BLEEDTOBLUE

Is there anything you'd like to share about yourself (i.e. your location, hobbies, etc)

I live in a suburb of Detroit but I’m a native Texan. I lived in New Orleans for ten years and still sound very southern. I've lived in a lot of different places and moved around a lot because my husband was in the military. I do lots of needlework, I read voraciously and rather indiscriminately, I've given up gardening for writing. I am a teacher but only sub now. I adore hockey and soccer. I have semi-grown children (all boys) and five birds.


Why do you post as BleedtoBlue on the site, but use Noah/Vail on the message board? How/Why did you choose the names?

Noah/Vail (no avail) was a joke between my sister and I. When I posted my first story I was rather shy and didn't want to be 'out' as the writer, even to my friends on the board. BleedToBlue was a combination of my favorite colour, a fascination with vampires and blood (bleeding is a term I use for suffering or pain,) and the LKH description of a vampire's eyes changing before they feed. And I suspect MPD but that's another story.


Why do you write? Is it a creative release, relaxation, or another reason?

I started because LKH pissed me off. I loved the books, loved the characters, hated the direction she was going. Then I found out writing was FUN! Now it's a creative release, a form of relaxation, and a terrific amount of fun. I've made new friends, discovered new things about myself, and enjoyed it a great deal. I have discovered that once you start writing it’s very hard to stop, so beware!


Before we all had PC's, did you used to write your stories down in note books, and if so do you still have them?

At least you didn't ask if I inscribed them on stone or painted them in animal blood on the walls of caves. I write in longhand when I don't have access to a PC but I only started writing in January of 2005 so I've always written mostly on PC's. I never wrote any fiction before last January.


What are your optimum writing conditions?

Apparently when there are a million things crying to be done, people are talking to me and asking for things, or some other sort of pressure. I find that extreme emotional moments are conducive to writing. Give me a calm, quiet afternoon with no distractions and I can't produce a word. But when the urge or need to write strikes it doesn’t matter what else is happening.


How do you write? Do you tend to have a plan and notes beforehand, or do you just have an idea, run with it, and let the story emerge from that?

Sometimes I have a title and no clear idea and just write. I love it when words just sort of run out of my fingers and jump on the page; I don't always have a conscious thought process about it. Which explains a lot, doesn't it? Stories that have lots of notes are usually the result of writer’s block or are suffering from re-writing syndrome. It’s not a good sign.


How do you deal with writer’s block and what was the last fic you had writers block on? What was this stumbling block?

Research, The Entropy of Memory, A Thief and a Liar....and about seven others that I feel blocked in writing. I usually move on to something else but lately I've tried just going back to the fic, re-reading it, and writing something, anything. I found that helped me finish the latest thing I posted (a Gundam Wing story called Finding You) so I'm going to work that way on my other fics and see if it helps. For NaNoWriMo I'm going to work on finishing my story from last year, Songs of the Demon Kind.


Whats the one thing /or person that inspires you most to write?

As terrible as it sounds it was LKH. I was so incensed by her treatment of her characters that I felt compelled to write it the way I saw it. The people on PDS/SDS have inspired and encouraged me to try and keep going. I belong to writing groups on LJ and receive lots of inspiration and support there. But the final blame goes to LKH and the thanks goes to Amanda for creating a safe, nurturing environment for writers.


If you could have a successful career as a writer, would you give up teaching, or do you write just for fun?

I don't teach full time now, I think I will always want to be involved in teaching in some way and I don't even dream about having a career as a writer! My writing is just for fun and I have no illusions of it ever being anything more.


Do you feel that writing is something that can be taught in a class setting, or does a structured environment as that restrict creativity to the whim of the instructor?

Some classroom settings are restrictive, you can certainly learn a lot from a class but no one should allow a teacher or instructor to diminish their enjoyment of writing. I have an incredibly talented friend who will be a published author some day but her creative writing class is absolutely stifling and her instructor very controlling. Most of us write for fun and don't expect to be published but we all should be encouraged and nurtured. I write a lot of things that I won't post or show others but I enjoy it. That's what it's about.


Do you have any advice for authors just beginning to write fanfiction?

I'm relatively new to this so not really. Write, do it because you enjoy it, get a good beta and listen to her (I really do Mara, I do!) Try not to take it all too seriously and surround yourself with supportive people. But just sitting down and actually writing, not worrying too much about how it comes out is the best way to get on with it. It’s a good idea to have a solid background in the canon of the series but fanfic AU’s abound and that’s also a good way to ease into original writing.


Do you have any advice for people who suffer from the re-writing disease?

Get a beta with a firm hand and a sharp stick! I have things that will never see the light of day because of re-writing. Even Mara can only do so much. It's a form of self-criticism and insecurity, or possibly a disordered mind. Don't do it is my best advice! Resist! Mara’s advice is best, if you must do it then re-read what you’ve already written but start the re-write from scratch rather than trying to add bits and pieces.


Do you beta as well as write? Do you find that the editing practice helps keep your own writing grammatically sound?

I beta for Mara which means I get to read her stories first and feel special and do absolutely no work because it's usually perfect when she sends it to me. I occasionally beta for a couple of other people as well and they are also pretty error free. As you well know my writing is not grammatically sound no matter how hard Mara tries! I have an endorsement in Language Arts so you should be afraid that I am teaching small children grammar and spelling.


Have you ever found that a fic your have been writing takes an unexpected twist?

All the time! Characters won't cooperate, don't say what I want them to, it's enough to make me feel quite demented. I used to laugh at authors who said that their characters wouldn’t behave. Original characters are quite difficult at times. Or a story starts out as fanfic and then I realize it's not going to work and has to be redone as original.


Have you ever had a fic write itself completely and been happy with it? Enough to post it?

Yes and it's a lovely lovely feeling. Coin Operated Boy, a Gundam Wing story fairly flew out by itself. The Executive Werewolf series did, too. Or at least that's how it felt, Mara may remember it differently.


Among your own stories, what was the most difficult to write, and why?

Um...the Caleb and Gregory story, because they are so difficult and wouldn't cooperate at all! If Mara hadn't batted at them (and me) with the Sharp Stick of Doom that story would still be sitting on my hard drive. And I really really wanted to write it!


Among your own stories, what is your favorite, and why?

That's like asking me which of my children I like best! Probably London because it was a back story for Jean-Claude and included Byron and sort of wound around to meet The Course of True Love. I like circular things. But I’m quite fond of The Future’s So Bright.


Do you write in any other fandoms besides ABVH and GW? If so, which ones?

I've written a few Weiss Kreuz stories and would like to finish two I have started. I also write original fiction.


Which do you enjoy writing more, fanfiction or original stories?

Both have their charms. With fanfiction the set up is there, you don't have to worry about creating the world or put a great deal of effort into fleshing out the characters, well not as much effort. But original fiction is wide open and you can do what ever you want with no one pointing out that your characters are not in character or you've messed up some canon fact or other. One gives you structure and one doesn't, that is the benefit and the drawback. I like both a great deal.


What would you write if you had no restrictions to get in the way?

You mean like lack of talent? LOL. I wish I could write sex scenes that don't make me cringe. I wish I could get what's in my head down on paper the way I see it in my mind's eye.


If you could take any book that you have ever read and change the ending, which book would it be? And what would the new ending be?

I’m fairly certain there’s a long list but at the moment I can’t think of one! I find if I don’t like the ending I usually became discontent with the book long before the ending.


Which way would you take the ABVH series if if were yours to do so? Or if LKH asked?

Put back the mystery! Get rid of Anita's ardeur. Develop the characters as more than Anita's bed partners and give them all some back stories. Right now most of her characters exist as wimpy shadows without lives of their own aside from Anita. And for goodness' sake kill some of them off! A little consistency wouldn't be misplaced, either.


Which character in ABVH do you most relate to? Which do you least?

I relate most to Jean-Claude....go figure. He tries to do the right thing and he cares about those that belong to him. He's also manipulative and Machiavellian. I like that in a person.

Raina is probably the character I relate to least but one still has to admire her evil outlook on life. And her self-dedication to her own best interests.


Which characters do you find easiest to write and hardest to write, and for what reasons?

The characters that are easiest are the angsty ones or the funny ones (the ones I love best) like Jean-Claude who I think has a wicked sense of humour. Asher who is very angsty and suspicious but loves (or hates) with his whole heart. And Jason who is funny, and loyal, and much much smarter than he wants people to know. I found Caleb and Gregory harder to write because they are not truly very sympathetic. Anita....I just don't relate to Anita and I've never tried to write Edward though I like his character very much.


How do you pick pairings most people wouldn't have thought of in a million years and not only make them work, but make them favourites of the entire site? What's your secret?

I'm not sure I've picked pairings no one else thought of (who did you mean?) I guess they seemed logical to my twisted mind. And that's a very kind compliment. If I tell then it's not a secret but I'm pretty sure there isn't one and maybe that is the secret. But I do think a writer’s enthusiasm or love for a pairing or the characters shows in the writing. I really like the characters I write or I think they have a story to tell, or I’m enthusiastic about the pairing.


Posted: September 10, 2006