No Strings Attached

Posted By Kathleen David on July 29, 2015

This is one of those entries that has several different catalysts both from things I read online to some discussions I have had with other people face to face recently.

It started with someone I know declaring that she was taking down all her fan fiction because she wanted a chance to be a real writer and she knew that publishers would look down on her because she wrote fan fiction. So if she wanted a shot at her dream, then the fan fiction would have to go. I knew that decision didn’t sit well with her because of some other things she said to me.

I haven’t a clue where this idea that if you write fan fiction, you can never be a real published writer especially when you consider the number of novels out there which started as fan fiction and then the serial numbers were filed off making it original fiction. Not that I suggest that as a way to go to get published.

You know who has written some really good fan fiction in his time? My husband Peter David did. He use to published a fanzine entitled Second Age with some friends. One of his more popular entries in fan fiction mash-ups had to be the TARDIS at Pooh Corner with Dr. Pooh a time lord with very little brain who had various adventures. You can read the whole thing on his website. Here’s the first chapter the TARDIS at Pooh Corner .

I know a number of professional writers out there who started in fan fiction of one sort or another. Heck, I have written/write fan fiction some of which I have put out there and other things I have on my hard drive which will never see the light of day. I will admit to having a pseudonym for some of my more ‘adult’ stuff but that has more to do to keep Caroline out of it than anything else.

In all honestly, fan fiction is a good way of learning how to write and, probably more importantly, how to write for an audience. If you put what you have written out on one or more of the websites, you can get immediate feedback from readers which can tell you what is working within your writing and what you might need to work on.

I have learned a lot about pacing through the writing of fan fiction. I also know what my strengths and weaknesses as a writer are. And this has made me a better writer overall.

And what is writing a licensed product for a property really? Paid to create new stories and situation for characters that you like by the owners of the property is a pretty cool way to earn a living.

All writers have to start somewhere and fan fiction is not something that the professional world looks down on. Probably by this point most people in the industry have written fan fiction at some time in their lives.

I encourage each and every one of you to go forth and write fan fiction, write non-fiction articles, write whatever tickles your fancy. Just write something if you want to. It might never see the light of day or it might be the next NYT bestseller. You never know until you try.

And to my friend who has decided to remove her really good fan fiction, it is like I told you the other day, it is not going to ruin your career if someone finds your Superwholock fic down the road. I can see you at a convention down the road signing your latest book and someone is going to bring you a copy of what is already out there. I suggest you sign it and smile because they thought enough of the story to hang onto it on their hard drive and that’s a dedicated fan.

Now I am going to go back to writing the project I am working on which may see the light of day later this year.

I am grateful for all the fan fiction I have read over the years and all the people who have commented on my works.

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Posted By Kathleen David on July 20, 2015

I have been coming down to St. Augustine for a week’s vacation for probably more than half my life. When I was a kid, we packed up usually in July for a week at a beach house that was owned by our pediatrician that he rented out to his patients parents. Later my parents purchased a timeshare that they have used for over 30 years. Now they have two in the same complex so all the family can come to the beach for the week.

This week Caroline and I are joining them and Peter gets a week to work on various projects with no interruptions.

There is a schedule here that has been the schedule for as long as I can remember.
Get Up
Breakfast
Beach
Pool (which is a little more optional these days)
Shower
Lunch
Afternoon activity and/or nap
Beach
Pool
Shower
Dinner
Bed

This is done with very few variations through out the week.

Caroline is happy because her cousins are here and she can play with them. I am enjoying having some time to finish plotting out some writing projects and work out my schedule for getting everything done by Dragon Con.

And I am enjoying the break from the rest of just about everything. I haven’t turned on a TV in a couple of days. My Internet usage has been rather minimal. I haven’t taken any electronics down to the beach so I am not distracted by anything when I am down there.

I have been walking a lot and spending time in the surf with Caroline who is having a blast with her boogie board.

I did miss a bit with the sunscreen and have a palm-sized sunburn on the back of one arm but it is not too bothersome. Caroline is tanning rather nicely and her hair is getting those red highlights that she gets when she is in the sun a lot.

It is really my vacation for the year. I do enjoy conventions and the rest but that is not my vacation time more like business travel. This is my week when I basically get away from it all and take some time to think and reflect on things without the usual signal to noise ratio, which will help me with the rest of the year.

I am grateful for thinking time.

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Posted By Kathleen David on July 16, 2015

Actually I think it went on vacation a week before my body goes on vacation.

Saturday I fly down to Jacksonville to retrieve my daughter and then go on down to St. Augustine to spend time with my family.

So this week I am trying to get too much done and finding not as much done as I would like.

However that doesn’t mean that I am not having fun.

Tuesday we went to the Marvel screening of Ant-Man at the Zeigfeld. We took along a friend of ours and because he had to be on stage that evening, we went to the earlier show. James enjoyed the film and declared it Genie Approved and then went on to his evening show of Aladdin.

Today I am finishing up one puppet and getting a little further on another. I also have to complete some puppet pieces for the Beach week since I am teaching my niece about building puppets this week. Need to assemble a puppet kit.

Looking forward to the baseball season starting up again. Feels weird not having a game to watch.

Also I have been working on a novel, which I plan to do a lot more work on next week. More on that down the road.

Sold another short story. I am assembling quite the writing resume. Something I always dreamed about doing and through circumstance have been doing. I just need some more opportunities to continue this.

I am grateful for the opportunities I have.

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Posted By Kathleen David on July 10, 2015

We got a teaser for both Doctor Who and Sherlock yesterday. Tomorrow is Once Upon a Time. There have been numerous panels about subjects I am interested that I have watched and all this without being at SDCC.

It is a good time to be a fan. We have access to information about our favorite subjects pretty much instantly. We can interact with the creators of things we love so much more these days. Social media has allowed things that were only possible at a convention not that many years ago.

There can be information overload but right now it is at a sweet spot for me.

It is also fun to see how main stream fandom has gone. There were special edition of magazines for SDCC. Entertainment magazines had previews of things at SDCC.

I think where it tipped for me that what I enjoyed was now enjoyed by the general population had to do with a Doctor Who t-shirt. Thirty years ago when I wore a Doctor Who t-shirt I got funny looks and an occasional ‘what’s that?’ The other day I was wearing a Timey-Whimey shirt and I got complimented about it at the pet store, the grocery story and the movie theater along with short discussions about the next season like when is it? (Sept. 19th)

I have been a big fan of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. I could discuss that with more people than Doctor Who back in the day but, again, now it is all over the place in many forms. And some of the scenarios seem to be right out of fan fiction. Sherlock Holmes is my theme for my DragonCon art table this year.

One thing I like about going to conventions is seeing all the families there. Seeing the boyfriends and girlfriends who didn’t have to drag their significant others to the convention but both parties wanted to go. Kids telling me about the exciting adventures they are having at the convention or rather telling the puppet on my arm.

I like seeing more puppets and puppeteers at conventions and an interest from both the conventions and the general public about puppets. Nice not feeling like I am the only one out there.

And that’s sort my take away from the surge in fandom. I don’t feel alone anymore. I have people I can talk about the things I like with passion and they don’t think I am strange or weird because they talk about the same subject with as much if not more passion.

Oh those teaser videos?

Here’s a link to Sherlock

And here’s the link to Doctor Who
Doctor Who

And a Bonus for Lego Dimensions which involves the Doctor as well

Lego Doctor Who for the Win

I am grateful that I can talk to others about things I like a lot.

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Posted By Kathleen David on July 7, 2015

I don’t remember how but Patrick’s nickname around the house was Mr. P and after he earned his doctorate, it became Dr. P.

Patrick is the youngest of my brothers and sister. I was around when he was growing up but by that point I was in grade school so I wasn’t around during the day and I had friends I would hang around with in the summer. But I loved to play with him.

I was old enough that I could pick him up and carry him, which was nice.

We both share a love of gaming and have similar tastes in fiction. If I find a book that I know Patrick will like, I feel comfortable recommending it to him.

His hand eye coordination is amazing. I can’t play video games that have a timed reaction component to them. I learned that early on. But Patrick was really good so I watching him play Tomb Raider and the first Star Wars game and other video games that I didn’t have a hope of getting through the first screen.

He has the courage of his convictions.

He is a wonderful father to his daughters. I love watching him with them.

We use to play dungeons and dragons together. He loved playing Car Wars and was very good at it. He took to table top gaming which I really didn’t. He is an incredible miniature figure painter. I remember introducing him to Warhammer.

He is clever and smart. I know he is smarter than me on so many subjects. Brain the size of a planet describes him well.

He’s still (and he doesn’t care for the phrase) my baby brother and I love him.

Happy Birthday Dr. P from your Big Sister.

I am grateful that Patrick is still in my life.

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