You're a pearl here...

Oh wow. I’ve just never had a filter. I think it’s a family trait. I’m from a large, loud Eastern European family where everyone speaks their mind, sarcasm is the norm, etc. As far back as high school, my friend and I would read smutty romance novels (mostly Jude Deveraux’s books) out loud at the lunch table just to make our male friends cringe. Totally juvenile, I know. I suppose if I psychoanalyzed myself I might see it as a way to explore sexuality in a safe way or something. Because I’m not nearly so bold in my actions in that way. But even now, I’ll see a double entendre in anything and won’t hesitate to point it out. Cards Against Humanity gives me life. I blame the inner 10-year old boy in me who giggles at inappropriate times. My own 10-year old son is far better behaved than I am in that aspect.

LOL! At some point our inner teen makes a reappearance. 

What Eastern European country is your family from? Have you been there?

We’re Ukrainian on both sides of the family. I’ve never been there but it has been fun to connect with cousins from over there through social media. Some of them grew up in the Soviet days, so when I was a kid, we never really had contact with them.

Give me an example of everhutcher as a ball-buster…

It’s sort of just who I am… again, the no filter thing. I will say I don’t ball-bust in a super-aggressive or antagonistic way, because I know that’s how some people interpret the term. My brand is more teasing. My husband is 14 years older than I am, so the old man jokes are abundant. I’m always telling him at the store to ask about the AARP discount or I’ll remind him that when he was 18, I was in preschool. Just often enough to creep him out.

How did you end up in THG fandom?

That was definitely not a straight line between two points. I knew of the books for a long time, but never read them. I’d also seen THG and CF on DVD at the time they came out, and was entertained enough, but didn’t love them in the way I loved other fandoms like HP or Star Wars.

Then my stepdaughter sort of made me read the books right before MJ1 came out in theaters. She promised I’d love them. And she was right. I loved them and then my love for the whole franchise grew from there.

I can relate to that! It definitely ‘snuck up’!

Have you written for other fandoms?

To be honest, nothing has grabbed me the way THG has, so no.

I get it! Same here.

I guess one exception is that I took part in a RPF Secret Santa thing for JHutch fans. I was really satisfied with how the story turned out but I’m not as comfortable writing about real people, so I have not been compelled to do that since. Kudos to those who can, though.

So what drew you into writing fic?

The ending of MJ just left me unsettled and unsatisfied. 

And although I understand that in a way, it was likely written in the way Katniss would have genuinely told it (i.e., not dwelling on details), as a reader I wanted more. So, I went in search of some insight into Suzanne Collins’ choices as a writer. Instead, I stumbled across fan fiction. I started looking for some good “growing back together” fics. And my love for the entire genre was born. Eventually I felt brave enough to dive in and write some of my own because I couldn’t get enough of Everlark in just about any setting.

What was it like for you when you posted your first fic for all to see?

The same as it is now: I hit “post” or “send” and I squeal and do a panic dance in my home office. I feel like I’m jumping off a cliff or something. 

You never know how it’s going to be received. You don’t want to look or sound stupid (the story or yourself). You might think it’s the best work you’ve done but it’s a load of shit. You just never know what will resonate with people and what won’t. I mean, ultimately you can’t worry about that during the writing process; you have to go with your gut and let the story take you where it wants to go. But you just have to hope people will see something in it that they can relate to as well.

It really never gets any easier, does it? What was a pivotal moment for you in the books?

Arghhhhhh. I think there are so many people who are so much better at noticing details of the book. So many moments. I don’t know if I can classify anything as “pivotal” but I do think some parts resonate with me more than others. The entire sequence of Peeta’s time with the Star Squad in Mockingjay was particularly important to me as a reader, as I think it lends a whole sense of hope, which is so central to the series. In particular, I think the moment Peeta realizes the lizard mutts are coming and he chooses to protect Katniss by yelling for her to run... that, to me, is it. He has already chosen Katniss over Snow in that moment.

Such a good one! What was the hardest moment for you in the series?

I would probably say Everlark’s separation at the end of Catching Fire. I’m such a sucker for those two. Throughout that book they’re connecting in a way they never had before. And unlike the film, Katniss and Peeta are both aware of the other’s presence somewhere around the lightning tree in those final moments in the arena. They can each hear the other calling out. They’re desperate to save one another, and are so close to achieving that. You know, as the reader, that it’s not going to end well for either of them. And, of course, it doesn’t.

What’s the moment you hold onto from the series? That ‘Yes! This is why I love this series’ moment…

That has to be Peeta’s return to 12. As I said earlier, you have these pivotal moments in Mockingjay where Peeta chooses Katniss, in defiance of his hijacking, sometimes without really even being conscious of it. I always wonder what happened to Peeta during his time in the Capitol after Katniss’s trial. Was it a deliberate decision to return to 12? Or was it just instinct driving him to where he felt he belonged? Either way, he returns to Katniss and his first thought is to help Katniss heal. To show Katniss some beauty in the world. He yet again creates a thing of beauty - a simple flowerbed to celebrate Prim’s life - and says “I thought we could plant them for her.” Not me, but we. Even though Katniss isn’t involved in his project, he includes her. They are a team. He is with her, in whatever way she needs. It’s unconditional and pure and lovely to see this reborn in him. Wounded but not broken.

I think you did a lovely job of picking out the details! 

What do you enjoy writing most? (Trope, canon/AU, etc)

I think modern AU is probably what comes easiest to me. For one, it’s fun to imagine Peeta Mellark alive and well and walking amongst us in the modern world just waiting for love  - and who doesn’t want that? LOL. I’m a fairly open book emotionally, more like Peeta, so writing Katniss is a fun challenge for me. And in modern AU, there’s the added challenge in presenting Katniss as someone who stays in character, still finds it hard to open up, without the details of her life in canon District 12 at play. You have to get into the psychology of a modern young woman and the things which might affect her life.

Where do you get your inspirations?

Oh, man. So many places. I suppose, now that I think about it, a lot of of my fics start with real-life events. Some are sad, like the circumstances of a friend of friend which inspired my PiP fic Promise. Others are often inspired by the random convos I have over chat or text with other bloggers. Like, Drill and Fill started with me complaining to another writer about having to go to the dentist but that thank goodness, at least my dentist was cute, and the rest unfolded from there. I also love that there are so many prompt ideas out there, whether on Tumblr or elsewhere. I’m so grateful that someone might not feel comfortable enough writing a fic on their own, but still has a great idea they want to share with others to make the story a reality.

That’s a really great observation. Give me an idea of yours that you will never write, but you would love to read.

Oooooh. That’s so tough because I think, never say never. If it’s something I’d want to read, and it doesn’t already exist, then I generally wouldn’t hesitate to at least attempt to make it a reality myself. That’s why I started writing fic, not just consuming it. I had ideas that I wanted to share. So I’d have to dig deeper to find something I’d read but not also write.

What has been your favorite fic to write?

No fair! My fics are my kids! I love them all for different reasons LOL.

If two of your fics were drowning… see where I’m going with this?

Well, if I have to choose, I’d probably say Under His Wings. I wasn’t sure where I was headed with it at all. Usually I have a strong idea to jump start the process, and my struggle is to keep the momentum of the story going later on. In this case, I had a hard time starting this story, and it picked up steam as I went along. It sort of took on a life of its own very quickly. I think it’s probably my most moving story.

What is the most challenging fic you’ve written?

I tend to write very quickly once an idea hits me, so anytime I end up with a WIP it’s because the mojo isn’t there. I’m currently on the third version of a story that I haven’t published yet. It’s supposed to be part of @papofglencoe’s clearance condom series, which she started after I took a trip to Target while chatting online with her. Her Pumpkin Spice story was such a treat, and I really want to do something fun and sexy with all that inspiration. But if I force it, I know it won’t be as good as it might have been. So WIP it remains.

If you were stranded on a desert island with any THG character, who would you pick? Just one, now!

Peeta. Hands down. Or wherever the hands want to go. See what I mean about raunchy?

HA! Down is a start in the right direction, though, yeah?

We all have that fic that’s our go to - whether it’s our own or someone else’s - that we return to because we love it and know exactly what we’re going to get. What’s yours?

If we’re talking Everlark fic, I’d probably say The Bucket List by Meadowlark27.

Why?

Faith constructed such a beautiful and heart-wrenching story that made me cry several times. If Everlark fans haven’t read it yet, it has it all. Humor and angst and sorrow and friends to lovers, all my favorite elements. And the ending. Ughhhhhh. All the feels, for sure.

What’s your writing process? Some people like to write their stories all at once, then post weekly, while others like to take it one chapter at a time, where posting is more random. Where do you fall in that spectrum?

I’d like to have the discipline to be the former, but I’m definitely the latter. Once I finish a chapter I want people to see it right away. In theory I always think it’s going to force me to work more steadily, because then I can tell myself that people have read it and want more. In reality, life always seems to fill up my time. The older I get, the more of a procrastinator I seem to become.

I get it. Why is that??

Favorite Book? (non THG)

Probably the Lord of the Rings trilogy. 

I first read it in sixth grade, not understanding the historical context in which Tolkien crafted it. At the time I just knew it as a cool good versus evil kind of story. Now I have a much deeper understanding of the historical context, and as a history teacher it speaks to me on that level, for sure. Beyond that, the immense time and energy and effort Tolkien put into creating that universe is just astonishing. The man crafted an entire mythology that the world has embraced as readily as anything mythology of ancient times.

It is incredible. I completely agree, and I love the series!

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I have to think about what spare time is these days lol. I suppose beyond work and family (my husband, son, two stepkids, daughter-in-law and any day now, a stepgrandbaby!) 

Congratulations!

My fandom activities have filled most of my free time. Otherwise, I definitely have a love for genealogy. I’ll go through spurts where I’ll spend hours a day scouring records to add to our family tree. And I enjoy traveling. I wish I had more resources for that, but I try to get out of town every couple of months, even for just a night or two. Living in the Northeast helps, being so close to so much. I’m basically halfway between NYC and Toronto; I have a ton of family and connections in Philly so I’m always there, too. I just spent my birthday in Vegas and I really want to get back out to L.A. soon. Been an East Coast girl my whole life but I love California.

Favorite thing about Tumblr?

The friendships. They’ve gone so far beyond fandom it’s sort of astonishing. The ladies I connect with the most are just about the most open, take-me-as-I-am group of people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. I have my group of girlfriends here in “real” life, particularly my friends from work. But my blogger friends are a constant presence as well. Maybe even more so, because you can always shoot off a text or a group chat throughout the day, come back and find someone three time zones away has weighed in on whatever was on your mind. We throw story ideas at each other, talk about our jobs and kids, nothing is off limits. And when you know most of you write Everlark smut you can’t really hide anything after that lol. They’ve become some of the best friends I’ve ever had.

Can you give some advice to new writers?

Just don’t be afraid to jump in and try something. Challenge yourself. There is a vast community of writers out there with a huge array of talents and strengths and styles. If you are worried about how your work compares to someone else’s, and allow it to make you hesitate to write, you’re bound to hold yourself back due to fear of failure. The only failure is to not let you idea come to life in one way or another. Put it out there and share it. Audiences are always going to be better off for it.

Thank you for taking time to talk to me!

I have a tattoo of a dolphin on my foot! I wanted to be a dolphin trainer and so as soon as I turned 18 I went and had one drawn on me. Lol. I am also a foodie. I’m really digging Asian cuisine at the moment. Spicy Thai noodles and sushi are things I crave weekly!

Oh my god. I planned on getting one on my birthday. Which was in October (p.s it was my 18th too) I don't really like sushi and coz I tend to eat loads of Asian food I've been liking Italian and Spanish food more these days.

Mom tip the first! Get one you can live with when you're 50. And 60. And one you don't mind showing off if trends and ambitions and interests change. (cuz they do!)

So you find yourself unable to say no… do you also find yourself very busy?? Lol.

Yeah one hundred percent. Part of the reason why it takes me ages and ages to respond to your questions.

Don't be so hard on yourself! I've only aged a little since we started. ;)

I have a huge course load and I stay with my uncle and aunt and their 3 dogs. There tends to be a lot of work to do. Also I hardly sleep through the week because of all these assignments I have to do.

Mom tip the second! Whatever you do, don’t say yes right away. Practice these lines - let me get back to you on that, or I need to check my calendar, I’d hate to do a poor job at the favor because I can’t give it the attention it deserves. Then think about it, figure out why you can/can’t do it. If you decide you can’t, politely say I’m so sorry, *insert reason here*. Mom tip the third? Never let someone guilt trip you. ;) I feel like I’ve just set you up for success in your twenties! Lol.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming - how did you end up in the Hunger Games fandom?

Well I kind of stumbled upon it really. I discovered fanfic at the end of my 11th grade. And I scoured the net for fanfic on different stuff that I was interested in. I found Everlark and I fell in love. At first it was closure and I read only Canon fics but now I'm obsessed with all these different tropes.

I hear you on the closure. I found one fic that was perfect for closure, and still I’m here reading and writing. I don’t understand.

What’s your favorite trope? Least favorite?

My favorite trope has to be fake relationship AUs and arranged marriage ones. I don't really have a least favorite but if given a choice I would read the ones where either one of K or P are engaged in another relationship (I don't like the idea of them cheating on others). Also super angsty stuff isn't an A-lister for me.

I used to feel the same. Then I found myself unable to get enough angst. Then I started putting them in angsty situations in my head, and then on paper. You’ll get there, trust me! Lol.

What are your favorite fandom fics?

I don't really have a favorite fic but I tend to re-read a lot of fics.  But those are usually when I stumble upon them. I also love The Act, Fated to Love, The Cassie Chronicles, and so many more but I just can't seem to remember.

All fandom faves! Why did you start writing fanfiction?

I don't really remember why I did but what I do remember is that I was watching tv and I got up and was like, ok I'm writing something. I wrote about 7 chapters of this story when I realised that the characters were basically from the THG universe. So all I did was change their names to Katniss and Peeta and there I had my first fanfic.

What’s it called and where can we find it?

I never did post that story anywhere. It's lying written in one of my old diaries back home. I really need to check up on that story when I go home for the break.

Yes, you do! Give us a little summary of it....

Hmmm. It's sort of an in-Panem canon divergent story.  It's about pre decided relationships and a different sort of ginger games. I'll tell you what. I won't give out the story now and use this as motivation to start writing it again so I can post it asap.

What's your favorite story that you've written so far?

I've only written really fluffy stuff, but there's this one drabble that I wrote for a birthday request that just makes me smile each time I read it. Otherwise the fic Masterclass is a work in progress, and I haven’t really worked on it in a while, but I think I'll post a new chapter this week.

New chapters! Excellent! Tell me about Masterclass. What is it about, and where did you come up with it?

Masterchef Australia. I'm absolutely obsessed with that show. And I have always had this fantasy of meeting my celebrity crush. So I combined the two and Everlarked it. A lot of the fumbling and mistakes that Katniss makes through the story (which btw hasn't really come up yet in the first few chapters) reflects me or how I would react in those situations.

So we’ll get a little feel of what it’s like to live a Mellarkablegirl life. Awesome!

What was the birthday request about?

I wrote this fluffy drabble for @everlarkbirthdaydrabbles about Katniss and Peeta with a family. It's the perfect recipe for fluff. It has dogs, kids, a wedding dress trial, balloons, a toastbaby birthday, and of course loads of Everlark.

It sounds wonderful!

Where do you find inspiration for your stories?

Most of my stories are spur of the moment stuff. If an idea comes into my head or if I see anything that I want to Everlark, I go ahead and do it. And at times I just start writing and make up the story as I go. I don't write a lot of angst because it just makes me depressed. So instead, I write fluffy stuff and that's what I like to read.

Oh, but when that depression is lifted when Everlark finally gets together because all of the secrets and feelings are finally, finally out in the open, it’s the greatest thing! There is no emotional high like it IMO.

Who is your favorite THG character and why?

Other than Peeta because he is *with all his little glitches because he is human after all* the best. I absolutely adore Finnick. He is that one fun character in every single story but what I love about him is that with all his playfulness, Finnick as a character is always strong and steady and a voice of reason in all the emotional storm that usually comprise a fanfic. Also Finnick features in my favorite scene from the THG trilogy.

Which scene would that be?  

It's the scene where Katniss and Finnick apply the capitol meds over their scars from the fog and scare Peeta together when he wakes up.

Why does it top every other scene in the trilogy for you?

For me the scene just shows happiness and playfulness. Which I think isn't very emphasized in the series. I mean there is loads of happiness, but it's always because of  a serious outcome.  It's never just frivolous playfulness and the comment about Peeta trying his hardest to keep an annoyed face at their antics just makes me smile.

That is definitely a fun, light hearted moment needed in the series! Give a shout out to your tumblr friends. Who have you connected with here in the fandom?

@jlalafics @booksrockmyface, and you are the only few I've really connected with on tumblr but I do read about and follow loads of others.

We’ve had some turnover in the fandom. Some have moved on, others are just getting started. Where do you find yourself in this cycle, and what keeps you hanging around?

I'm probably one of those people who's not exactly a newbie, but I also can't say I'm a seasoned pro. I haven't really written plenty but I'm sure that I'm not going anywhere for a while.

If you could have dinner with any person in the whole world, who would it be?

That would definitely be my Mom.

Hold up! Shouldn’t Mellarkablegirl want to have dinner with her super hero counterpart??

It's been ages since I've seen her and even when I was home she would hardly be home in time from work to have dinner with me. But, if I could magically make it happen I'd have dinner with Peeta Mellark.

Wouldn’t we all?

Last words and advice to fandom bloggers, new and old… what are your words of wisdom?

I don't know if I can really give any advice but this I know - don't be discouraged by a poor response to a post and please, please, please feel free enough to voice your opinion about anything I write. I love feedback and comments :p

LOL! You were hooked.

About a year later I discovered fan fiction. I was home sick and bored out of my mind. I found some really good fan made Hunger Games videos on YouTube, and, while searching for more, I came across FFN. And I was blown away by the phenomenal quality of some of the works that I had found there. Oh yes, I was hooked, all right!

What was it about it that appealed to you? And what made you decide to write. Had you ever done it before?

The way the authors tweaked events, told stories from other POVs, and filled in gaps had me mesmerized. And, of course, I discovered Everlark. The romantic aspect of the original story had a certain appeal to it and the FFN authors just fleshed it out. The main appeal, I think, was that Katniss never thought she was anything special. She just did what she needed to do to keep her family alive. And Peeta, holding onto a crush for all those years. I really could feel his pain, even more so at the end of The Hunger Games when he confronted Katniss and realized that much of what she had done with regards to their "Star-Crossed Lovers" romance was part of the game. But, by her own admission, not all of it was strategy. He stirred feelings inside her that she had no experience with.

I decided to write after reading different works for a few months. I found some stories that had really excellent plots and storylines, but were poorly written. So I began thinking "I could probably do these stories justice," so I sat down one day and wrote Chapter 1 of A Tale of Two Victors. And, until that day, the last time I had ever written anything creative was in 1974, when I took a semester of Creative Writing in my junior year of high school!

And now you've got several fantastic stories under your belt. Did you know that Absolution is one of the Top 10 most read Everlark fics out there?

I wasn't aware of that! Wow! Guess that's the equivalent of a New York Times best-seller :-)

I'd say. It's fantastic. What inspired that one?

Well, I had done A Tale of Two Victors, which takes place between The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, and Renaissance, which was my post-Mockingjay contribution, and I had even delved into the events that started the whole HG universe with my Catastrophes fic, Ragnarok (the fandoms best-kept secret, BTW...LOL), but I had the idea for Absolution kicking around in my head for several months. What if I take the original story and tweak it slightly, to where Gale volunteers for Peeta? And, at the same time, make Peeta's life a living hell? So I took that basic idea and ran with it :-)

You are very mean to both of my babies in that fic. There were days I wanted to reach through the screen and throttle you. And then I'd chew my nails until the next week. But you made me think a lot about what could have happened to Peeta and Katniss if they hadn't had the other for protection. They would have been so isolated. Did you know where you wanted to take the story arc from the very beginning or do you prefer to write without an outline?

I caught so much grief from everyone at my brutal treatment of both Katniss and Peeta. And, thinking back, maybe I was just a little too mean to Peeta. But in writing the story, I kept thinking about how Gale's presence in the Games would change everything and how that would affect events. Considering the brutal world of Panem, everything that happened to them were things that happened to others in the original trilogy. And, like you just said, they didn't have each other for protection and support; at least, not until the end. I've never written a real detailed outline for any of my stories. Just a general synopsis. I know generally where I want the story to go, but I let the story live its own life and sometimes events go off on tangents that I really didn't expect.

I was going to ask you how people reacted to your treatment of their faves. How do you handle that? When readers react negatively to a particular path you are on?

On AO3, the "Peeta and Cressida do the deed" chapter generated a storm of comments. Around a hundred for that chapter alone. And many were negative, but not necessarily in the context of attacks on me for writing it. More along the lines of "How could Peeta do that to Katniss? She'll never trust him again!" I welcome constructive criticism, but I've also had the occasional snarky remark from people just looking to troll. Those I ignore. But I find constructive criticism to be very helpful. Hopefully it makes me a better writer.

Do you still answer all of your reviews and comments?

Yes. Each and every one. The only ones that I don't answer are the guest reviews on FFN, and that's only because I can't send a personal message to the reviewer. But, sometimes I will respond to an FFN guest review by posting a comment of my own.

I think that's really admirable. And so exciting for the reader, to be able to interact with you. Why do you feel that's so important?

I know that I enjoy hearing back from writers when I comment on their work. It's an acknowledgement that this person took time to read MY story and comment on it. There are so many choices out there. So, if nothing else, I just like to tell my readers "Thank you!"

Tell me about Ragnarok? You said people are missing out...

Well, I don't think it was a popular story because it's all original characters, and there's very little romance. But I'm very proud of it just the same. I had to craft an entirely original story and I had to give all of my characters their own personalities. The story deals with my view of the Catastrophes that ended the world that we know and created the nation of Panem. I think it would appeal more to hard-core apocalyptic fans. That being said, I did have a core of followers that reviewed each and every chapter faithfully. But nothing like Absolution :-)

And Epiphany? How's that going?

Slow but sure. I had never intended to write a sequel to Absolution, so the story progression is a bit slower. Plus, I'm also writing an original novel at the same time, so my updates on Epiphany are not nearly as frequent as they were for Absolution or some of my earlier works.

An original! That's great. Is this a path you you ever expected to be on?

If you had told me, three years ago, that I would be writing an original novel to be self-published, I would have asked you what you were smoking ;-) So no, I had never even expected to even attempt something like this!

Give me a teaser!

It's historical in nature, about a man that is virtually immortal. I drew a ton of inspiration from The Hunger Games. My immortal is faced with problems such as keeping his true nature a secret, always having to change identities, and never being able to find true love or have any sort of relationship....until he meets an extraordinary woman.

Excellent!! You're going to let us know when it publishes, right?

Of course. I'm nowhere close to that yet, though. I have two alpha-readers and I spend as much time editing each chapter as I do writing each chapter...LOL!

:) I wish you tons of luck with that. And now, I'm going to wrap this up with the same question I ask everyone. What's your advice for a would-be writer who's thinking about posting their first fic?

Never think that it's not good enough. Accept constructive criticism. And please don't abandon your story half-way through! Thank you so much for choosing me to interview :-) It's been a genuine pleasure!

Good advice! Thanks so much for doing this. Keep in touch, OK?

Awesome! Thanks again :-)I will!

Thanks so much for doing this.

Not a problem. I'm so flattered to be on your list!

:) We're trying to reach out to as many writers as we can.

It's a good thing you're doing.

Thanks! So tell me about you and Everlark. What first brought you to the fandom?

I stumbled upon it by accident. It was right after Catching Fire was released in the theatre. I remembered when the first one came out and thought it looked like an intriguing story, but forgot about it. I was determined to see The Hunger Games  on TV and then go see Catching Fire and get all caught up. I mentioned it to my neighbour and she gave me the book and said "Read this first." I did, and I was hooked! I went out and bought the book series, watched the first two films and then started looking for somewhere to explore the story more fully.

I eventually found some essays posted by @posthungergamessyndrome and that brought me to tumblr and a whole bunch of other people who shared the passion for these characters and their story.

Had you ever been part of a fandom before?

No, this was the first for me! I hadn't even been involved in social media before that. I started a tumblr blog and immersed myself mainly in meta analysis and discussion.

When did you start writing? This was a first for me too, by the way...

I was introduced to the fanfiction side of the fandom by my tumblr friend @finduilasnumenesse. She posted that she was thinking about writing the entire series from Peeta's POV and I encouraged her. She asked if I would beta for her. I had no idea what that was, but I was game to help a friend! Eventually we got to the end of Mockingjay and I mentioned a few ideas for the growing back together.

Way to go! And?

She encouraged me to try writing myself. That led to my first one-shot Scars.

Had you ever written creatively before?

No. Maybe a few things way back in high school, but that's a long time ago. (I'm a 'mature' fangirl!) This was definitely a new world for me. But I loved being able to explore THG universe this way, and the collaborative process is really rewarding.

I'm ignoring the 'mature' comment. LOL.

Okay!

Tell me about that first experience. What was it like for you?

The one-shot came to me out of the blue, and it just felt natural as it unfolded. It gave me the confidence to try a longer story, a multi-chapter. That was a little more challenging. Every step I tried to push my comfort zone a little bit further and see what I could do.

:) That's excellent. And how did the fandom react to your work?

What really helped was having a supportive beta. I didn't have a big following so there wasn't a lot of feedback, but it was really rewarding when someone reblogged my stuff or gave a positive feedback.

I got ahead a little there! I set up an AO3 account when I wrote Embers (the first multi-chapter). I didn't get a lot of feedback, but what I did was so appreciated. It wasn't Everlark, so that maybe played a part, but I wasn't ready to write a big story for Everlark at that point.

But you've gotten there now. I'm really enjoying Wildflower!

Thank you! I am so grateful for Wildflower. It was the best collaborative venture! I think it's a good moment to mention to new writers that it takes time for people to find you. And that's okay!

It does take time. And you really have to put yourself out there, I've found. Being part of Tumblr has made a big difference in the traffic to my stories. Why do you see Wildflower as a collaborative venture?

I had two amazing source materials, my faithful beta Hinke ( @finduilasnumenesse ) who went out and read Centennial when I mentioned my idea to write a cross-over, then @titaniasfics and @papofglencoe came on board offering to help, and suddenly I've got a team of people willing to partner with me! I got brave and decided to post it as a WiP, and @bethylark offered her assistance with Native American culture. And two talented artists offered to create banners. It was wonderful to have all that support.

So let's talk about betas. You've done a fair bit of beta work and also have great relationships with your own betas. Why is a beta so important? What do they bring to the story?

I'd love to talk about betas! First, it's a fun way to enjoy the fandom, bonding over something creative. But it's so important when you are writing and feeling self-doubt. Or just struggling with some aspect of the story. To have people to reach out to, who offer their encouragement and advice... it's wonderful!

Nice! Everlarkers are the bomb!

True!

What do you think is a beta's most important job?

I think it's to do what is asked. Sometimes a writer just needs that warm hug to help them when their confidence is lagging. Other times it's to help fix a problem the writer is experiencing with their story, or help with a suggestions or options if the writer is stuck.

I didn't mention my banner makers names (for Wildflower)!! @otrascosasseries and @loving-mellark!

They both do wonderful work! Wait'll you see the new banner loving-mellark made for my mermaid fic. Whoa! What's the rewarding part of being a beta for you?

Being part of the creative process, seeing a story unfold is exciting. But I value the friendships that build because of that process very much! That's the best reward of all. :-)

So, tell me about your fics. Do you have a favourite?

Oh, that's a hard one, since each helped me grow in confidence. Certainly Wildflower has been a HUGE boost to my self esteem. I've received as much as I've given with that one, if that makes sense. But I have a special place for The Place Where I Love You. It was my first multi-chapter Everlark. I had to do a lot of world building, and create original characters. It was scary and challenging, and even if it's not my best technical work, I'm proud of that one.

I think that was the first of your stories that I read. What inspired that one?

I wanted to write about the Dark Days Rebellion. I thought it would interesting to write it with Katniss and Peeta as the ancestors for their counterpoints in THG. And then link all the characters together at the end, show how they all connected to each other between the two stories.

It's a great concept! I really enjoyed it. So what are you working on now?

Thank you! I'm almost finished another multi-chapter story that I wrote for Camp Nanowrimo. This one is also set during the DD Rebellion, but a different type of story. I have to mention what a great experience Camp is! I loved the supportive atmosphere, and the chance to get to know my cabin mates a little better. The new story is an enemies to lovers trope. That's been fun to write!

Ooo! Can't wait to dig into that!

I should be ready to post Chapter 1 in a couple of weeks. I have my amazing beta team helping again, so it's getting close! It's called Silver Thaw. (Note from the mods: Check it out -- sooo good!)

What's the best thing about being part of this fandom?

I've loved being able to dig into the series, to have a place to post meta, to get to enjoy what others have to say. And the creativity - gifs, edits, fan art, videos. But when people come together and support and nurture each other's form of expression, that's the best! We all come from such diverse places, walks of life, and parts of the world. But we get to bond over a shared love. :-)

I agree! Being part of this fandom has been a really enriching experience.

I'm glad to see that even though the movies are done, we are still here writing and enjoying it together.

Me too! And I think that even though the fandom is going to change, be a little less intense, it's going to last. Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me. I think I've got all I need. It was lovely to meet you. Let's keep in touch OK?

Thank you so reaching out to me! I was kind of nervous, but you made it easy! Take care and yes, let's keep in touch! Hugs!

It was my pleasure!!

:-)

Hey you, I'm just sitting here reading No Unicorns for what has to be the 10th time. Let me know when you're free to chat.

Oh my god, LOL. Shut up! I'm ready. (Just kidding about shutting up, thank you.)

LOL. Hey. So, we'll just chat and all will be cool, okay?

Okay, sounds excellent. Because this is making me nervous for some reason. LOL

I was biting my nails when the interview @xerxia31 did with me was finally posted. So, I get it. Let's talk about writing! When did you start?

I feel like I've been writing forever. Since I was a little kid, really. But do you mean fanfic in particular?

We'll get to fic. What is it about writing that appeals to you?

I guess it's because I love stories, and I've always got some sort of fantasy running through my head. So sometimes those fantasies need to come out. And since I'm a lifelong reader, I guess I was just drawn naturally to writing as an outlet for my internal stories.

Makes sense! What do you like to read?

Oh, everything. YA, NA, fantasy/sci-fi, horror. I'll give anything a try, especially if it has a good romance, because shipping is important to me, obviously.

Obviously! LOL. Do you always have a book on the go?

Always. It makes me insane to not have a back-up or five. I'm always looking for the next awesome thing. It's like crack.

Your Goodreads list must be awesome!

Thanks! It's definitely got a variety of things. I can have weird taste sometimes, though, so some of the stuff might not appeal to everyone. Do you like to read? Because I'll take recs, man.

I do! Working my way through the new HP script at the moment. Oh, and a Dan Brown novel. I like lots of different things. Romance, fantasy, Sci-Fi (to a point), dystopian stuff, mystery, drama. I'll read most anything. I'm thinking that maybe your tastes are so diverse because you read so much!

So, after all the things you've read. What appeals to you about Everlark?

Everything really. I love the childhood connection, the push and pull of their relationship (enemies to friends to lovers), and Peeta's utter dedication. And just the idea of inevitable love.

I think that's one of the most beautiful things about the story: the idea that they had always shared a connection, and that Katniss had always watched him, kept track of him while he worshipped her from afar. His promise of Always and the way he's able to come back from such horrific torture to be with her the way that it's meant? Sigh… I guess there's not really a question there. LOL.

LOL. No, but I enjoyed it anyway. I completely agree with everything you said.

So, what made you decide to write fanfic?

It was after I watched the first THG movie. I'd already read the books years before, but watching the film really just did me in. I immediately craved fanfic afterwards, and then once I started reading them, ideas of my own started popping up.

Had you written fanfic before?

A few times, but nothing serious. I actually wrote a Dramione one once for HP, but it's since been deleted...because it was terrible LOL.

LOL at the idea that you could write something terrible. Although, I've got my nose wrinkled at Dramoine.

LOL. Well, thank you, but I definitely write some pretty shitty things. And don't you dare look at Dramione that way.

:p I won't mess with your ship, I swear! Your work is totally different than most Everlark fic that gets posted. Where do your ideas come from?

Umm, I don't really know. I suppose it's just a combination of being a weirdo with a big imagination. And I'm also inspired by the shows, movies and books I consume, so it's a collective effort. Also, I think it's important to write the things you personally want to read about, but may not already exist in the form that you want it. Which is what I try to do.

What is it about Peeta's character that makes you want to explore Dark!Peeta?

I just like to corrupt puppies. :) Plus, I believe he has his own inner darkness in canon, shown by his hijacked!Peeta personality -- which to me was just the worst version of himself that was exacerbated by what the Capitol did to him. But also I like to mess around with angels and make them do devilish things. Sometimes it's more interesting that way.

I think you're right that his past abuse and the arena had left some dark spots that the Capitol was able to exploit. Do you have a favourite among your fics?

Hmm. I guess if I had to choose, it would be First We Feast. Second place would be one I took down called Covet. But it's sort of hard to say, because you sort of love and hate all of your fics in different ways...sort of like your children. Just kidding. I don't have any children. But I imagine it's much the same.

I love mine equally but for different reasons (but I guess that applies to both my kids and my fics!) Why did you take down Covet? Are you thinking about turning it into an original fic?

Yes, I am. I have big plans for it. I think I've come up with a few ways to make it an even better as an original. And honestly, it was already pretty OOC anyway when I look back on it, so it's just a matter of setting it apart a few steps further.

I'm really excited for you! That's amazing. What made you decide you were ready to make the leap?

I had an idea in my head for an original book that wasn't fanfiction, and I thought, "Okay, it's time. Capitalize on this inspiration and just go for it." And then before I knew it, I had a book written. However, it's sitting there right now collecting dust, waiting for more edits, but I really just needed space from it for awhile. I'm planning for my next originals to be the reworked Covet one, and also Heartsick which I took down for that purpose as well. I don't think you ever really feel ready, but if you don't start now, time will still pass regardless. And the only difference is that in six months you won't have a book if you didn't at least try.

Very true. Are you planning to self-publish or are you going to try to shop it?

I would like to try to shop it, but I'm willing to self-publish. I have a friend who's already done that and I'll beg her for guidance if necessary. But right now it's a mess, so it's hard to envision it on anyone's Kindle, LOL. But at least the bare bones are done. It'll be ready when it's ready and great when that happens, I'm sure. There's crazy talent in this fandom. Better than a lot of what I see on the shelves these days.

I completely agree with you there. I've always been floored by the writers in this fandom. The stuff people did for @promptsinpanem (PIP) blew me away consistently. I need to talk to you about PIP. That all started before I joined the fandom. What brought that about?

It was a pretty simple thing at first. One day Essie ( @silvercistern ) and I decided that our fandom needed a writing challenge, because one didn't exist yet. We were thirsty for more fics, so we basically just cobbled the idea together in a weekend and then launched it right away. We didn't even know if anyone would participate other than us, and our friends. But people did, and it became this great thing. I think it was when the fandom was at its purest. Everyone was excited and just wanted to write, or read, and create. And all the ideas were so fresh. It was an idyllic time.

Do you think the fandom is going through a transition?

I think it's just going through the natural process that all fandoms undergo. It's never going to be like it once was, but there are still plenty of people who love THG and Everlark. So while there is a decline in activity, there will also always be new fans, which is comforting.

Do you think PIP was a reflection of the enthusiasm at the time, or that it was part of the reason for it?

I think maybe a little of both.

How so?

A community effort like that is definitely going to foster a sense of camaraderie, but you're also not going to participate and produce quality work unless you REALLY love the subject matter.

Very true! Well, I think the fandom owes you and Essie quite a lot for what your weekend brainstorming session created. I've got one more question for you. I always ask the same one at the end. Part of the reason for the blog is to encourage new writers to share their work. If you had a piece of advice to a new writer, or a shy writer, what would it be?

I know that it's really intimidating to put your work out there for the first time, but remember that there's an audience out there who is dying to read something new and will be incredibly excited to read what you've done. And it's just fic, not life or death. Have fun with it and try not to take it too seriously.

We're a pretty supportive bunch, that's for sure.

For sure. I've definitely appreciated all the support I've gotten over the years.

Thank you so much for doing this!! It was a pleasure talking to you. Also, one more question. Inmate. I'm totally possessed by it. Will there be another part?

Yes, there will be a last part! I've got a good chunk of it done, but I sort of got lost in real life and inspiration. I know what's going to happen, but I just haven't finished, LOL. I'm sorry, I feel like a loser because of it.

Ah!! Well, I hope it comes back to you. I, for one, am looking forward to it. And erm, I may have a half-finished fic posted that hasn't been updated in about year. So, I can't throw any shade, my friend. We'll talk soon!

Okay! Thanks again.

Your url. Why did you pick it? Do you want to have Peeta’s babies? Word vomit away, my dear.

LOL OMG my poor url. Well there is no clever come to Jesus event that lead to it. I was a creepy little lurker who found fanfiction so late in the game, which lead me here. And reading people’s urls fascinated me. So I finally got the balls to make my own little desolate blog dedicated to that baking fictional dandelion and I think I was sitting next to my husband and was like omg Peetasbunmyoven! Literally, like I just shouted it while he was watching ESPN and he doesn’t even look up (which, because let’s face it, by now nothing shocks that beautiful man) and he just nods his head and says ‘yeah that sounds like something you would come up with. A bad bread pun, with some perverted thrown in. Go with it.’ So when I die I will be known for these things. Three beautiful children, a gross reputation for being too nice but having a pension for smut and trash novels, my superior cookie skills, and for a horrific bad pun blog where I talked about fictional people getting naked a lot. May she rest in peace.

Oh, and if somehow the angels get the books mixed up and I head to heaven instead of on the first roller coaster to hell, then yeah Peeta Mellark will totally be real there. And the hubs will be there too and be like - go ahead….hell, I’ll come along and distract Katniss while you attempt to remove his pants. If she shoots me it is on you.

That’s too funny!

So you have superior cookie skills??

Yes Ma’am! Christmas time I become a cookie elf sharing with the masses.

I have been called the cookie queen in my time… I’ll be issuing you a throwdown later. ;)

So you said you were late to the game. How late and what made you jump in?

Okay, so my best friend since I was ten, (we are now both a respectable, immature 32), we always trade books. For years whether it’s a text rec, email, or lots of times we just ship a book to each other at random.

Well, one afternoon a package arrived with these books in it. Which I devoured in two days. All three. I was insatiable and then found out OMG the first movie was due to come out in just a few months. The angels sang and I knew the universe loved me. So I saw the movie twice. Was super pleased. Looking back we all pick it apart but let’s face it, as adaptations go we were blessed even with that first one. So the movie lead to the DVD, the DVD to special features, special feature to fallin in love with the actors (Horowitz you asshole you lit the Joshifer disease in my heart back when that was an innocent sane thing) Well perusing more THG youtube interviews I read a comment mentioning fanfiction. I was wtf is that? Google. FF.net. OMG there are stories that make Peeta and Katniss have sex in my beautiful epilogue!!!!!

*bursts into tears of joy* Read fanfiction till the sun came up and was changed as a person to core of my filthy soul!

Did you google Katniss Peeta sex? Cuz you wouldn’t be the first!

Lol. No, just fanfiction. But I was like, what are these filters? What is mature? Omg. There is sex here. Then you just go through the shifts of canon, to au, to tropes, to historical and I was just overwhelmed, and not just by the options but the talent in this fandom is one of the most humbling experiences of my life.

After reading everything on ff.net I saw something mentioning this tumblr place. So, *whoops*, visited this majestic fangirl land, found my people, then found out about a03. And PiP. And drabbles. And omg I will never be the same, nor would I want to be! lol

I think it’s changed us all! What was the first piece of fic you wrote?

My first Everlark fic? Lord, I think it was a holiday piece for PiP? Where - wait for it… Katniss is a ghost. I cannot ever go back and read it, who the hell knows what kind of horrific mess it is, but it was called Sleep in Heavenly Peace. Obviously it sounds super full of Holiday cheer.

But there is a HEA I swear! lol

So, there’s no ghost sex?

Shockingly no…I know, but I sometimes have written Everlark where there is no smutty smut….if I remember right, though, Peeta talks about what he would like to do to her or something, but like I said, it was long ago and I am not brave enough to traverse what could be so cringeworthy I end up crying!

Oh ima have to go read this…

Dear God, good luck and go in peace.

Where do you get your inspiration for stories?

I have been in a slump for so long, that’s a hard question to answer. The stuff used to just pour out because I never stressed about it. Tons of my drabbles came from prompts people would send me. When PiP came around it would be the most random stuff that made me start a story. And not deep stuff either lol. I am not that person. I don’t plan. I’m flighty, I have no depth or pretension. Like literally I have written a story just because I wanted to make everlark bffs and Peeta wear braces. Then, they reconnect later in life, and he comes to the door shirtless and god-like but still wearing a retainer and Katniss cannot control herself. Lol!

Another time I just wanted him in suspenders. Or in lifeguard shorts. See? I am a deep intellectual. Aren’t you glad you asked to interview me?

Of course I am!

So why the slump?

The slump, I think, is a combo of real life getting crazy, the shift of fandom excitement, and I got rattled like a baby by some shitty anons and the doubt never seemed to abate.

I do miss it though, and I have the final two parts of my Blind!Peeta drabble series I have to finish or people will murder me. It is almost done.

Blind!Peeta!!! Yes, people want to read the rest.

Shift of fandom excitement? Where do you think it’s gone to?

Not gone, really. I knew there would always be a small fade once the last movie came out simply through the logistics. No more promo, interviews, previews or stills to wait for… all of those things drove a lot of creativity around here. So I knew some would fade. Which is perfectly okay. It is the way of things.

I do not like the way of things. Lol

Tell me about these bad anons. What’s their problem?! They’re stealing your wonderful stories from us, if you ask me.

Oh, I think we all wish it could go on forever. Everlark is just kind of that fictional pair that is pretty rare. And I don’t stress over notes. That was one thing I have never let stress me. The grammar police however….lol writing was self indulgent for me… because it gave me all the power to make it go my way. Plus, I got to make Peeta blush or smirk or talk about his fictional freckles a lot. (I have a thing for Peeta with freckles. Cannot help it.)

Honestly, they were only shitty because of how cruel they phrased things, and I think there was a group that came at me in mass over two days, lol. I literally got about 15 messages. Which, hell, I have gotten tons of hate and am not one that is ever rattled. The thing that haunted me was I looked back and realized the context of their attack was actually true. And that rattled me. Simply because I was this big English nerd in school and suddenly in my head I was like, shit where did all my grammar knowledge go? So each time I went to write, or read over my writing, it was ALL I could see.

And I was always a beta baby…like, I HATE asking people to help me or take time to do something for me. It’s a personality flaw ;) But the whole thing was ridiculous, and I guess was my first experience with anon hate finally bothering me. Took two years so I’d say I’m probably pretty lucky, ;)

Grammar errors aside, (we all have it them), you’re a word slinger, my dear. You are welcome to slay me anytime with a story! Like I don’t even comprehend how you put words together like you do. I read your stuff and I’m so in awe because you have such a way with words that’s different and it makes your stories exciting.

What’s your favorite story that you’ve written?

This is always that question I don’t know how to answer because I don’t see them and think they are great… which sounds so annoying. Uuuummmm… I’ve enjoyed the simple fun of this blind!Peeta drabble because I have made him so over the top charming just cause I wanna… I wrote a story called Pieces that was gut wrenching, but I was proud of the approach. Just the idea of looking at how survivors of sexual trauma relearn intimacy… and Landslide was kind of fun because it had some aspects that included real inspiration from me and my hubs.

Using RL in a sorry… Gotta love it! Let’s talk about Hit Me. Dang! Best boxing fic I’ve read. It was crazy good!

Aw, thanks!

Where did you come up with the idea and how do create such tension between Everlark? I need a lesson!

That one came about as a specific ask from a tumblr friend, Jules, whose url has changed lately shit, ummm Jules you’re @inloveinwonder now right? Anyway, she was mellarksberries. She sent me a link to some video and, hell I can’t even remember who was in it, but it was 30 seconds long and had these two actors boxing, and tension, and a kiss. And she was like - write me this lol

And I had a personal cheerleader in Amy, ( @muttpeeta ), who loves antagonistic!Everlark more than life. So, I literally sat down one day and, maybe two hours later, I had written some boxing Everlark porn?????? I mean I at least took the time to research some terminology.

Research is always important. ;) Then we can call it scientific, right?

Girl, I am awful! No one should listen to me or my process. I just sit and go.

That’s awesome, though!!

I normally, 95 percent of the time, will write the whole thing in one sitting. I once did a 15k all at once just cause if I walk away it feels like I come back a different writer or something.

Wow! Writer’s marathon! That’s the opposite of writer’s block, btw. You write a lot of one shots. Is that why? Do you have any wips?

Lol, one? Which never should have happened. It was one I started for a PiP and it got away from me, and I got talked into turning it into a WiP. I have not updated since! Even this blind Peeta drabble - I feel awful because people are waiting.

These fandom peeps can be as persuasive as Peeta Mellark. Gotta watch ‘em! Lol. So, you get an idea, write it all in one sitting, and never look back?

I should not be writing in the first place!!! I am a hot mess, busy mom and flighty as fuck, and so yes….people I love you….thank you for reading…what were you thinking??

Give me your best dirty joke.

Omg, I don’t know!!!!!! that’s my husband’s arena  -corny, filthy commentary, and I just play off him. We’ve been together too long, and hell I’m too tired after my schedule to come up with anything original.

He just walked out the door and I told him he’s handsome. To which he said he’s always handsome, and I said there is a fine line between confident and cocky, and he’s full of both. Then he said, hey, maybe if you’re full of my cock that makes me confident. This was seconds ago - I am so so so sorry….

Lol! That was definitely dirty.

Okay, Katniss or Peeta… if you had to choose one. And you have to. No one ever gives me a real answer.

PEETA

Finally!!!!

Katniss, I love you, but I would shove you off the door to let Peeta sing himself as the Titanic sinks, I am so sorry! But, boo, I think you’d agree with me, right? So like it’s okay?

It is okay. ;)

Katniss would totally turn into an ice pop by choice, and hell it even fits, as Peeta whispers he’ll never let gooooo.

Do you still read fanfic?

all the time. It is incredible. And our fandom has such, such gifts!

What are some of your faves?

I have too many

Gimme 5 that come to mind

I mean I have said ten trillion times that I have this bff everlark addiction.

with eyes to hear, no surprises, no unicorns, crash my party, stars, the first time, best laid plans…… those are the first bff ones that pop into my head and are straight crack to my soul.

Do you have a favorite trope?

Yep, friends to lovers. I cannot help it. In fact, one of my fave PiP stories I wrote, which isn’t very popular, let me indulge it… I just remember waking up and like five year old Peeta’s voice was in my head and the first line, “he thought she looked like a princess…..”, and I just ran with it and *sigh*. Don’t ya just love bff everlark growing up with one of them worshipping the other?

I do. What’s this pip story called?

Our Castle. Though, some sites just call it Castle because they nickname the playground where they meet their Castle, and as they grow up it is significant.

Aw! That sounds so sweet! You write the emotional stuff really well. Like, well enough to make me cry. Okay, almost cry. I’m a toughie. 😉 Why do you think that is?

Don’t cry!!!! Lol, but yeah, angst comes easy to me and I don’t have a clue why. Because literally I am one of the most consistent optimists alive. When I was little I became determined to never make people suffer for their misgivings and mess ups. Anger literally makes my stomach hurt, like I get mad hardly at all and would always rather look for the sunshine in something. But in turn, I guess when I fall in love with a character, or both of these two, their pain affects me ten fold so I write it easier? Hell if I know.

Like I said, I still cannot believe a soul reads anything I have written. I will never know why I can make angst happen quickly. People send me prompts and the angst could flow in seconds….lol

You have a dark gift 😉

omg are you about to challenge me or something lol

Oh, I am going to challenge you. But not just yet… Do you enjoy writing?

I do. I love words. Reading them, writing them. I love that, for me, it’s so much easier to write something out than to articulate it. I love how I feeeel them when I read them. They are so powerful.

You use them well. Are you thinking of writing anything past wrapping up blind!Peeta?

I have no idea. Sometimes I feel like you’d have to pry this otp from my dying hands.

What have you not written that you’d want to write?

God, I am sure a ton.

Have you written affair everlark?

I haven’t.

I’m not asking… Fyi. I mean, I am. Just not that I want to read it.

Though, I could see it, and have seen it done so so well, it is a tread careful for sure. But real life is a mess and you can see how sometimes it happens in a way, though painful, that has a HEA.

I have seen it in RL. I’m always impressed when a couple can come back stronger than ever. I just don’t wanna read it in my otp! Lol

Amy’s canon based Hero of the Story rocks me, and is so believable in context. So, it can be done very well, and she shows the ugly well, too. But I have never tackled it.

You’re right! That one is really good. You did tackle the lifeguard setting, though!

Lol, lifeguard was pure smutty fluff fun! I have a dark Peeta that never got finished, but prob my most painful and controversial is the Pieces one, but no adultery.

Dark Peeta? What’s that about?

It is 10k words of unfinished Peeta who kind of loses his humanity b/c of his home life, but only sees life in Katniss….his last vestige of humanity rests in her and he goes into the games and comes back, and, well he’s a wee bit violent and might, as the town says, be a murderer. :(

We will have to look for this one! What are your favorite books outside of thg?

I am a HP nerd. Secret garden was my first grade love. Books of late - I fell so so hard for the Winner’s Trilogy. Arin and Kestrel nearly challenged Everlark for me. I even wrote a drabble so you know that’s a bad sign, lol.

Anne of Greene Gables I grew up loving, and my trashy child heart loved Sweet Valley books. I love Dracula. I love Beloved, though it breaks me.

I love secret garden! What is the Winners Trilogy? I may need to read this if it challenges Everlark.

Arin and Kestrel in TWT, my heart, dude. It starts with her buying him as a slave at auction in this dystopian world and I just… read it!

Yes ma'am.

I just finished The Hating Game and omg. If you love enemies to lovers run nowwwwwww. OMG! Don’t even ask, just go read them.

Okay, it’s time for the challenge. Let’s have a cookie throwdown! Give me your best cookie recipe.

Okay, these are Grandma cookies. They were my husband’s grandma’s cookies. She died when I was 17 after only getting to know her a year….but every Christmas she made this huge container of a million baked goods, and I got to help her make these and now I make them every year for all her grandsons who miss her still 15 years later… I bake like ten cookies and cakes and bars trying to pick up her legacy.

Aw! That’s sweet and fun legacy to continue!

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 

• 2 teaspoons ground ginger 

• 1 teaspoon baking soda 

• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon 

• ½ teaspoon ground cloves 

• ¼ teaspoon salt 

• ¾ cup margarine, softened or unsalted butter 

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 egg 

• 1 tablespoon orange juice 

• ¼ cup molasses 

• 2 tablespoons white sugar 

Directions Cook 10 m • Ready In 50 m 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside. 2. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine or butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the oj and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly. 3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Okay, here’s mine. I’m a little nervous to go up against any kind of ‘Grandma cookie’, but I have converted many people to my side (of anything) with these bribe-worthy babies.

½ c white sugar

½ c light brown sugar

½ c peanut butter

¾ c butter, softened

1 egg

½ tsp vanilla

1 ¼ c flour

½ tsp each of baking soda, salt and cinnamon

12 oz. chocolate chips (semisweet if you don’t like them too rich, otherwise use milk chocolate)

Preheat the oven to 375. Blend together the sugars and the butters, then add the egg and vanilla. DO NOT stick your finger in the batter. That’s gross. But yummy. Anyway - Stir together the dry ingredients and mix into wet ingredients in 3 small turns. Then add the chips, (the chocolate one, not potato chips. Although, I have done that and if you like sweet and salty stuff - dang, Gina. Go for it.)

Drop spoonfuls of rounded dough onto a cookie pan. I grease mine because I hate stuck on food particles, but there’s so much butter in these you may not need to. Your call. Now -

Listen to me! This is MUY IMPORTANTE! Only bake the cookies for 9 minutes. NO MORE. If they don’t look done, take them out anyway, because cookies will absorb the heat from the pan and will continue to bake until *either* you take them off the pan, or the pan cools. If they’re a little too brown on the sides, cut back to 8 minutes. A cookie with a little bit of a soft center is not a problem anyway.

So you're a fast reader :) What made you decide to write Everlark fanfiction? After Mockingjay, I just needed more and so I started to read fanfiction, Everlark specific. I've been writing fanfiction for awhile now for other fandoms and wanted to give it a go with Everlark. There is something about a couple whose been through what they have and get a happy ending. You want to know how they got there. So I just visually created in my head my own play on their story. Which other fandoms did you write for? Sailormoon was my first fandom when I was in my teens, then Harry Potter. Somewhere out there, my Sailormoon fanfics posted...unbeta'd...written on Notepad and in text format...

That is all kinds of awesome!! So you've been writing most of your life. Do you write original fic/non fic too? Yes, it's a passion that I love to do outside of work, home life, etc. I didn't major in it though because I don't necessarily want to make a job and keep it a passion, something just for me. I am working on an original fiction very loosely based on We Go Down which I pulled out of FFn and AO3 That's fantastic, best of luck with that!! So let's talk about some of your other fanfics. I think everyone is reading Fated to Love right now (and waiting with bated breath for every update!). Can you tell me about it? What prompted you to choose that particular story to adapt to the everlark universe? I know! I've got people going kind of crazy because it's so soap opera-ish. But Fated to Love is based on a Korean Drama called Fated to Love You. The story is about a mousy office girl who accidentally has one night with a snobbish business mogul which results in a pregnancy and a marriage. It's the story of them trying to coexist and try to become a couple as well as a family.

I'm a big fan of Korean dramas and the characters were just well written. I'm always looking for ideas around me and during the middle of binge watching, I turned to my husband and told him that I wanted to Everlark it.

He agreed. Also I really loved the thought of changing up Katniss and Peeta's personalities. And how has the response been, both to the story, and to the characterizations? I think it has been going well. A lot of readers are big Korean drama watchers as well so they enjoyed what I pulled from the series. Some will even make suggestions on what they'd like to see. I think I've kept a good balance between the actual series and my story. It was a big change for people to see Peeta as sort of this cold person, even mean at times. However, seeing him progress, even fall in love with Katniss and have her reciprocate was a big deal when it happened.

Which is what I wanted. I wanted readers to react at the end of chapters. Just like I did while I was watching the series. And react they have! How do you feel, in general, about the feedback you receive? Do you incorporate suggestions or change your fics in response to what readers are telling you? I definitely take suggestions into account, I took in a lot of suggestions when I wrote Two Wrongs. I've never changed a fic in response however. I've always had a set idea on what I wanted out of my characters and stories. So are you an outliner? What does your writing process look like? I rarely outline. I outlined maybe the last two chapters of Two Wrongs. I always know how my story begins and how it ends. The fun part is writing the in-between. Okay so you rarely outline, you're a 'pantser' for the most part. (Me too). So where do your story ideas come from? I know some are adaptations of books and movies, but you're hugely prolific, there are a lot of stories out there with your name on them... Let's see...Two Wrongs was developed during a walk on the beach. There was a really souped-up car, the kind that had a huge back seat and this image of Katniss and Peeta sitting in one just hit me. Also, I wanted to showcase them in San Francisco. Again came from my love of the 90's as it was really a time that I had a lot of life changing moments. Prompts, of course, will jump start an idea like Shameless or Good Enough. We Go Down was from a similar that I wrote for the Sailormoon fandom.

I get fixated on images or memories will also just get me to write something. Okay, talk to me about your pairings, because you're primarily an Everlark writer, but you've also written Everlarkthorne, Hayhanna and a little bit of Galeniss. What do you enjoy about the challenges of the 'alternative' pairings? The challenge of getting them together. When a pairing isn't in canon or not even thought of, you  have to creatively think of situations and parts of the characters that would bring them together, give them that spark. Everlarkthorne, for example, can be difficult because Gale and Peeta are very different characters both in love with the same woman, but that can also bring them a sort of kinship. Also, the fact that Gale and Katniss shared similar traits even features would attract someone like Peeta and the things Katniss loves about Peeta could very well cause Gale to fall for him as well. I love that idea!

Do your real-life experiences show up in your fics, by the way? I meant to ask before... Yes, all the time. A lot of things in Again happened to friends or family of mine. Like Thresh being jumped for his Niners jacket in Again, that happened to my cousin in the early 90's. A lot of the sites in Two Wrongs are places I frequent in real life, too. Personally, miscarriages and fertility issues in my fics are from my own experiences. It's a good way of healing and I find a lot of people can relate, it ends up helping them too. Something cathartic about sharing those difficult pieces of our lives and knowing they might help someone else in a similar situation not feel so alone? Yes, I've had readers who personally message me and tell me that they got a good cry from a story and even shared it with their sibling, significant other, etc. It definitely lets me know that I'm not only one out there with these experiences and feelings It's amazing how a bunch of books can bring together a community! So... tell me what's next for you? You're working on original fiction, but you'll still be writing THG fics? Yes, I'm not quite done with THG and writing everyday keeps my brain fresh! I'm slowly archiving all my drabbles and will eventually post them on the fanfiction sites. I love the fresh brain idea :) You write every single day? Do you set aside a specific block of time, or set a word target, or do you just follow the muse? I follow the muse. I can be on a bus and suddenly write on my notepad on my phone. It will vary from one sentence to a paragraph. What advice would you give the starting out writer? Know that any story idea is a good idea if they are sure and passionate about it. That in the end, writing is about enjoying and celebrating characters that you love, not about reviews or popularity. Good advice! Okay, in that vein, tell me which if your own stories is the most under appreciated, and why should people run over and read it right now? I always say this but Lazy because each character has an oddity about them (each person is based on a deadly sin) but they make this odd little family in the end. They all have each other's backs. Also, I think I wrote my best incantation of Hayffie in it. Shameless because I love an immoral Everlark. Also, Look to the West because I love that it has a supernatural aspect to it and the Galerose pairing is tragically lovely. I love Shameless, it's one of my favourites!

Which authors are your guilty pleasure? I am a big V.C. Andrews fan, if that wasn't apparent by Good Enough. I'm very into the Confession of a Shopaholic series--I relate a little too much to the main character... Lol I think we all do! Anything else you would like to mention? Any other projects you'd like to highlight it any shout-outs? There are just too many people that I am thankful to have in our fandom, yourself included :) I would like people to know that if they ever need anything that my box is always open for them. It doesn't even have to be about writing. I just think it's important for everyone in the fandom to feel like they have support. Oh that's so sweet! I think people will be thrilled to yo now how nice and approachable you are!

I'll wrap up now, thank you so much for chatting with me!! No problem, I hope that it was a little entertaining and hope everyone will enjoy it! Thank you for taking the time to do these interviews! You're completely entertaining :) Thank you, my dear! Enjoy the rest of your day!

It’s hard, believe me. Sometimes I write on my lunch break. I also carve out time for mini-workouts. 5 minutes of abs here, lotsa squats in the shower there or whatever is on the monthly menu for @tributesintraining. Have you tried our sets for this month?

I haven’t!

It’s intense! If you’re not following @tributesintraining, you should and incorporate the daily set into what you’re already doing! It’s been a fun little fandom-based fitness blog. @bitcheslovesprinkles is the brainpower behind the operation and I’m the goofy sidekick.

How I envision you. :)

So you’re real name is not your url, which I totally thought it was for the longest time. Where did you come up with it?

Hmmm. ‘Jenna’ was the anonymous name I gave to guys at bars in college and my out of state grad school (Go Wildcats!). I was very much a taken lady by my own Peeta back home in Texas so I wasn’t giving out my real name to these boys in Arizona. And ‘Jenna’ because it reminded me of Jenna Wade from Dallas (Bobby Ewing’s girlfriend after Pamela Barnes Ewing was out of the picture) and my mom always said she was trouble. Except when I explained that rationale once to someone, they said that they’d be much more likely to get into trouble with a ‘Jackie’ than a ‘Jenna’ so my theory was flawed. So despite the backfire, ‘Jenna’ stuck and ‘Gill’ is a part of my married name. I don’t honestly know why I stuck them together in their incongruency. I’ve only changed it once for a Halloween gag, ‘JennaGhoul,’ which is appropriate too.

My mom used to watch Dallas! And we’re the same age so your mom must have watched it as well. That’s too funny.

Yes… but did your mom go as far as to tour South Fork and to meet Larry Hagman and Linda Gray multiple times? I’m beginning to understand how fangirling might be genetic, lol.

You know, I don’t remember anything like that, but I’m not saying it’s not a possibility - I believe in these fangirl genes.

How did you end up in the Hunger Games fandom?

A friend recommended the series around the time that the male leads had been cast for the first movie. I recognized the kid from ‘Firehouse Dog’ on a gossip blog that also promoted the series, so I gave it a shot. Four days and sleepless nights later, I decided I should re-read the series slower. And then maybe another time for good measure. Then since I'm so Adult…. I googled “Peeta Katniss sex”...

Because ‘so after’ and ‘we grow back together’ wasn’t good enough, right?

NOPE! It might have sufficed when I was younger, but I wanted more.

Anyway, I found the wide world of fanfiction that I never knew existed. I first landed on two fics by LolaShoes (who has been reposted under another name? Maybe Cloverleafsky?) that were exactly what I was looking for… Night before the 75th arena shenanigans and then post-MJ but pre-epilogue loveliness. I went from there to find other writers like Aimmyarrowshigh, Dustwriter, Devanrae, Monroeslittle, Miss Scarlett 05, Everlark_Pearl (@ashyblondwaves), Cali-chan (@girlsareweird), Hgfan1111, and then the modern AU queen Miss Honeywell (@peetaspenis). It seems like most everyone has moved on from those early days but to me, those were my ‘gateway’ fics to this world. I wound up making my own blog on maternity leave nearly 10 months after I started reading fanfiction (Hmmmmm……) because I found checking the other blogs for updates exhausting. Then reading fanfiction during those middle of the night feedings and finding kindred spirits doing the same thing (hey @keetaeverlark.) There was one chapter in @bleedtoloveher’s Infinity (sadly removed) that had me up the rest of the night, fretting for Katniss’s wellbeing and awfully mad at Peeta. Still waiting for that conversion, btw.

Why did you start writing Fanfiction?

Great question! There were stories I wanted to read that hadn't been written yet and stories that I just wanted to write. I dabbled in creative writing between high school and grad school, and my mom is a writer, so I was just sort of hoping that it didn't totally suck when I decided to take the plunge. Right after I made my blog, the very next month was the first round of Prompts in Panem. I was just eaten up with inspiration in the prompts and wrote two for that round. And then continued to contribute here and there since then. Reviewing, beta-ing, pre-reading, prompting, requesting, and okay writing. That's what I've been doing for a long time now.

Were you nervous at all posting for PiP so quickly after joining Tumblr? That would leave some folks with serious nausea and hyperventilation! Are you just naturally a ‘go get’em’ kinda girl?

Prompts in Panem was brand new and had fewer contributors in that first round so it was not as intimidating in the beginning. And I honestly wasn’t nervous for the first one, The Manager. I remember writing it lightning fast… all 821 words, haha, and submitting it. I was more nervous about Diving In because of the sex stuff. I asked Dustwriter to read it before posting and she asked if Katniss was a mermaid because she was quite skilled underwater… so I realized I needed to revise it quite a bit. So to answer your question, I dove right into it.

So we’re gonna get into the smut right up front I guess! This interview is the equivalent of a one night stand. :) I haven’t talked to one author that hasn’t been nervous about the masses reading their smut scenes. What was it like for you to post the first time?  

I had zero expectations, so I just sort of closed my eyes and hit the ‘submit’ button. I was writing for the experience of it and didn’t know if anything would come from it. It's been a few years now and I have collected a few awesome cheerleaders and writing coaches that I'm so thankful for (that's you, @fnurfnur and @papofglencoe!).

If someone were to ask you to give them tips on writing smut, what would you tell them?

I’d blush. Then I’d take a deep breath and tell them to write out the scenarios that appeal to them and to double check arm/leg positioning so that it doesn’t read like a game of Twister.

So what's your favorite story that you've written?

Ahhhh. Don't make me choose between my babies.

I know it’s tough but if all of your fics were drowning and you could only save one - ;)

OK fine. Coxa.

Wow, you really did just pick one! I think you’re the first. Why is it your fave?

I had the idea of how a hip replacement might affect Everlark bumping around in my mind because of real life issues for years but I didn't know how I wanted to write it or where to take it. I floated the idea to other opinions I trust and they agreed that there was something there. Then that damn red Mockingjay suit promo came out for MJ2 and Lionsgate promoted it differently than I imagined… So I imagined it in my own way for a prologue in the final round of PiP. Then it took me another couple of months before I jotted down an outline. Once the outline was in place though, the words flew from my fingers to the screen through the experiences, emotions, and how that all would impact Everlark. It was the fastest, most natural thing I've written. It was amazing. I set my goal for the spring Camp Nano and I exceeded it. I wanted to post chapters weekly. I did that. I feel an incredible sense of personal accomplishment in completing Coxa and I'm grateful that it's been well received by readers.

It’s really an amazing story! How did you imagine the the promo and were you disappointed?

I saw the red suit (that wasn’t in the books) and thought for a moment that they would somehow incorporate it into what hijacked!Peeta sees in his Capitol torture sessions… then a wise person pointed out that the movies wouldn’t get that deep in Peeta’s brain. So I turned it into his nightmare in my story.

We all need to know who has this sort of wisdom… you know, in case we have a question.

Well I floated the idea to the humans in the car at the time, @hutchhitched and @burlesonspride, and then put it out there on tumblr too. I think it was @muttpeeta that shut down my dreams of us seeing in hijacked!Peeta technicolor.  

I know you were recently out of state for something with your husband. Is that the real life issue you are speaking of? What was that like? Or should we just all read Coxa to find out?

Yes, for insurance reasons we traveled out of state for my husband’s hip replacement. We had originally thought that his hip was injured in a high school football game and then overlooked because the focus was on the damage done to his knee. However, new x-rays revealed that both hips are jacked up (thanks, genetics). His left one was in pain though, so it was fixed first. The whole experience was frightening, quiet, invigorating, and smoother than we ever dreamed. In other words, different from Coxa--so you can still read it! I tapped into the medical and emotional distance aspects of the experience for the fic, but I was permitted to travel with him, so at least we were together in real life (spoiler!). We missed our kids something fierce, though. Two weeks without them was bizarre. It’s also part of why I was able to write so much though… he slept and I wrote. I goaded him into his PT and I wrote. The hotel had a mini-gym so I spent sometime down there too. And then I wrote some more.

You’ve explained some about your writing process above. Do you prefer to write the entire story before you begin posting chapters, or do you write as you go? Where do you see the pros/cons of each style of updating?

I’ve done both now and there are definitely pros and cons to the processes. Aside from the one shots, this was the first multi-chapter that I’ve completely written out and published one chapter at a time. I can’t say that it would have turned out the same had I written one chapter at a time over a period of months. Everyone strives for cohesion and it’s much easier to obtain it if you have the whole body of work in front of you, in my opinion. BUT it takes longer and you have to decide whether it’s better as a one shot or as a multichapter… and even then to post it one at a time or what. When @awhiskeyriver posted With Eyes To Hear every Sunday and @alonglineofbread posted Alone in a Crowded Room on Fridays (and sometimes Mondays), it was a fun adventure to follow. Then @eala-musings brought that back for Wildflower recently, so I knew I wanted to try it too. And to maybe seduce a few readers into the guaranteed weekly posting. It was tough between weeks though, I wanted to divulge spoilers and let readers know that it was all going to be okay. Then there are the super patient readers that get to enjoy that self-satisfying click for ‘next chapter’ because they waited until it’s all posted. Sometimes I even hold off in reading a WIP because I want to read the whole thing, so it’s hard to say which way works better because everyone is different.

Where do you find inspiration for your stories?

Everywhere. That's probably cliché, but really. Everywhere. My own life experiences (fishing trip=Fix My Eyes, personal development class=Comfort Zone, managing boys wrestling in high school=The Manager, etc.), ideas I haven't seen yet in fic, movies, TV, etc.

Who is your favorite THG character and why?

I fell in love with Peeta’s character because he reminded me of my husband and I identified with Katniss, so again...don't make me choose between my babies.

Does your husband love Peeta as well? How does he feel about being your ‘Peeta’?

He let me name his truck “Peeta” so I guess he’s okay with it ;) I actually stopped reading Catching Fire, woke him up next to me and read him the ‘wounded’ bit aloud. I inferred that he was my Peeta through incoherent babbles. He patted me on the head and went back to sleep but the feeling persists. I love this wounded boy that loved a girl, gave everything up for her, and got it back in spades after a while.

Okay, so hubs is your Peeta. Give me your personal Everlark story. Along with meshing your two last names together!

Lol Let’s jump into the way back time machine then for Smitiam or Gillth inception.

I can tell you have small children!

Haha yep!

He liked me but didn’t pursue me because he knew I wasn’t into him at the time, the later years of high school. He gave me rides home from school and was just all around a sweet heart. Poor guy stood by, watching me date dumb dudes until I realized what was right in front of me. Then came along this chick that was all over him and I couldn’t handle it in the fall of our senior year. We went through a rough week of not being friends and it ended with us making out in the back of a friends car (so romantic, I know). I also felt Katniss’ motivations and hoped that she would survive this awful game she was wrapped up in …. And maybe pick the boy with the bread. I had just come off reading Twilight too... so even though I felt the choice, I was worried there would be plot twists. So both. It's hard for me to separate the two. I also love side characters, and try to include them when I can!

LOL you’re Katniss! He pined for you, and you not so much. So you two are high school sweethearts?

Yep!

How long have you been together?

This November will be 21 years since we made out in that car the first time.  

And how long have you been married?

Twelve years married in December.

That’s so sweet!

What plot twist did you hate the most? Was there one you liked? If you had written THG, what changes, if any, would you have made?

I loved all of the plot twists in THG and thought they were all necessary for the narrative. It was the Twilight plot twists that had made me weary and leery (cough, cough love triangle and Renesmee) as I was reading THG the first time. I kept expecting something really awful to happen… you know *besides* the major character deaths. The only changes I would have wanted in THG would have been for there to be more: more ‘grow together,’ more about Peeta’s pre-Games homelife, and more about Mr. and Mrs. Everdeen.  

Agreed. I often wonder what I would fill my extra time with if I didn’t have THG in my life. What would you throw yourself into? A different fandom? A hobby that maybe is second fiddle to Everlark?

I’ve thought about this a lot, since I have committed a vast amount of time to THG. I don’t know that another fandom or series would have inspired me to write, or make friends on the internet, or travel to meet up with those humans. I think I would read more and maybe watch more TV as my personal guilty pleasure. I’ve certainly fallen out of keeping up with shows or reading much outside of fanfic, though I’m trying to read other things. I just started reading Fangirl…baby steps, right?

Yeah, but you’ll come back to fanfic. I’ve tried to get my brain to move in a different direction but all I can think is “WWED in this situation?”

That’s true, it’s hard not to see the Everlark in daily situations. I wondered what Pokémon would represent Peeta just yesterday.

Really? Pokemon!Peeta anyone?

The fandom may have lost some of its members after the 4th movie, but we’re seeing plenty of new people jumping in. What advice would you give them about how to make the most of their time here?

Hmmm. I’m thinking. That’s a good question. I'm so proud of the fandom writers that have moved on and generated original work, or converted fics, or both. That's really exciting to see their progression. For new members, I would just say to enjoy the talent in its abundance through fic, fanart, and gif assemblages. And to let the creative minds know through reviews, kudos, likes, reblogs, whatever. Lastly, to jump in to create their own when they feel ready!

Excellent advice! So, what's next for Jennagill? Are there projects you still have in mind?

I'm working on a THG crossover fic from the 80s movie Her Alibi for @mores2sl. Peeta is a novelist, writing out his story in his head so it gets meta at times! Katniss is a murder suspect that he's drawn to and provides an alibi for her, saving her from women's prison… Because that would lead to a different crossover, right?

I read your sneak peek of that!! Oh man, and I’m so in love with it and can’t wait to read the whole thing! Keep up with that one, please! You had me at hello with that one, ngl.

I also want to get back to the Alias!Everlark crossover, Emissary, with @anonalece and @sponsormusings as our editor. I also have an original idea, but I'm going to keep sitting on it. Maybe try it out as Everlark first to work out the kinks.

It all sounds fantastic! Thank you so much for taking your time and chatting with me!

Thank you!!!

*banner by the incomparable @w00-ly

The typical 'to start' question - How did you find your way into the HG fandom?

Well, I was writing fic for another fandom, The Americans, which is a really cool TV series by the way if you like Russian spies, the '80's, complex relationships and the ever present question of real or not real, and unfortunately life hit one of those road bumps, and out of the blue I got sick. Had to give up watching TV because my brain was now sensitive to lots of things including most types of light and flicker, and it would immediately trigger a migraine. But I could still listen to books, fortunately, and discovered THG. I was sold on the series from whatever the line is about "entrails and no hissing, the closest we will ever come to love..." and then who couldn't love Everlark from the moment Katniss describes that day in the rain? What prompted you to write your utterly fantastic A Painter, a Baker, and a Boy who Never Took Sugar in his Tea? And could speak a little about what has to be seriously copious research to make it so realistic? Gosh, every time I see that written out, I'm like, "That is the longest title EVER." I'm so in awe of people like @quothme, who can come up with concise titles like "Damaged" or "The Victor" and they're absolute brilliance, exactly what the fic is about, boiled down to its essence. Gorgeous fics, if you haven't read them. 

I was prompted to write APAB because in all my perusing of fics after I finished the series, I found some beautiful growing back together fics, and also some really good one-shots about Peeta's time in the Capitol in treatment, but I was really itching to read this long, detailed therapy-based fic that examined and connected themes across different timelines. And when I originally mapped things out, I wanted it to be kind of a hybrid fic. Mainly based in the therapy scenes in the Capitol, but also connected to when Peeta and Katniss finally build something that's real back in Twelve, since some of the same issues come up just to a greater degree, and I imagined that as a beautiful but difficult process that would be really interesting to write about. The research is a bit time consuming, but also really interesting too. I enjoyed hunting for the perfect signs for 'Dr. Aurelius' and learning how to clean and roast a duck. I probably could have lived without knowing precisely how they perform certain types of torture, but for me personally, I can't write something very well without thoroughly understanding it . . . if you've ever read "Standing" by @keeptheearthbelowff, I am absolutely convinced in chapter 7 that she becomes Gale Hawthorne, she just gets his brain that well. It starts with "He sees traps," and again I have to admire the way those simple three words fit Gale at so many points in the series. It's always my goal to get inside someone's brain like that.

So, I have to tell you, I spent half of today reading @keeptheearthbelowff's fics, on you recommendation, utterly amazing, why have I not read these before? I have a special place in my heart for canon fics! I want to ask about your author inspirations (and not just because you clearly have excellent taste in stories, but mostly that!) Well, this could go on forever because this fandom is amazing and I feel like every fic I read teaches me some way to make my own writing better. Let’s see… several people I know have already been interviewed, so I’ll try not to completely be a broken record although having read most of their fics, they are AWESOME! arollercoasterthatonlygoesup ( @fempeeta) and @mtk4fun‘s fics always evoke that feeling of small towns and a slower pace of things. I envy midnighteverlark’s pre-smut scenes and @papofglencoe’s hijacking flashbacks. Opacity, @damndonnergirls and @javistg have the amazing ability to make me love Gale Hawthorne (anyone who hasn’t read FML needs to, but go to the bathroom first and swallow anything you’re drinking.) @forestfairy, atetheredmind ( @muttpeeta), @chaed and maktub have amazing minds for thinking of great angsty scenarios that my brain craves. @jennagill and @notanislander write gorgeous toastbabies, and if there’s anyone left in the fandom who hasn’t read The Grandmentor by @silvercistern, they should, that’s like the Haymitch I aspire to. And I know like as soon as I type this I’m going to read a fic tomorrow morning and be like, oh crap, how did I forget (this)?

Can you talk with me about comments?  You are an absolutely prolific commenter (don't think I haven't noticed, you are incredibly generous with your words on my fics, and on pretty much everyone's fics that I've read). What motivates you to comment on the stories you read, and what do you take away from the comments that you receive (and reply to, I've noticed that too!) on your own stories? You know, I think it’s just so cool that we have such a great fandom that is so active and has so many people writing so many great fics… I know as a fic writer by the time I hit submit I’ve usually put a few months of work into a chapter and am eager to get to talk about it with someone other than the voices in my head (and hijacked Peeta… he’s always a hoot), so I try to make a point to leave comments when I read other people’s work. And it’s been a really wonderful way to meet people in the fandom, too, while discussing Katniss and Peeta!

Tell me about your writing process? My writing process... takes a lot of editing 😊. The chapter currently in progress will generally have a 4-5 page outline with random conversation snippets, scenes and the main events in each one, what the major themes and focal points are of each chapter... like in chapter six, one of those was the "four fathers"-Mr. Everdeen and Mr. Mellark, and then the pseudo-father figures, Haymitch and Dr. Aurelius. I rely on the outline to keep me on course, but sometimes the story evolves in a different direction and the outline will get changed. I usually write by hand or type it into the kindle and then transfer it five hundred words at a time over to a word file. Typically it takes me two weeks to a month to edit after the first draft is done, depending on how long the chapter is. I like to edit each chapter five times, plus have the kindle read it back to me because I catch lots of typos that way.

I wonder if you could talk about Peeta's voice in your fiction? It's the first thing that drew me to your story, your characterisation of Peeta, his words and thoughts are just so real and believable and fantastic. How do you get in his head? One thing I really like about the way SC portrayed Peeta is that even though he has this sweet, caring, hopeful core to him that can't be destroyed, there are also darker corners to his personality, or maybe a better way to say it would be, there are also really tender spots that aren't quite what they seem on the surface. He's the Boy with the Bread, sure. But he's also the guy who lost his temper and threw the vase or whatever it was across the room in Eleven. He's also the one who sits on the beach and says "no one really needs me" and believes it. So there's definitely some interesting material to work with, particularly once you add in the trauma of the hijacking, but even without it, he and Dr. Aurelius would have plenty to talk about for a long time. To get into his head, I try to decide where we are at whatever point in the story (which during the Capitol timeline can get a bit crazy, apologies) in Peeta's head and just immerse myself in it. I write with an outline, but I also try to make it very organic, too. Most of my best ideas come when I have no paper or pencil available, like in the shower, or after the sun sets when I have to scribble it on a napkin in the dark and hope I can read my writing in the morning. Sometimes I just sit and let my mind wander through a conversation as if I was Dr. Aurelius and Peeta and see what forms. (My mind is really chaos.)

How about future plans? When you finish ABAP (excellent acronym by the way) will you write anything else for the HG fandom, or for any other fandom? I hope to do a sequel in Katniss’ pov that deals with her healing and also covers different timelines sort of like APAB, but I’m a believer in not spreading myself too thin, so I won’t get too excited about it or make any firm plans until APAB is done.

Since part of the purpose of the interview blog is to inspire the 'starting out' writers, I wonder if you'd have any words of wisdom to share?

Biggest piece of advice would be edit several times before you hit post. If you read the first few drafts of my chapters you'd run screaming like Peeta from a Katniss-muttation. They're a mess. The first few editing passes I make probably come back with six handwritten pages of revisions and every time you go over your own work makes it stronger. Also I wanted to ask you if there is anything else you'd like to include, any shout outs to anyone, any special requests, anything at all? I would just like to thank you and the other lovely ladies who are hosting the interviews. I absolutely love all your work. And I wanted to thank the HG fandom for the wonderful support you have shown APAB and your patience with my slowpoke posting speed. And I realized when I thought of fic writers on my "gotta be more like" list, I forgot to name all the supernatural fics. There were a TON of them last Halloween that were amazing. I'm greedily hoping people will write more werewolf or vampire Peeta this go around :) But definitely @alliswell21, @chele20035, Fanficallergy and @rosefyrefyre are writing some interesting supernatural stuff in a sub-genre that seems less common... ...and thank you again for interviewing me! 😊

BBC’s Merlin.

Omg I LOVE Merlin!!! 5 seasons just wasn’t enough ya know?

Wow! Another person who loved Merlin! Yes I was sad that they killed Arthur off. I was also pissed at how little screen time Arthur/Gwen got. Though I enjoyed their moments there was no kiss in the last season.

Oh and I’ve met Bradley James and some of the guys who played the Knights.

No way?! That’s so neat! I’ve never met anyone famous. Well, some athletes but that’s it.

Yes I’ve meet Bradley, Tom, Rupert and Eoin at Supanova Expo in Sydney. They were all lovely guys!

Did you write anything for that fandom?

Yes I did write a far bit for that fandom. That was my first fan fiction writing experience.

Well I’d say that like THG fandom, there were many talented writers. But in terms of the amount of Arthur/Gwen fic, there was way more Slash fanfiction around the place. That isn’t the case with THG. That being said, there was quite a bit of interest in my stories, like my Everlark stories. I find that with both fandoms there is a lot of material to work with and when things didn’t happen like expected, that’s when inspiration hits you to write something to kind of fix what you didn’t like.

All I can think of when you say slash is the guitarist from Guns n Roses. Lol. That’s how old I am.

So what did you feel you needed to write/fix in thg?

I’ve not done so yet, but I was very unhappy with the lack of a kiss in the real or not real scene in the last THG film. Also, I didn’t like how Peeta didn’t lose his leg in the films so I would to explore that as well.

What do you absolutely love about the books/movie?

There’s so much that I love. I could go on and on about it but the thing I love best is how she wrote Peeta as a strong, yet sensitive guy who bakes and paints and isn’t afraid to use his words. He’s not the stereotypical guy you see a lot in books/tv/films and I love that. I love how despite his feelings for Katniss that he apologises for shutting her out and never forces her to have feelings for him. Then there’s Katniss who says she never wants to get married or have kids because of what happened to her mother, yet we see how much she takes care and loves her sister Prim. How she takes Rue under her wing in The Games and is absolutely devastated and angry when she dies. Katniss definitely is a maternal character but marriage and children do terrify her and honestly it’s understandable considering the world they lived in. That brings me to my other favourite thing which is the fact that Peeta waited so long to have kids. Unlike Gale who I feel would pressure Katniss to have kids, Peeta doesn’t because he’s happy with Katniss and doesn’t want to pressure her because he understands her fear of having children. I love that, I think Everlark is the perfect couple because despite how much they’ve gone through, they are there for each other and bring each other hope.

How many stories have you written for thg?

I’ve written three THG stories so far. Two of them (Happily Ever After and Navigating Parenthood) are on-going. I’ve also got two more Everlark stories I’m planning. One of them is going to be for the @mores2sl fundraising challenge coming up in October, which I’m very excited about because it’s going to be rated M. I’m going to try to write some Everlark smut, I’m nervous about writing it though.

You’ve never written any smut before?

No and as Jodi (aka @starsmahogany) says I’m extra virgin olive oil which also makes it harder because I’ve got no personal experience to use as inspiration.

Don’t let anyone talk you into giving it up until you’re ready! Okay let’s get to some Everlark therapy… 😉

Give us a little idea about what we’ll find in your @mores2sl fic?

Well I love the arranged marriage/accidental marriage trope so my story is going to explore that theme. Everlark wake up in a hotel room and realise they got married. While they know each other (having been from the same town), it’s been years since they last saw each other. Peeta always had a crush on Katniss, but he never said anything and then his family moved. Peeta’s a famous chef now and that complicates their situation further as the press find out they got married. Thus, they have to stay married for a while. I won’t say anything further as it will give the story away, but there are a lot of twists, surprises and angst in store for Everlark.

I am a gigantic sucker for that trope. Have you read a lot of arranged marriage stories? Which one stands out in your mind?

Not sure if it fits with the arranged marriage Trope but one that does stand out to me is Refuge by Dustwriter. In this story, Peeta’s brother ends up buying Katniss as a wife for Peeta and I just really enjoyed how this story played out. I loved how Everlark’s relationship evolved in this story.

Dustwriter has some great fics! I think everyone remembers the first fic they read when scouring the Internet for more Everlark. What was yours?

Oh I think mine was Degrees of Separation by @louezem and I remember last week when she updated how excited I got to see a update because she’s been so busy and it had been awhile since her last update. That story was just amazing and while the subject matter is quite depressing (it deals with a divorced Everlark), she really handles that well and I hope that there is a happy ending in store for them.

I’m sure there will be!

So talk about your writing process. Where do you get your ideas, and how do you get them organized and written?

I get inspired by anything really. It might be a book, TV show or film. Plots from these places that I think would work with Everlark tend to inspire me. But, tropes also inspire me. Basically, anything can be inspiration.

How I get them organised is I basically write a plot outline and jot down everything that comes to me.

And then once that is down, or when I get scenes in my head I start writing the story down. I tend to write my story from start to finish (so beginning to end) because that is how my brain works.

I also like to ask people to read my plot outlines to see what they think and get their feedback.

I do the same with my writing. I always use a beta as I do have a learning disorder and sometimes I make errors with my grammar, word usage and tenses. And then I work on my writing from the suggestions I am given.

Do you mind sharing about your learning disorder? What challenges does that bring?

Well I have an Auditory Processing Disorder with a language disorder and short term memory. I have symptoms similar to Dyslexia. The challenges it brings in terms of writing is basically what I said before. I have trouble with grammar, word usage, tenses and sentence structure. I’m getting better though and that’s due to practice and advice from others.

It’s so inspiring, though, to hear that you persevere through those things. Things that some people may let stop them from doing what they really want to do. What are you feeling when you post updates?

Aw thanks for saying that! I feel nervous when I post updates. It’s excitement nerves but I still wonder if people will read what I’ve written and like it. Especially since writing Everlark fanfic is new to me.

What did you do when you got your first review? How did you feel?

I was excited and even though it wasn’t a long comment I was happy for any feedback! It was nice to see what people thought and what parts they enjoyed. That’s good to know because then you have an idea of what readers like to read.

It is nice to see a comment on stories! So let’s talk about the @fyeah-everlark blog. What gave you the idea to do @the--everlark--games?

Well firstly, I have experience running fanfic challenges. I had a Arthur/Gwen fic challenge blog on Livejournal that I co-ran for 3 years. I wanted to do a similar thing for Everlark, then I saw Prompts in Panem (which was a great blog and idea) and I had to think of something that would be different. One day I was thinking back on some fan fic challenges I read and I thought of the Last Author Standing challenge in the Arthur/Gwen fandom (Merlin) where basically people signed up and each week had a prompt that they had to write and people voted on their favourites. Each week writers will eliminated till one writer was left standing. I had an idea that this would be perfect for an Everlark fanfic challenge because of The Hunger Games. So that’s where the idea for The Everlark Games came from.

How many challenges have you done so far?

Well we first ran The Everlark Games on @fyeah-everlark and we did two challenges there. We’ve done one on the new blog and are in the middle of our fourth challenge overall.

Are you pleased with the response? Does it grow each time and do you have new participants or is it the same people mostly?

Yes I am happy with the response. It’s not the amount of entries that Prompts in Panem used to get but it’s slowly building. In terms of numbers we usually get around 10 participants. We also get quite a few regulars that participate as well as new people which is really great to see!

Do you plan to continue the challenges for a while?

Yes we plan to continue as long as there is interest in the challenges. We enjoy running them and hope our followers do too.

Where do you get the challenge ideas from?

Anywhere. This round’s theme I got the idea from a fanfic writer that was posting drabbles based on a particular trope and thought that was a great theme. So I looked up info on tropes and I found a lot of different types of tropes and the idea was born.

Also, I find by having it anonymous that it really gives writers the confidence to submit stories and for voters it allows them to be democratic.

We’ve come to the advice portion of the interview… What can you tell people about being involved in the fandom? People who maybe are on the outside looking in, wanting to participate but not sure how…?

Just do it! Lol! That sounds so simple and easy, but basically what I suggest. Start small, initiate conversations with people you like on here. I guess it depends how you want to participate, but in terms of fanfic writing I definitely find discussing ideas and sharing stories with others is helpful. Find people you have a rapport with, that are encouraging and supportive. Ask for advice and joining @everlarkianarchives chat is another suggestion I have because that group is basically about people coming together to help each other. I also want to say that people shouldn’t be discouraged by views, likes and comments and starting out with not a lot. Things take time to build and appreciating any feedback received is important.

Before we go, teach us some Aussie language 😉

Umm some Aussie language. We call what you call flipflops, thongs. What you call thongs, we call them g strings. We call what you call jelly, jam and what you call jell-o we call jelly.

So if I asked for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (👀) a pbj, I’d get pb and squiggly jello on bread??

Lol yeah. You would ask for peanut butter and jam!

And what is up with vegemite?????? Do you eat it?

Yes I love vegemite! Had it on my toast this morning

So in Australia the thong song is about a flip flop?

like it when the beat goes Duh dun duh Baby make your booty go Duh dun duh Baby I know you want to show Duh dun duh That thong thong thong thong thong

Sounds like the thing is in her butt. Lol

Do you eat peanut butter or do you think it’s gross? I have some Aussie friends that live in st George and they HATE peanut butter. Can’t stand it. But they did teach me how to do a Tim tam slam!

I’m not a fan of peanut butter but I love Tim tams.

One last question and we’ll be done! What would you say to people considering checking out your fics?

I would say give them a read, even though I’m not as experienced with writing Everlark as others. I also would say that any comments, likes and follows are very much appreciated because I love feedback and want to improve as a writer.

OK I have fresh tea and a real keyboard... you know you're a way better interviewer than me, so feel free to direct when I fall all over my face mmkay?

Oh! Make me interview myself will you?

I’ll edit it to make it look like it's my own brilliant questioning.

Go for it! Right - so tell me how you came to find yourself in the HG fandom. Hmm. Like all of us, I suppose. I binge read the books, lived it all through Katniss's eyes. Was annoyed by Peeta and then fell in love with him and when it was finally over I went -- So after? That's all we get? So I went looking for more!

‘So after’ was the most frustrating smut scene in history 😉 I think that's why so many of us write it! So frustrating.... Anyways, I read and read. I found so much good stuff. I couldn't stop. So, at first I thought, I'll just read the post MJ stuff. The canon stuff to fill in the blanks. But then I fell head first into a black hole and couldn't climb back out.

Then I thought, I could do this. And I've been wanting to write again. So....

You have a background in creative writing? Tell me about it... I have a background in writing. I think I did what most teenage girls who like to write did. Lots of angst poetry over all the crap that was bothering me. I took a creative writing course at university.

But we grew up really poor. My mom was the editor of a small town paper. She got paid  just a little more than minimum wage. My dad was gone and not helping financially. So, priority was finding a job that pays the bills. I studied journalism.

And that, while a fantastic way to write AND get paid for it, is not exactly what I consider to be a creative outlet.

Some people would argue that journalism *is* creative writing 😉

Hmmm. Well, I'd be one of them. After 15 years in PR I think I can say that.Sometimes their truth was not my truth. But sometimes it just wasn't true.

Anyway, it kind of drains the creative juices. You put all that energy you use in thinking up fantastic plot lines and dreaming new ideas into building a network and looking for the next story. And there's nothing left for what's in your head. So now you're at a place in your life where those creative juices can be put to much better use: writing amazing fictions! When I finally decided to change careers (journalism led to PR) I spent a few months just chilling out and getting back to myself. Then these books turned a key on a locked door. Creatively speaking. What is it about the books, and Everlark, that is so compelling to write about? Or, why this fandom over all of the other books you've read? I'm having a great time with the stories. I think that the books are multi-layered. On the surface, it's a story about a teenaged girl who ends up in a battle for her life. And a love triangle. But then you see so much subtext for war, for the greed in our society today. Then there's the whole hat-tipping to Greek history. Plus the characters are way more complex than you think at first.

The only thing, in my opinion, that makes it a YA novel is that it's a teenage heroine. And its smut free. But the fandom has fixed that issue!

Or smut hidden. I've never understood the segregation between novel and YA novel either, frankly. Could be! I've always tended to trust Katniss on that point, but I've never met a teenage boy who could keep his hands to himself in a dark room. You're right re: the segregation. I'm still trying to figure it out myself. I want to write a book eventually and I'm trying to understand why so much of what I like is YA and somehow (that’s) less worthy that the other stuff on the shelves. I think YA is gaining a lot of ground, the movie adaptations of so many YA series are helping to bring more financial incentive to YA writers.

So - in general you write more AU than canon. Tell me about your writing inspirations. Do you pull from your real life a lot? LOL. My real life is amazingly boring. Two kids, a husband, public service job and a mother in law in the basement. Mother-in-law in the basement would be a great start to a horror story... She's great. Really. Usually..... I'm probably harder to live with than she is. If you wanna know what I think, just ask me. And sometimes you don't have to ask.

But usually it's a song that I hear that triggers a train of thought (for a story). Or I see a picture or read a prompt and then I'm off to the races. I'm seeing Everlark in everything lately!

Flying Solo started because I was stuck in Phoenix Rising and Dierks Bentley's song Drunk on a Plane came on the radio. I love Flying Solo, the classic miscommunication story... Sometimes a location is pulled from real life. Or a bit of dialogue. My husband teases me the way my Peetas tease Katniss. They banter the way we do.

Ryan Peeta Mellark reminds me a lot of my daughter. Though the Star Wars fixation is my son's. And the wobbling pink head is pure fantasy? That did not happen! Thank goodness because I would have reacted like Katniss.

The Haymitch quote in Phoenix about a pork chop in every glass is based on my favourite uncle, who is an alcoholic.

Okay do we all write Haymitch as an uncle of ours??? How do we all have the same uncle?

So you like music and prompts for inspiration, which might explain all of the drabbling you've been doing lately. Tell me a bit about that, are the challenges inspiring, or do they distract you from your other writing? I think they're a mixed blessing. I'm going down a particular path, get stalled and then pulled into a challenge or a prompt. And then before I know it the plot bunnies have pulled me away. But maybe that's part of letting the muse take you where it will? If I'd pushed through on the story where I was stuck, would it be as good as it could be eventually when I wasn't feeling forced? I'm never happy with what comes out when I'm feeling under pressure. Tell me about your favourite of your stories, what you love best about it, etc.

Hmm... Phoenix I've had fun with the growing back together. I needed that for me. Now they're about to go on an adventure.that ends up filling what I think is a terrible loose end in the books. SC's version is probably more realistic, but I'm seeing an injustice and I want it dealt with. Plus an unscrupulous PR type should not be allowed to help lead a country. I love Katniss's maturity in Flying Solo. And I enjoyed using flashback to show how she got there. All the characters in that fic are fairly rich and fun. Plus first real smut scene I ever wrote. So, there's some affection there. The Picture was my first real attempt at PIP. And I really got a taste for the fandom then.

That was right about when you joined Tumblr, right? You were a ffnet/AO3 only girl for awhile

Shortly after that. @peetabreadgirl pulled me into tumblr. I was afraid of being sucked in even farther. I was right, but glad I did anyway.

And The One was, well I was kind of blown away by how people reacted to that. Oh, I need to make a shout out to @loving-mellark for the gorgeous art she did for The One.

The belly button. Ugh. It kills me. I wish more guys understood the sensitivity of that part of a woman's body. Now I'm going to be looking for belly buttons in all of your smut scenes! The world would be a more peaceful place if men understood about the nape of the neck and the back of the knee and the belly. The inside of the thigh. I think that's why women write their own erotic fiction. It's not the end for us, it's the journey. Definitely, they do just tend to go for the bullseye right off the bat, instead of taking the long way... Peeta never does. I think that's why I love him. Our ideal man! Talk to me about writing smut - it's difficult (I want to say 'hard', because that's what she said). How do you balance eroticism and plot, to weave together a story that's beautiful and titillating, but not gross?

I think the difference between porn and smut is plot. Why are they there? What has brought them to this point? Are there emotions involved or is it just sex.

So yeah, I think it's a legitimate expression of a person's emotions. And when you're feeling those emotions as a writer, then that's appropriate and the heat is easy. I have yet to write a scene where it's just sex. I'm not sure I could.

But then there's the whole, where is his hand, where is her hand thing. What have I left on her body for clothes. Did they take that off already? That makes writing smut the least hot thing in the world. So there's a little bit of smut choreography required... Exactly.... For sure. Plus, I hate writing smut in the first person.

Tell me about that, specifically how you approach first person writing from Peeta's POV.

We’re talking about smut, yeah? FP POV smut?

I'm always talking about smut. But everything, really.

I think I've written one smut scene from Peeta's POV. Maybe. Because who knows what men are thinking. I tend to think they're not thinking at all during sex.

I agree, but our primary audience is women, who overthink during sex (and everything, really).

I've written smut from first person POV, but only Katniss's.

Anyway, I love Peeta's POV generally, but if I think there's likely to be smut I'll write the story in third person, so I can pop in and out of their heads as I need to. I like Peeta to be a real person. I don't like him to be idealized. You move pretty seamlessly between viewpoints in your writing, apart from smut, how do you choose? Is it tone?

I think it depends on what part of the story I need to explore. Sometimes I need to know why he/she is doing what they're doing. So, I switch and we learn a bit about them and I move the plot along through their eyes for awhile until it makes sense to go back to the other. Third person allows you to do that.

I find it very difficult as a reader to jump in and out of a person's head. If I'm writing first person POV, you can bet we'll only hear that person's inner dialogue for the whole story.

I wrote Intimate Bystander from Gale's POV. That was cool. What I loved most about that was how honest it felt, you wrote Gale as a troubled, confused and very YOUNG man, not as a villain. Because as much as Peeta gets idolized in FF, Gale tends to be vilified... I loved Gale at first. He isn't a villain. Just a mixed up kid who doesn't really understand the world and is a product of his circumstances. Which could describe Katniss as well.

For sure! He is a male Katniss and in him we see what Katniss would have been capable of if not for Peeta and what they went through together. Two sides of a coin Yep.

All right, tell me about your upcoming projects.

So, I've decided to do Camp Nano and I'm hoping to finish Phoenix Rising. I've even taken a few days off work this month to make a real dent in it. And I've promised Canadian!Peeta to some cool girls. I did some awesome snowmobiling this winter that's inspired some of it.

And you and @peetabreadgirl and I have that open window fix we're collaborating on. Plus, she keeps promising to write the first chapter of Evermarked so we can get on that. But she's got about 20 plot bunnies to chase first. Damned plot bunnies. So many words, so little time.

Ugh. I try so hard to keep them under control. Because this has to be fun for me. If I get overwhelmed or it becomes a burden, then I might stop, and I get so much personal satisfaction from it.

Give some words of wisdom for the beginning fanfic writer, or wannabe fan fic writer... Write. If you are feeling the urge sit down and do it. Being a good writer comes with practice. Inspiration and creativity is the secret to the craft. The rest comes with practice. Find a good beta. Someone who's work you love and ask them to read it over. Like you and @peetabreadgirl do for me. Be open to everything they say and don't take it personally. Write and read and learn and then do it over again. And then post it for all of us to fangirl over ☺ Exactement! And then do it all over again! You'll get better with every piece. A professional ball player doesn't start out professional. He has a love of the game and some hint of talent. The rest is practice. Art in any form -- written or visual -- is the same.

You do it for love.