Chatting with Kassandar, part 2.

Continue from part 1.

<Host1> New Q: "Why did you start watching GUEST6?"

<kassandra> Oh, well.

<guest14> Whee!!! Q re: AIWFC, are you ever going t revise those stories to make them matchup?

<kassandra> It was funny, actually, I came down to make sure the kids weren't watching anything inappropriate.

<kassandra> And I went, wow.

<kassandra> Well, the only one that doesn't is the original. <G>

*** host3 changes topic to ': We like to watch '

<kassandra> I might. I dunno.

<kassandra> So, I got hooked, because Mulder and Scully were appealing THEN.

<kassandra> Now, I admit, when I stumbled into fanfic, I was shocked at the MSR. I was like, are they watching the same show I am? <g>

<guest14> am I the only person on earth who liked 5th season Scully and was amuse by the interplay on Chinga?

<kassandra> And then I decided there really was some sort of weird thing going on where different shows are piped in under the same name.

<kassandra> Well, I thought Chinga was amusing, but I'm tired of Dolt!Mulder.

<kassandra> Or Thug!Mulder

<kassandra> Or SuddenlyBrainDead!Mulder

<kassandra> The man in the pilot who appealed to me was smart, skeptical, but thought outside of the box.

<guest14> you mean, the one who says anythingg of any importance in his apparttment?

<kassandra> The woman in the pilot who appealed to me was smart, strong, tender and tough enough to kick ass when her partner's in trouble

<kassandra> Well, I mean the one who doesn't know his own specialty, who lets people drill holes in his head, for heaven's sake.

<kassandra> And Scully, the MD, lets him run around instead of kicking his ass into a hospital!

* kassandra shakes head sadly

<guest14> yeah, that was kinda dumb. but he wasn't all stupid, and she wasn't all or even mostly mean.

<kassandra> I have strong opinions about the characterization lately.

<kassandra> Oh, no, she wasn't mean there. But Jeez.

<kassandra> But I don't wanna argue that. We all perceive the show and characters differently from our own experience and perspective.

<kassandra> Doesn't mean anyone is right or wrong.

<kassandra> That's what makes me crazy in genfic.

<Host1> New Q: "Have you had any formal writing education?"

* kassandra ponders

<kassandra> Well, I've taken a few ordinary comp classes in college. I grew up as the child of a writer.

*** host3 changes topic to ' The Training of K '

* Guest8 giggles

* kassandra huddles close to Guest19 and Guest5

<kassandra> Other than that, no, no formal training.

<guest14> have you always felt a need to write, or did this just happen with GUEST6?

<kassandra> My father used to say that to learn to write, you had to write.

* guest19 snuggles, ponders the uses of almond oil

<kassandra> He had a lot of formal training.

<kassandra> No, I was writing when I was nine. I wrote my father a werewolf story for his birthday, I think that was my first bit.

<host2> so he must have been a big influence, huh?

<kassandra> And then kept writing for years until I got married.

<kassandra> Suffered thirteen years of writer's block.

<Host1> New Q: "As a reader of slash do you send much feedback to other slash writers?"

<kassandra> Where I didn't write at all, and hated writing when I finished up college, during my divorce.

<kassandra> Erk. Well, I do. And I don't. I'm of the school that unless I have something major to say, I don't write. <bad kassandra>

* kassandra hangs head in shame

<kassandra> Although I have a resolution on SlashX to comment on each story.

* guest14 pets kassandra. good idea. gencriticism doesn't teach one much.

*** host3 changes topic to 'Feedback for the Hungry'

<kassandra> I confess to writing to Anna and torch, whining for more.

<kassandra> But since I'd like to grow up and *be* Anna, I don't think that's unexpected.

* kassandra sighs happily at the thought of gifted chillun

* Guest5 loves Anna and wants her to die.

<kassandra> That's unlikely to happen at my age, but hell, I can always dream. A goal is good to have.

* kassandra gives Guest5 a shocked look

<Guest5> Because she uses all the good lines up!

<kassandra> But not writing doesn't mean I don't appreciate other slash writers, no indeedy.

<guest19> Oh, she knows how we feel.

<kassandra> Oh, hell, so does Torch, and Anne Zo....

<guest14> why do you want to be Anna, you're so good as yourself...

<kassandra> Oh, please, I tell people this all the time, but I'm not looking for compliments when I say it: I'm a hack.

* kassandra eyes room dangerously

<guest14> but we don't believe you.

<kassandra> I'm a good workmanlike writer.

<kassandra> Those two.....are lyrical.

* kassandra sighs happily again.

<kassandra> I adore a LOT of our other slash writers too.....please don't misunderstand.

* guest14 doesn't understand concerted obtuseness.

<kassandra> But.....my, oh, my.

<kassandra> Anyway, so I've been writing since I was too small to know better, and just never stopped.

<kassandra> I'm working on a couple of original novels, have a couple of rejection letters.

<host2> NEW Q: Kass, do you have a favorite story (of your own, that is). Why?

<kassandra> The usual.

<kassandra> You mean one of my own stories?

<kassandra> erk. That could be tough.

<guest19> Yes.

<host2> [NOTE: after this, we'll get Kass to write an on-line story]

<kassandra> Well, one of them is genfic.

<host2> Yes, one of your own!

<kassandra> That comes first.

<kassandra> I think the second might be Tempus Fugit

* Guest5 sighs, resolves to start a Kass-lyrical file and send feedback regularly.

<guest19> Why Tempus Fugit?

<kassandra> Out of the Dark.....that one is still too close to me, I hated it by the time I finished.

<kassandra> It was dark and hard to write.

<kassandra> I'm not sure. I have some things in there that pleased me a great deal, because they were unconscious, yet they worked beautifully.

<kassandra> There's a bit at the beginning where Skinner is keeping half an eye on Mulder, I think it transmitted Mulder's isolation and Skinner's concern and awareness of him very deftly...

<kassandra> And I liked the pairing of the past and present in parallel.

<kassandra> If everyone will take an oath of silence, although probably half of you already know, I will tell you my favorite genfic story and why.

<guest14> i promsie to reveal nothing.

* kassandra eyes room carefully

<guest14> promise even.

* Host4 raises right hand I swear...

* Guest8 listens carefully

* Guest7 promises and waits for the revelation :)

* GUEST17 hand on heart

<kassandra> My favorite story in genfic, and probably some of my best writing outside one rejected novel, is Complicated Shadows.

* Host1 plops on couch and listens intently

<kassandra> I wrote that puppy in a week.

<kassandra> And it flowed, let me tell you.

<kassandra> Everything flowed together perfectly, I had a fabulous editor, and outside of two days where I wrestled with one journal entry in the story, it went like wildfire.

<guest14> so where can we find it? on your site or ?

* Host4 stunned

<kassandra> No, it's on X-clusive

<Host4> I loved that story

<kassandra> http://evosworld.simplenet.com/x-clusive/bliss.htm

* kassandra beams at Host4

<kassandra> I'm also the evil bliss

* kassandra hides behind guest5 and Guest19 again

* kassandra waits for tomatoes and rocks to be thrown.

* guest19 cackles quietly and plays offensive lineman to Kass' QB

<guest14> speaking of where to find your stuff, is there a reason you aren't on the MKRA?

<Host4> May I point out that Complicated Shadows has grat slashy subtext?

<Host4> *great*

* Guest5 will defend her Kassandramom against all attackers.

<kassandra> Yes, but I'd rather not go into that in any detail. Marita and I had a misunderstanding at the outset. I had decided at that point to have them on my own webpage and was graceless about withdrawing, which she interpreted as arrogance. I wrote and apologized for any clumsiness in my withdrawal, but....

* kassandra shrugs

<kassandra> Yeah, I suppose it does, particularly in light of my slash. <g>

<kassandra> But, it wasn't intended as slash, but as a study in the development of trust and deep friendship between Skinner and a damaged Mulder.

<Host4> And beautifully done!

* GUEST10 wonders if she can keep everyone straight (so to speak) when they have so many alias

* kassandra blushes again

<kassandra> I only have two.

<GUEST10> 3

<kassandra> Believe it or not. If you listen to Sheryl Martin, I have a gazillion. But I only have two, and one of them is really my name.

<kassandra> But I'm not terribly secretive, obviously, or I wouldn't have TOLD! <giggling>

<guest14> is a kassandra anything in particular?

<kassandra> Kassandra is from Monty Python's Holy Grail. She shines the grail shaped beacon to lead Galahad astray.

<kassandra> She's a wicked bad evil naught kassandra.

<kassandra> From the Castle Anthrax.

<kassandra> With a twin sister named Dingo.

<Host1> New and last Q for the time being: "What genre are your original novels in?"

<kassandra> It's the castle of Unchaste Maidens.

<kassandra> Various.

* guest14 snickers

<kassandra> Fantasy. Horror.

*** host3 changes topic to ' KASANDRA the Novelist '

<kassandra> Crime/thriller

<guest14> if you get published, will you tell us what they are?

<kassandra> You bet! <giggling> I told you, I'm a feedback slut!

<Guest8> More like the classic mystery style?

<kassandra> Nope.

<guest14> so we acn go buy them, I mean?

<kassandra> Twisted.

* kassandra stares at guest14 with widening eyes

<kassandra> YES!

<kassandra> Income!!! Let me set up my medicine stand right here.

* guest14 bounces in anticipation of some publisher's good sense.

<Guest5> And we can send 'em to you for autographs (return postage prepaid, of course), and we can say we Knew You When...

<kassandra> I can't write anything not twisted. Believe me, with a name like Sheare Bliss, romances should be natural. NOT!!!

* GUEST17 pulls money out of pocket, looks for nearest B Dalton...

<kassandra> You can give interviews to the tabloids about my slash stories!

* kassandra falls down in giggles

<GUEST17> We knew her when... and her secret identity...

<Guest5> You can pay us off to keep mum! (With more snow bunnies!!!)

<kassandra> YEA!

<host3> they can put it in your NY Times Book Review

<kassandra> You can be my enforcers!

<guest14> maybe you could convince CC taht you were e good enought to guest write an ep.

* GUEST17 reminds Guest5 -- m/sk! m/sk!

* kassandra cracks up

<kassandra> Ack.

<kassandra> I wouldn't work for that chauvinist poop head.

<kassandra> I'd have to work with a TELEVISION PRODUCER

* guest14 's typing goes to hell. Will it return?

* guest19 reminds everyone that every smutty pairing is a good smutty pairing

<kassandra> Of course, maybe we could talk Mitch P and DD into buying th e rights to Out of the Dark.

<guest14> but some smutty pairings are better than other's, Guest19.

* kassandra falls down

* kassandra smacks guest5

<Host1> Ooops... here comes another one: "Do your original novels have gay characters in them?"

* GUEST17 wants the video when relesed...

<guest14> others, even.

* guest19 gives up on the idea of peace and equality

* kassandra comforts guest5

<Host4> Now the film version of out of the dark I'd pay to see multiple times!

<kassandra> THere will always be snowbunnies, poppet

<kassandra> Yup.

* Guest5 reminds GUEST17 what list she just joined...

<kassandra> The protagonist in O'Hara's Choice is gay.

<guest14> gay male or lesbian?

<kassandra> And I believe MoonDark has two gay characters.

* GUEST17 yeah but I ain't quit sharpening my "Pencils", Rattie

<kassandra> Moondark has one of each, O'Hara's Choice is male.

<kassandra> The fantasy novel's characters are more pansexual than our culture.

<kassandra> But so is their culture.

<kassandra> I WANT MORE PENCILS!!!!!

* kassandra eyes GUEST17 shyly

<GUEST10> a good sexual sci-fi novel....there aren't many of those

<kassandra> Melissa Scott writes good ones.

<guest14> Melissa Scot does good things

<kassandra> Spider Robinson is surprisingly pansexual.

<Guest5> I liked Cold River, who was that by?

<kassandra> I do adore Pat Cadigan, too

<kassandra> Oh, shoot. <scratching head>

* GUEST17 makes note to write nice story for Kass...

<kassandra> I want to say Lewis Shriner, but I know that's wrong.

<host2> Okay, more questions later, and thanks, everyone, for your patience...Now, for something Completely Different...STORY PROMPTS for Kass: Please pick *one* of these three - word combos to include in a story here...5 combos coming... 1) bend, cockring, car...

<guest14> A lot of people like Sheri Tepper, but that's not really an example of sexual, more gender

<Guest5> I want to say Nicola Host2ith?

<kassandra> Yea.

<host2> 2) time, life, resolve...

<kassandra> THAT's IT.

<guest19> Samuel Delany

<kassandra> She wrote ammonite.

<host2> 3) silk, lace, soothe...

<kassandra> Next combo. <g>

<host2> 4) Walter, Mulder, drool...

<kassandra> Yeah, he's brilliant, but.....strangely so.

<guest14> 4) is too easy.

<host2> 5) screaming, twilight, gun

<kassandra> Erk.

<host2> That's it!!

<kassandra> Mulder in drag.

<kassandra> NOT

* kassandra nibbles gratefully

<Host1> Hold it... one more here: cheeze, helicopter, dancing

*** host3 changes topic to ' Speaking of Denise... '

* kassandra giggles

<kassandra> Hmmmmm.

<kassandra> I'll take .........

<kassandra> well, first, do you want comic or angst?

<guest14> comic!

<GUEST10> both

* Host1 chews on his nails...

<Guest5> Schmoop!

<Host4> angst

<guest14> what is scmoop?

<Guest8> angst

<GUEST17> schmoop! lots!

<kassandra> COMIC OR ANGST? Choose, or I decide!!!

<guest19> Smut, she said, shamelessly

<guest14> comic!

<host2> Angst!!

<Guest5> angst

<Host4> angst

<Guest3> comic

<Guest8> angst

* GUEST10 whining....i want both!!

<Host1> angst, hurt/comfort - I heard it!

<GUEST17> schmoop. Very filthy schmoop.

* guest14 switches to both

<kassandra> One more chance?

<kassandra> Choose?

<kassandra> Okay, you asked for it.

* kassandra falls down giggling

* host2 starts up chant...hurt/comfort!!

<kassandra> Sweetness and angst.

<kassandra> Okay.

<kassandra> Schmoopily comic.

<guest19> Perverse sweetness and angst?

<GUEST10> with funny on the side

*** host3 changes topic to ' Spanking of Denise... '

<Guest5> and smut

<kassandra> Bad children, hush!!!

<guest19> Lots of smut

* guest14 chortles

<GUEST17> Tons of smut

<guest19> heh heh heh

<guest14> LET HER GET STARTED!

<Guest5> I detect a consensus in the making.

<GUEST17> silence... the Great One types...

<GUEST10> and lots of sweat

<Host1> Shhhh... chips and drinks are on the table. Help yourselves.

<kassandra> The sound of cicadas, a sign of late summer. The wind soughed in the branches overhead, a somewhat bittersweet sound and Skinner turned the engine off. Turned in the driver's seat to study his companion. "All right, we're here."

<kassandra> Mulder nodded, tipped his head back on the headrest. "We certainly are."

<kassandra> Smiled at Skinner in that typically enigmatic way.

<kassandra> Skinner waited. And when nothing was forthcoming, sighed. "Why are we here?"

<kassandra> Mulder sighed. "Don't you think we're getting into a rut? I mean, we leave the office, meet at one of our apartments, fuck, eat dinner--"

<kassandra> "Not necessarily in that order," Skinner interrupted, a little piqued.

<kassandra> "Watch television, fuck again and go to bed."

<kassandra> "Not necessarily in that order," Skinner repeated. Scowled.

<kassandra> "You forgot to mention the dishes."

<kassandra> Mulder sighed again. Slumped boneless against the seat. "There is that."

<kassandra> God, the man was brooding again. Mulder's propensity for gloom was like something out of Russian literature, Skinner thought and sighed again. Reached out and closed his fingers over Mulder's wrist gently. "So, you wanted to take the car out to the country for a drive?"

<kassandra> Mulder's gaze was somewhat oblique. He swiveled in the seat, looked out at their surroundings. "It's nice here."

<kassandra> Skinner looked, nodded. "Yeah, it is." Trying to read the twists and turns of Fox Mulder's mind. "Very nice," he added, feeling that some enthusiasm was called for.

<kassandra> Mulder brooded some more. Skinner rubbed his thumb on the underside of Mulder's wrist, waiting.

<kassandra> "Don't you ever just want to go out to dinner?" A wistful question, in the growing twilight.

<kassandra> Skinner frowned. "Of course." Which was true. "But we decided--Mulder, you know--" Sighed again. They'd said it all before. They were both in fairly high profile positions in the Bureau. Don't ask, don't tell might work in the military, but despite J. Edgar's, ah, proclivities, it didn't work well at the Bureau.

<kassandra> "I know." Quietly.

<kassandra> He leaned forward, tugged Mulder's face around and kissed the lush mouth. "You know how I feel," he told Mulder.

<kassandra> Got another oblique look in reply.

<kassandra> It jarred him. "You do, don't you?"

<kassandra> And then that goddamned smile. The real one. The kid at Christmas smile. "Yeah."

<kassandra> Relieved, he sat back again. "Then come here."

<kassandra> Mulder leaned into him, kissed him back, with interest. Fingertips spidering down his chest to his waist. To the waistband of his jeans.

<kassandra> He laughed into Mulder's mouth, drew his head back. "You have plans?"

<kassandra> "I always have plans." Mulder's mouth curved again, those fingertips were busy with the buttons of Skinner's fly. "Don't eye?"

<kassandra> He put a hand up in Mulder's hair. "A very Byzantine mind." Admiringly. Fingercombed the silky strands and was kissed again.

<kassandra> Mulder's teeth nipped at his jaw, he tilted his head back happily and lifted his hips to let Mulder work his will on denim and cotton knit.

<kassandra> Host3led out loud. "And a bit of an exhibitionist. Going out to dinner is probably safer than this."

<kassandra> Nip. Nip. "So? We're way the hell and gone out in the country, Walt, if we run into anyone from the Bureau, I think I'd wonder what the hell *they're* doing here."

<kassandra> He host3led again, hissed when Mulder pinched his nipples. "What do you have in mind?"

<kassandra> "Oh. Whatever." Wicked grin and Mulder kissed him again. He reached for Mulder's waistband, undid button and zipper and did his own exploring. Laughed outright at what he found. "What the hell?"

<kassandra> Leaning back, Mulder looked down, grinned. "Like it?"

<kassandra> Skinner studied the cockring, shook his head, amused. "Is there something you've been hiding from me?"

<kassandra> Mulder's expression was doubtful. "Not that I'm aware of."

<kassandra> Mulder was right, Skinner decided, stroking the thickening shaft. A little spice was always good for a relationship. A little jolt now and then to kick start the adrenaline and hormones. "Actually, it looks quite nice on you." Wickedly mischievous, and it sparked the delight in Mulder's eyes. The delight against which he could never armor himself, never fail to give Mulder his due.

<kassandra> "You know, if you let the seat down and sort of bend over it," he suggested, looking into those changeable eyes, "I'll show you a really good time."

<kassandra> Mulder's smile returned. "Promise?"

<kassandra> "Absolutely."

<kassandra> "Your wish is my command."

<kassandra> And so it was.

<kassandra> HAh! Finis

* kassandra hides from outraged readers

<Guest5> Tease!!!

* guest19 snickers and smooches her Kass

<Guest7> hehe. thanks :)

* guest14 drops jaw.

<host2> Man, took me til the end to know which combo it was!

<guest14> I justt saw slash in the making.

* GUEST17 amazement

<host2> arrggh...ya gotta follow that up another day here! Or on the lists!

<Guest5> Damn she's good, but we knew that.

* GUEST17 scrounges chocolate offerings

<kassandra> Um, did I lose everyone?

<kassandra> Well, that was a car, cockring, and bend, right?

<host2> I wanna see Skinner show him a good time!

* Guest8 nods

* Host1 is about to trash on couch... craving for more...

<host2> Yeah!

* guest14 nod sin agreement.

<GUEST17> yeah?

<host2> we'd like to give her a chance to ask us any questions.

* Guest5 smooches Kass

* GUEST17 throws Hershey Kinnses

<host2> Now, Kass...do you have anything you want to ask your readership?

* guest19 throws herself at Kass' feet, crushing all other admirers

<Guest5> Hershey Kinseys? Sex and chocolate...

<kassandra> Well, why do they like my stuff, I guess. I love it that they do, but I have no clear idea of my own writing.

<kassandra> I like Chocolate Kinseys

<host2> You know that Torch ended up continuing her story from here and posting it to the lists! <attempting engendering some competitiveness>

<Guest5> Because the characters are *so* damn real and the sex is *so* damn hot.

<GUEST17> They afre little molded Dr. Kinseys. Little Maters and Johnsons to follow.

<host2> LOL!

* kassandra smiling wickedly at Host2.

<GUEST17> Yeah... the sex does have something to do with it

* host2 grinning back

*** host3 changes topic to ' Little Chocolate Egos '

<kassandra> Really? I don't focus on the sex itself, because despite human ingenuity, sex is sex. If you get my meaning. What about the sex is so hot?

* host2 has a refrigerator and freezer full of German chocolates

* Host1 cracks up looking at the topic

* Guest8 sneaks over to Host2 and steals some of them <G>

<Guest5> The emotions in the descriptions, I suppose.

<kassandra> Ah.

<guest19> I think the sex is so damned hot because you do a lot with reactions.

<kassandra> The schmoop!!!!

<host2> Really, I can go for the UST and buildup, more than a lot of sex in stories.

* kassandra nods

<guest19> The Skinner that is absolutely im-fucking-possible not to like.

<kassandra> Well, I do explicit sometimes, but a lot of times I don't, so I was curious

<Guest5> No matter how hard you try. <eg>

* kassandra beams at Guest19

<Host1> Dfinitely to place the characters in these kinda situation, work around their personalities, is something that attracts me most in slash stories.

* kassandra eyes Guest5 warningly

* host2 will tackle Guest5 for kassandra <g>

* Guest5 reminds Kassandra what she stayed up late last night reading.

* GUEST17 puts on Skinner-defending uniform

* Guest5 eyes host2 challengingly

* guest19 will gleefully tackle most anyone, if they'd like

* host2 gets intimidated by Guest5 and reconsiders

<kassandra> Well, that's part of the appeal.

* host2 raises hand to Guest19's offer

<kassandra> First of all, there's enormous chemistry onscreen between the two men.

<kassandra> Or the *three* men.

* guest19 beams equally at Kass and host2

<kassandra> Probably due to their personal relationship with each other.

<Host4> Your Mulder and Skinner characterizations are so strong. I love seeing complicated characters.

* Guest5 pouts, thinks host2's a party pooper and Guest19's a hussy. And is very glad Kassandra has Seen The Light.

<kassandra> I'm learning Alex. <vbeg> And Pendrell.

*** host3 changes topic to ' It's a Chemical Thing '

<kassandra> Guest19 is a hussy, and I haven't Seen the Light, you, you guest5 you.

<guest14> nobody pouts as good as angst boy

<kassandra> True.

* Guest5 giggles

* guest19 is merely generous, and has a lot of love to give.

*** host3 changes topic to ' Nobody Seeths Like Sknner '

<kassandra> The Surly Pectoral God.

<Host1> LOL

* guest14 giggles.

<kassandra> So, does anyone have any other questions? <brightly>

<Host1> No questions lined up here, kass.

* kassandra beams

<host2> You don't want to ask the peanut gallery anything, Kass? ;^)

* kassandra whimpers

* kassandra ponders

<kassandra> JOIN SLASHX

* kassandra collapses in giggles at self-advertisement.

<Host1> Kass: From all of us here at the Office, thank you for sharing your time with us, and for being so open with your observations. We hope you'll visit us often!

The End

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