Ana Library Elf

Author's Stories

Title/Keeper of: Flesh & Spirit in alliance!
Age: 50+
Gender: Fem
Relationship Status: Married (still) & various
Home: Los Angeles, Ca
Occupation: Librarian and Belly Dancer (yes, both!)
Hobbies: Dancing, reading, writing, costuming, art
Dislikes: waste of people, potential, or life.
Seen LOTR/TTT/ROTK in cinema how often?: Cinema 2x's ea, Home DVDs +++

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Favorite Story in Archive: So Many! Wow, hard to pick, maybe fav authors, such as Kharessa Bloodrose, "Making It Right" or Larien Elengasse, Elfscribe, or Orchyd Constyne

Favorite Character (real / fictional): Real/ All the unsung workers for animal rescue and KPFK & other NPR! Fic/ LOTR: Legolas, Other: Inanna (early epic & goddess) & Prospero

Most Hated Character: (real?) Any narrow minded person.... fic: Entropy! (hah, is it real?)

Favorite Movie: Can't pick just one!(After LOTR) La Belle et La Bette, Things to Come, The Keep, Star Wars, Galaxy Quest

Favorite Book: (after LOTR…have to do a few) Star Dancer by Spider Robinson, Mindswap by Sheckley, Babel 17 by Delany, Lord of Light by Zelazny, any by Philip K. Dick or Theodore Sturgeon

How did you come to fan-fiction writing? Wow, this is ancient history. I was involved in "Spock Underground" back in the 60's. We would circulate (via snail mail!) hard-copy K/S stories (& other Vulcan fantasies…) to each other for private reading and critiques because at that time none of the Trek fanzines would touch sexual stories. Later, some of my work and art appeared in a long gone US fanzine called "Spockanalia" Some of the other very talented lady writers in the "Underground" group are now professional SF authors. (no names mentioned 'cause I don’t know if they even want anyone to remember back that far) Hah, I started Belly Dancing in the 70's and mostly dropped out of fandom for about 30 years! Guess what, if you can dance it, you don't need to write it! I still dance, but have decided I want to celebrate more mental pleasures as well. Only recently (2004) discovered that fan fiction has a whole new universe online! Welcome to Wonderland.

How do you come up with ideas for stories? Day dreams when a visual image asks for a story to go with it. Then the characters take over and tell the tale.

What do you do to overcome writer's block? Leave the thing alone for a day, a week, listen to good music… just do something else & come back later!

Have you written in any other fandom? If yes, where can your stories be found? Only ancient Star Trek fanzines.

Do you use music as a soundtrack for your writing? If yes, what kind? Not really, mostly "Classical" … or "Hearts of Space" www.hos.com just enough background to cut out the brain chatter.

Is there a certain time of day you usually sit down to write? Late at night to initially write. Daylight to revise, revise, revise…

Have you or would you write stories "on request" for readers? Wish I had time-- not at this point.

Which of your own stories do you like best? Uh, probably the one I haven't written yet. But online, just "Sanctuary."

Do you have muses who help you with your stories? If yes, who are they? The characters have a mind of their own-- which we share.

What do you think is your trademark in stories and why? Understated action, overstated sensual description. The contrast in pacing is a dynamic that I also use in dancing. Slowing down or speeding up changes the focus of the reader or the audience…

What part of your writing do you think still needs improvement? Oh, everything! Want to improve all over, but mainly run-on sentences.

Is there something you would never write? Animal torture.

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What do you think, why the mostly female writers in slash make up stories about male/male relationships?

(This turned into a short essay and may be too long a response? Let me know if it should be done in a different way? Thanks again for the opportunity to share ideas!)

Theories on the “Gift of Slash!”

Authors Note: This is just a combination of personal thoughts and reading over many years… I have no degree in psychology, but much experience with numerous personality types! So the following is just a lot of IMHO (in-my-humble-opinion)…. Possibly to help engender more thoughts on the subject?

Has much of this already been expressed? Love to hear other comments… references?

To grossly over-simplify, writing about sex between equals is very powerful. M/M (or F/F) creates free choice… (and sex without offspring!)…. It is a major reaching for balance of the male/female essence or yin/yang blend. It almost goes without saying that the sensitive male is usually exploring his female side, and the strong female is pulling on her yang energy. In either non-traditional coupling partners are pushing the usual concepts and going beyond themselves to create a different unity. Some of the best Slash writing explores the stretch this requires physically, emotionally and morally. This is an enticing creative pull for any writer.

As opposed to the sanctioned role of male dominator and female submissive; Slash offers the choice of pleasure over pressure… e.g. removing the pressure to reproduce, take on traditional roles etc. Casting males in either dominant or submissive roles is very cathartic to women who usually assume the submissive role. This does not mean in strictly sexual encounters… this includes all the little “submissions” done everyday to get through a male dominated society. This definition also takes in gay males coping with conservative non-acceptance. The typical Slash storyline develops exchanging roles of penetrator or being penetrated and is a very powerful image of free choice. Slash writing is a way to affirm self worth and a feeling of power in a very conflicted world.

And the other “Biggie” is control… A writer is like God, makes up the rules and makes order in the universe. Creating your own reality is heady wine. Power is very exciting. Remember what old Doc. Kissinger stated "The strongest aphrodisiac is power." We certainly enjoy seeing the big strong guy express vulnerability and the gentle one show strength (again, both are seeking balance) Exercising control over the controllers is great fun! Speaking of fun -- children know about fantasy games as a way to deal with emotions or fearful situations. Like dreams, a fantasy can reorganize experience into a more digestible meal. Fantasies and fairytales were always an avenue to experience terror or danger from a safe perspective. They also taught a few lessons in truth and consequences in the process. Hmm, yes, boys and girls… can we spell “cathartic release?”

I find I like to read M/M slash for all the same reasons I read other quality stories: good plot, character development and exploration of the human spirit. The fact that many of Slash’s creators and readers are female, does not lesson the duality of the vision. I like to think it’s helping the balance of overall imaginative fiction, maybe even the balance of the human conscience!

Not to get too heavy… a last thought from Franco Dragone, director of Cirque Du Soleil regarding the creative process in his wonderful stage productions :

“The story seems to be seeking a path towards us, as much as we seek a path towards it….”

And that is finally the gift of Slash…the gift of meeting each other half way, no matter which direction we start from!