#desertc

Read Tango

Read The Room of Reconciliation

Read I Want to Snape You Like an Animal

Read The Quickening

Read Doing it for the Order

Read An Accidental Affair

On the fourth day of Christmas, fanfiction gave to me… DesertC! Check out her author profile https://www.fanfiction.net/u/8116163/DesertC here on fanfiction.net and read our interview with her below! Getting to Know You
HAFH: Tell us how you fell in love with Harry Potter.
DS: So I’m pretty late to reading/watching HP. I’m going to admit something that will probably get me kicked off this site. I got stuck on the Order of the Phoenix and couldn’t move past it. I started writing fanfic after watching the movies last year (yep, always a decade or so behind). Basically I fell in love with Alan Rickman’s Snape and that’s where it all began. 
HAFH: Who is your favorite Character? Which is your favorite book? Why? 
DS: Snape is my favourite character, though I do also love Hermione. I actually preferred JKR’s earlier writing which was a little freer IMHO. I feel like I’m being sacrilegious - arrggghhhhh! 
HAFH: What is your favorite book (outside of HP)? 
DS: I tend to like whatever I’m reading. I’ve been on a Liane Moriarty binge lately. 
HAFH: What are your favorite holiday traditions? 
DS: White wine in the sun (Australian Christmas) - any Tim Minchin fans out there?
HAFH: Do you like the holidays? 
DS: I sure do. I have more time to write since I work full-time the rest of the time.
HAFH: Share one of your strengths and one of your weaknesses. Doesn’t have to be writing related! 
DS: Strengths - thinking. I love complex problems and solving them with good ideas. Weaknesses - over-thinking (just ask my husband :)). 
HAFH: What other hobbies do you have? 
DS: Hanging out with my kids, walking through the bush behind our house, having interesting conversations with inspiring people, studying neuroscience.
HAFH: Do you write anything outside of Harry Potter fanfiction? 
DS: I’ve written some kids stories (for my kids) but not published them anywhere.
HAFH: What are you doing when you’re not obsessing about Harry Potter or fanfiction? 
DS: That’s pretty well my entire obsession at the moment :) General Fanfiction
HAFH: Describe your comfort zone—a typical you-fic. 
DS: SS/HG HEA - twists, smut, angst, introspection and humour. 
HAFH: If you could write the sequel (or prequel) to any fic out there not written by yourself, which would you choose?
DS: Good question. I don’t read as much as I’d like to. One of my favourite stories is by CryingCinderella - The Last 24 Hours of Severus Snape. I’ve never cried so much reading any fic. I don’t believe I could do justice to something so masterful but I’ve never felt a greater connection with a fic. 
HAFH: If you could choose one of your fics to be filmed, which would you choose? Any actors you would hope play your characters? 
DS: LOL! I wonder who would be willing to take them on. I’m not sure which would be best suited to filming - perhaps ‘In their Hands’ or ‘Debaucery’? Actors? Well of course I would have chosen the great AR until the saddest day in Jan this year. Whomever it is, they will need to be pretty comfortable in their own skin.
HAFH: If you only could write one pairing for the rest of your life, which pairing would it be? 
DS: SS/HG. I don’t know if I’ll ever break out of this pairing. I just love them too much. 
HAFH: Do you have a muse? What is it?! If not, where do you get your ideas? 
DS: The ethereal being of my muse mystifies me. I don’t understand her whatsoever. I enter into a chapter with one intention and more often than not end up with something entirely different. When I try to direct the action, I hit roadblock after roadblock so I have no choice but to go with it. Character behaviours and plot elements drop themselves in without explanation but I have learned to trust that I’ll find out what my muse intends at the right time. I have been fortunate enough to be contacted by readers with story ideas and even content - ‘Debaucery’ and ‘An hour of Snape’ came from reader suggestions and contributions.
HAFH: Do you read fanfiction? Do you read similar or different things than you write? 
DS: I read so little, it’s shocking really. When I have free time, I tend to spend it writing. When I do read, it’s mostly SS/HG. There are so many fantastic stories in this genre, I feel I could read for years and still not get through them.
HAFH: Share three of your favorite fic writers and what you like about them.
DS: Wow, so tough to answer. My favourite, for a variety of reasons, is my good friend, mentor and incredibly generous supporter, OracleObscured (O.O.Rickman). I read most of her fics before I started writing. She is one of the most free and brave writers I know and her personality absolutely comes out in her writing. Even before I knew her, I’d obsessively read her author’s notes because I felt her warmth radiating through them. Her fics gave me permission to push the boundaries with my own writing in all respects. She is clever, funny, smutty as all hell and just a brilliant person - I love her. There are so many others I could name but the ones that immediately come to mind are Teddy Radiator and IShouldBe (writing something else) - gorgeous rhythm, word choices, emotion - I just feel myself drinking them in.
HAFH: Share three of your favorite fanfictions and what you like about them.
DS: Again, so tough - Getting Personal by OracleObscured - this is the fic through which I got to know O.O and it is just so beautifully conceived, the meanings are deep and multi-faceted - it’s just a fantastic love story. As I mentioned previously - the last 24 hours of Severus Snape by CryingCinderella - powerful, emotive, clever and beautiful. Care of Magical Creatures by Mia Madwyn - what can I say, stunning, the author is invisible in this fic as it is so fluid and gloriously crafted - if only I had a fraction of this talent. 
HAFH: Does what you read affect what or how you write? If yes, how so? 
DS: Absolutely, when I want to be sarcastic, I read a bit of David Thorne. Seriously, do yourself a favour and check out his website - http://www.27bslash6.com/ When I read good authors, it inspires me to be better. I wrote ‘Tango’ after reading IShouldBe’s ‘The ribboned witch’ - I felt that it lifted me to explore and craft in a way that I often don’t because I tend to write fairly quickly. 
HAFH: How long have you been reading and writing fanfiction? 
DS: I started writing in Nov 2015 so just over a year now. I started reading about 6 months before that. I didn’t even know fanfic existed before then. What a treat! Published Works
HAFH: Have you ever deleted one of your published fics? Why? 
DS: No
HAFH: Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.
DS: From An Accidental Affair -
It might have been the hundredth time—or perhaps the thousandth—that my eyes had drifted of their own accord to the figure folded in the low-slung hammock, swinging breezily, toes tipping the grass. Tirelessly, they sought her out, a visage that enchanted anew with each unassuming sway.
The book, its pages woven through her fingers, might have revealed something of itself, imparted the surge of an adventure or something more … a ticklish fantasy, had it not been for the tell-tale tilt—the sagging inclination toward her perfect brow that betrayed the truth of their engagement. It was, of course, a forgotten bystander, or perhaps a willing caretaker over her sleeping form.
Her lips, like blossoms fallen from the woven boughs, were enough alone to captivate me—to fuel a fantasy of my own.
Planted with perfect precision, unhurried from the sensitive arc of my earlobe, their sultry graze would slip under my collar, levering me away from yet another ordinary day, drawing out tender shivers to shake the starch from my bones.
Her tongue would lap away a tide of tension in moments, the delicate shoots of her fingers penetrating, taking root in my chest, piercing with exquisite depth all that swelled within. And I would yield willingly to the seductive strains of each whispered breath, each sensuous susurration against my neck, warm and redolent with an essence that was only her. 
Then those ripe buds would gently sweep across mine, skimming, grazing, searching for the perfect place to end their fluttering descent. And I would let them explore—after all I was the beneficiary of their sensuous snooping, their punctilious prying.
This fic was really a story within a story. The characters wrote chapters of a book and this was one of Severus’ chapters, capturing the depth of his feelings toward Hermione. This was completely unlike my normal writing style but the use of prose written from the perspective of a character provided a unique opportunity to branch out. The end of this chapter is one of my favourites.
HAFH: Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.
DS: From In Their Hands -
“There was once an old man walking along a beach,” she began, “and the sand was covered with starfish. As he walked, he soon encountered a young boy who was picking up the starfish and throwing them back into the water. The old man said to the boy, ‘Why are you bothering? There are so many of them, you can’t possibly make a difference. With that, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the water. ‘I bet I made a difference to that one,’ he said.”
Snape’s frown deepened. “And you think you can make a difference to me? To throw me back into the murky mire that I’ve just crawled out from?” he scoffed. “Do I look like I need saving, Dr Granger?”
She looked into his eyes. “I think you are the boy, Professor Snape,” she said quietly.
He was up in a flash, leaning so far over her desk that his contorted face was only inches from hers. “Don’t … presume to know me … Dr … Granger,” he growled.
Then he was gone.
The starfish story was originally told by a paraplegic I used to work with. It was always so profound when she related it to people in the community about the impact that could be made on the lives of individuals, especially if a problem seemed too big. 
HAFH: Which fic has been the hardest to write? 
DS: Probably ‘In their Hands’ - it dealt with quite a bit of psychology and neuroscience research. It also included more characters than I traditionally use. 
HAFH: Which fic has been the easiest to write? 
DS: GrapeJuice and The Book that Binds came very naturally. Generally, the funnier they are, the easier I find them to write as I’m pretty well just having fun. 
HAFH: What is your favorite story you have every written? 
DS: Ooh, that’s difficult too. Probably An Accidental Affair or The Book that Binds. Writing Process
HAFH: What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever come across?
DS: All the suggestions about listening to and trusting my muse have proven to be valuable.
HAFH: What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever come across? 
DS: I’m not sure I’ve received bad advice but I think it’s really important to approach writing in the way that resonates with you. Don’t follow other people’s approaches just because they’re successful, everyone’s brains work differently. 
HAFH: Describe your perfect writing conditions.
DS: I write on my laptop in the corner of my lounge room with the tv blaring, kids running around etc. otherwise my family get too annoyed with me locking myself away. It’s not perfect but it’s manageable. Oh and no, I don’t show my writing to anyone, especially my kids!
HAFH: Do you use any tools, like worksheets or outlines? 
DS: No. I just write each chapter as it comes. Sometimes I’ll write brief ideas before I start but often it will just come out as is.
HAFH: Do you write your story from start to finish, or do you write the scenes out of order? 
DS: I write chapter by chapter, posting each as soon as they’re finished. Generally they are first drafts with a bit of editing and so it all happens pretty quickly. If I worked on them longer, I’m sure they could be far better but I write for fun and the idea of labouring over everything sounds too much like hard work. I hope readers don’t find this disrespectful. 
HAFH: Describe the process a chapter goes through before being posted.
DS: Pretty well as above. Written from start to finish. A bit of tidying as I go. A final revision and then out the door. 
HAFH: How many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? Care to share one of them?
DS: My brain can’t cope with more than one at a time. I always complete a fic before starting another. The only one in my mind at the moment is my WIP, ‘Doing it for the order’.
HAFH: Would you ever kill off a canon character? 
DS: No. I couldn’t. 
HAFH: Do you take liberties with canon or are you very strict about your fic being canon compliant? 
DS: I take plenty of liberties. I honestly don’t know the books that well. I just love playing with the characters. And magic is a fantastic excuse/reason for anything to be possible - how lucky are we to have this world to explore?
HAFH: Is there a character, book, scene, etc from canon (above all others) that inspires you?
DS: Snape, Snape, Snape, Snape, Snape …
HAFH: Is there a trope you’ve yet to try your hand at, but really want to? Or one you never would want to write? 
DS: I’ve not found one yet. If someone could give me a good reason to write another, I might consider it. 
HAFH: Is writing your passion or a fun hobby? 
DS: Both. If it wasn’t fun, it could never be my passion. Revision
HAFH: If you were to revise one of your older fics from start to finish, which would it be and why? 
DS: The Quickening was the first fic I ever wrote. It needs work but I don’t really enjoy looking backwards. I’m not sure if I’ll ever do it. 
HAFH: How do you feel about collaborations? 
DS: Well, much of Debaucery was written in collaboration with a reader and friend, Marriage1988 - that was so much fun. O.O and I have talked about a collaboration for a while … you just never know :)
HAFH: What do you look for in a beta?
DS: I’ve never had a beta. I don’t think I’d ever seek one out. Writing is such a personal pursuit for me, very insular. I think I’d be very annoying to work with.
HAFH: Do you beta yourself? If so, what kind of beta are you?
DS: I imagine I’d also be an annoying beta. I did a bit of editing for one of O.O’s fics, not sure how much help I was. Works in Progress
HAFH: Talk about your current wips. 
DS: My current WIP is ‘Doing it for the Order’ - it’s my take on the ‘marriage law’ fic. I’ve really enjoyed reading those in the past and wanted to do something that was a little more true to my style. I’ve tried to write a submissive, demure Hermione in the past and it just doesn’t work. This is close to how I’d imagine the real Hermione to be under some pretty horrific circumstances. She’s brilliant, fiery, principled and protective but also naive and emotionally vulnerable. It’s pretty angsty and awkward but I’m currently setting up the shade in preparation for the light. 
HAFH: Do you accept prompts? 
DS: Yes, as mentioned previously, Debaucery and An Hour of Snape were both written from ideas given to me by readers. Many scenes were written for Debaucery by Marraige1988.
HAFH: Which is your favorite site to post fic? 
DS: It’s evolved over time. I started with AFFO and moved onto AO3, Ashwinder and finally Fanfic.com. Currently my favourites are AO3 and Fanfic.com.
HAFH: How do you feel about smut? 
DS: LOL. I’m okay with it. I love reading and writing smut. It is pretty well the most difficult thing for me to write. To keep it fresh and avoid repetition is difficult - OracleObscured is the master but the opportunity to convey deeply visceral and emotional experiences is amazing. 
HAFH: How do you deal with trigger warnings in your work?
DS: It’s different for different sites. I think Fanfic.com is quite difficult in terms of triggers as I try to avoid explicit references in the story summary due to the fact that there are young folk on the site. I generally write the triggers in the A/N at the beginning of the fic. A reader told me I was a ‘dipshit’ the other day for an apparent lack of warnings in TQ. I disagreed. Feedback
HAFH: What kind of feedback do you prefer? 
DS: Any. I use it to craft the subsequent chapters in my fics. Many people will recognise words, phrases and concepts from their reviews in my writing. I try to acknowledge them in PMs.
HAFH: Is there anything that you particularly like or don’t like to see in a review? 
DS: Calling me a ‘dipshit’ wasn’t particularly helpful. Also, people taking offence at non-con content when it has been clearly stated is annoying as it seems they are often looking for a reason to be offended and vent. Also, when people forget that it is a fictional story and judge it on their own values, there isn’t going to be a lot of common ground. 
HAFH: Talk about a review that made your day. 
DS: All reviews make my day. I just love the fact that people are willing to take time out of their own days to tell me something. I thank everyone who has been kind enough to do so.
HAFH: Do you ever get rude reviews and how do you deal with them? 
DS: Sometimes. I generally try to understand their perspective and respond if I can. I’ve only deleted a couple. Mostly people are very kind and generous - I feel very fortunate. DSxx Thanks so much to DesertC for giving us a peek into her life and writing style! Make sure to take a look at her author profile and check out her stories. Sevmione fans, run, don’t walk. ;)