#goromcom spotlight

GO Rom Com Spotlight: @mia-ugly​

The delightful @mia-ugly​ (also mia-ugly on AO3) has claimed 10 Things I Hate About You to adapt for Good Omens in the Good Omens Rom Com Event.

For reference, here’s a little background about the source material!

About 10 Things I Hate About You: Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) is beautiful, smart and quite abrasive to most of her fellow teens, meaning that she doesn't attract many boys. Unfortunately for her younger sister, Bianca (Larisa Oleynik), house rules say that she can't date until Kat has a boyfriend, so strings are pulled to set the dour damsel up for a romance. Soon Kat crosses paths with handsome new arrival Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger). Will Kat let her guard down enough to fall for the effortlessly charming Patrick?

We spent some time chatting about how the adaptation is coming so far, as well as future plans for it! Now, get to know @mia-ugly​ a little better!

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goromcom: Let’s start with something about you. :) You know how if you open a Tumblr chat with someone you haven't chatted to before, Tumblr tells you two things they post about? I wanted to tell you that yours reports that you post "#ineffable co-stars au and #let's go". Let's go, indeed!

mia-ugly​: Haha, "let's go" is my pretty places to run away to tag. I didn't not realize that was such a significant part of my presence on Tumblr (I can have a little romantic escapism as a treat.)

goromcom: Heck, have a LOT as a treat. But let’s move on to your rom com. You chose to adapt 10 Things I Hate About You. Has this movie been a favorite of yours, or is there some other reason you chose it?

mia-ugly​: I remember loving the movie when I first saw it, as a grouchy teenager who over-identified with Cat and her excellent taste in girl rock. Also because of Heath Ledger's hair and Heath Ledger generally (the eternal queer dilemma of whether I wanted to look like him or bang him or if both things were potentially an option.) I also wanted to write a "Crowley seduces Aziraphale for dubious reasons" fic before the romcom fest was announced and 10 Things just seemed like a perfect fit for that storyline.

goromcom: Kat does have great taste! But let’s get specific for a moment. What's your favorite moment of your movie, and are you looking forward to presenting it in your adaptation? Any loose plans for that scene that you can share?

mia-ugly​: My favourite moment is probably the Grand Romantic Musical Gesture in the bleachers: "You're Just too Good to be True." (The man can lunge, I'll say that about him.) This particular moment is getting changed in my fic, there is no lunging through the bleachers, but there maaaay be a spontaneous and helpless miracle that one of our lovestruck fools accidentally manifests. Of the musical marching band variety. And my tentative title for the story is "Heaven to Touch," so. The song is going to feature in it more than once.

goromcom: Oh, that’s a great line from that song! :) Other than your plans for that scene, do you plan to stick very closely to the beats of the original story, or make bigger changes?

mia-ugly​: I'm trying to stick fairly closely to the beats of the story, but this is also my first Ineffable Husbands NON-au (yikes) so there are major changes I'm making in the set up. I'm essentially mashing 10 Things and Good Omens together and hoping that it is a delicious, piquant stew and not just a mix of snow and rainwater.

goromcom: I can definitely see a lot of fun in store for that mixture, so it should be lovely. Let me see if I can get one more preview out of you before we risk revealing too much. What's an interesting decision you've made in your planning so far--a notable casting decision, a changing of venue, or some other plan you have to paint Good Omens all over your rom com?

mia-ugly​: I'm getting rid of Bianca! Sorry Bianca. So the impetus for the seduction comes from a very different place. Also two major characters are going to be... animals. Yes, Crowley goes full on Disney Princess and gets himself some animal sidekicks/spies. This sounds like a nightmare, here's hoping it works.

goromcom: I can’t wait to see that! It definitely has vibes of the deleted scene with Crowley and the rats, so that really tracks with canon for me. 

But let’s move on, before we give out too many spoilers. I am blatantly stealing this last question from The Good Place: The Podcast, but here goes: Tell me something "good". It can be something big or small. It can be a charity you think is doing good work, or you can talk about how great your pet is.

mia-ugly​: My pet is pretty great but I'm going to go full-on capitalist and throw some love at a business. So. 

I'm a Canadian white-passing Indigenous person (Yale First Nation, holla at me.) And throughout our education system here we're taught that indigenous culture is a thing of the past, and we need to grieve as a nation for the literal GENOCIDE that Canada carried out (as if that still isn't happening today) but we don't talk about indigenous culture as a current, gorgeous, growing thing. What always astonishes me and fills my heart with warmth are the indigenous creators and artists and designers taking traditional elements and shaping them and bringing them into the present. Because culture evolves, it isn't stable, and we're still the fuck here. We survived. We never left.

There are many, many examples of this throughout Canada and the United States and all over the world. But my particular good thing is: My childhood best friend and her impossibly lovely partner run a company called Indi City that celebrates indigenous culture and fashion and models  and you can BET I own their "matriarchy" necklace.  They made an electric light-up jingle dress, they are doing amazing work with incredible values and their jewelry is gorgeous as hell. As a person who works with a lot of indigenous youth, I love creators like this, who give youth an opportunity to see themselves reflected back as vibrant and important and thriving in our country. 

Not only still here. But leading us forward.

goromcom: That sounds like a great business working for toward an important goal of shining a light on those cultures and groups. I love it.

GO Rom Com Spotlight: @forineffablereasons

The amazing @forineffablereasons (also darcylindbergh on AO3) has claimed French Kiss to adapt for Good Omens in the Good Omens Rom Com Event.

For reference, here’s a little background about the source material!

About French Kiss: When Kate (Meg Ryan) learns that her fiance, Charlie (Timothy Hutton), has become smitten with a young Parisian woman, she boards a plane for France. She is seated next to Luc (Kevin Kline), a small-time crook who uses her to smuggle a stolen necklace, leading Luc to the hotel where she's staying to confront Charlie. As Kate and Luc get to know each other, their sarcastic rapport grows warmer, and Kate must decide where her heart truly lies as Charlie tries to win her back.

We spent some time chatting about how the adaptation is coming so far, as well as future plans for it! Now, get to know @forineffablereasons a little better!

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goromcom: So, a little about you. You know how if you open a Tumblr chat with someone you haven't chatted to before, Tumblr tells you two things they post about? I wanted to tell you that yours reports that you post "#darcy answers and #anonymous". You are so attentive and detailed in your answers to the asks you receive!! I really enjoyed taking a few moments to read through them in prep for this interview. <3

forineffablereasons: That actually surprises me, I thought for sure it'd be #good omens and #ineffable husbands! I try really hard to be a positive light in the fandom though and I love chatting with folks (I just recently had a slew of asks for #the good news abt a/c, which was brilliant) so I'm always up for some asks. 

goromcom: The GO community on Tumblr can certainly be a lot of fun! But hey, let’s learn a little about your adaptation! You chose to adapt French Kiss as your rom com. Has this movie been a favorite of yours, or is there some other reason you chose it? 

forineffablereasons: I love this movie. It's the absolute height of ridiculous. Almost none of it makes any sense at all, loads of it did not age well, but I'm a real sucker for goody-two-shoes (Aziraphale) meets rebel-without-a-cause (Crowley) and discovers his heart-of-gold underneath all that prickly sarcasm. Also I just could not resist Kevin Kline's French accent on Crowley - it's too perfect and too funny. 

goromcom: Oh goodness, that French accent of Kevin Kline’s will go down in history as...something, so I’m excited it’s making its way into your story. 

What's your favorite moment of your movie, and are you looking forward to presenting it in your adaptation? Any loose plans for that scene that you can share?

forineffablereasons: The wine tasting scene, which I think for anyone who's seen/remembers this film is the obvious choice. Here of course I already have two characters who are familiar with wine and know how to taste it, but I'll be revisiting the notes of that scene, as it were, to build a lovely little moment for Crowley and Aziraphale. 

goromcom: Aw, lovely! Other than that scene, do you plan to stick very closely to the beats of the original story, or make bigger changes?

forineffablereasons: I think it will follow the beats of the original story in the sense that it's still about a repressed sort of character chasing after something they ought to just let go, and finding themselves and their love along the way, but there have been a lot of changes. For one, Kevin Kline never rescues Meg Ryan from a French prison. ;) 

goromcom: But he SHOULD HAVE! What were the producers of the movie thinking to leave out an opportunity like that? 

What's an interesting decision you've made in your planning so far--a notable casting decision, a changing of venue, or some other plan you have to paint Good Omens all over your rom com?

forineffablereasons: I'm keeping it in the GO universe, set about ten years after the end of the world. So Crowley and Aziraphale are still themselves, still an angel and a demon (though a ridiculous, very unconvincing French accent does make an appearance), and aren't strangers meeting on a flight - it's established relationship already at the beginning. Aziraphale will be chasing after something (and someone) else through France, with Crowley along for the ride. We're going heavy on the miscommunication, but in the end it's all about exactly what GO is about: love.

goromcom: I love the love! :)

Okay, I’m going to resist the temptation to keep wheedling details out of you so there are still some surprises left on your posting date. 

To wrap up, I am blatantly stealing this last question from The Good Place: The Podcast, but here goes: Tell me something "good". It can be something big or small. It can be a charity you think is doing good work, or you can talk about how great your pet is.

forineffablereasons: At the beginning of January I had a slip and fall accident that dislocated my right kneecap, which meant I had to wear a full-leg immobilizer and use crutches for a month, followed by several weeks of PT. This was a major set-back and a painful, difficult start to the year, though I'm very happy it wasn't more serious. The Good News is: I had my follow-up visit with my doctor today, and I have been cleared with a clean bill of health! Full recovery - with normal range of motion, no more swelling, and increasing strength - has been achieved! I'm very grateful to my family and my friends for helping me through it, I really could not have managed without their love and support. 

And because I'm like this as a person, here's a picture of my darcydog! she's a beautiful good girl who has been working very hard to protect me and my knee these past few weeks, and I love her very much.

goromcom: So glad to hear about your recovery, and just LOOK at that doggo!

GO Rom Com Spotlight: @racketghost​

The fabulous @racketghost​ has claimed Zack and Miri Make a Porno to adapt for Good Omens in the Good Omens Rom Com Event.

For reference, here’s some information about the source material!

Synopsis of Zack and Miri Make a Porno: Lifelong friends and now roommates, Zack (Seth Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) are buried under a mountain of debt. When the electricity is turned off, they realize that desperate times call for desperate measures. They decide to make an adult film to raise some cash. Though they swear that having sex will not damage their friendship, their business proposition quickly turns into something much more.

We spent some time chatting about how the adaptation is coming so far, as well as future plans for it! Now, get to know @racketghost​​ (also racketghost on AO3) a little better!

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goromcom: Here it comes, my silly tags question. You know how if you open a Tumblr chat with someone you haven't chatted to before, Tumblr tells you two things they post about? I wanted to tell you that yours reports that you post about "#aziraphale is baby and #ineffable husbands." I am DYING at that first one, because correct tag is correct!

racketghost: Oh my gosh, that is amazing. I use that tag an unholy amount. But I mean, he is baby, so—I think it’s warranted!

goromcom: You chose to adapt Zack and Miri Make a Porno as your rom com. I'd like to disclose to you at this time that I am the one who added that to the masterlist, and was secretly hoping someone would take it. And you have! :) Has this movie been a favorite of yours, or is there some other reason you chose it?

racketghost: AH! I remember when the prompts were being claimed and I think it was you who said OMG someone took Zack and Miri and I wanted to stand up and say, it was me. I’m the absolute loon! I am SO GLAD you added it to the master list. It’s an under-appreciated romance movie (I think because it gets covered up by all the wonderful, wonderful filth). 

I will confess that I chose this movie because @summerofspock​ and I were chatting about which movies to take (I originally wanted Pretty Woman! Anyone who has read Strange Moons knows why) and we were discussing which movies would be the hardest to adapt. And then I sort of coughed up an idea for Zack and Miri and Summer went full supportive-cheerleader mode and pointed out that pining-while-also-having-sex is sort of my entire wheelhouse. The rest just clicked. She’s wonderful. <3 (I have also always loved the movie. I really adore Kevin Smith. It is my duty as a native of New Jersey!)

goromcom: What's your favorite moment of your chosen rom com, and are you looking forward to presenting it in your adaptation? Any loose plans for that scene that you can share? (I will inline spoiler alert for the answer if it seems necessary.)

racketghost: I think my favorite part of my romcom isn’t necessarily a moment or a scene, it’s more that Zack and Miri are the very dearest and closest of friends that we get to see over and over again. They have a wonderful platonic intimacy that I think mirrors Crowley and Aziraphale very, very well. Lots of bickering and long-suffering sighs and many an eye-roll. But also a fierce protectiveness. Like, this is MY best friend and yes they are ridiculous but only I can say so. I hope to capture that intimacy!

goromcom: Do you plan to stick very closely to the story beats of the original movie, or make bigger changes?

racketghost: Oh no, my story is…. Very, very different from the original. It will follow the same story beats to a degree but I am flipping this from an ensemble cast thing into a just-the-two-of-them thing. So that’s a big change! 

goromcom: What's an interesting decision you've made in your planning so far--a notable casting decision, a changing of venue, or some other plan you have to paint Good Omens all over your rom com?

racketghost: Well, anyone who has read my other stories knows that I am clearly incapable of writing anything that isn’t hopelessly full of angst. So I have upped the stakes quite a bit and basically scrapped the entire mood of the movie. I also really twisted the idea of someone turning off the power, so to speak. There are bills to pay! It’s set in a canon-universe so they aren’t worrying about keeping the lights on. Basically, Zack and Miri Make a Porno but make it goth.

goromcom: I am blatantly stealing this last question from The Good Place: The Podcast, but here goes: Tell me something "good". It can be something big or small. It can be a charity you think is doing good work, or you can talk about how great your pet is.

racketghost: Let me begin this by saying YOU are wonderful for managing this wild bunch and starting all of this. You are doing an awesome job and I really appreciate all the work you do for us!

Second, my dog Jackson is the goodest boy of all the good boys and I love him forever.

And third, I am a big fan (and so is Jackson) of a grass-roots organization called The Surfrider Foundation. I’m basically an unevolved ocean creature (when did I sprout these legs?) and I think the preservation of our oceans is one of the highest and most important campaigns we can all work toward. They do regular beach cleanups you can join in and they help preserve oceanic habitats, educate people on single-use plastics and residential water consumption, and champion making informed choices on sustainable seafood. They’re non-profit and staffed by some truly wonderful hardworking humans who just want to preserve this great, beautiful blue planet and all the things living in it. Crowley and Aziraphale would be fans, I think.

goromcom: Aww, thanks for that first bit. And Jackson and The Surfrider Foundation both sound amazing.

GO Rom Com Spotlight: @summerofspock

We come to you on Groundhog Day to discuss something very on-theme! The fair and lovely @summerofspock (also summerofspock on AO3) has claimed the movie Groundhog Day to adapt for Good Omens in the Good Omens Rom Com Event.

For reference, here’s a little background about the source material!

About Groundhog Day: A cynical TV weatherman finds himself reliving the same day over and over again when he goes on location to the small town of Punxsutawney to film a report about their annual Groundhog Day. His predicament drives him to distraction, until he sees a way of turning the situation to his advantage.

We spent some time chatting about how the adaptation is coming so far, as well as future plans for it! Now, get to know @summerofspock a little better!

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goromcom: Here’s my favorite opener: So you know how if you open a Tumblr chat with someone you haven't chatted to before, Tumblr tells you two things they post about? I wanted to tell you that yours reports that you post "about #spirk and #text." That's a fandom classic, that Spirk. Between that and your URL, I'm guessing you're a Trek fan. ;)

summerofspock : I'm @summerofspock everywhere you can find me (AO3, Twitter). And yes, I've been on Tumblr heading into a decade and Star Trek has been my fandom of choice for more than half of that time. It's a classic!

goromcom: One of the very first modern fandoms!

But now, about your rom com!  You chose to adapt Groundhog Day as your rom com. Has this movie been a favorite of yours, or is there some other reason you chose it?

summerofspock : This movie is a favorite of mine. I love the themes. It's all about making your own opportunities and finding joy in the mundane and the repetitive. The overlap of the idea that life is long and life is short so you should seize the day is fascinating to me. I chose it for that reason and also because the Groundhog Day is such a popular trope in fandom, and I wanted to give it a whirl!

goromcom: What's your favorite moment of Groundhog Day, and are you looking forward to presenting it in your adaptation? Any loose plans for that scene that you can share?

summerofspock : My favorite part of Groundhog Day (hard to choose, I love most of it) is when Bill Murray gives up all hope and just starts trying to commit suicide, convinced that the groundhog itself is the cause of the time loop so he tries to take the groundhog out with him. It's hilarious and bleak and so ridiculous.

I do have some loose plans for that scene. It is perhaps more ridiculous than the original in some ways, but I'll never be Harold Ramis so I doubt it will be quite as funny.

goromcom: Wherever you are now, Harold Ramis, you’re an icon and a genius and we miss you.

Do you plan to stick very closely to the story beats of the original movie, or make bigger changes?

summerofspock : I'm sticking fairly close to the beats of the story in that I intend to include the well-known parts (waking up to the same song, a newscaster and his producer, grouchy boy becomes less grouchy through circumstance), but because there are some inherently sleazy parts of the romance in Groundhog Day, I'm moving away from that and attempting to make it sweet.

goromcom: That is my favorite part of this event, that we have so many opportunities to modernize these storylines to bring them up to date with our more evolved cultural sensibilities.

What's an interesting decision you've made in your planning so far--a notable casting decision, a changing of venue, or some other plan you have to paint Good Omens all over your rom com?

summerofspock : Groundhog is a strictly US-based holiday so I had to do some research on UK festivals that could be considered equivalent. Y'all do some wild things and I picked one I think will be really fun. I won't share simply because I think it's a bit more exciting for people to see it when it comes out!

goromcom: Holy cheese, how America-centric was I up until now when I’d failed to consider how this holiday is really only a thing here in the states!?! Apologies to the rest of the world!

I think that’s about all you can share without giving too much away, so let’s move on to the last question, which (as always) I am blatantly stealing from The Good Place: The Podcast. Tell me something "good". It can be something big or small. It can be a charity you think is doing good work, or you can talk about how great your pet is.  

summerofspock : Well, first of all, happy Groundhog Day! Secondly, I'd like to thank the Good Omens fandom for being welcoming and kind and positive. Seeing the creativity, depth of feeling, and kindness among all of you has been truly inspiring.

GO Rom Com Spotlight: @drawlight​

The amazing @drawlight​ (also drawlight on AO3) has claimed But I’m a Cheerleader to adapt for Good Omens in the Good Omens Rom Com Event.

For reference, here’s a little background about the source material!

About But I’m a Cheerleader: Megan (Natasha Lyonne) considers herself a typical American girl. She excels in school and cheerleading, and she has a handsome football-playing boyfriend, even though she isn't that crazy about him. So she's stunned when her parents decide she's gay and send her to True Directions, a boot camp meant to alter her sexual orientation. While there, Megan meets a rebellious and unashamed teen lesbian, Graham (Clea DuVall). Though Megan still feels confused, she starts to have feelings for Graham.

We spent some time chatting about how the adaptation is coming so far, as well as future plans for it! Now, get to know @drawlight​ a little better!

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goromcom: So, here’s my first question.  You know how if you open a Tumblr chat with someone you haven't chatted to before, Tumblr tells you two things they post about? I wanted to tell you that yours reports that you post "about #ineffable husbands and #quotes." You are certainly a mainstay in the Ineffable Husbands fandom! And are the quotes usually GO related, or just quotes in general?

drawlight: I’m still so head-over-heels for these husbands so my brain is pretty much still always on #ineffable husbands! I love them so so so much. I don’t know about being a mainstay but my hyperfixation has been pretty constant! I love gorgeous words and beautiful quotes. Sometimes they’re GO-related, most of the time it’s just stuff I’ve liked or related to or loved the way it was written.

goromcom: You chose to adapt But I'm a Cheerleader as your rom com. Has this movie been a favorite of yours, or is there some other reason you chose it? 

drawlight: It’s a very old favorite of mine. I mean, to be honest, I’ve had a crush on Clea DuVall as Graham since the movie came out. Once I saw it on the list, I got tremendously excited and knew that I wanted to try my hand at it.

goromcom: Oh, Clea DuVall is lovely, I agree!

What's your favorite moment of But I'm a Cheerleader, and are you looking forward to presenting it in your adaptation? Any loose plans for that scene that you can share?

drawlight: Personally, it’s always been the kiss behind the bar. Everything is still pretty nebulous in the exact execution of the fic but I’m likely going to parallel/tie it into when Crowley is at the pub. 

goromcom: Oh, my heart, the pub scene! Can’t wait to see it.

Do you plan to stick very closely to the story beats of the original movie, or make bigger changes?

drawlight: I’m going to try to hit the major beats as well as those of GO itself, though the story itself is very different! I don’t want to write about conversion therapy so I’m stripping the beats of BIAC down to brass tacks and building up from there. Really, when you get down to it, it’s not entirely dissimilar from GO. There are two people in love who want to be together and are not, in the opinion of outside structures and forces of power, supposed to be together. And then, in the end, they cast those forces aside and wind up happy. So, instead of conversion therapy or Heaven and Hell, I’m doing an AU set in Revolution-era France and using class structure and period-consistent homophobia as the barrier.

goromcom: What's an interesting decision you've made in your planning so far--a notable casting decision, a changing of venue, or some other plan you have to paint Good Omens all over your rom com?

drawlight: So far, my major plans are that I’ve cast Aziraphale in Megan’s role (as an aristocrat) and Crowley in Graham’s (as a servant in Aziraphale’s household). Gabriel, to my endless amusement, is taking on the role of Mary Brown, who was the director of True Directions. His role really is to catch Aziraphale’s interest in an unknown member of the downstairs household and to try to redirect and re-educate Aziraphale on proper interests and attentions of his class. 

goromcom: I am blatantly stealing this last question from The Good Place: The Podcast, but here goes: Tell me something "good". It can be something big or small. It can be a charity you think is doing good work, or you can talk about how great your pet is.

drawlight: I love this question! A bit of positivity for the day. I’m always happy to plug CityHarvest, which is an important charity to me doing work to help with hunger here in New York City.

goromcom: That is a wonderful charity, helping people in dire need.

GO Rom Com Spotlight: @handlebarstiedtothestars​

The wonderful @handlebarstiedtothestars​ has claimed It Happened One Night to adapt for Good Omens in the Good Omens Rom Com Event. 

For reference, here’s some information about the source material!

Synopsis of It Happened One Night: In Frank Capra's acclaimed romantic comedy, spoiled heiress Ellie Andrews (Claudette Colbert) impetuously marries the scheming King Westley, leading her tycoon father (Walter Connolly) to spirit her away on his yacht. After jumping ship, Ellie falls in with cynical newspaper reporter Peter Warne (Clark Gable), who offers to help her reunite with her new husband in exchange for an exclusive story. But during their travels, the reporter finds himself falling for the feisty young heiress.

We spent some time chatting about how the adaptation is coming so far, as well as future plans for it! Now, get to know @handlebarstiedtothestars​ a little better!

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goromcom: You know how if you open a Tumblr chat with someone you haven't chatted to before, Tumblr tells you two things they post about? Yours reports that you "post about #love and #photo." I think that's lovely (no pun intended.)

handlebarstiedtothestars: Hahaha! I would've bet on it being Good Omens, but love and photo, that's cute! Yes, that's right!

goromcom: You chose to adapt It Happened One Night as your GO rom com. Has this movie been a favorite of yours, or is there some other reason you chose it?

handlebarstiedtothestars: Yes, it's been a favourite of mine for years now. I think I discovered it years ago during uni! I love old movies, the fast-talking witty humour is something I've always enjoyed and I felt like that might translate well into Good Omens!

goromcom: What's your favorite moment of your chosen rom com, and are you looking forward to presenting it in your adaptation? Any loose plans for that scene that you can share?

handlebarstiedtothestars: I think it's probably the scene near the end [spoilers for It Happened One Night] where Peter arrives at the Andrews house and goes on a tirade exclaiming only a complete fool who was crazy could love Ellie, and when repeatedly pressed finally admits he does love her. [end spoilers] It cracks me up every time. I'm not 100% certain on how to do it yet but I wondered about framing it as a one-sided conversation Crowley has talking to himself and God (a bit like the hanging-dramatically-off-the-throne scene from the show, but funnier). We'll see what happens when I get that far!!

goromcom: Do you plan to stick very closely to the story beats of the original movie, or make bigger changes?

handlebarstiedtothestars: I'm definitely planning to stick closely to the story beats, and knowing me I'll use or paraphrase quotes from the movie to make sure it's all tied together, but I've changed the entire setting and the motivations for the characters’ actions so it's not going to be 1934 on a bus for sure!

goromcom: What's an interesting decision you've made in your planning so far--a notable casting decision, a changing of venue, or some other plan you have to paint Good Omens all over your rom com?

handlebarstiedtothestars: I'm setting it in universe for Good Omens, and it's going to be a Biblical setting--possibly just after Jesus is born. So Crowley is still Crawly, and they still don't really know each other that well, so it's going to be an interesting dynamic between them, I hope.

goromcom: I am blatantly stealing this last question from The Good Place: The Podcast, but here goes: Tell me something "good". It can be something big or small. It can be a charity you think is doing good work, or you can talk about how great your pet is.

handlebarstiedtothestars: Well, seeing as you mentioned pets we'll go with that, because he's tearing his bed up in front of me as we speak.

goromcom: My pet is also an uncontrollable gremlin.

handlebarstiedtothestars: I have a dog called Harry who is 1, and he is essentially my child and the best thing I ever bought, even though my life is now chaos. He keeps me sane while driving me insane, and I think everyone who can should have a cuddle monster pet cos they're The Best.

goromcom: So excited to read the finished story! And as a bonus, a photo of the now-famous Harry follows: 

GO Rom Com Spotlight: @bestoftheseekwill​

The most excellent @bestoftheseekwill​ (seekwill on AO3) has claimed Amélie to adapt for Good Omens in the Good Omens Rom Com Event.

For reference, here’s a little background about the source material!

About Amélie: "Amélie" is a fanciful comedy about a young woman who discretely orchestrates the lives of the people around her, creating a world exclusively of her own making. Shot in over 80 Parisian locations, acclaimed director Jean-Pierre Jeunet ("Delicatessen"; "The City of Lost Children") invokes his incomparable visionary style to capture the exquisite charm and mystery of modern-day Paris through the eyes of a beautiful ingenue.

We spent some time chatting about how the adaptation is coming so far, as well as future plans for it! Now, get to know @bestoftheseekwill​ a little better!

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goromcom: Here’s a “getting to know you” fact: You know how if you open a Tumblr chat with someone you haven't chatted to before, Tumblr tells you two things they post about? I wanted to tell you that yours reports that you post "about #the simpsons and #toronto." Are you a Matt Groening fan?

bestoftheseekwill: I'm surprised by those tags but perhaps I shouldn't be. I am indeed a Groening fan. I was a kid during the Simpson's heyday and so a solid 80% of my sense of humour is rooted in those early seasons. My partner wasn't allowed to watch the show as a kid and as a result a lot of my (extremely funny) jokes fall flat in our household. Also, prior to coming back to fandom, my primary hobby was engaging with the city I've spent most of my adult life in. I used to spend a lot of time going to City Council meetings and writing to city councillors and the mayor. I'm a lot of fun at parties.

goromcom: Hey, a lot of important changes and progress are made on the local level. That’s great that you are involved with that. :)

But about your rom com: Has Amélie been a favorite of yours, or is there some other reason you chose it?

bestoftheseekwill: Amélie is definitely among my favourite movies, but when I chose it I hadn't watched it for a solid decade. I only remembered the feeling it gave me when I initially saw it. I find a lot of the movies I really love have themes of alienation and isolation, and Amélie certainly has those, but you get a happy ending which is a plus. Re-watching it I was reminded of what a spectacular film it is, and was also immediately daunted by the task of trying to adapt it. It's such a singular and distinctive piece of work.

goromcom: What's your favorite moment of Amélie, and are you looking forward to presenting it in your adaptation? Any loose plans for that scene that you can share?

bestoftheseekwill: There's a scene with almost no dialogue where Amélie goes to the haunted fun house where Nino works and she goes on the ride. Nino, in a skeleton costume, lingers very close to her. It's a wonderfully tense scene while also being absurd in the setting. In my story an echo of that scene will take place on public transit. It was one of the first scenes that came to me clearly and I hope I can capture even a fraction of the mood from the film.

goromcom: I’m sure you will! But other than that scene, do you plan to stick very closely to the story beats of the original movie, or make bigger changes?

bestoftheseekwill: I think what I'm trying to capture most from Amélie is the "vibe." Finding small joys, loving strangers, quick but profound kinship. Seeing the mundane as miraculous.

goromcom: What's an interesting decision you've made in your planning so far--a notable casting decision, a changing of venue, or some other plan you have to paint Good Omens all over your rom com?

bestoftheseekwill: I usually write Human AUs, so what's notable for me is that this isn't one. It's a canon divergence, except the diversion starts about ten seconds into the original story. Also, all the demons are pretty chummy with one another and I'm enjoying that dynamic.

goromcom: Ah, I love a good canon divergence fic! 

Sadly, it’s about time to wrap up, but I have one more thing for you. I am blatantly stealing this last question from The Good Place: The Podcast, but here goes: Tell me something "good". It can be something big or small. It can be a charity you think is doing good work, or you can talk about how great your pet is.

bestoftheseekwill: I'd like to say something profound but honestly, what I'm thinking about today is that it looks like jigsaw puzzles are having a comeback and I'm extremely into it. I love a hobby where you assemble a picture quietly while watching TV, look at it for 20 minutes when you're done, then take it apart and forget it ever happened. It seems very zen.

goromcom: I actually love jigsaw puzzles! I have a Bob Ross one currently sitting, about half-finished, under the cover of my gaming table. :)

GO Rom Com Spotlight: @weatheredlaw

We have a Valentine’s Day two-fer today for GO Rom Com Spotlight posts! First up, we have the marvelous @weatheredlaw (also on AO3 and Twitter) has claimed The Wedding Date to adapt for Good Omens in the Good Omens Rom Com Event.

For reference, here’s a little background about the source material!

About The Wedding Date: With the wedding of her younger sister (Amy Adams) fast approaching, Kat Ellis (Debra Messing) faces the undesirable prospect of traveling alone to London for the ceremony. While this is bad enough, Jeffrey (Jeremy Sheffield), the man who left her as they moved closer to marriage, happens to be the groom's best man. Determined to show everyone -- most of all Jeffrey -- that her romantic life is as full and thrilling as ever, Kat hires a charming male escort (Dermot Mulroney) as her date.

We spent some time chatting about how the adaptation is coming so far, as well as future plans for it! Now, get to know @weatheredlaw a little better!

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goromcom: So, you know how if you open a Tumblr chat with someone you haven't chatted to before, Tumblr tells you two things they post about? I wanted to tell you that yours reports that you post "about #tv: midsomer murders and #red vs blue". Would you recommend Midsomer Murders? I've never seen any of it.

weatheredlaw: YES! I recommend Midsomer Murders to everyone. it's a DELIGHTFUL show that i could watch for HOURS and HOURS. It's available on Amazon Prime through season...10? i think? and it's all on the Acorn TV channel as well. 

goromcom: Sounds interesting! I’ll have to check it out. But on to your rom com! You chose to adapt The Wedding Date as your rom com. Has this movie been a favorite of yours, or is there some other reason you chose it?

weatheredlaw: I saw The Wedding Date in theatres when I was 14 and I just absolutely loved it. I'm a huge sucker for romcoms, I watch them every chance I get, and there's a handful I've watched many MANY times, The Wedding Date being one of them. I chose it because, out of everything left, it was the story I was most familiar with, and I am such a huge sucker for a solid romcom AU. They're my bread and butter. It's something I love doing, and I know I can execute fairly well, so I'm excited about the process!

goromcom: What's your favorite moment of The Wedding Date, and are you looking forward to presenting it in your adaptation? Any loose plans for that scene that you can share?

weatheredlaw: Oh my gosh I have MANY favorite moments, but there's a scene, close to the end, where Nick asks Kat's father if he can have permission to date her, and her father leans in and says, "I thought you already were." The sort of mischievousness of Kat's father is excellent in the original, and I want to keep that using God as a stand-in for Aziraphale's mother as I've done many times in other AU's, and keep that sort of I know something is up, but go on, keep your secrets feel that Kat's father has in the original. That scene I would very much like to include.

goromcom: Other than making sure that scene makes it into your adaptation, do you plan to stick very closely to the story beats of the original story, or make bigger changes?

weatheredlaw: So the main idea of the Wedding Date is need a date for a wedding I don't super want to be alone at. Kat in the original is the ex fiance of the best man, but in this case, Aziraphale fills the role of needed a date because he's been getting out of family events by pulling the Boyfriend Card for weeks. So that bit will be different, and Crowley will be more of a professional stand-in boyfriend than an escort (I have something planned called the Boyfriend Binder that I think will make people smile). But the gist of, "I get someone to pretend to be my boyfriend and we accidentally fall in love" will remain a major part of the story.

goromcom: What's an interesting decision you've made in your planning so far--a notable casting decision, a changing of venue, or some other plan you have to paint Good Omens all over your rom com?

weatheredlaw: So I've been on this kick of Redeem Michael for a while, and I'm folding in a relationship between her and Aziraphale that will be based on her canonical deviousness, but as she's grown up and matured, she's become Aziraphale's ally at family events. A Michael/Ligur wedding is what I settled on. I'd considered Ineffable Bureaucracy, but I wound up choosing Michael/Ligur instead. The main thing about making sure a Good Omens AU still feels like Good Omens is folding those canonical events into the new story. Things like the Arrangement help make it a Good Omens story (Aziraphale makes an Arrangement with Crowley, re: the wedding); Aziraphale's discomfort around other angels (Aziraphale is uncomfortable around some members of his family). There are little things that really make Good Omens, Good Omens, and trying to include those is key to creating a good AU for the show.

goromcom: I am blatantly stealing this last question from The Good Place: The Podcast, but here goes: Tell me something "good". It can be something big or small. It can be a charity you think is doing good work, or you can talk about how great your pet is.

weatheredlaw: Something good! You know, I want to talk about my incredible sister, who has been so supportive of me lately as things in my life change, and is making big changes of her own. I feel so lucky to have someone like her, I know not everyone is close with their siblings. But she's a fierce defender of me, and always has my back, and she's genuinely one of the most good people I know. I love her. She's so smart and so driven and makes sure she uses her experience and education to always be giving back. She's amazing. Thank you for letting me brag about her.