Author Archives: Sam

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The more I think about the CSI: Vegas cancellation the more gutted I am.

I’m close with mum. She visits my house two evenings a week, I cook us dinner and we watch TV. Mum doesn’t do anything remotely sci-fi or fantasy. Sometimes I will put the Librarians on because it’s my comfort show and as she loves me she tolerates it. However, usually I try and put on something that she likes and that I can tolerate.

So I go back to crime shows. That’s what we started out watching together over 20 years ago but I find my tolerance for them has waned over the years. For instance Mum likes Blue Bloods but eventually I had to say nope, sorry, I just can’t watch it anymore however pretty I thought Erin was sometimes.

CSI Vegas – I am not immune to the nostalgia. I always liked the science angle rather than just pure copganda. It’s something I’ll actually watch on my own and not just with mum. Plus you know Catherine, always my favourite character (if Sofia had been in OG CSI longer there would have been competition. Ah Sofia I will never forget you).

When I googled about CSI Vegas I saw NCIS Hawai’i has also been canned. Beautiful setting, I love Tennant, so competent. Two lesbian main characters in a happy committed relationship. Yet this one gets cancelled while the juggernaut OG goes for the 22nd season /sigh.

Now we can do rewatching and I do prioritise what I prefer for that obviously (I’m not an idiot), but ugh! I have rewatched CSI quite a bit so new CSI was great and now no more 🙁

I really am sad.

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Recently it’s been a trip with “20th anniversary this” and “25th anniversary that” and I’m like fuck you no it’s not I was in high school/uni/an adult then and that’s not possible.

(Ok it’s possible)

But still it’s not right.

Anyway today I got slapped in the face in regards to CSI. It’s going to be the 25th anniversary next year for that! But I was looking up when Sofia joined and feeling super old about it all.

I’m old enough I watched it live. It feels more like 5 years ago than 20. Some part of me never moved past 2009.

Time man. The years really do keep coming and they don’t stop coming.

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xviruserrorx asked:

1, 2 & 20 for the ask game 😁❤️

Oooooh thank you 🙂 🙂 🙂

1) Do you prefer writing one-shots or multi-chaptered fics?
On one hand my answer to this is “how long is a piece of string?” because a story is only as long as it needs to be. I have written novel-length fics, I have written oneshots. A few years back I wrote a handful of shorter Librarians fics and I like those, but they were just one moment in time, one particular plot point. It all depends on the story I’m telling.

However, on the other hand it’s asking what I prefer and in which case I’m a multi-chapter plotty shenanigans type writer. I like multiple POV’s and conflicting agendas, character arcs and themes, subplots and genre mash-ups. I suppose to put it another way when I fall in love with a TV show, it’s not just with one episode – it’s with how all the episodes string together. When I get a spark of inspiration for a story, it’s not usually just for one moment, it’s for a lot of moments all strung together into a greater whole. I’m not creating one story, I’m creating a universe – in some cases literally.

2) Do you plan each chapter ahead or write as you go?
I’m a planner. For my fanfics how deep the planning goes depends on the length of the story. I always have the broadstrokes, even if it’s just a handful of bullet points. For my novels I do a complete scene by scene outline BUT I don’t plan either of them by ‘chapter’. I don’t know how long scenes will be and I try and break my chapters so they are all around the same length (unless story-wise it works better for a chapter to be ultra short or long). So I tend to break into chapters by feel/word count, as I write, rather than as part of the planning process.

20) Have you noticed any patterns in your fics? Words/expressions that appear a lot, themes, common settings, etc?
Oh definitely. No words/expressions are immediately coming to mind but that will be something I look out for when I do revision. I don’t want my ‘voice’ to overpower the characters.

However, something that I always, always come back to is the notion of masks and acceptance. My characters always seem to want to be seen, for someone to know them as they are and accept them. It doesn’t have to be romantic (though that’s often an easy way to write it). But yeah if we’re talking what a character needs vs what they think they want, then almost always what they need is true acceptance. I think this is probably a theme in every story I ever write.

It’s probably not the only repeating theme but it’s the first one that comes to mind.

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purlturtle asked:

13, 14, and 16 for the fic writer asks, please!

Yay thank you for the ask!

13) What’s a common writing tip that you almost always follow?
Ooof erm. I always feel like I wind up picking at the phrasing of these questions, like what qualifies as being ‘common’ and does ‘almost always’ mean exactly that rather than always? I’m probably trying to be too precise but this is just how my brain is.

You see I was going to say “maintain POV” as opposed to head hopping, but I always maintain POV these days, as I trained myself out of the head hopping.

For an ‘almost always’ I think I’m going to say “schedule writing time” – aka that quote about… (let me google) “I write only when inspiration strikes. Fortunately it strikes every morning at nine o’clock sharp.” -W. Somerset Maugham.“ – basically it’s about being disciplined. Make a commitment and show up for yourself, and for your story. I almost always try and do this. It’s not easy, some days I procrastinate badly and don’t get a lot done, but I still have my butt in the chair, and that’s half the battle sometimes. I don’t do everyday though. Tried it, couldn’t make it work. I aim for 5 days a week and I can ‘undesignate’ days if I have appointments or something is going on. The important thing is on any day it’s possible, I show up for the writing.

14) How do you write emotional scenes? Do you ever feel what the characters feel? Do you draw from personal experiences?
I don’t consciously draw from personal experience. Indeed I very rarely have any kind of matching experience with my characters (my life is far too limited) but I know fear, I know pain, I know shame etc. and I guess that helps in the abstract. It’s a bit like a jigsaw puzzle, piecing it altogether.

I know the scenario, I know the character, I know their personality, their history etc. Because different characters would obviously react with different emotions even to the same scenario. So I have to work out what kind of emotional reaction is right for the character in that moment and how they would portray that. Somebody might be feeling something intensely inside, but now show it much on the outside. Somebody else might throw things, scream or cry etc.

I don’t think I feel what the characters do, but at the same time I do think it does affect me somehow. Like it’s not “sad scene = sad Sam” but maybe the intensity? I find that I have more of an extreme reaction to things. So perhaps writing emotional scenes makes me more sensitive?

16) How many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? Share one of them?
I can’t 100% recall how my fanfic ideas I had on my list when I decided to quit fanfic. I get nostalgic sometimes. I really wanted those ideas to exist BUT just because they won’t as fanfic, doesn’t mean that a spark of them won’t one day exist in an original story of mine.

For example I always wanted to write a Bering and Wells tropetastic Christmas story. Well who says that one day I can’t write the fake dating, bringing a colleague home for the holidays, snowed in, huddling together for warmth, oh no there’s only one bed etc. lesbian romance. It’s certainly on my list.

I have well over half a dozen different series ideas, and a few standalone novel concepts. I got first drafts of a fair few ‘Book Ones’ as I have jumped from project to project, not sticking with a series or even a genre. I’m trying to be a bit more disciplined about that from now on. I picked a series and started to reboot it this year. I redrafted Book One and I should probably start the revision on it tomorrow. Then onto Book Two. There’s six books in this series and it does make me a little sad sometimes to think I’m unlikely to write anything else for a couple of years. I think I’ll always have more ideas than time/spoons.

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kira-nerys-rocks asked:

NoTP?

Is there a character or ship you were so sure you would never write/draw but now you’ve changed your mind?

Go onto your AO3. Which ship have you written for the most? The least? Does this correspond to who you consider your “favourite?”

Thank you! ❤️

3) NoTP?

Generally speaking I try not to think about what I don’t like, I prefer to focus on what I do – love not hate you know.

The most recent that I absolutely can not stand is Shaw/Seven. Just writing it down and contemplating it makes me feel sick. An original from years ago that I can’t stand is Trip/T’Pol (both from Star Trek). I am tempted to say Wyatt and Lucy from Timeless but honestly I only came to utterly loathe that in the later parts of season 2. Oh and can’t forget Hook and Emma from Once.

There are probably others but as I said I try and not think about it. Also this is just my opinion. There’s an expression “don’t want to yuck someone else’s yum”. I am old school fandom really about ‘staying in my lane’. I might not like ships but I have nothing against shippers.

14) Is there a character or ship you were so sure you would never write/draw but now you’ve changed your mind?

Answered here 🙂

21) Go onto your AO3. Which ship have you written for the most? The least? Does this correspond to who you consider your “favourite?”

I have 41 fics tagged for Rumbelle (Once). The next one is Helen/John/James (Sanctuary) with 8. The lowest is Flynn/Lucy (Timeless). This is entirely because I did the bulk of my fanfic writing when I was in my ‘Rumbelle era’. Not anything to do with favourite.

I actually wrote a post about this on tumblr (probably more than one to be honest) about how it hurt my soul a little bit that it didn’t feel like I had shown Helen/John/James the same amount of love. It was never about the level of obsession just where I was in my life.

I don’t know if I can really say that any ship is a favourite above the others. Obsessions wax and wane, fondness remains. At different times of my life, different ships have hit me hard. Some pairings have endured for longer in terms of fandom participation but there are so many factors at play for that. Rumbelle definitely isn’t my current favourite, I can say that at least.

Bonus question because you had a repeat 🙂

4) Is there a popular pairing you don’t necessarily dislike but aren’t too invested in?

Many probably. I mean unless I out and out hate it, or I’m obsessed, there’s a lot of middle ground that encompasses everything else. I am trying to think of an example. Oh! The Leverage OT3. That’s a good example. They are obviously family and very important to one another, and Hardison and Parker are very sweet together on the show. I can see why people like all three of them together romantically. I’m not against it but I’m not invested either. I am comfortable with just how they are, because the bond between them is so strong.

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purlturtle asked:

7 and 17 for the fandom ask game, for your choice of Myka Bering, Helena Wells, or both!

7) Is there a piece of clothing you think Myka is particularly fond of/that you imagine them wearing a lot or like to draw them in?

I like their Warehouse 2 outfit (combats and t-shirt). It’s a good middle ground between more professional attire (often a t-shirt but tailored slacks) and the mission leather from episode 3 was it? The one with the guillotine. Anyway the combats and t-shirt look comfortable and are practical.

I suppose this is why I like it for them. But I do also think Myka would like it. I think she likes her more ‘traditional’ federal agent outfit as kind of armor? Like she puts it on and she’s at work. The more casual mission outfit doesn’t have that but then the Warehouse is more of a family/place to call home than just a job. I think it fits her personality. Like maybe a callback to some awkward teenage years kind of comfort. I think Myka has grown more comfortable with her femininity as she has got older but I think she still likes to be judged as a person, not on her looks. I don’t know if that makes sense?

17) What’s a book, movie, or show you think Myka would like?

Myka is obviously all about the books. I mean it’s pretty canon that she likes the classics but I also feel like she likes to read widely so she’ll hit up the bestseller lists etc.

That’s a pretty boring answer though. I don’t think she gets a lot of time to watch TV/movies because what time she has, she would usually choose to read a book. However she has to have at least one ‘guilty pleasure’ show. Given that she knew Pete’s redshirt reference and her age, and also the awkwardness I headcanon for her teenage years. I feel like Star Trek is something she wouldn’t admit to watching, but would find comfort in. Like before the warehouse, it was a world that imagined a future where being different was ok. So I guess in some ways why I like Trek 😛

7) Is there a piece of clothing you think Helena is particularly fond of/that you imagine them wearing a lot or like to draw them in?

I think Helena would appreciate a lot of ‘modern fashion’ because of how free it is in comparison to the 19th century. She wore trousers back then but not all the time. I feel like she would like to deliberately do the different thing now. Like wear a suit to a fancy party rather than a dress (you can see this if you look up Hustle photos btw, Jaime wore a tux once and a suit a couple of times). But obviously Helena is very comfortable with her feminine wiles and more than happy to make them work for her, so there tends to be a subtle sexuality to all her outfits it feels.

Anyway I think her favourite might be the painted on jeans, and loose cotton shirt, as she has worn variations of that quite a lot.

17) What’s a book, movie, or show you think Helena would like?

I feel like Helena isn’t much of a media fan. I just can’t see her sitting still long enough to really get into anything. She likes to do. Attention span is short unless she is hyper focused on an invention/case. I think she would definitely want to watch the big cultural heavy hitters – like Star Wars movies and the like. And I think she would be impressed by the special effects. I can see her wanting to have a go herself and maybe making a short 5 minute film or something. (Also maybe she would want to make a lightsaber, and Claudia is definitely not helping).

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sarcasticsciencefictionwriter asked:

For the fandom ask game: 13, 17 James Watson, 20 Sanctuary, 24 John Druitt, please. 😊

Oh yes! Such great questions, thank you so much!!

13) What’s a character or ship you haven’t written/drawn yet but would like to some day?
Oh, many. You should see my ideas list for drawing – it’s long. There was a Star Trek prompt event and I got ideas, and the Year of the OTP event and I got ideas. So yes several for Star Trek (B’elanna/Seven, Kira/Dax, Owo/Detmer) and I really can’t forget Janeway and Amelia Earhart. I will be bitter forever at the missed opportunity not to have her join the crew. It seemed like such poor characterisation as well. Would Amelia Earhart really have turned down the opportunity to pilot a starship??

17) What’s a book, movie, or show you think James Watson would like?
I don’t think he would like crime/mystery media to be honest as either they don’t play fair, or the answer is so obvious and the characters so slow to get it, that it’s annoying. I think he’d probably check out the various Sherlock Holmes adaptations out of interest (and also to be guarded against any teasing), but I don’t think he’d exactly like them.

To be honest I can’t really see him watching much TV outside of documentaries. I think he might like movies a bit better as they are basically like plays. I think he might be interested to see examples of modern films out of interest for how they are made (hasn’t technology come so far type thing) but I don’t think the plot of most would grab him.

Books would definitely be his media of choice, and call him old-fashioned for that if you like. I don’t know why but I wonder if he might enjoy a good old archaeological thriller. You know hunting for lost treasure and definitely on the more ridiculous side. I think he might be more willing to put up with inaccuracies if it obviously isn’t taking itself too seriously (kinda like the Uncharted games).

The only actual title that springs to mind that I think he would actually like is The Princess Bride. Not sure why but I think he’d think it was clever and well done.

20) When did you first join Tumblr? How long was it between that and finding Sanctuary?
Around April/May 2016 I think? I’d been lurking (aka reading specific blogs but not signed up) for several months before that, sometime mid-2015 I think. Anyway, I finally got FOMO and wanted to join in.

I first started watching Sanctuary… I can tell you, let me scan the blog archives. I think I tried to find it August 2020, and watched a bit via YouTube as I wasn’t confident I would like it. I got the DVD in September and I think I was… mid season 3 (mid-October I blogged about having reached the Hollow Earth arc). You can tell my obsession really ramped up in October as clearly I did a deep dive for ALL the gifsets.

Amusingly one of my initial posts said that Tesla made a lousy friend (I’m laughing, boy did my opinion change) – hey! I never remember this stuff when I get asks about opinion changes. I remember my opinion now and rarely what came before.

Anyway I wrote my first novel length multi-chapter (Our Darkest Hour) that November before I finished the show. I actually stopped watching for the month in case the show messed with my outline, which it would have because Normandy jossed my Helen/James headcanon but oh well. It was kinda fun, a bit like capturing a fraction of the experience of if I had been creating when the show was originally live.

24) What’s your favourite thing about John Druitt?
I feel bad about this but the honest answer is his cursed nature. Without it, he’s still a compelling character (as I wrote purely in Choosing Fate) but that agony of what happened to him, and the trauma to those he loved/who loved him just grabbed me. It’s TRAGIC, and I like to fix things.

It’s the whole Winter Soldier “it wasn’t you” “but I still did it” type thing. Blame and judgement and guilt and darkness, and forgiveness, and how people can move on – it’s fascinating. I see discussions on it on tumblr sometimes about redemption for characters. How far is too far? Are there some things that are unforgivable? Does it depend on outside factors – like being cursed – to mitigate blame? People have opinions. This can get controversial and I don’t do conflict.

I remember Teal’c talking to Tomin on Stargate, saying that life didn’t have to end, that he could never be forgiven but he could still do good in the world. I think of Regina who willingly walked down the path, but was pushed and manipulated by others (and a lot of pain). When I have written Regina I’ve talked about people being more than what they have done, that people have the power to choose, and she chooses to do better.

With John it’s not really a choice (at least in my headcanon) while he’s a host to the parasite. However, once it’s removed – how can he move on? It wasn’t him, but it was still his hand on the blade. He remembers it being him. I think it would warp his sense of morals too, after a century even if he wasn’t a host anymore. Finding his sense of self, and his own moral code, would be a challenge.

Also his relationship with James. Coming of age in a world where it was punishable by death (or 10 years in prison and societal ruin). That too.

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truedairship asked:

12 and 14 for the fandom ask:))

Wheee thank you for the ask!! 🙂 🙂

12) What’s the funniest or craziest AU idea you’ve ever come up with?
I don’t know. I’m not sure I’m all that inventive to be honest. I also don’t think I’m that funny. My AU’s tend to either be all about the tropes, or they’ve arisen from community conversations. Looking through the AU’s I’ve done something for on AO3 I don’t think I would be comfortable claiming the inspiration for many of them was initially mine, even if I don’t recall the exact tumblr post that made me go “hmm?”

I definitely fancasted Ezekiel Jones as Ezra Bridger all on my own but that isn’t crazy. Hero thief – they are basically the same.

I suppose when I first started writing for Once I did some (for me) wacky stuff. I hadn’t dug deep into the characters yet and I was just messing around with what amused me. Like in the UK we have a Christmas entertainment at the theatre called a Pantomime. They vaguely follow fairytales but there’s a lot of pop culture references and audience participation. I remember the thought amused me so much of the Once characters watching something like ‘Snow White’ in Panto and the beauty of fanfic is we can make whatever weird ideas we have come to life. This wasn’t strictly AU when I wrote it (more post-canon) but I guess it would be AU now.

14) Is there a character or ship you were so sure you would never write/draw but now you’ve changed your mind?
Nothing comes to mind but also at the same time everything. I never intend to get obsessed and start creating stuff. More than once I’ve gone “oh no” as I can see that there is the potential to get sucked in and I’m not ready for that. I don’t want to get a new hyperfixation as I have WIP’s to work on but the brain doesn’t like to cooperate.

Anyway that’s not really the question but truthfully the phrase “you were so sure” – SURE – is tripping me up. I can’t recall anything I actively disliked that I came round to so much that I then poured myself creatively into it. I have slow burned on a few things but there was never any certainty that I wouldn’t create for them, I just wouldn’t have thought about it, until I got deeper into them and the flash of inspiration came.

Sorry I’m not sure either of these answers are much good but they are the only answers I have.

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So having posted my artwork for the Librarians exchange (currently invisible awaiting reveal on the 23rd) I am now second-guessing whether I should have touched it up in photoshop.

I did it all by hand (ink and watercolour) and it’s not perfect. I made mistakes. I wish I had the skills to do a better job and hopefully one day I will get there, but I digress.

I opted not to try and fix it because that’s over 20 hours of hard work, that’s me having done my best. It feels more authentic to leave it as it is. Plus I don’t know whether any digital alterations would just look weird. But still I wish it was better. My washes were not smooth, skin shading is my nemesis and some water/paint ran where I didn’t want it :/

An attempt was made. I tried, I care deeply, that is enough right? And round and round the debate goes in my head.

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Anonymous asked:

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you’ve written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💗

Time Will Tell – aka the Soulmate AU. I love this because it was a self-challenge and I’m pleased how it came out. Also egotistically other people seem to like this one and that gives me such a warm fuzzy feeling.

In the mid-19th century three children are born with two timers, a rare trio match. The reality of the timers on their arms subtly shape their lives, and the way it binds them together is as much a curse as a blessing. Can they build a future? Only Time Will Tell…

Sanctuary (James/John/Helen)

and the Sins of Atlantis – aka the most self-indulgent fic I think I’ve ever written. Honestly I’m my own intended audience for this. I just enjoy it.

In 1923 oddities are reported near Caerleon in Wales, attracting the attention of the then librarian and guardian – James Watson and Helen Magnus. Accompanied by Nikola Tesla they are caught by the anomaly and find themselves in 2018. Working with the current team of librarians, it seems the situation will soon be resolved, but with magic it’s rarely that easy especially when Jenkins is hiding something.

Sanctuary/The Librarians (James/John/Helen, Eve/Flynn, Jenkins/OMC)

and the Guardian’s Dilemma – aka Ezekiel finally gets recognition. It feels like he’s often turned the joke like ‘call yourself a librarian’ as he doesn’t know obscure history. But he has his own skill sets, he’s competent and has such a good heart. This acknowledges that.

Flynn was gone – fact. The library needed a librarian to tether with – fact. Eve was no stranger to making the hard call but this decision would have ramifications for centuries. They’d always been a team up until now and whomever she picked would be elevated above the others. It didn’t feel right, it should have been Flynn, but Flynn was gone. Cassandra, Stone or Ezekiel? It was an impossible decision but one she had to make. She had to choose one of them – it was the Guardian’s Dilemma.

The Librarians

Across the Stars – aka a little Star Wars fusion. It’s Star Wars, enough said really. Mashing stuff up like that makes me happy.

The clone wars are in full swing. Darkness is casting a shadow over the galaxy, and only the Jedi’s faith in the force keeps them from despair. It is a dark time for the Republic. Jedi Knight Belle French is about to go into battle on Balmorra, when her instincts lead her away from the war, towards her former Master – Rum Gold.

Once Upon a Time (Rumbelle)

Between Two Fires – aka my Alias inspired space oneshot. I only hint at the world but believe me it’s been developed a lot more. Greatness from small beginnings, a quote and I’m not too sure about how great it will be but one day I will write my interplanetary war with spies and vigilantes and jaded officers. One day. Anyway it makes me absurdly fond of this little origin.

Captain Julian Gold, a decorated hero of the Frontlands Defense Force was once married to Lacey Beaumont. They had been happy but then she had died. Shortly after her death Gold discovered the truth. She wasn’t really Lacey Beaumont, she was Belle French and she was from Avonlea. Five years later there is a twitch on the border line. Gold follows the trail, stunned to find himself face to face with his supposedly dead wife – Belle.

Once Upon a Time (Rumbelle)