris Van Allsburg. Farmer Bailey accidentally hits a stranger with his truck on a foggy night, and brings the fellow home to recover. The stranger doesn’t seem to know his name, or about many other common things. At the same time, the Baileys notice that the autumn season seems to have stalled.


Favourite horror film/s? Toy Story of Terror. Seriously, that’s it. That’s as scary as it gets around here.

Despite my love of Halloween, I’m not into horror. I prefer spooky and mysterious, rather than gory and terrifying. I like the dress-up, decorate the house, and candy aspect of the season. I love costuming (it’s one of my favorite parts of science fiction conventions, sitting in the Green Room with other costumers talking about how they made a particular accessory, or where they found a particular fabric). For our library Halloween programs, we encourage people to come in costume (adults too, bcause why should kids have all the fun?).

 

Favourite non-human species and why?

Favourite SW culture and why?

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?

If you could change something in SW, what would it be?

What SF technology that have not appeared in SW would you like to see appear?

What kind of food pie do you prefer? Meat, chicken, cheese, ham & broccoli or something else?

 

@Gamiel

Favourite non-human species and why? Setting aside Gungans for this question, as I’m sure folks have heard enough from me on that one… Ithorians, Besalisk, Togruta, Twi-lek, Mon Calamari, Nautolans. Mon Calamari and Nautolans are aquatic species, which I find of interest because there are a whole range of challenges to living and building a civilization underwater. Ithorians are among the most unusual species I’ve seen in science fiction; I’d be interested in knowing their evolutionary history. Togruta have a distinctive appearance (I want to cosplay one at some point if I can figure out how to make the horns). The Twi-lek we’ve seen in both movies and television shows have such a range of personalities and physical appearance.


Favourite SW culture and why? We don’t really see a lot of cultures in the movies. There’s a lot shown of Coruscant, but I’m not fond of cities; I like living in rural areas. I’m going to go back to Naboo for this question – just because it’s stable, people there appreciate the arts as well as the sciences, violence seems rare, and you have your choice of city or rural surroundings.

One culture I would like to explore is the Aki-Aki, who were holding the Festival of the Ancestors in tRoS.

What fictional culture would you like to see used as an inspiration in SW and how? I’m going to go back Robert Forward’s book Dragon Egg for this one. A race of beings who evolve and create a civilization on the surface of a neutron star. This concept would admittedly work better for Star Trek, which is more about exploration; Star Wars is about fighting and winning a war, or series of war, without much time for First Contact or general exploration.)

The beings in this book age at a different rate than most of the galaxy because the star’s gravity distorts time (among other things). One advantage to this in the books is that their civilization and knowledge base grows rapidly. In the time it takes for a human to perform a basic dance move, the star beings move ahead the equivalent of decades. Bring your problem/question to their scientist, come back in a few days, and they’ll have your answer.

And not really a culture so much as a concept – Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Jettison the entire Grindlewald angle (because why is it there in the first place?) and just let it be like the old Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, where someone tracks down and documents various wildlife through video or book form. Or searches for rumored creatures (like dragons, unicorns, etc. here on Earth).

What real life culture would you like to see used as an inspiration in SW and how? Something similar to the Pacific Islanders. Beings who every couple of generations leave their planet(s) and navigate to new places, using some form of navigation that doesn’t include computers or droids. (And no, the spice doesn’t need to flow for this to happen….)

If you could change something in SW, what would it be? The apparent need to resurrect old dead guys to be the villains. Please develop new characters to be the antagonists. Make them female, or non-human, or something. Don’t just trot out Darth Vader or the Emperor (really, tRoS? You couldn’t create someone original?)

What SF technology that have not appeared in SW would you like to see appear? I was going to say “solar sailing vessels,” but those already exist (I’ll have to watch AotC again, apparently).

In Dan Simmons’ novel Hyperion, civilization has the Farcaster, which connects areas that are physically separated by vast distances. Wealthy people could use this to have homes with rooms on separate planets (my main dwelling would be on Earth, but my study/library could be on one of Saturn’s moons, and my dining room could overlook a valley on Mars, for example). I know the GFFA has hyperdrive, but this would be much more localized.

What kind of food pie do you prefer? Meat, chicken, cheese, ham & broccoli or something else? I don’t suppose chocolate pie counts? No? Oh, well….

I tend to like anything with chicken in it. I did have an excellent shepherd’s pie with lamb when I visited Ireland several years ago, however.

 

Oh, I love this answer, that is a great idea.

What do you most enjoy writing and/or reading and why?

 

If you go here - Ron Cobb - "Star Wars" - do you find a concept art pic of them where it's show how the artist imagined them working, but it's just concept art so I don't think it's canon one bit.

 

Thank you. Believe it or not, I have a framed copy of that sketch in my office -- GregMcP kindly posted it in The Mythologist thread. I do like the concept art on the other two beings as well.... I wonder if plants really do have a good sense of humor.

@Bel505

What do you most enjoy writing and/or reading and why?

Reading: Science fiction and fantasy, occasionally mysteries and various non-fiction topics. Those have been my preferred topics since seventh grade, when I discovered Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, and Sherlock Holmes, all in the same year.

Writing: I’ve written non-fiction (I was a journalist for six years), some science fiction, mostly fantasy. I wrote three short stories about a boy who discovers a comic/book shop whose owner can work magic and whose cat can become any version of feline. (These are currently unpublished, as is one stand-alone story about a person who can sense the background of the carousel animals as he works on them.) I’m not sure I could write a decent mystery, although I’ve honestly never tried.

In fanfiction, I like action/adventure stories, exploration stories, and world/culture building. I wrote a novella on the Gungan experience during the Trade Federation invasion, along with a series of short stories developing Gungan culture and their interactions with humans. I’ve also written in the Harry Potter universe, including two stories in which I did actual Tarot card readings for six of the canon characters as part of the plot.

I enjoy the culture/world building because it gives me an opportunity to creatively explain and expand on canon. The Gungan novel, for example, draws heavily on the “look and feel” of Northeastern Woodlands Native cultures of the United States. I try to imagine how beings who are amphibians, rather than mammals, would structure a civilization and how they meet the basic needs of food, shelter, arts and sciences.

 

Favourite parings in SW ?

Favourite parings in non-SW fandoms?

Favourite crack parings? In any fandoms.

Any parings (canon or fanon) that have great chemistry but should not get together? In any fandom.

Cool.