Meandering Fic Thoughts

[ithildin]

Now that strangevisitor7 has started posting her current story, the cat's more or less out of the bag as far as Chris and Charlotte go. Her current story, Each Must Know His Part, is the reason I was writing Too Young For Heaven, so she could post hers. However, I'm really stop and go at writing these days, and it didn't seem fair to hold up her story because I'm a slacker :)


Back when I started writing Highlander stories with my character Charlotte Sparrow, I'd never even seen Magnificent Seven. About my only familiarity with it was via strangevisitor7's terrific SPN/M7 xover, 'Ghost Town'. I was writing a Highlander story, I Am Going To The West, and the flashbacks were set in 1866 New Mexico. One thing led to another, and Casey asked if she could borrow Charlotte for an M7 fic. She briefly outlined her idea (and boy was that original premise night and day from what she actually ended up writing!) (you should get her to tell you about it!)and I said sure, go for it! Well, one story begot a sequel, and during it all I finally got the DVDs and was hooked. Enough so that I totally reconstructed my Echoes the Sea series to incorporate Ezra into Charlotte's history.

Now 'West' was supposed to end with Methos leaving, lots of bad stuff happening, a fire that burns down Charlotte's ranch house and her deciding to move the family to California. Well, best laid plans and all that. So now Casey's writing these stories, and she's getting comments about the possibility of a Chris/Charlotte pairing. Which surprises me since it never occurred to me! My character is being shipped! But I'm having none of it! Casey and I emailed extensively on the subject. No! I had plans! Plans that did not include Mr. Larabee. But finally I compromised; they could have a brief affair after the fire just before she leaves. But she was still leaving, damnit! But Casey and her readers are evol incarnate. Eventually I caved and not only was she staying, there would be no fire, and eventually, they'd get married. If I remember correctly, I informed Casey of my capitulation by writing a snippet and sending it to her. Which I suppose I should post now. I'd intended to incorporate it into a larger fic, but who knows if that will happen.

So the moral of the story? I'm a pushover! And that readers really can influence a writer's best intentions, not to mention, wear down her resistance. If not for those commenters, Charlotte would be in California by now!

Yes, I will finish 'Heaven' soon, I hope, so you can see how C&C got from that dark place to the happy couple they are in the current story. And eventually, I will go back to 'West'. It's suffered because of the total revision/reboot I had to do on it when Ezra became a part of Charlotte's life. and the fact I had to totally rethink how it was going to end now my big fire was gone. I've really torn my hair out trying to reinvent it. And yes, catyuy, I swear that you'll know why Methos left by the end of it all. Actually, you'll probably know at the end of 'Heaven' due to all the rebooting going on [g]

I think I'll work on completing the the 3:10 To Yuma fic, which has gotten longer since Vin has walked into the story from out of left field. But first, I need to finish the beta for Casey as she's actually almost done! I wish I could get that kind of writing going. It's been a while though.

Comments

[tygermama.livejournal.com]

*hugs* I think all the best ships start out that way, you just see two characters that maybe aren't even in the same tv show/story/movie and BAM, you realize they are perfect for each other.

Don't worry about your muse, I'm sure she'll be back to flood you with more words than you can type soon!

[catyuy.livejournal.com]

I will wait patiently (LIES) for you to get back to Methos's parts in Charlotte's history.
I will wait for more Tony and the hope of some Joe.
This is me......being patient. (is staring at the screen waiting)

May I guess that Methos runs away after hearing news of a gang run by a nasty guy with a scar over his eye (who may be a certain immortal)? Trying to protect Charlotte and the others by making sure this person heads another direction?

[bookaddict43.livejournal.com]

You're not a slacker *hugs*. The writing will come back eventually. We'll be patiently waiting for whatever you want to post, especially the 3:10 to Yuma fic - I want to see what Vin's up to! :)

Isn't it strange how the fic evolves as we go? My flisters comments often send me off on a totally different tagent to where I started!

[strangevisitor7.livejournal.com]

*hugs* So glad you let me mess up your entire timeline. You are a good friend though catyuy may kill me since its my fault Methos was left in the dust.

But it was your idea to make Maude an Immortal and it just ran away from us after that.[g]

[catyuy.livejournal.com]

So you stole the cookie from the cookie jar *is glaring*


But actually I blame Tony Stark. Iron Man distracted her first.

[strangevisitor7.livejournal.com]

*gives back cookie* True Tony started - so let's blame him [g]

[catyuy.livejournal.com]

Oh, Chocolate Chip. Yum.

And yes, Tony is completely at fault for the lack of Methos usage and I'm blaming him for the lack of more QoS fic.

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

You can blame Tony for the lack of QoS fic, but Ezra is to blame for the lack of Methos.

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

I am very good!

And yes, I know it was my whacky idea of Maude being an immortal that made this switch from one stand alone story to epic shared universe. I blame my muse for that one :)

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Working on Yuma currently. Vin really surprised me when he walked into to all :)

Yep, mine is evolving as if exposed to radiation!

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

You have some of it right, but not saying what!

Patience is a virtue [g]

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Well I never saw it! I had to be dragged kicking and screaming LOL

[catyuy.livejournal.com]

So who do I blame for the lack of Charlotte and the PoTC gang (with Methos) fic?

[catyuy.livejournal.com]

What is this virtue you speak of??

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

That is due to just having too many stories to write. For me, the story has always been about Charlotte and Methos, I guess, and dealing with immortality. The very first story was written literally off the top of my head, fully formed. I hadn't thought about consequences, or where it would lead, or even thought there would be a another one.

[catyuy.livejournal.com]

Your poor overly complicated fic verse.
Let us count the crosses.
Pirates of the Carribean/The Magnificent Seven/Highlander/Iron Man

Charlotte married Captain Jack Sparrow.
Charlotte mentored Maude and helped raise Ezra.
Charlotte and Chris fell in love.
Charlotte and Tony are friends.
And Charlotte and Methos are each others True Love.

Did I miss anything?

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I would say 'true love'. I think Methos would be quite happy if she were in his life or not. They definitely seem to have a love that survives despite separation and circumstance. They've both loved and lost in the century and a half they've been apart. And honestly, I don't know how long their relationship modern day will last. Hopefully they'll at least give it a go for a few years :)

[catyuy.livejournal.com]

So they aren't like Gina and Robert, together all the time for all time.

But more like Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle.
They love each other but eventually they'll part.

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Oh, heck, I don't know. If I say they're like Gina and Robert then the 'Mary Sue' label will get slapped on faster than an eye blink. But on the other hand, most people equate any OFC with a Mary Sue, so I suppose it doesn't really matter. I'm damned if I do, damned if I don't, you know? Honestly, I haven;t seen this past 2010, so I don't know what will happen. I'd like them to be like Methos and Triona, but we'll see :)

[tpena19.livejournal.com]

I love that Vin surprised you. It works so well in character for the boys that he'd go watch Ez's back.

[tpena19.livejournal.com]

But what an awesome epic uni it is, and we fans thank you both lots!

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

In this case, he's watching Charlotte's back, which is very sweet :)

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Thanks :) I've been having doubts about continuing these stories lately, so thank you.