Dear Readers,

Welcome to the Lois & Clark The New Adventure of Superman Writer's Showcase. At the bottom of this web site you will findlinks to past featured writers. Just click on the any writer's name you might have missed or want to read again and you will be taken to their interview.

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 ...

Annette, Labrat, Kaethel, Avia

Personal Information

Author name
Raconteur

E-mail addresses
Raconteur27@yahoo.com

Residence
Boston, MA

List, AOL, or web affiliations
Zoomway's Message Board

Lois and Clark or Superman Status

How long have you been watching L&C?
Since season two

How long have you been a fan of Superman?
Since I was nine.

How long have you been writing?
I started writing for enjoyment about four years ago.

How long have you been writing L&C fanfic?
I started in 1998 with a story set in the alternate universe.

What types of Fanfic have you written?
So far, an alternate universe story, an Elseworld story, 'Lifeflight,' and a fluffy little vignette, 'What You're Asking of Me.'

Most recent story posted? Where?
'What You're Asking of Me,' a vignette posted on Zoom's boards. I'm reworking it slightly at the moment with the help of Erin Klingler and will archive it soon.

Favorite story you have written? Why?
Well, I invested the most, by far, into 'Lifeflight'. So of what I've written as of right now, that would be it. It is not however, my favorite story idea. I'm working on several others right now that I think I will like even more.

Current project/projects?
I have too many current projects. One of them is a dark fic that I've been working on for years now. The other one I'm working on at the moment, 'A Question of Trust' is set in between seasons one and two and explores a scenario in which Lois and Clark weren't able to transition smoothly back into friendship after the Luthor debacle.

I've got two more ideas, one that takes off from 'Green, Green Glow of Home' and explores a hotly contested issue that was debated a while back on Zoom's boards, the other is a New Krypton story, which I imagine will become long, involved, complex and have a significant A plot.

Personal picks of other Fanfics you have read?
Too many to choose from, but I should try anyway, shouldn't I? Most anything by Labrat Irene Dutchak, Phil Atcliffe, Zoomway, Sheila Harper and Wendy Richards; Nan Smith's 'A Night at the Office' series; Tank's 'A Future' series; Margaret Brignell's 'Only You' series; Yvonne Connell's 'Fear of Discovery' series; Mobile Richard's stories; Pam Jernigan's 'Tryst'; Shayne Terry's 'Fusion,' and Erin Klingler's stories. Of course, there are many others, and I loathe not being able to name them all, but if I tried, this list would soon be longer than 'Lifeflight' was.

General Interview Questions

What attracted you to writing Fanfic and what about it do you enjoy?
I hated the idea of Lois and Clark ending, period. I was thrilled to find this fandom and the wonderful works that have been born out of it.

What about the L&C and the characters do you like the most?
Their wedding vows in "Swear to God..." sum it up pretty well. I love the show because despite its hokey villains (Lex Luthor excluded of course, Luthor was never hokey) and sometimes goofy plot lines, the show managed to get me to suspend my disbelief and it quashed any cynical thoughts that I might have had. In the world of LnC, we had a being of supreme power who protected the weak instead of exploiting them, and a woman, who by all accounts, should have turned her back on the world, instead she strove to make it better. Their universe is one in which love lasts forever, power doesn't have to corrupt, and one person, no matter who they are, can change the world.

How do you interpret them in your work?
I hope to stay true to their natures. Given the nature of the show, and the talent of the writers and actors, we were presented with very well formed characters. Zoomway once said that the show presented us with characters that maintained a charming 'adult innocence' and I strongly agree with that statement. While there are impulsive vs. compulsive, cynical vs. naively optimistic, and domineering vs. mild mannered dichotomies that can be drawn between the two characters, they have a lot in common as well. They were both alone and very much alienated before they met each other. Also, for people who make their livings with words, they often end up in heaps of trouble due to miscommunication. They're both insecure and vulnerable (no matter how much Lois tries to deny it), but fiercely loyal and dedicated to what they believe. And they are both the kind of people who cannot sit idly by in the face of injustice. Thankfully, they're also both characters that tend to write themselves. I credit that to all the people who did such a fantastic job turning them into real, three-dimensional people. But my favorite character to write is definitely Lex Luthor. After the comic revamp, Luthor became what I consider the ultimate villain. He's evil incarnate, Richard III for our times, and John Shea's portrayal of him was phenomenal. The only thing more fun than writing Lex is writing Lex losing to LnC.

How did you begin writing in general?
I began writing as a break from my schoolwork, and it continues to function in this role. I enjoy writing very much and am exploring types of fiction other than fanfic. Though I'm not sure anything will come of these endeavors, but they're fun nonetheless.

How do you feel about being nominated for a Kerth Award?
Hmm... ask me in the event that I one day am nominated.

What are you working on now and where do you see it going?
Well, there is the untitled darkfic-- and the story is angsty and serious, but I don't consider it to be a string of mindless, manipulative WHAMs. I want the characters to grow from their experiences, not just suffer pointlessly. The other story, 'A Question of Trust,' won't be anywhere close to Lifeflight in length. It's got a mix of A and B plots and I hope drama, action, suspense, WHAMs, WAFFs, (I'm praying for a touch of humor, but that might be asking too much of the Muse) and the growth of the characters and their relationships. So I guess this story will be something of a mixed bag.

What is your opinion about the following types of L&C fanfic's?
Action?
Action, in my opinion, cannot stand alone. I hate pointless action flicks, but action integrated into a plot with some suspense and drama, now that makes for a good story.

Drama?
I'm a fan. Drama is much easier to write than say, comedy. Good drama is what naturally flows from well-developed characters that we care about and to whom we can relate. LnC obviously makes this quite simple. With characters like these, there is no limit to the amazing dramas that can be spun by all the talented FOLCs out there.

Humor?
Wish I could write it, am amazed by those who can. The ability to make people laugh, really laugh, is golden.

Round Robin?
Never written in Round Robin, but I'm generally impressed with the results.

Nfic?
Not my cup of tea.

Has *everything* been done in your opinion, and if not, what is left?
Absolutely not. Around the beginning of the 20th century, some high level official wanted to close the US Patent Office, claiming that everything that could ever be invented already had been. The only limiting factor is the imagination. Considering the great number of talented FOLCs out there, and the amazing potential of the subject matter, all the room for speculation and 'what ifs,' I think that we'll all happily be reading fanfic for some time to come.

What do you think makes the best story?
The best stories are the ones that bring the characters to life for the reader. In my opinion, the best stories are also the ones in which the characters are allowed to grow and develop. Happy endings are nice, but not always necessary, I think. Sometimes we feel the need to explore less than happy scenarios, and there is nothing wrong with that. That being said, as much as I love writing bad guys, I never like seeing them win.

Would you like to add a link or URL to your favorite fanfic for the readers to sample your writing?
Here's a link to the first of three parts of Lifeflight at the Fanfic Archive http//www.lcfanfic.com/stories/2001/lifefli1.txt

Where is the best place for a reader to locate your work?
The Fanfic Archive.

Open Forum For Author Comments
Well, I'll use this space to thank all the wonderful authors, editors, webmasters, list parents, and readers who write great stories, facilitate discussions, edit, beta read, comment, and in general, keep LnC alive.