Tell us a little bit about yourself:

I'm a middle-aged, Hispanic chocoholic with fond memories of Oklahoma. My kids are my major source of entertainment and my husband serves as my beta reader. We both have degrees, hence, Paradox.


How long have you been writing?

I posted my first fanfic this April, 2002. I had not done any creative writing for at least two decades before that although I enjoyed it way back in high school. I have always developed stories for characters I like on series in my head, however. This is a life long habit.

I discovered fanfiction in January and noticed some wonderful authors. I began to develop favorites and kept looking for their work. Then I discovered LD and the wonderful RRs. I got tired of waiting for other authors to feed my reading addiction and figured I should stop whining and join the crowd since other authors also appeared to be wanting more to read. The regulars at LD seemed tobe intelligent, had a great sense of humor, and were not snobbish or out to flame other people's work. I loved the atmosphere here and Judy's design of the website sufficiently for it to draw me out of lurking. Josephine's emoticons and reading Mara's comments and knack for giving good advice also were part of the appeal. I am rather shy, so I had to really be drawn by the personalities here. Folks made me feel welcomed and offered criticism in nice ways. Now Judy can't get rid of me. Sigh.


Why do you write fan fiction?

I have found writing to be relaxing and very self-satisfying. Fanfic is my hobby, not my craft. I write my stories to please myself, so I don't need them to be perfect for mass consumption. I just need to be able to get a kick out of reading my own stuff. While I also enjoy reading stories with angst and lack of resolution, I tend to write the fluffy, sappy stuff and I'm really big on closure. I think I provide the, um, hack romance writing for LD. Everybody has their niche, mine seems to be revisiting old cliches with these characters in romantic comedies. But we all need stories that make us smile. I have some serious stories, but I can only go so long without expressing sometimes goofy ideas.


Which character is easiest to write for and which hardest?

I think I identify with Malcolm Reed the most. I tend to write things more in his point of view. Bunny slippers are also very easy to write as "characters." Trip Tucker ain't too hard, either. Hoshi and Malcolm wouldn't get together without his help half the time. The most difficult is Jon Archer. I have problems trying to find the correct level of authority mixed with the congeniality he presents.


If you write ship-fic, tell us why you like that particular ship?

The only man for Ensign Hoshi Sato is our good Lieutenant Malcolm Reed. I find that relationship the most interesting. I love the way Dominic Keating and Linda Park have brought those roles to life. Reed would be a challenge for Sato in a way none of the other men aboard would be. She strikes me as a woman who likes challenges. I see Reed as an anchor for Sato, but not with a smothering, overprotective attitude. It's obvious that meeting Hoshi is the best thing that has ever happened to the man. How could he NOT love the woman?


What writing weakness do you think you have? How do you go about correcting this?

I overuse cliches, do not watch my grammar adequately, tend to be too verbose in some descriptions then horribly telegraphic in others, use phrases repetitively and lack originality. I read the good writers and learn by mimicking their techniques, but I don't worry too much about overall improvement. I wish I had the ability to create aliens the way Just Visiting did in Discoveries, or the action sequences Shi Shi did in Protector's Lament, or the angst that Catseye brought to Measure of a Man or the mix of plot and humor Taryn Eve puts into her stories. There are more authors out there and I appreciate different things from each one, but I'll stop with those for now. Perhaps my writing quality has actually waned? Again, I am doing this from intrinsic motivation. I think people tend to credit me with more effort than I actually put into the stories.


What writing strength do you think you have? How did it come about?

Writer's diarrhea? I can do stories quickly at times. I believe it is the result of just having an open outlook on life and an active imagination. My beta reader tells me to write what I know and that works out best. Sometimes I think I can do dialogue between characters well or put a little unexpected twist on things, but then I read over the story and realize the course of things were quite predictable. But perhaps that helps the reader. Cliches are familiar and can help the story along.


Pet peeves when it comes to writing/reading?

Pet peeve for reading are people who post without paragraph breaks! I just leave the story. Unfinished stories can be a big pain when you're left waiting for months for someone to get back and finish it. Some are just never finished rather than deliberately left with an ambiguous ending and I'm left frustrated. I try to post my own stories as complete and finish series as soon as possible.

Pet peeve for writing? The stupid computer mouse that refuses to move the cursor where I want it. So I prefer glide pad!


Which do you think is your best/fav work in terms of Hoshi fic?

I loved creating Cricket in Signs of Things to Come. I also just fell in love with the 12-year old Malcolm Reed that showed up. For a missing scene from series type fic, I liked what I did with Dark Clouds. But, there's something I like in all my stories or they wouldn't exist. My best? I'd have to ask others on that one. I think all my stories at least achieve a minimum level of readability, but there may not be much range beyond that.


How do you take your feedback?

I just like to know someone read and enjoyed. Feedback is of course reinforcing, but some of my personal favorites have gotten fewer responses than some that are not as high on my list. So I just chug along keeping myself happy. I do listen to comments concerning follow-up stories and will write sequels when prodded because the folks here are good at instigating ideas. Any other comments are fine and will be digested for future improvement, but it's not as if I consider myself a writer. I'm having too much fun to take things too seriously.


Pick a fav Hoshi fic and tell us why it worked for you. Was it something particular the author did? Was it the subject matter?

I will select Shuttlepod One-Optimistic Tendencies by PJinNH & Jamelia.



I loved the short piece because it was a coda to Shuttlepod One where Hoshi visits Malcolm in sickbay. I enjoyed the way elements of the episode were twisted into the story. The emotions were subtle, the interaction was very sweet, and the promise for the future was inviting. Especially after Malcolm's dream sequence in the episode, I needed this particular scene in my mind. Why did Trip have to wake him up before the figure of T'Pol morphed into Hoshi!!! I think that little story-and encouragement from my husband-convinced me to write fanfic.


Other advice for fellow writers?

Remember to please yourself first. If you don't get joy from writing, why bother? If you enjoy it, then it's worth doing. Have fun sharing daydreams, that's all I'm doing.