Interview Questions

[dasmims]

sanguinity was kind enough to come up with some Interview questions - thank you so much!
I'll try to do the same for 5 people who ask for it

1) What are some excellent names for cats?

Phoenix - cause my favourite cat is called Phoenix, he is almost blind but brings home whole ducks and big rodents - and any noble title like Prince, Duchess, etc.

2) What Age of Sail vibes would you enjoy seeing in Sci Fi?

I'm assuming that might be about a recent tumblr post, maybe?

Here comes the short version (I'd be happy to elaborate if anyone is interested).

In Age of Sail media we have the hierarchy, the Articles, possible malnutrition, the danger of open sea (or open space) etc. in connection with the rule bending, the creative solutions, adventures, love affairs, gambling, friendships, etc. Those things to do exist in Sci Fi, but not in the same way. In Age of Sail the first, "bad" category leads to a certain formality, seriousness and angst that influence the characters and plot. But where those things, as a larger concept, in Sci Fi often become a problem to solve, in Age of Sail they are accepted parts of the setting. An annoying one or even harmful but most of the time no one really stands a chance the change it.

Instead of trying to win the war as a whole, I want individual problems or battles for individual characters, the war is just the back drop for it. Instead of overthrowing a corrupt system and unjust rulers, I want characters who have to live with that as part of their reality and handle it. I want the stiff formality, the weirdly emotional scenes of standing watch together and calling each other "Sir", pretending they are not besties. I want the devoted, questionable loyalty to a captain and a ship, to king and country on all sides. No one has the moral high ground here, you sail for England, or France, or to make money. But in Space.

The Sci Fi media that I know of that comes closest to this, it Warhammer 40k. And Warhammer 40k doesn't really have the other side, the nice, fun parts and I miss it deeply.

3) What is a favorite fic trope and why?

Enemies to lovers. I really like how the characters start out, thinking they know each other, but then they are forced to take a second look at the other person and adjust their view. It takes a lot of work to learn about each other and themselves like this. But they do so and turn out happier at the end.
I end up in a lot of fandoms where that is not a given or easily achieved in fics, which is a little sad. But there are a lot of creative people out there, who make it work.

Arranged Marriages and Fake Dating share a close second place for similar reasons.

4) Please share with us three favorite women in suits! (fictional or real life)

Maude Adams


Samantha Carter (SG1)


Angelina Jolie


5) Fuck/marry/kill: Horatio, Archie, William

This is the hardest fuck/marry/kill ever, I made a chart to figure this out:
Fuck William, marry Horatio, kill Archie.

Comments

[regshoe]

Although I don't read much sci-fi, I like your thoughts on the appeal of Age of Sail fiction, and it would certainly be interesting to see those things on a spaceship...!

[sanguinity]

Heh, yes, I was blatantly hoping for more detail about your tumblr thoughts, thank you for sharing! You make me wonder how much (if any) of that the Honor Harrington books do -- it's been an age and a day since I first read them, and I remember very little.

Those are excellent examples of women in suits, thank you!

And I may be a terrible person, but I really want to see the Fuck/Marry/Kill chart now. :-D

[dasmims]

I never read the Honor Harrington books (guess, I have to add them to my reading list so I can test my theory).

Oh, they are all beautiful, aren't they?

You are a little terrible for motivating me to post the chart ...

[sanguinity]

Honor Harrington was inspired by Horatio Hornblower, which was why I was wondering to myself if they kept/adapted the elements you wanted. (No reason that to expect that they did, though -- Star Trek was partially inspired by Horatio Hornblower, too.)

Terrible, me?? I am a perfectly lovely person without a single terrible element in body or mind. :-P

[dasmims]

Oh, they weren't subtle with the initials. I always found Hornblower being inspiration for Star Trek interesting, cause while I can believe that the original series has taken elements from it (including the close relationship between the captain and the first officer, but I'm getting of topic) everything beyond TOS surely did its own thing.

Yeah, right you are completly harmless and innocent and all the fantastic horrible things you put characters through happen by accident.