One of our favorite authors, ML, has a few handfuls of Spooky Honorable Mentions over the last few years.
When did you start writing XF fanfic? How did you start?
I started writing right after “Closure” aired. I’d been reading fanfic for several months, but hadn’t yet been inspired to write anything of my own. “Closure” was a turning point ep for me in many ways. Not just because it was the end of an era for Mulder and Scully, but because of all the rumors floating around about the possible end of the series. I wanted to write my own take on where they would go from there.
That particular story remains unfinished, but once in a while I dust it off and reconsider it. The first story I had the guts to post was a post-Requiem story, and it was promptly lost in the flood of stories that came out post-season 7. Probably deservedly so, though I was pleased with it at the time . I got something like 25 hits at Ephemeral, and a couple of feedback notes, and there was no holding me back!
What else do you write?
I don’t write in any other fandom, though after I started writing XF I realized that in the distant past I’d written fanfic without realizing it. In the Dark Ages before the Internet, I used to write little stories for myself using characters from “Dark Shadows.” No current TV show has caught my fancy the way XF did, though. Outside of XF, I write the occasional essay or short-short story. I’ve always had an interest in science fiction and fantasy; my stories in school usually had to do with a trip to Mars or meeting people from outer space.
What kind of process do you undertake when you write? Do you write a whole story in one sitting? Do you make story outlines or let it flow?
I look for inspiration everywhere: phrases I hear on the radio or TV, snatches of song or a bit of dialogue floats into my head. Sometimes I think of a title I want to use and then I have to come up with a story to fit it!
It’s rare that I can write a story in one sitting. I’ve done a few very short post-eps that way. Since most of my stories are fairly short, I don’t generally plot them out ahead of time. I have an idea of where I want the story to go, and then I fill in the blanks as I write. The exception is the longest story I’ve written to date: “Abandoned” probably took me the longest to write — I think it was about six weeks. For that one, I did sketch out the shape of the story ahead of time, and did a lot of research.
Has the series ending affected the way or what you write?
Yes, to some degree. Seeing new eps every week was an inspiration, and speculating what would happen in the next season could fuel a whole summer of story ideas. Most of my inspiration these days comes from watching the older eps (especially for the seasons before I discovered fanfic) with the advantage of hindsight. I try to look for a new angle on an episode or series of episodes, to give the story a spin that no one else has thought of — or at least hasn’t been expressed in the same way. The “Scully’s Journey” series is an example of that. I also get inspiration from message boards and chats, and the lists that I’m on.
As a primarily MSR writer, which is your favourite time period to write about our favourite duo? Which is your favourite POV?
Right now, I’m enjoying Season 6. I think there’s something of interest in all the seasons, though, so for me it depends upon what I’m watching at the moment. In POV, I alternate between Mulder and Scully, sometimes in the same story . DD and GA did such a wonderful job of portraying them as multilayered, complex individuals, and I enjoy trying to get inside their heads. I like writing both POVs, but I think Scully might have a slight edge. This week, anyway!
Which of your stories is your favourite and why?
I think I might come up with a different answer for this on any given day. I *do* have my favorites, but don’t tell the others! I’m not sure I’m ever completely satisfied with a story — when I go back and look at one, I often see things I might have expressed differently or polished just a bit more. I guess “Age Cannot Wither” and “Nor Custom Stale” come close to being favorites. Writing “Age” felt like I was channeling Scully — it was a hugely satisfying experience. I wrote “Custom” several months later — and I enjoyed revisiting that universe a second time from Mulder’s point of view. And, I have to admit, the reader reaction to the stories thrilled me.
Any upcoming stories to look out for?
Lots, I hope! I just started a little series based on late S6 episodes and I hope to have the next installment out soon. There are a couple of stories I’d like to revisit — I’d like to see what Mulder and Scully are doing post-“Abandoned,” for example. There may also be a collaboration in the offing. Then there’s that pesky post-Closure story that won’t leave me alone. So, as
long as real life cuts me a break, I hope to be writing XF fanfic for some time to come.
Is there’s anything else you’d like to tell readers out there?
The most important thing I have to say is, thank you. Thank you so much for your feedback, your recs on the boards, and for reading and having an interest in XF fanfic. It means more than I can express to know that there are people who are reading what I’ve written. I’ve written all my life, but writing XF fanfic is the first time I’ve been able to share my writing with others, and it’s been a wonderful experience.