Dear Readers,
Welcome to the Lois & Clark: The New Adventure of Superman Writer’s Showcase. With a lot of new auhor’s entering the fandom over the last few years we thought it was time to bring out some fresh me … er, interviews.
This week’s interview was choose to be the frist (of many) in honor of her recent Birthday. :o) So I hope it was a good one, Sara!!
Now, in keeping with Annie’s famous words, without further ado I am proud and honored to present this week’s Writer in the Writer’s Showcase …
Labrat, Elena, and Annette
Featured Writer of the Week
Sara Kraft
Personal Information:
Author name:
Sara Kraft
E-mail address(es):
Location:
Tucson, Arizona, USA
Favourite FoLCdom sites you hang out on/recommend:
www.lcficmbs.com and www.lcfanfic.com
Lois and Clark/Superman History:
How long have you been watching/how did you become interested in L&C?
Oh, now this is a hard one, as it’s been well over a decade. I do have a clear memory of watching the pilot with my family–that image of Clark stepping off the bus with that old suitcase is burned in my memory. I don’t think I started watching religiously until season two at least. By that point, I’d started locking myself in my room every Sunday night from 7pm-8pm. My family and friends learned real quick that Sara just was *not* available during that time.
What was the episode (either entire or in part) that made you love the show?
I can’t remember, exactly. Is that sad? I do, however, remember being so excited about the season two finale after it aired that I was bubbling to my best friend in gym class and had to demonstrate The Hand Thing (where Clark cups her cheek)… and then I realized what I was doing, cupping my friend’s cheek in class. Oops. <g>
How long have you been a fan of/enjoyed other versions of the Superman myth? (If applicable)
I have great memories of watching the old George Reeves episodes with my dad when they were re-running on Nick at Nite. He’d tell me what everyone had thought of the show and special effects and such back when he’d watched the show as a boy. I also remember being quite a fan of the Superman movies.
Who interests you more – Clark or Lois?
Oh, definitely Clark. As simple as he appears, there’s so much to him. Probably one of the greatest appeals of fanfic for me is that I get to see that much more of Clark–what makes him angry, happy, hurt.
Which is your favourite supporting character?
Ooh! Does altClark count as a supporting character?! If he does, he’s by far my favorite! If he doesn’t count (which he should because, really, hasn’t he been through enough??), then I’d have to go with Martha. She’s so clever, witty, and caring all at once.
Which is your favourite villain?
It’s a tie between Tempus and Lex, though I think I’m leaning more toward Lex.
Writing History:
How long have you been writing? Have you written for other fandoms? Other non-TV/SF genres? Or is LNC your first venture into writing?
Writing for leisure, as opposed to school-assigned stories and such, I’ve been writing since I was about fifteen or sixteen (I’m almost 27 now). Those first stories were indeed L&C stories. And, yes, those and others are still available on the archive (and I try not to be embarrassed about the older ones).
Which genres of fanfic have you written?
I started out with the WaFFy stuff. A bit of comedy with the “Crazy FoLC Entries.” Dipped my toes into the angst pool… and decided to cannonball in. Did I mention alt-world, too?
What’s your most recent story?
Most recently finished would be Away From the Sun, the semi-sequel to Wherever You Will Go.
What’s your personal favourite of the stories you have written? And why?
Oh, without a doubt, it’s Away From the Sun (AFTS). For lots of reasons, really. This is the first story I’ve felt incredibly proud of; I’ve grown a lot as a writer over the last few years, and I think AFTS is where I finally started demonstrating that growth. It’s the longest thing I’ve ever written, coming in just short of the “epic” category. The biggest reason, though, is a personal one. It was an emotional journey for me as well as for altClark. Writing this story was a huge outlet for the difficult times I’ve been through, and I think it’ll always be my baby.
What was the inspiration for your first foray into writing LNC? What if? An episode moment you wanted to explore further or ‘fix’? Other? What is it about writing fanfic that you enjoy?
The very first? Well, that’s hard to say. Looking at my first ever author’s note, it seems to be because I “had an idea floating around in my head” and loved reading other FoLC’s stories. The origins of the two subsequent stories are easier to pinpoint: The first false wedding of L&C’s inspired a “proper” wedding tale. And getting horribly cliffhanged at the end of season three caused an NK continuation.
What do I enjoy about writing fanfic? For one, I don’t have to think up original characters. 😉 But, really, I love that I can explore the characters more through writing stories about them. Also, I have to say I love writing fanfic because it’s been my best writing teacher ever.
Give us a peek into your current Works In Progress?
Ah! Does this mean you’ll nag my muse to finally finish them? The one at the top of my WIP list is tentatively titled Super Shook Up. It’s actually an idea of Paul’s (HatMan) that he kindly let my muse play around with. What if Lois finds an amnesiac Superman in the crater after the Nightfall asteroid? And what if Superman doesn’t quite realize that he’s supposed to be two different people? Will Lois notice there’s something familiar about her hero? Surprisingly, there isn’t much angst. 😉
The rest of the WIPs are mostly half-baked ideas in the form of notes. I do have the (long-awaited? Are people still waiting for it?) sequel to Wherever You Will Go semi-started–the one in which we pick up where we left off in “our” universe. Look forward to much Clark-angst here. 😉
Personal picks of other fanfics you have read?
Oh, hard question! How to narrow it down? My absolute favorite ever story is CC Aiken’s In a Better Place. Also in my top ten (and that’s stretching the meaning of “ten”): Kaylle’s In Dreams, anything by CC, Caroline’s If I Were You, Wendy Richard’s You Don’t Know Me, Kaethel’s Near Wild Heaven, Kathy and Demi’s When Friends Become Lovers, Yvonne Connell’s Addicted and Damaged, Paul’s Steel Shadows (only released on the DVD thus far)… I could go on.
What is it about L&C universe/characters that you enjoy exploring the most?
Hrm… I guess I’d have to say that I’m fascinated by L&C’s love story (aren’t we all? <g>). The way Clark loves Lois is just so simple, yet fierce, and that makes for endless exploration. What drives him? What would he do for her? What lines would he cross when Lois’s life is on the line? I also love that Lois is the one to create Superman–he tries to mold himself to her expectations of who she thinks her hero should be. She’s there to comfort him and encourage him, even when she doesn’t realize she’s doing it. She’s the real strength behind Superman.
What is your best way to cope with/overcome writer’s block?
Oh, the absolute best way is to be busy. Way behind with your to do list? Buried neck-deep in homework? Working extra hours at work? This is when the muse is the most active. Never fails. Also, I find that writer’s block disappears during particularly long drives home when I’m least able to find a pen and paper to write something down.
And when I’m blocked and *do* have time, brainstorming with friends/beta readers works wonders. Stuck on a specific scene? Try writing it from another character’s POV–maybe it’ll work better that way or even just give you ideas on how the scene should go. Last year, I found that word count competitions are great motivators, too. While others were participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), the rest of us challenged each other to NaFinWipMo (National Finish WIP Month).
What is your opinion about the following LNC fanfic genres (Like/Dislike/Don’t Care Either Way <g>):
Aplot/B-plot?
I enjoy a good A-plot. I’m crap at writing/coming up with them, though. I think a good A-plot helps drive the story along and, together with a B-plot, helps round out the story. I’ll always enjoy the straight B-plot stuff, too.
Next Generation?
My first reaction is always a big fat NO. But, really, there are some terrific NextGen stories out there. Susan Stone’s Aliens and Strangers is by far the best I’ve read (and it ought to be up there in my favorites list…). Also, I’m a HUGE sucker for seeing Clark as a father.
Deathfic?
There has to be a good reason for the death. I don’t mind it. There are times when I’m not in the mood for it, but I’m not generally opposed to it. Besides, it always means huge angst potential. 😉
Drama?
Gimmie, gimmie, gimme! With a huge side order of angst! These are probably the best stories. In my definition, they’re the ones that have just the right balance of A-plot and B-plot.
Humor?
I like a good comedy. I have to be in the mood for it, though.
Tearjerker/Angst?
I’ll give you one guess what I think of this category. I’ve got stock in Kleenex. 😉
Round Robin/Co-Authored?
The round robins tend to get a bit silly at times, though I will say it was wild fun when I actually found myself suddenly one of the authors one time in IRC. Like humor stories, I have to be in the mood to read them. As for co-authored stories, I haven’t really come across one that I haven’t liked, so it depends on its genre.
Nfic?
I tend to like the full stories that aren’t focused entirely on sex/love making, but the romps are fun too.
Has *everything* been done in your opinion, and if not, what is left?
With the thousands of stories out there, you’d think so. There’s always something new out there. What’s left? Heck if I know. I mean, before Yvonne wrote Addicted, who could have said, “Hey, I think everything’s been done except the Clark Kent as a junkie story.”? FoLCs are immensely creative; we’re not even close to exhausting our fic options.
What do you think makes the best story?
Angst!
Seriously, though, characterization is a huge factor for me. I’ve got to be able to see and hear what the characters are doing and saying in my head. The characters have been running around in my head for well over a decade now, so reading something out of character tends to ruin the story for me.
Where is the best place for a reader to locate your work?
The fanfic archive. Some stuff can be found on the Fanfic MBs, but everything ends up at www.lcfanfic.com. Oh, and the grand total of two nfic stories I’ve written can be found at Annesplace (http://www.annesplace.net).
Open Forum For General Comments:
I’m in love with this fandom.<g> It’s been a huge part of my life for quite some time, not to mention I’ve met some of my dearest friends through FoLCdom. I love seeing new FoLCs joining up even though the show’s been off the air for ten years.
I’d also like to add my gratitude to all the wonderful FoLCs who help the keep the fandom alive and kicking, especially (but not limited to!): Annette Ciotola, Lauren Willoughby, LabRat, the GE team, the Kerth Committee, and the Alt-Kerth Committee.