Musical influence: “Rise” Parabelle (Your Starry Eyes Will Never Make Us Even, 2012)

“Whatever makes you rise up in tragedy, take this useless heart and watch me survive. Right in front of you and it breaks my heart to watch you survive without it.”

When I decided to write an alternate universe urban fantasy, I knew it would be a lot of work. I knew I'd have to take notes and be organized and keep a log list of characters and make up family trees. I'd have to map out the realms and characterize the beings. Descriptions would need forming. Worlds built up. What I didn't realize was I'd write the entire first story in third person and realize I wanted it in first person. Or that, I'd realize I wanted to write two series coinciding, both mother and daughter's stories happening simultaneously in different realms.

Or the daughter is already “older” in her first book than her own mother by the time the mother's third book is written.

Why as a writer must I make things more complicated for myself?

I'm a fan of series stories. I like growing with the characters. I like the relationships and the plot ARCs and growth. I like seeing the characters as the writer sees them after the first story is done and the next one is growing. I think this is a big reason I love fan fiction. Not only do I love reading the stories the author comes up with their canon characters. I love to read what the readers come up with for these characters too. Our experiences and differences in life give each of us an unique view on life and on the characters we read in stories. For me, a well written fan fiction about a series I love is like reading an extension of the actual story. It gives me something to think about while I wait for the author to give me the real story and the direction author wants the pieces and characters to move. This inspires me to think in different directions as a writer myself. I don't want to read the same thing over and over again (unless it's Ranger and Steph getting it on because they deserve some after 19 books).

I like difference in characters. Differences in worlds. Realms to inhabit. I like short stories of the secondary characters and their lives outside of the main characters life. All the different influences on the characters in the author's world and the new influences and nuances fan fiction authors can think to add.

Do you like series stories? Those stories where the author writes the whole family falling in love? Or where the author writes about a team of people individually giving them all HFN/HEA? What's your biggest grip about series stories? And would you consider reading a series story like what I'm going to attempt- where the stories overlap one another in a A/U setting?

PS. P.Kirby, you're killing me slowly! I've tried to find you on ff.net and have failed. Please PM me. My username is cltaylor. I would LOVE to read your writing.