INTERVIEW/CHAT: TheGoddessHathor & Totalconfushun
Welcome to the first in my series of FanFic Author interviews. Hath and T were generous enough to hang out with me for an evening and talk everything from writing individual projects to the wild world of interactive fiction. I was going to try to pick apart the Chat, but I think you guys just deserve the insanity. LOL
I didn't change any of it, just rearranged the order of things so that you could....attempt to follow our crazy Chat/Interview. I'm hoping to do a few more interviews. I've contacted a handful of authors and I hope to do a lot more. These women are friends and, I think, soon to be friends. Welcome to the playground, now let's play!
TaraLeigh: so you guys ready for this?
Hath: Ready!
T: I'm always ready
Hath: *cracks knuckles*
Hath: Bring it on!
TaraLeigh: Who came up with the kernal of the idea for Rings?
Hath: It was Terri's idea.
T: a collab was Hath's idea....
T: I had the idea for a fairy story...and pitched it to her
Hath: I caught it :)
Hath: I was a little hesitant at first b/c I was worried about the whole religious aspect of it, and worried I wouldn't be able to keep from being preachy/god-y, etc.
TaraLeigh: How do you guys do most of your writing?
Hath: I'd say separately for the most part.
Hath: One of us will start "the next chapter"
T: we spend a couple hours on the phone every few weeks....and just sort of brainstorm
Hath: and let the other know when there's something up.
Hath: but there are some chaps that are written by one of us fully, and the other does edits and adds little touches here and there.
Hath: for the most part, though I don't think you can tell who wrote what (when it isn't Jon- or Richie- centric, that is)
T: well...we discussed the fact that EVERY religion has a belief in a "creator"....we've been trying to stay within the boundaries of what would apply to them all
Hath: In the beginning, Terri had to keep reminding me of that nearly every time we talked ;)
TaraLeigh: I'm a big fan of mythology and world building. Was it conscious as a theme?
TaraLeigh: or just kind of happened?
Hath: Oh yes, it was absolutely a Jon-and-Richie-save-the-world story from the get-go
Hath: Terri had the Jon piece all sorted out (with Excalibur)...we're still fine-tuning Richie
T: I know what's written by Hath....if it's good or funny...then she wrote it....lol
Hath: Terri is fantastic with plotting and figuring out twists and making them all work out.
TaraLeigh: And we know Hath's seat of her pants writer-girl. LOL
T: there was a lot of "what if we did this" or "what if we did that" type stuff....
T: well...every story has a main conflict...so we started out pitching ideas until this one sounded good
T: oh...I should add here that my oldest daughter helped quite a bit in the beginning
T: pointing out flaws in the plan...or suggesting things.
T: Kenly (that's my 22 year old) is really into fairys and things like that...
T: I'm seat of my pants too
Hath: Tara, that's so true. I do NOT plot
T: that's why this works so well...
TaraLeigh: I'm a HUGE fan of Fairy's/Fey
TaraLeigh: Do you take things from Lore? Or just go ahead and make things up?
T: we do this one chapter at a time...
T: a mix of both
T: I told Hath in the beginning that as long as we kept one thing in mind throughout this whole deal we'd be golden...
Hath: both. The Centurian and his story (Alec's backstory) is all true.
T: that one thing?
T: that every human myth has a basis in fact
T: I told her we'd keep what we wanted to use and dismiss the rest as just myth
Hath: We're totally making up Richie's sword and story.
TaraLeigh: I like the dismissing the crap or that doesn't fit as Myth.
Hath: Though we did find a river in Europe or Africa that is the Sambra
TaraLeigh: LOL
Hath: Though Accolon was a real Knight
T: yeah Accolon has no "real" place in the Arthurian legend
Hath: Yeah, Accolon had nothing to do with Arthur's demise
Hath: "IRL"
TaraLeigh: personally, I think that's the best part of working with the vamp tropes....to rewrite and tweak.
T: I used the part of vampire lore that fit where I wanted to go with the story and dismissed the rest as myth
TaraLeigh: Terri----How does partner writing differ from your long stories like DLS?
T: or...if I didn't dismiss it...I explained how it came to be expected...or how the myth got started...
T: example? The sunglasses thing to go out into daylight....
T: differ?
T: hmmm...
T: not much really....
TaraLeigh: Typical Jon characteristic
TaraLeigh: (sunglasses)
T: except that I look forward to going and seeing what she's added to the story...lol
Hath: :)
T: this has been a hell of a lot more fun than writing a story on my own
TaraLeigh: Do you brainstorm with Hath even on your own stories?
T: it's almost like I'm along for the ride right there with the readers. Does that make sense?
TaraLeigh: With the partner writing?
T: brainstorm? Is that what you'd call it Hath?
T: yeah with the partner writing
Hath: I wouldn't call it brainstorming... more like you read me what you've written and say something like "I don't like how that ended" or "it feels like it needs more" or something like that and we start chatting
TaraLeigh: Gotcha---more like Beta+
Hath: It's one of those "oooh oooh, what about this?" moments (we have lots of those)
T: I'm not sure if you'd call it brainstorming on the single stuff....but I do run A LOT of ideas past her....and she points out why it will or won't work....
TaraLeigh: LOL---those are the best.
T: yeah...more like a beta
Hath: Beta+, is that what "real" writers call it?
TaraLeigh: LOL Well---it's more than just pre-reading---so Beta+
TaraLeigh: lol
TaraLeigh: Actually---you two act more like Crit Partners
TaraLeigh: Like Carolynn and I do for the Non-FF
Hath: though it's nothing quite so structured
Hath: I mean we'll go days, weeks sometimes without talking on the phone, then have a marathon 3-hour session, or trade a zillion emails or IMs
T: yeah...and 9 times outta 10 those "oooh ooooh, what about this?" moments turn into the best plot twists....
TaraLeigh: Well, you 2 know each other quite well.
TaraLeigh: How'd you 'meet'?
T: Hath...tell her about the you as Richie and me as Jon convos! That's the best stuff right there
T: lmao
Hath: For Tara's question, I stumbled on T's Place (in the old place, but not the old, old place lol)
Hath: For T's point, in some of the interactive fan fictions we've done, we've taken on the guys as alter personas
T: but we first talked on Topix
Hath: We did?
Hath: lol
TaraLeigh: lol
T: and then she signed up at T's Place and we really got to know each other during the Football Forum story
TaraLeigh: Ahh so it was the interactive Football Forum that got you guys really into it?
Hath: I just remember the first time Terri phoned me. I had found out she was a Published Author and nearly died
Hath: Yeah. That (football forum) was the absolute best collaboration ever.
Hath: It was genius, and everyone had such a great time.
Hath: We had a mantra during that whole thing: It's just a FF, it's just a FF lol
T: that was the best damn idea I've ever had
Hath: People would get MAD that 'Jon' or 'Richie' or 'David' wouldn't answer their posts.
TaraLeigh: For those of us NOT in the know---what was it about?
Hath: Like it was a real board instead of a story
Hath: Terri?
T: It was set around the idea that the thread itself was a message board for football fans...
T: Jon joined to talk with other fans about one of his great passions...
T: and met Sam in the process
T: the side stories just ....well....happened...
T: lol
Hath: That's where Joker came from; my David epic
T: nobody knew he was JBJ at first
TaraLeigh: So, the interactive fanfic---was created to look like a message board forum
T: he was just Kidd...a guy from Jersey
T: right
TaraLeigh: with a story that played out
T: right...
Hath: Tara, some of it was orchestrated
Hath: Terri and I would be on IMs
Hath: and she'd ping me, "Make David say this to Jon"
TaraLeigh: And edit the board to suit, right? Like you would a story?
T: evey so often I would make a "purple post"...telling the readers what was going on off the board
T: No Hath...you're thinking of the TC Interactive Fic
T: we did PM's on the old board for the Football story
T: no...
T: I didn't "edit" the story...unless someone made a post that would've outted Jon or the others...
TaraLeigh: Gotcha
T: or put them somewhere (because that's where they REALLY were) instead of where I had them in the story
Hath: The one of the main ideas behind the interactive FF (Terri, correct me if I'm wrong) was to stretch the writing process
Hath: to have to write on the fly
T: yeah
Hath: Like the whole Jon and the Caramello episode
T: it was to make me have to write on the fly
Hath: which SUCKED by the way
T: to have to come up with a purple post based on what was said just 15 mins before on the board
TaraLeigh: Ahhh the joy of going off on a tangent, or a thread not working out the way you wanted it to.
T: sucked? but that was one of the funniest scenes
T: we did the whole thing in real time
T: so when the guys were in Japan for the LH shows....
TaraLeigh: So, no real plotting---beyond a PM?
T: Nope...no pre-plotting....
T: we had Zan (Richie) posting saying "Greetings from Japan"
Hath: Yeah, but you said, "you have 15 minutes-- go"
T: well...I wanted to give you a dose of the medicine ya'll had been giving me from the get go
T: lol
Hath: The funniest was Zan was in Tokyo, said "greetings from Tokyo" and my character innocently said "what time is it there"
T: other than...how I intended the story to go....but that changed a few times durning the course of the story...lol
Hath: and BOOM, there's an IM in messenger saying, "why the fuck did you do that? Now I have to look it up!"
TaraLeigh: Thank God for FoxClocks
T: lmao
TaraLeigh: lol
T: she did that shit the whole time
Hath: Just trying to keep you on your toes :)
TaraLeigh: So, addicted to the shorts you were writing---you decided to go for longer stories?
T: what do you mean "addicted to the shorts"
T: I started writing ff with a long story....
T: the shorts came later
TaraLeigh: How long did you 'talk' about Rings before you decided to go for it?
Hath: We talked about Rings for a while. We both had other irons in the fire, and wanted to wrap some of those first,
T: how long?...What, Hath? A week? Maybe two, before we started writing?
Hath: but once the characters start talking
Hath: you can't ignore them
Hath: Terri, I think it was a little longer than that.
Hath: You did most of the writing in the beginning b/c I couldn't get my shit together
T: we talked in generic form about a collab for a while
Hath: yeah, since all the interactive FFs were so fun, we thought to try it with a real story
T: but once Fiona and Morganna got names, the bitches wouldn't shut up
TaraLeigh: Couldn't get into the story, Hath? Or...
Hath: That was part of it, Tara. I was worried about the religious angle, and couldn't separate it at first
T: No...she just had a lot of irons in the fire at the time
Hath: Terri and I had some great philosophical discussions in the early days
Hath: but once I knew Morganna's name, that was it.
Hath: plus I had like 5 fics going on plus a few side projects
TaraLeigh: You? overworked? Noooooooooo.
Hath: It's my own damned fault.
TaraLeigh: We're working to pare you down
Hath: I can't seem to tell any of the guys 'NO'.
T: I'm just glad that Fiona kept talking...unlike that bitch Kimber
Hath: lol Poor Kimber.
Hath: I remember you calling me a couple days before Christmas one year
Hath: telling me about her and how she wouldn't shut up
T: Oh and don't even get me on the topic of Steve...I'm still pissed at that bitch
TaraLeigh: I can understand. My Bella talks and hides in equal measure.
Hath: Yeah, I miss Steve
TaraLeigh: Steve and Kimber--halted stories?
TaraLeigh: or Hiatus?
T: Yeah...Kimber talked non stop from that Halloween challenge on what became Jovi Nation....until the Christmas phone call...lol
T: I like to think they're just on Hiatus...and that eventually they'll start talking to me again
T: the problem with Steve is a little more complicated than just not talking though...
T: that was my attempt at a Richie story...
T: and it made my Jonny muse jealous
TaraLeigh: Certified Jon Girl.
Hath: The boys are feisty when they get jealous
T: just a min....my daughter needs her good night love
Hath: Richie was PISSED at me for Joker, which is why he has so many damned active stories
Hath: He's getting mad that there are only two left, and they're pretty well mapped out.
TaraLeigh: You both talk about 'talking chars.' Is it that simple? You write which story talks to you?
Hath: I'll answer while T takes care of her daughter.
TaraLeigh: LOL--well, you didn't start another David story. :D
Hath: Not yet.
TaraLeigh: Memphis will probably yank that can of worms open again, huh?
Hath: Oh yeah...
Hath: And he's looking SO good, and I'm a shallow Goddess...
T: I'm back...
Hath: So to the question...yeah, for me, it's whatever story is talking.
Hath: Whichever Richie is being loudest
T: about the whole talking character thing....usually it's the MFC (main female character) that talks to me...and I just tell her story....but with the whole Jon/TC thing...it was TC that talked to me until the original story was told...now it's TC's Jersey that talks to me when I tell a TC story
T: that's why most of the Jon/TC shorts are told more from his POV than hers
Hath: The only MFC that talked to me was me. In one of the interactive FFs,the one that turned into Online, I had a dream about the ending, and couldn't get it out of my head. It's usually the guys that talk to me. The girls are content to be screwing the Jovi boys.
TaraLeigh: That leads me to my next question---comfy in the male POV? It's personally my favorite place to be.
Hath: Depends on the male.
T: I am...I like to think that I write Jonny pretty well....
Hath: I'm more comfortable as Richie or David because they're more like me -- smart-assish
TaraLeigh: And Jon's moody
T: especially in the interactive stories....when I'm pretending to be him....everyone says I do a great job...and that they sometimes forget it's me on the other end of the keyboard...
T: those were the best compliments I've ever gotten
Hath: Yes, but it's a little more than that for me. I'm afraid to get into Jon's head b/c we're TOO much alike from the control freak perspective. It's too easy to make him a controlling, manipulative bitch
TaraLeigh: Ahh....but that's what he is sometimes, darlin'. :D
Hath: Terri, I think I told you, my heart would beat a little harder when I saw a "JerseyCowboy7800" PM in my box and I KNEW it was you on the other end. lol
T: but....funny thing....
T: Hath forgot it was me when I was pretending to be Richie too...lmao
Hath: Yes, Tara, but I see him as that all the time. I don't believe he's all that sweet. I think he's considerate, but not a sweet or attentive lover like I believe the others to be
T: that's where the mantra "It's just a fan fic...it's just a fan fic" came from....
Hath: I did, actually.
TaraLeigh: I actually think Jon's a bit of a dick
TaraLeigh: And I love him to pieces
Hath: Terri, you don't know this, but at the start of the Football FF, before I really knew you guys, and knew what the FF was all about, I was getting jealous of Lucia's character b/c she was getting Richie, and I thought about dropping out.
T: I think he's probably a real arrogant ass
T: what? really?
TaraLeigh: LOL---that's cute, Hath.
Hath: yep
Hath: really
TaraLeigh: It'll be tough for me not to get Jon if I participate in your new interactive.
TaraLeigh: He's MINE.
T: :))
TaraLeigh: Ahem. *pushes down the bitch*
T: =))
TaraLeigh: There's this little chant...Mine, Mine, Mine...
T: here's the thing....
T: and I'll be the first one to point it out...every time...
T: they're all characters...
T: You won't be Tara...and I won't be T....
TaraLeigh: Easy for you to say, Jonny haver
T: You'll be...whatever you decide on for a name...and I'll be ....whatever...
T: I'm trying not to let her get a name yet
T: lol
TaraLeigh: But I'm always up for a challenge
Hath: Oh GOD, T, don't give her a name yet
TaraLeigh: and I see Tico as a truly interesting character
T: I like to be the MFC and Jon in the interactive stories so that I can steer the story...be more of a conductor
TaraLeigh: Esp after I watched his wedding video. MERCY.
Hath: He's starting to poke my shoulder
Hath: His birthday is coming up and he wants a story on my blog like the others got.
T: Yeah, I think Tico is the most UNDERestimated member of the band
Hath: I totally agree
T: when it comes to sexy
TaraLeigh: shoulders.
TaraLeigh: *pant*
TaraLeigh: Arms
T: and damn...those guns!!
TaraLeigh: *pant*
TaraLeigh: lol
Hath: Have you seen the nude rose-petal pics he did with his then-wife Eva?
TaraLeigh: oh yeah
Hath: Sweet FUCKing hell
T: oh yeah
T: lol
T: there was one thing about working with Hath on Rings that I asked her for out front
T: do you remember what it was Hath?
T: I cuss like a sailor...but there's one swear word that I WON'T use....
Hath: Right. G-ddamn
TaraLeigh: C-bomb
T: Hath uses it all the time...
Hath: Nope, cunt is just fine
Hath: lol
TaraLeigh: *wince*
TaraLeigh: hate that one
T: I asked her for us not to use it in Rings...
Hath: Oh I don't use it, but I don't have a problem with it in context. Hate the P-word, though I use it when the situation calls for it.
T: I won't use GD
T: can't even bring myself to type it out, much less say it
Hath: I have to say, it's been hard not making Richie use that word.
TaraLeigh: I have to say---I use it a lot myself.
Hath: b/c I can so hear his voice saying it
TaraLeigh: GD
T: I was happy to hear Jon make it official in that UK interview...that Fuck was his favorite swear word...
T: cuz it's mine too
T: lol
Hath: It's his favorite extra-curricular activity as well
T: so is "farting in bed" apparently...lmao
TaraLeigh: *snort*
TaraLeigh: How do you smooth out the POV's when you both write all chars? When I did the partner writing thing, I stuck to one char.
T: you just know that's going in a Jon/TC story
T: lmao
TaraLeigh: Yes, I loved that intv.
Hath: at least it isn't sharting
TaraLeigh: EWWWWWWWWWWWWW
TaraLeigh: lol
Hath: :D
T: it's funny...
Hath: I stick mainly to Richie and Anna
Hath: and Terri sticks w/Jon and Fiona
Hath: but we each add to the others' stuff
Hath: and we both do Merlin
Hath: and the other satellite characters
T: the way we do it when it's a chapter with all the characters is one or the other will post a chap and the other will go add dialogue and shit for the other two characters
T: I'll put in some Richie/Anna stuff and then she'll go in and flesh that part out
TaraLeigh: Interesting...ever thought about switching things up? Terri MFC for Richie, and Jon and Hath MFC for Jon/Richie
TaraLeigh: Or do you like the couple control?
Hath: It's not so much the couple control, it's the comfort zone
Hath: it flows faster and better when it's something I'm comfy with. I've done a couple Jon stories, and they were pretty well received, but he's outside my comfort zone
T: yeah...same for me ....we all know how my one attempt at a Richie story turned out
Hath: I don't like the way I write Jon -- I make him too romantic.
Hath: Like my Encounter, The Beach.
Hath: UGH. Sugary sweet
TaraLeigh: But suits, Richie
T: I try to make Jon suck at the romantic department...but occasionally he gets lucky and gets it right....lol
Hath: My version of Richie, yes.
T: I mean...look at the Vamp Jon in DLS...he so sucked at the whole "You're my lifemate" conversation....lol
Hath: I like to think I have him right, just by his demeanor the way he is in interviews, in the shows of his I've seen and heard
Hath: I was in LOVE with VampJon
Hath: and got TOTALLY turned on by Jon feeding off Richie
Hath: *where's my edit button*
TaraLeigh: lol
T: one of my favorite scenes in DLS is when Jon called Richie an idiot savant when it comes to women....
TaraLeigh: well, actually---I'm no fan of Slash fic---but there was a scene in my favorite show---Moonlight, where he had to feed off his best friend.
TaraLeigh: Holy---Gah.
Hath: I'm not a fan of slash either
T: Oh...and the Jon feeding off Richie scene caused me some BIG problems...
T: the bag of ice in his lap was Hath's idea...lol
Hath: but the idea of Jon's lips wrapped around Richie's wrist just flicked something in the southwest corner of my brain
Hath: well, we couldn't let it get ACTUALLY slashy.
Hath: I'd have to stop being friends with Terry, and I LIKE her.
Hath: :))
TaraLeigh: LOL
T: no...I don't do slash...not my thing
T: you LIKE me?
T: wow...
Hath: Of course I do
Hath: You put up with my whining
T: you do know that I'm a real anti-social bitch...right?
Hath: pot....kettle
TaraLeigh: How much do you have to go with, Rings? You mentioned it's a chapter by chapter manifestation.
Hath: Tara, we were just talking about this today
T: maybe that's why this whole thing works...
Hath: a few weeks ago, we mapped out "the rest of the story" which is something like 10 chapters
Hath: but today, we were talking about not being tied to that.
TaraLeigh: lol
Hath: If we find something that sends off in some other direction,
T: just in case we go off on a tangent with something
Hath: we both reserve the right to toss the outline
Hath: Like THAT'S ever happened, Terri
T: I never work with an outline
TaraLeigh: So definitely organic plotting---letting things go where they go.
T: I tried it with the last Mission Impossible challenge I wrote...and it didn't work so well
Hath: We knew how it was going to end from day-1, we just have to get there now
T: right...
Hath: and if our path meanders a bit, well tough shit it's our story
T: we know the ending already
T: right it's our story...the reader needs to just....how does Jon say it?
T: "Buckle up baby...it's gonna be a bumpy ride"
TaraLeigh: uh---hello, 264K for Home.
TaraLeigh: I know about tangents baby
TaraLeigh: lol
Hath: I think that makes it fun, though. Or "funner" lol
T: Sin Happens was 393pages...
T: my publisher threw a fit
TaraLeigh: Had to slash and edit, huh?
T: wanted me to tone it down some....I couldn't decide what to cut...so I didn't cut it...just agreed to the higher price for the book....
Hath: which I don't get, btw. uh, hello 800+ pages for Harry Potter....
Hath: If you need 300 or 600 pages to tell the story that's what you need.
T: they told me that it cost more to produce a book with that many pages....so it would cost more to buy
TaraLeigh: Nice segue actually. How was it to change a FF story into a Non-FF? I've had quite a few people ask me to do it with Home.
TaraLeigh: I personally couldn't.
T: well...
T: it wasn't really all that hard...
T: Jon became Sin...
T: he's still a frontman for a major rock band...
T: still acts on occasion
T: hell...I even made him still own a football team
T: lol
T: I veiled it enough that Jon couldn't sue me...
TaraLeigh: So, you definitely left him Jon with a new name
T: but to a fan...it's still obviously JBJ]
T: Yeah...
T: His name was ....Francis Sinatra Santioni....
Hath: well, except that one 'Jon' in there...
T: or...Sin San Tonki
T: uh...sorry...Sin San Toni
TaraLeigh: lol
T: that was a joke between me and the girls in the MSN group where I first posted the story
TaraLeigh: missed an edit
T: lol
T: and they'll all testify to that
T: lol
Hath: lol
T: Joy and Lucy...
T: at least
T: lol
TaraLeigh: Hath, how did you start writing?
Hath: After my very first Jovi show during the HAND tour, I was trolling the 'net and stumbled over The Layover
Hath: Perhaps the BEST piece of FF out there
Hath: I read it in a week
Hath: I had no idea there was a "market" for this
Hath: I tested the water with a short Jon story called "Breathe" and I was shocked to get readers!
Hath: There was no sex in that one; strictly PG teasing
T: I LOVED that story
Hath: My second story was sappy-sweet, and one I had in my head for a while (the plot, not the guys)
Hath: "Thank You".
TaraLeigh: LOVED that story, personally.
Hath: No sex in that one either. Thank You is one your mom could read
T: I loved that one too
T: lol
T: actually there hasn't been anything Hath's written that I didn't like
Hath: Then I decided I needed to pop my FF cherry so to speak, and I started Rental
T: I couldn't get into Believe...but that doesn't mean I didn't like it
Hath: Thanks T :x
Hath: Rental took off, and after "my first time" I wondered why I was hesitant.
Hath: Then it got excerpted on bonjovi.com
T: you're welcome pard'ner
T: lol
Hath: Remember when I called you after that happened, T?
Hath: I was on the EDGE of insanity, and not in a good way
T: yeah...
TaraLeigh: LOL I remember that.
T: I was in a dead panic too...
T: cuz, I was like...FUCK FUCK FUCK...if they found her...they'll find us all....
T: lol
Hath: Yep, they find me, they find all of you
Hath: lol
T: and I started having nightmares about my meeting in a courtroom with a well dressed and very pissed off rock star....
T: lol
Hath: hence "Sue Me", the story I wrote for Terri :)
TaraLeigh: lol
TaraLeigh: Terri? How'd you start?
Hath: I wrote "Busted", a David story about him busting Hath
T: do you want to know how I started with Fan fic...or how I started writing?
TaraLeigh: Hmm. Both.
T: I've been writing since I was a teenager....I wrote plays...poems...short stories....
TaraLeigh: <---14
T: never was able to finish anything major...
T: I was in 8th grade...
T: at least that's the first thing I can remember...
TaraLeigh: And FF?
T: I used to really piss my English Comp teacher off in college
TaraLeigh: Why?
T: she gave us an assignment once..."What I did on my summer vacation"...I was like..."WTF is this, third grade?"
T: so ...
T: I wrote about my trip to Jupiter...
T: but I forgot to put my name on the paper...
T: so once she'd handed them all back out...except mine...
T: she said..."I don't know whose paper this is...but it HAD to be a radio/tv major's"...
T: I raised my hand admitting that I hadn't gotten my paper back....not knowing that she was gonna read it out loud to the class
TaraLeigh: Oh, man---I'd have DIED.
T: I couldn't slide far enough down in my chair
T: after class the other radio/tv majors in the class were patting me on the back saying "Way to go" and "That was a bull shit assignment...way to tell her off"
T: lol
T: I wrote Sin Happens on a dare
T: I got started writing fan fic on a dare
T: I was in a MSN group with several other jovi fans...
T: and one of them asked the owner of the group about a fan fic section...and once there was a section for it...one of the girls started posting a story...
TaraLeigh: And you thought you could do better?
T: I said that I was by no means William Shakespeare but that I thought I could do better than reading a menu...
T: and I wrote the TC story
T: I was dared to write something by a friend in the group saying "show her how it's done then"...
T: yeah...that girl had no idea how to use an adjective or an adverb...
TaraLeigh: lol
T: it was all.....He got up. He walked across the room. He sat back down.
Hath: I don't like the staccato style lol
T: I gotta admit...the only reason that first story was so damn long is because those ladies kept begging me not to end it yet...
T: they were the ones who encouraged me to send it to a publisher
TaraLeigh: Pretty amazing support group
TaraLeigh: Is that what keeps you both writing? Or do you do it simply for the joy of writing and you can't shut the friggin' muse up.
T: I started writing the story that became Sin Happens in "02
Hath: I write for me
Hath: I enjoy it, it's a nice escape and a hobby for me
T: for me it's a little of both.
Hath: I enjoy coming up with a funny phrase
Hath: and sometimes it's that now that I've found the Muses, they want to be heard.
T: I enjoy the writing....it's an escape for me....but damn...I really love the comments and the feedback....
T: I live for a good comment
Hath: I don't write for others, with ONE exception
Hath: I got bullied into writing two endings for Online
TaraLeigh: Yeah, that was an ouch. I have personal experience in that area as well.
T: I want to go down on record right now saying that I did NOT bully her on that story...
T: I was not one of those...
T: when she emailed me that she wanted to kill Jen off...
TaraLeigh: Do you feel like it detracted from your story?
T: I said go for it
Hath: The bullying came after the original ending was posted on T's Place.
T: even put my two cents worth into the epilogue part
Hath: Yep, you both got advanced copies and gave great feedback
TaraLeigh: Do you stand by the original? Or find the good and bad in both?
T: now...I did tell her that I was a HEA girl...but that if she felt that strongly about killing Jen then she had to do it.
Hath: Actually, I didn't see anything bad in the original
Hath: I think it's the best thing I've ever written
TaraLeigh: I was in on that ending--and have to agree.
Hath: BTW, if your readers are following Online, sorry for the spoiler
Hath: lol
T: I don't usually even get teary eyed while reading fan fic....and she brought me to tears with that story
Hath: Well now, I showed it to a few poeple who didn't know me -- weren't my friends -- and I got different reactions.
Hath: They thought it was "good" but didn't move them to tears.
T: but damn...that's why I'm afraid to give her Richie again in an interactive ff....I'm afraid she'll break his heart again....lmao
T: I had to get out the tissues for the funeral scene...
T: when she had Tiff and then Jon start singing Amazing Grace...
Hath: I wouldn't do that to Richie again. I got it out of my system
T: Jeez...I lost it
Hath: Couldn't you just hear them? lol
T: Amazing Grace is my favorite hymn too...
Hath: Mine too
T: Yeah...I could...that's why I started crying....hell...I was actually singing it ...
T: lmao
TaraLeigh: Well, part of the joy of FF is dragging your readers into YOUR moment--making the chars yours and sharing them. Making Jon, Richie, David & Tico---YOURS. And then sharing them.
T: yeah...but you've also got to remember that they're REAL people....
T: you can't just make them do this or say that because it will further your plot line...
TaraLeigh: No, I agree----I feel they need to have some basic characteristics that shouldn't be changed.
T: you have to try and be true to them as people...otherwise it just doesn't work...isn't believable...the "willing suspension of disbelieve" will only get you so far
T: I've had this discussion with Hath many times....and had to discard a storyline because I didn't think it was believable for JOn to do whatever....
TaraLeigh: I've scrapped many a story, for that same reason
TaraLeigh: Any last comments?
TaraLeigh: Coming up?
TaraLeigh: Push the websites?
Hath: Sure. I have a main site The Goddess Hathor, which is my Jovi site. I post articles, photos, my thoughts, etc., on the guys, their happenings, and their projects.
Hath: My stories are sorted by hero, genre, and a few other slices ;)
Hath: I have 36 completed stories and 3 in progress (not counting Last Call)
Hath: "Hath" was born in March of 2007
TaraLeigh: Christ
TaraLeigh: You put me to shame.
TaraLeigh: lol
Hath: No Kool-Aid Drinkers Allowed!
T: exactly
T: I will ban someone for being a kool-aid drinker
T: if they go too far with it
Hath: or stoopid (with two o's on purpose)
TaraLeigh: That's refreshing, actually.
T: yeah...I have banned someone before...
T: she drank too much of the Richie-aid
TaraLeigh: lol
Hath: Oh, but it's so thick and salty....
T: that girl had Richie-itis in a bad way....
Hath: mmmmm
TaraLeigh: WHORE
Hath: :D
TaraLeigh: lol
TaraLeigh: I wanted to thank you girls for taking the time to come and talk to me.
T: no problem Tara....it was a huge honor for me. I was thrilled that you asked!
TaraLeigh: Well it was nice to get to know you better, Terri
Hath: This was a lot of fun, and I hope your readers give FF a shot. It's just as real a writing genre as anything else
Hath: Thanks so much for asking :)
TaraLeigh: Well, I had a blast---as I knew I would.
T: naaaa....you know nothing about me....lol
Hath: And we were really quite well behaved
TaraLeigh: LOL
Hath: (sorry)
TaraLeigh: We'll have to do a part 2 after I get everyone done
TaraLeigh: lol
TaraLeigh: the naughty version.
TaraLeigh: lol
T: lol...that would be fun
Hath: Yeah it would
