In the Lime-Light with Tsuna

Squish13 is our second volunteer. The author of fourteen stories, many of which are set in the world of Fire Emblem, Squish13 has been a member of Fanfiction.Net for almost two years. Besides writing, Squish13 enjoys creating Let’s Plays to post on Youtube; her username there is HylianVoice.

Writing:

Is writing a passion or a hobby for you?

Passion! Most definitely! Been writing for years!

(If a passion) When and why did you decide to become an author?

I’d say I started sometime between elementary and middle school. So… ‘bout 9 years now. I’m always just brimming with ideas, and writing was my best way to express that to the world!

What is your writing schedule like now?

It’s horrid. Can’t even call it a “schedule”. I just write whenever, and with the added burden of let’s playing, it’s difficult to set a schedule for either.

What is your ideal writing schedule?

If I could, I’d write every day, but I’m not exactly the schedule type.

What inspires your writing?

(The blood of my enemies) ……. Just kidding! Just the thought that I can express my ideas to the world.

When did you write your first story (not specifically a fanfiction)?

Oh… it has to be around 7 years ago when I first started the draft of my first novel. Of course, I ended up adding something that ruined the draft, but I still consider even the first scribbles of ideas as contribution towards that story! (None of my original projects are close to completion though.)

How many fanfictions have you written? How many have you posted?

While 14 have been posted, I have a lot of little projects that I decided against posting. Silly things, but I still keep everything stored away on my computer or in notebooks.

Have you ever written a fanfiction per request? Would you like to?

Not yet, but I certainly admit, it would be nice to receive a fanfiction request.

Which one of your fanfictions seems to be your readers’ favorite?

My Dear Lucina … It’s… disturbing really… I’m actually quite scared. But I suppose there’s also Something More which has gotten quite popular with the Smash Bros community.

Which one of your fanfictions are you proudest of?

Last Hope. It was my first multichapter fanfiction, and though not complete yet, I consider it the measuring tool in how far my writing of fanfictions has progressed since it’s also planned to be the longest. I can look back on it, and chapter to chapter, see how I’ve improved.

Which one of your fanfictions is your favorite?

It used to be Last Hope. But then everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked! But in all seriousness, it’s gotta be FE: Advent now. I just really enjoy the idea of creating a story about the first exalt. Something much more mine than the other works. Creative Freedom!!!

Do you have a steady fanbase?

No. Totally not. A few readers for a few stories that are consistent, but mostly that’s a giant N-O. I don’t have a large reader-base in general :P

Are there any authors of fanfiction whose work you admire?

Can’t really think of anything. It’s not because I think I’m too good or anything stupid like that. It’s just that I’m actually not a big reader. Surprising, considering how much I like to write.

Let’s Plays:

Where do you post your Let’s Plays?

On YouTube, same as many other lpers. But I don’t do streams like a lot seem to do on places like Twitch or otherwise:P I’m not very social, we’ll say.

What is your channel name?

HylianVoice! Part Hylia for my love of the Zelda series, part “voice” for my love of doing voiceovers for all my own lps.

What inspired your interest in Let’s Plays?

Oh, that has to be sometime over some summer or whatever… Ah… we’ll say sometime in my sophomore year of high school. I was bored, and started seeing other peoples’ works. Eventually I was pretty much like: “hey, these people do video game playthroughs with commentary. That seems fun, I think I’ll start up a channel.”

How do you create your videos?

Record? Edit? Well, I used to record with a camcorder, but with a donation from some friends, eventually got a capture card. It’s low-end, but certainly better than using a camera. After I got the capture card, I had to find a mic to get my commentary. Computer mics suck, but I eventually got a studio-quality mic after a while thanks to the family. As far as editing goes, I use Sony Vegas Movie Studio. Yes, I could probably get something better, but this is a fun hobby, and I don’t have the funds to afford expensive equipment, though I do love it to death.

Have you ever edited scenes or dialogue out of your Let’s Plays?

I cut a lot of material if I fail so completely much, I need to cut things away for time.

Do you keep this rejected footage?

No, I don’t really keep any scrapped files. I only got an external hard drive for my videos, recently, but even then, I don’t keep the raw files. They take up too much space.

How much “blooper” material do you have at this moment?

If I have any sort of blooper material, I edit it into the episode itself. I refer to you, Kid Icarus NES videos!

Are your Let’s Plays more for entertainment or for instruction?

Both? I suppose? I try to be as entertaining as possible, but also informative and helping to explain certain mechanics or whatnot whenever they make a first appearance.

Which game was your first Let’s Play based upon? Why did you choose this game?

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Oh, it was my favorite Zelda title at the time I started my channel up. Still is. I love it so much. But I know it well, and can play it well, so I thought it would be a good place to start.

Looking back, what do you think of your first Let’s Play?

Well I was awkward and some of my commentary seemed forced. But hey, I still think the old thing was quite charming. I enjoy it, and at 100%, even with how awkward I could be, it still was a good series.

Which series of Let’s Plays is your favorite?

Gosh… how do I choose that? Might be the ATLA (Avatar: The Last Airbender) game. Gives me a chance to nerd out even though the game itself is quite bad.

If someone were interested in your Avatar: The Last Airbender Let’s Play, what would you say in order to convince them to watch it?

I wouldn’t have to say anything. I’d just have to hold out a fishing line with Aang on the end and dangle it in front of them till they follow me to the videos. In all seriousness though, it’s one of my few series which is a top search result on YT, so all they’d have to do is type in “Avatar the Last Airbender game” and it’d probably be there on the first page. What am I saying probably for? It is! (Though it has been losing viewers since that “big name” guy posted his lp of it :P )

Would you say you have a steady fanbase for your Let’s Plays?

Not at all. But I am very active in engaging the fans.

Fire Emblem

How many games have you played in this series?

Hmm… I’ve played all but Gaiden, Sacred Stones, and Shadow Dragon, so… that would be 10?

Which is your favorite game and why?

My favorite game is Awakening. I appreciate the arcing plot, and delving into its intricacies. And I won’t lie, I’m quite attached to the characters, more than those of other games.

Which is your least favorite game and why?

Whichever 6 was… I’m bad at remembering the names of 6 and 7. It was imbalanced and the plot wasn’t all too great compared to other FE games. Still can’t say I hate it though. Just don’t like it as much as the others.

Speaking about your favorite game, which unit is your strongest?

That would have to be Lucina. I get really invested in training her, especially with an MU mother and access to nearly all the classes, thus skills.

Which unit is your weakest?

Donnel. I know people love him, but I can’t bring myself around to training the poor guy.

Which character(s) are you sure to lose?

None, because I reset! In all honesty though, Maribelle dies a lot. Yeah, my secondary healers usually are prone to… dying…

Which character is your favorite?

I won’t lie, Lucina (even though I have a habit of killing her in my fics)

Which character do you dislike?

Tharja. Whatever her body type, she’s still a stalker, and I’ve had friends with problems with that, so I just can’t stand it.

Summarize the plot; in your opinion, what are the good points and bad points of the game?

Dragon wrecks world, girl travels back in time to prevent it, evil plotting spanning a few arcs, final showdown, bittersweet victory. The game has loveable characters and has brought in many newcomers to the series. On the flipside, its map design is kinda bad, and people who don’t like dissecting plots might not like the story (though I do).

Speaking generally about all the games you have played:

Fire Emblem games have a wide range of difficulty levels; which of these levels have you successfully completed?

Usually the “hard” difficulties of each of the games if they’re available. Obviously can’t do that with the older games though they are kinda difficult on their own. I do avoid pseudo-difficulties though, such as RD’s “hard” and Awakening’s “Lunatic+”

Please explain your greatest Fire Emblem moment.

I’ll go the opposite here and talk about Sigurd missing a calculated 100% chance to hit. It was certainly the most memorable for sure…

Is there a class in Fire Emblem which you never seemto use? Is there a reason for this?

Armor knights. I don’t like their low resistance, and on top of that, I can never get them up to the frontlines where they need to be because of their abysmal movement.

Please name your favorite skillset.

How do I choose that?!?!

Would you like to name your favorite Fire Emblem pairings?

Sigurd/Deirdre, Eliwood/Ninian, Chrom/Robin, Marth/Kris. They’re all adorable dorks together and I love it. (I know Marth is engaged to Shiida, but screw it!)

If you could create your ideal army of twelve units, spanning all of your files, which soldiers would you choose?

Julia, Ares, Lief(FE4), Nephenee, Heather, Ferry, Morgan (Marc, whatever), Raquesis, Norne, Ogma, Tiki, Lucina (b/c we need a lord, right?)

Who would you challenge first with this army?

I dunno… Medeus? Not the derpy FE3 version though.

Personal Questions

What is your favorite…

Food?

Um… Let’s see… I like a bunch of kinds of bleu cheese (even though I’m mildly allergic), and crab. Can’t stand lobster though, but personal taste.

Music?

I don’t really listen to much music. I suppose I only ever really listen to video game music, otherwise just whatever’s on the radio.

Clothes?

Whatever’s lying around? That, or my pajamas. Even if I have to go out in them.

Color?

Blue! No, purple… how to decide… The royal shades of them though.

Day?

Saturday, duh. Unless there’s an event I need to go to, it’s a day you can sleep in, but also stay up late. A lazy day.

Person?

Myself. I know that sounds kinda egotistical, but I swear it’s not like that. Do I look up to other people? Yes. But there’s no arguing that I value my own well-being and don’t want to pretend to be someone I’m not.

Animal?

Sharkies! Yes, sharks. They’re such fascinating creatures, majestic, powerful, smart, what’s not to love about them?

Do you have any pets?

Yup! 2 dogs and a cat. I like the cat more though. A lot less maintenance that one. Plus, the cat can sleep by my feet and not push me off the bed like the dogs might.

If so, have they ever inspired your writing?

Certainly! I do remember a certain fanfiction in which I gave one of the characters a brand new animal companion that they had to get used to.

What was your favorite subject in school?

Science, I love learning about the world and how it works. Science sates my curiosity for such things.

This question is essential for all aspiring writers: Who is your favorite author, and did they pen your favorite book? What is your favorite book?

My favorite author… Definitely Tolkien, and yes, the Lord of the Rings series/ The Hobbit are my favorite books.

Do you have a LEAST favorite book?

I’m not saying this to be mainstream, I’m really not. But it has to be Twilight . It was so poorly written. I mean, how long do you need to take to describe a TRUCK?

Do you enjoy watching…

Television?

Well, my cable box broke, so not since I was a kid, really. So no, I don’t really watch television.

Sitcoms?

Nope.

Dramas?

Nah.

Movies?

Yes, yes, YES!! I love movies, and heck, I did change my major to follow film. My favorite movie though is definitely The Princess Bride .

Anime?

… Yes. Haven’t really gotten into it until recently, and even then I’m selective. There’s Death Note which I found amazing. But my absolute favorite would have to be Another . Gosh, it’s so beautifully animated, quite grim and very graphic, but for a mystery-horror, it pulls off the mystery very well. Seriously, I did NOT see that ending coming. So good.

What kind of games do you play?

Video games: Ooh. Well, strategy games for sure. Both computer and console, they don’t always have to have [an] amazing story, so long as the mechanics pull me in. Then there’s open-world adventure games. I could spend hours (and do) just running around doing side-quests.

Board games: Ha! Board games! Who doesn’t play them? Life is my favorite though. (Even though I always end up with a car overflowing with kids by the end of it though.)

Card games: Serious card games or what? I certainly take pleasure in CAH, but what sane adult doesn’t? Otherwise, I do enjoy more classic card games I can play in groups. I never actually bet, but the ones I enjoy most are games that are commonly bet with. Black Jack, Texas Hold-em, stuff like that.

Do you have a favorite sport, either one you watch on TV or play personally?

Oh my favorite sport would be hockey, for sure. Ice or field, it doesn’t really matter to me. Of course I play the latter, but I do play both indoor and outdoor league.

If there is one thing you can not stand in your writing or anyone else’s, what is it?

People mixing up homophones. Gosh… people using sow instead of so or sew, too instead of two or to… I can’t stand it really, it makes understanding their writing difficult…

If you were invited to the Shire for a weekend, how would you spend that time?

Tea. There must be tea. What else would there be?

And finally: Will you accept any follow-up questions from readers?

Another interview shall be posted, soon - you may expect it on the twentieth of April.

This photo and quote is hint enough for you curious readers.

Our next author is a volunteer - the first volunteer to grace our stage. The Rich Alder has written and posted over twenty one-shots, most of which carry a sad, or at least bittersweet ending for some hero. While she may enjoy torturing readers with a tear-inducing story, she is also a fun D-Grey-Man fan.

Writing:

1. Is writing a passion or a hobby for you?

It is most certainly a passion. Ever since I was 11 years old, I remember people telling me I have a gift.

2. Does this mean you are an aspiring author?

Just my passion, so yeah. Writing might be a career for me, but I’d rather be a voice actor [for] Funimation. If that doesn’t work out, then I’ll be an author. Or maybe an entrepreneur… There are just too many options!

3. How often do you write? Are you more likely to wake up early and immediately begin typing, or is writing an afternoon, evening activity?

It really depends when inspiration hits me. Sometimes, I write late at night or early in the morning, but lately I’ve been having severe stomachache problems in the morning. I get nauseated whenever I look at words in the morning now.

4. What inspires your writing?

Just an odd thought or two. At least for Fire Emblem. Like I used to tell my friend, “What if Robin was raising Morgan and she realized he died 10 years ago?” because of my game file and stuff. And she’s all like, “Stahp giving me dem feelz, man.”

5. When did you write your first story (not specifically a fanfiction)?

I remember I was at summer camp and I had a dream. I don’t really remember what the dream was about anymore, but I started writing it down at the time. Of course, it’s gone now. Lost to the depths of the black void known as my room.

6. How many fanfictions have you written? How many have you posted?

I have no idea how many I have written. As for published, I have 18 stories out currently. I mean I have PLENTY of self-inserts hidden in the depths of my iPad’s plain text app that I will never publish because they are so horrible and chockfull of OCs. I only wrote them for myself.

7.Which of your fanfictions seems to be your readers’ favorite?

In terms of favorites, I would say I’m Here Now RobinxLucina one-shot. It has by far my most favorites (13).

8. Which of your fanfictions do you believe most deserves praise?

Personally, I think that one of my newer ones Sick of the Lies deserves a lot of praise. I poured a lot of work into it. And I love how I unintentionally made Lucina’s character kind of insane and bad***.

9. Which of your fanfictions is YOUR favorite?

What If Kanda Yuu x Alma Karma one-shot. I still have a soft spot for it since it was my very first fanfic. Although, the writing style isn’t as good as my FE:A fics and it isn’t nearly as popular.

10. Do you have a steady fanbase?

Why, yes. I think I do. Many of the same people review and like my stuff. I occasionally gain some new fans when I do a new pairing, but for the most part, it’s the same. And I like it.

11. To date, you have only posted one-shots - why?

I’ve kinda boxed myself into a corner here. When I first started out, I was too shy to write a whole chapter story. Plus, I have a REALLY bad habit of quitting in the middle of a story. This way, I don’t face the problems of me being lazy. And, to me, some of the most elegant stuff I find on Fanfiction are one-shots. To me, they just seem to have more grace.

12. On your profile, you have left an open invitation for story requests, with a very lax set of rules. What made you decide on these rules?

Sometimes, I like to be a bit of a masochist and make myself write stuff I don’t like. But I have IRL [in real life] adults that read my stuff who know me personally (like my English teacher), so I can’t write lemons. Also, I don’t like yuri, yaoi, or incest. I think I would be sick if I had to write those.

13. In your latest fanfiction, you seemed to have learned how to make scene breakers. Now that you have this knowledge, are you prepared to go back and add these breakers to your other one-shots?

Maybe one day. Perhaps when I’m bored. Right now, I’m just too lazy. I mean, I’m only 13 (didn’t say that on my account, so now y’all know my age) and I got school. Not to mention I just keep getting sick. It’s like this every other week. I’m always just feeling c****y because of some flu thing or another.

Fanfiction:

• D-Gray-Man

1. Is D. Gray-Man one of your favorite fandoms?

Yes, definitely. It wasn’t my absolute first, but it was one of my first few. I watched the anime and fell in love with the unique concept and interesting characters.

2. How would you recommend this series to a friend?

I would just tell them about it and tell them that it would be in their tastes and they should watch it. Of course, they usually don’t listen to me.

3. Who is your favorite character?

Definitely both Daisya Barry and Mimi. With that particular anime, I tended to lean towards unimportant characters. Although, Kanda’s a pretty important character, and even though I believe he’s gay, he still looks pretty sexy…

4. Can you name two of your favorite pairings, as well as one common pairing in the fandom that you dislike?

Definitely Kanda x Alma (manga only) and… Maybe Allen x Lenalee? There’s just so much yaoi in the series if you just look for it. I mean, at first it appears to ship het, but you’ll see many shonen-ai or yaoi moments hidden in scenes. And I really hate Yullen (Kanda x Allen) because Allen doesn’t deserve Kanda. I mean, he does have the awesome Todd Haberkorn as a voice actor, but Alma and Alma alone is the only one who can be with Kanda! Don’t get me wrong, I love Allen. I just don’t think he can be with Kanda.

5. You previously stated that What If, a D. Gray-Man one-shot, is ‘the’ favorite among your own fanfictions. Can you tell us more about this story?

(Spoilers) Basically, it explores the concept of life in the Black Order if Alma didn’t die. How he and Kanda might be in a romance and he might be friends with Allen and Lavi and everyone. I’m just trying to see what his character would be like if he lived to be an adult with Kanda.

• Fire Emblem

1. How many games have you played in this series?

Just Shadow Dragon and Awakening. Awakening was first, but I couldn’t help but get Shadow Dragon after hearing so many old Fire Emblem fans talk about it.

2. Which is your favorite game and why?

Awakening just because of all the good ships. And dem graphics, tho. *whistles* Impressive.

3. Let’s talk about the Shepherds: which units make up your main army?

Mainly FeMU and Chrom. I also like to use Lucina and Nowi (Lucina is really op). I never got to use Morgan because he died *sob*. I also use Panne, Yarne, Miriel, Henry, Tharja, Nah… And a few others that I can’t remember.

4. Which unit is your strongest?

Definitely my FeMU since she’s the only unit whose stats I’ve fully capped (although, Lucina is only a few resistance points away from being fully capped). And I gave her a diverse set of skills like Astra, Galeforce, Ignis, Vantage, and Lethality. Plus, I like to team her up with Chrom and those two NEVER fail to one-shot everything in their path.

5. Which unit is your weakest?

Definitely Donnel since I’m too lazy to reclass him.

6. How many files have you created? How many have you completed?

I’ve created three files. Two as FeMU, one as MU. And I’ve completed two of them, both FeMU files.

7. In Awakening, there are several difficulty levels; which of these have you successfully completed?

Only Normal. I’m not in it to win it. I do it for the addictive gameplay. Pokèmon is my game for playing competitively…, while FE:A is just for kicks.

8. When playing Classic mode, which units are you sure to lose?

Not sure. I’ve never played it. But I’m positive I would lose Miriel right off the bat. You have to get her stats really high before she can withstand physical attacks from weapons. You could not guess how many times I’ve had her die in the beginning.

9. In as few words as possible, can you name your favorite pairings?

Robin/Chrom, Robin/Gaius, Frederick/Lissa, Miriel/Vaike, Cherche/Virion, Ricken/Maribelle, Henry/Tharja, Gaius/Cordelia, Noir/Laurent, Gerome/Cynthia, Severa/Morgan, Lucina/Inigo, Yarne/Nah, and Lon’qu/Olivia. There are more but the rest are on my profile.

10. Please name your favorite skill set.

Either FeMU’s Galeforce, Ignis, Lethality, Astra, and Vantage. Or Lucina’s Ignis, Galeforce, Lifetaker, Aether, and Rightful King (I think. I’m not sure she can get that skill).

11. Is there a class in Fire Emblem which you never seem to use?

Um… Warriors. Hero[es]… Falcon Knights because who needs them when you have GALEFORCE from Dark Riders or whatever their names are (I will admit I haven’t played FE:A much since Pokemon ORAS came out).

12. Many of your Fire Emblem fanfictions contain dark themes and bitter endings - why is this? Do you ever feel depressed by your own stories?

Not really. I, myself, am a very depressing person. I don’t get sad. I don’t get angry. I don’t get happy. I just write as my muse guides me to do so until the day I leave this world. I love bitter endings. Of course, happy endings are nice, too. I also get a lot of inspiration when I’m busy not going to sleep at night because my anxiety keeps me awake. I’m just…that emo girl.

• Personal Questions

1. What is your favorite…

Food?

Um… maybe nachos?

Music?

Vocaloid FTW! My friend and I have a joke about how fangirls refer to English music, “Hey, I just heard this English song and it was actually good.”

Clothes?

Whatever’s comfy.

Color?

Blue. Specifically teal and sky blue.

Animal?

Foxes are kawaii.

Do you have any pets?

A really annoying dog. Barking at some animal through the window as I write this.

If so, have they ever inspired your writing?

Nope. Can’t stand my dog.

What is your favorite subject in school?

Language Arts (English). Mainly because I’m really good at writing.

This question is essential for all aspiring writers: Who is your favorite author, and did they pen your favorite book? What is your favorite book?

I have a few favorites. One of my favorites is War and Peace by LeoTolstoy. I read that when I was 12 and fell in love with it. One of my other favorites is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. And my third favorite is The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger.

Do you have a LEAST favorite book?

If I hate a book, I’m going to forget about it. Mainly because I see a lot of books I hate. I have high standards.

Do you enjoy watching…

Television?

All the time.

Sitcoms?

I guess so.

Movies?

Yep.

Anime?

ALL. THE. TIME.

What kind of games do you play?

RPGs. DS games, mainly.

Video games: Pokemon, Fire Emblem, Kirby, and a bit of Mario.

Board games: Never had anyone to play with.

Card games: I collect Pokèmon cards, but I don’t play the actual card game.

Others: I don’t really play games that aren’t DS games.

Do you have a favorite sport, either one you watch on TV or play personally?

I do fencing and I want to do tennis and rowing. I always love the eccentric sports like polo and curling. Another personal favorite is quidditch.

If there is one thing you can not stand in your writing or anyone else’s, what is it?

Awkward scenes. Especially intimate scenes. As I once read, “They kissed for, like, 10 minutes.” That sounded like something an 80s teenager would say. Or Shaggy Rogers. You don’t need to add the “like” in there!

If you stumbled through a wardrobe and into the world of D-Grey-Man, what would you do?

Honestly, I have a bad habit of self-inserting myself into every anime, book, movie, etc. that I watch/read. I would probably get caught staring at Kanda and cracking jokes with Daisya. Maybe even playing a few jokes on Tiedoll.

And finally: Will you accept any follow-up questions from readers?

Gone2Ground officially joined Fanfiction.net a little over a year ago; since then, he has posted fourteen stories, spanning various genres, and earning respect in the form of hundreds of favorites, followers, and glowing reviews.

Writing:

1. Is writing a passion or a hobby for you?

I definitely enjoy it, but writing - prose writing, at least - is more of a hobby. I hope to eventually become a screenwriter, which is a very different style and needs different skills, so prose is just a hobby for now.

2. If the former, when and why did you decide to become an author?

Since I answered ‘maybe’ I guess I’ll answer here. Someone bet me in elementary school that nobody could make a good Aquaman film. I produced the script - which was awful, but I was seven - three weeks later. It sort of snowballed from there.

3. How often do you write? What time during the day do you make the most progress in terms of writing? What time would you prefer?

I try to write once every day for at least an hour, but I get most of my progress done on the bus to my college - which, thankfully, is an hour. I’m pretty happy with that, but sometimes I wish said bus wasn’t at six am for some classes.

4. What inspires your writing?

Good stuff. Music, video games, movies, tv shows, comics - if I see something good, my mind immediately goes “how would I change this/implement this” and it gives me something to work off of.

5. When did you write your first story (not specifically a fanfiction)?

Aforementioned Aquaman script when I was seven, I think.

6. How many fanfictions have you written? How many have you posted?

I must have written like, 30, but only 14 of them have been posted. Mostly because the other ones are either really bad (I was younger, etc) or really, really dumb crossovers. Like, phenomenally dumb. Cosmic Marvel meets Mass Effect dumb. Which at first doesn’t seem that bad, then halfway through the second chapter I realized that putting the Nova Corps in the ME universe kind of made the whole reaper thing not a problem anymore.

7. Which of your fanfictions seems to be your readers’ favorite?

Asleep, for sure. Time Matters Not is certainly up there, though.

8. Which of your fanfictions do you believe most deserves praise?

I’m super proud of Fool of Fools. I should probably update that again when I’m, well, not mentally unstable.

9. Which of your fanfictions is YOUR favorite?

This is going to sound stupid, but Robin’s Bulletin Board. It just lets me put all of these dumb, stupid jokes out there, it’s such a good place to just channel all the idiocy out of my head before working on something else.

10. Do you have a steady fanbase?

Pretty sure I do, yeah.

11. Up to date, you have participated in only three fandoms. Which is your favorite? Why?

Well, my favorite’s Fire Emblem, since that’s my main one - but the other two are decent enough, even if I’ve only vaguely scratched at M:tG.

12. Do you have plans to join other fandoms in the future?

I hope so. Maybe when Asleep’s finished I’ll migrate over to somewhere else for a while.

Fire Emblem.

1. Which games have you played in this franchise? Which was your favorite? Did you have one you didn’t like?

All of them except Gaiden (I couldn’t get past the NES control scheme). I think Genealogy was probably my favorite, and as for not liking…it’s not so much dislike, but I really never want to replay Thracia 776. It gives me ‘Nam flashbacks.

2. Why is this game your favorite?

The villain. To me, a story is only as good as its villain, and Arvis - despite his sort-of-but-not-really redemption arc - was astounding. The characters, while flat in some cases, were for the most part entertaining and the Battle of Barhara made me cry, ****.

3. While Marth is Fire Emblem’s Icon - him and Falchion, of course - he is not necessarily the “best” prince in everyone’s opinion. What do you think about him?

He has the problem of having practically no personality due to being an NES character. Still, FE12 fixed that, but he’s just a bit too…upright for my tastes. Team Sigurd for life yo.

4. Time to put your heart on the table - who is better, Chrom or Lucina?

Lucina is the main character of Fire Emblem: Awakening and I will fight anyone who says otherwise. She has a better connection to the main plot, is a more interesting and dynamic character, and - even if you don’t support her at all - has an equally strong connection to the view point character through the whole Grima thing. I just find Chrom sort of…one-note a lot of the time.

5. Who better deserves your disgust: Gangrel, Walhart, or Validar?

None of the above? The weakest part of Awakening was that the villains were kind of ****. None of them had much backstory, and they weren’t threatening enough to use the Joker excuse of “not knowing where they came from makes them scary”. ****, we know NOTHING about Walhart, the entirety of the Valm arc was completely pointless to the metaplot of the game. So, obviously, I’m fixing that.

6. Did you like Cervantes?

Yes. Yes I do. That beard is magnificent.

7. For Male and Female Robin, who is your favorite spouse option?

Male Robin should be fairly obvious at this point - Lucina. As for a Female one, I’ve not done many run throughs as her - and one was a thought experiment to see if M!Morgan could be as broken as Oliva!Lucina!F!Morgan (the answer is “nothing can stop the OLMorgan Wrecking Ball”) - and of them I only really enjoyed her S support with Libra.

8. Which Shepherd generation do you prefer: First or Second?

Second gen just has consistently more interesting characters to me, and not because “oooh trauma ptsd”, they’re honestly just more flexible than the first gen characters. I feel like you can do a lot more with them.

9. Which three Shepherds of the parent generation (excluding Chrom or Robin) are your favorites?

Libra, Cherche and Virion are my favorites from the parent generation, mostly because they’re a lot more flexible than they first appear, which was a nice surprise.

10. Now the kids (including Lucina and Morgan)?

Lucina (no duh), Cynthia and Severa. Lucina because she’s the main character (FIGHT ME), Cynthia’s just a breath of fresh air from the rest of the second generation most of the time, and Severa’s actually fairly complex in my opinion, rather than just a straight-up yandere.

Other Fandoms:

1.Now let’s talk about your other fandoms. Forgive my ignorance, but I don’t know anything about Warhammer nor Magic; is there anything specific you would like to say for either or both of these subjects?

Magic’s not really that important, I did that one story on a bet, and as for Warhammer… it coined the phrase ‘grimdark’ and is known for being so over-the-top dark it loops back around to hilarious.

Personal Questions:

1. What is your favorite food?

Pasta alfredo with chicken

2. Music genre?

The esteemed genre known as “MulletRock”, with additional Queen on the side.

3. Clothes?

I honestly don’t care that much, but I guess I’m sort of attached to my polo shirt.

4. How about color?

Eh, blue.

5. Do you have any pets?

Yes, one dog who is the biggest coward on four legs despite being the same size as me, and a cat that the street only knows as “The Murder Hobo” since he has no collar. I have to pick up atleast four dead things a week, it’s horrible.

6. Do any of the above inspire your writing?

Can’t say they overly do, no.

7. What is/was your favorite subject in school?

Film Theory, we got to watch movies.

8. This question is essential for all aspiring writers: Who is your favorite author, and did they pen your favorite book? What is your favorite book?

My favorite author… well, going through sheer VOLUME of his work that I have, Dan Abnett. My favorite book, though is probably the Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks.

9. Do you have a LEAST favorite book?

The entirety of the Inheritance cycle, which started promising and then kept falling into cliche after cliche. The series actually upsets me at this point - it had so much potential, and it wasted it flip-flopping from surprisingly dark to disney bright. Not to mention the way they finally killed Galbatorix was so dumb it hurt.

10. Do you enjoy watching TV?

Why yes, yes I do.

11. Movies? Older or new?

Eh, I don’t discriminate. I like a lot of the older movies, but stuff like Snowpiercer is very recent and also amazing.

12. What kind of games do you play (video game, board game, card game, or otherwise)?

All of them. Video games, board games, ccgs, and like four different war games. I have no money anymore.

13. Do you have a favorite sport, either one you watch on TV or play personally?

I’m not much of a sport person, so no. For playing, I guess badminton?

14. If there is one thing you can not stand in your writing or anyone else’s, what is it?

Inconsistent villains. Unless it’s a mainselling point of the villain (Joker, for example), keep your villain consistently competent. Don’t make them capture James Bond and then only post one guard outside his cell, that just makes him look retarded. Evil Over lord List is required reading.

15. One more, now: in Malcom and Fire’s future, when Anna was alive and you were happy, what were you like?

Well, paraplegic, so that’s not that great a start. It was mostly happy, but a lot of that time was spent researching and preparing for when his kids would travel back in time to stop this from happening. Also, he was made the Shepherd’s babysitter because he couldn’t otherwise walk. He ran out of traditional stories and ended up translating old JLU episodes he remembered into a Ylissean context. He’s kind of to blame for Cynthia and Owain’s obsession, at least in Asleep.

Will you accept follow-up questions from readers?

A NEW CHALLENGER IS APPROACHING

The question is, who? I only have one hint for you guys, tonight:

Skygem is the author of over one-hundred stories on Fanfiction.net. She has contributed to several fandoms, and is perhaps the best-known author in the Katekyo Hitman Reborn(!) fandom.

Writing:

1. Is writing a passion or a hobby for you?

Most definitely a passion. I am completely and passionately in love with writing, and wish I had more time for it. My greatest wish is to become a published author and I’m actually working on a novel right now so you all can look forward to it!

2. If the former, when and why did you decide to become an author?

You know, I don’t really remember when I decided to actually become an author. I remember one day, more than five years ago, I was reading a book where the main character was a writer (I’ve loved reading since before I can remember) and for the first time it kind of clicked for me that hey, that actually seems like a really fun idea and I can actually do it if I wanted to. Since then I was always coming up with stories in my mind, and often they were alterations to anime series that I really liked but that I would have done differently if I was the author (Mermaid Melody was actually the first anime that I did this for). Then I discovered fanfiction.net and it was like heaven for me. I started with a really small fandom (the manga From Far Away), and the first review I got just got me really excited and I’ve been writing ever since then. I was actually absolutely terrible at first, as you can see from my earlier fanfics and I was pretty much a nobody in my first real fandom (Prince of Tennis) but then I got really lucky with Katekyo Hitman Reborn because my first fanfic for that fandom (Raising a Family) ended up being really really popular and that kinda gave me a bit of momentum and ever since then the momentum has just been building and building because of my wonderful reviewers. Haha, sorry, I pretty much ended up giving you an auto-biography. It’s just that once I get talking, I can’t seem to stop.

3. How often do you write? What time during the day do you make the most progress in terms of writing? What time would you prefer?

I used to write every single day. I used to write for hours and hours all during my free time. Unfortunately though, the life of a young adult is extremely busy and I haven’t really been able to write as much as I used to which really breaks my heart. Writing to me is like my bread and butter, and without it, I just feel starved. My mind needs to be allowed to be creative. To think of different situations and interactions and relationships and characters. I probably sound really weird and corny but hey, that’s how I feel. I’ve been trying to find more time to write lately though, so let’s see if I that works, yeah? And as for what time during the day I get the most work done, it’s usually in the dead of night, which quite a few of my readers will be able to attest to. A lot of my multi-chaps are updated at around midnight.

4. What inspires your writing?

Literally anything and everything. I mostly take inspiration from other books and movies and fanfictions. I never copy and plagiarize (I would never disrespect another author like that) but sometimes I’ll be reading something and it’ll spawn an idea, and it’ll become completely different and it’s just absolutely amazing. I love it. And it’s not just stories that inspire me, I find inspiration in movies and people and flowers and clothes and everything.

5. When did you write your first story (not specifically a fanfiction)?

You mean my first story that wasn’t for school? I actually have no idea. The first story I actually got down on paper was way back in January of 2010, and it ended up being the first thing I posted on my account. I ended up deleting it though, since it wasn’t really going anywhere.

6.How many fanfictions have you written? How many have you posted?

Well, I guess if you count the ones I’ve deleted,and the ones that are only about half-done at the moment, collecting dust on my usb, it’d be well over 250. If you count the plot bunnies I’ve written down to maybe write some day in the future, it’d be over 300. Heh. As for how many I’ve posted, I have 148 now, but it’d be be maybe around 190 or 200 if you counted the ones that were posted but deleted.

7. Which of your fanfictions seems to be your readers’ favorite?

Heh, I seem to have quite a few. My “Raising a Family” has the most reviews, but if you go by the review to chapter ratio, there are a few that are more popular, like “Summer to Remember” and some other two- and three-shots. A few of my one-shots seem to have gotten quite a bit of attention, like my anti-bullying one, “I Am,” which I am extremely extremely happy about. I’m so happy that people are paying attention to it and that it’s getting others to think more deeply about issues like bullying.

8. Which of your fanfictions do you believe most deserves praise?

Oh gosh that is a rather hard question! Why must you put me in this position? Heh, if I have to choose one, I guess I’ll choose “Fantasy”. It’s a rather short drabble, but if you’re talking composition wise, that’s the first one that comes to mind when I think of my best written fics. I love that I was able to surprise my readers so much and that it seemed to disturb them so much because that was what I was going for. Although “Through This Screen” is also pretty well-written in my opinion.

9. Which of your fanfictions is YOUR favorite?

Oh, that’s an easy one. “Raising a Family” without a doubt. It is far from my best written one, but it’s my baby. I put a lot of time and effort into it, and it was what helped build me, you know? I love it so so much, even to this day.

10. Do you have a steady fanbase?

I do actually, and I’m so grateful to it. I have the most amazing readers in the world, and I will always be grateful to it. At this moment, as I write this, I’m on the favourites list of 1826 members and the alert list of 1382 members and yeah, I’m bragging a bit but hey, I’m really get really happy every time I see those numbers, you know? It’s an amazing thing, to think that so many people enjoy my fanfics so much.

11. You’ve delved into quite a few fandoms; which is your favorite?

Awww, come on, are you really gonna make me choose? I honestly do not know. The fandom I have the most feelings for, the most attachment to, is definitely Katekyo Hitman Reborn. But if you were to ask me which fandom I’m currently the most obsessed with? It’s definitely Welcome to Night Vale. The only reason I haven’t written any fanfiction for it is because I’m kind of intimidated. And if any of you are in the fandom, I think you’ll understand why.

12. Could you chose one male character as your “favorite”?

Oh dear, that’s a hard one. There are a lot of male characters that I’m really very fond of, but there were three that came to mind immediately when I saw this question: Dean Winchester, Gokudera Hayato, and Cecil Gershwin Palmer. I have quite a few more, but those are at the top.

13. How about a female?

Haha, it’s the same as with male characters. There are many that I really adore for very different reasons, but the first that come to mind are: Chrome Dokuro, Natsume Reiko, and Mary Winchester.

Katekyo Hitman Reborn(!) Questions:

1. Your family-centered Katekyo Hitman Reborn(!) fanfictions have been extremely well-received, particularly Raising a Family. Where did the inspiration for this story originate? And what inspired its various “omakes”?

Here’s a (not so secret) secret, viewers, I get extremely extremely attached to characters. And I became especially attached to Tsuna and his guardians. They’re all precious little babies who deserved more than the lot they got in life. They all have not so good home lives and I’ve always thought they deserved more. And the Primo generation were the ones I thought they deserved. We don’t know very much about the Primo generation but we know enough to be sure that they were all very good people, (even Daemon, in his own, twisted, way cared for his famiglia) and if you couple that with the similarities in looks, I really wanted the two generations to be together. I’ve always loved the idea of the first generation being parents, but I never particularly liked the idea of Tsuna and his guardians being in a different era with different people, where all the friends they’d made weren’t there. So I did something that, for some reason, no one else had done before. I brought the Primo generation into our era. It took me a while to work out the kinks because I was confused as to what to do with the Nono generation, and I wanted the Primo generation to remain as the Primo generation, and eventually I came up with what you see today. As for the various omakes, those just came to me as I built their world. Little tidbits of their life that don’t fit into the main storyline, little things to make our favourite character seem a bit more…real. To give them a life outside of the conflict that we see in the future arc.

2. Who is better: Vongola or Varia?

Aww, you’re such a meanie, making me choose! I love them both…but I’m going to have to choose the Vongola (sorry Levi-nii! Please forgive me! I do love you, but not as much as Haya-chan!).

3. Who was the best villain, in your opinion?

Ugh, that’s hard because all my favourite ones end up becoming part of the family (Byaku-chan and Mukuro and Xanxan), or they somehow end up redeeming themselves, even Bermuda. Although if you really want me to choose, I’ll say Mukurou.

4. What was your favorite arc?

The Shimon arc! It was nice learning more about the Vindice and the Primo generation. And the future arc was way way too long for my liking.

5. Decide: Tsuna or Primo?

No, no, no, please don’t make me choose! I love them both so so much! I can’t choose at all!

Other Fandoms:

1. Do you still follow Bleach (despite the negative responses the recent arcs have received)?

Ahaha….so I have a confession to make. I have this really really bad habit, you see, of starting mangas…and then not finishing them. As a result, I have a foot in like a million different fandoms. Bleach is one of those. I dropped it around the Soul Society arc I think? I barely remember anything about it except that I didn’t really like Orihime and Ichigo and Ishida were my OTP!

2. Do you still watch Pokémon? Have you ever played one of the games? If so, which, and what was your main team(s)?

I stopped watching Pokemon after they said goodbye to Dawn and Brock. Looking at it from a writer’s POV, that was obviously supposed to be the very very end of the series, considering Brock, who was with Ash from the very beginning, actually left. The Unova region was absolute shit (please excuse my language). Cilan was obviously supposed to be a replacement for Brock, and the character of Iris is a blatant ripoff of Misty and I’m really very upset about the whole thing. The thing that upsets me the most was that Pikachu lost to that little Snivy. That literally should not have been possible, even without Pikachu’s lightning attacks. Pikachu, who has been through so many battles, who has been Ash’s partner for years, should NOT have lost to that new little snivy who hadn’t even seen a battle. Pikachu should have been able to knock it out with just a quick attack…haha, sorry for that little rant. Unova just really really **** me off.3

3. I have to know: Is The Prince of Tennis actually about tennis?

Yes, my dear, it actually is! And it’s a pretty awesome manga too! The Echizen brothers are awesome (although Ryoga never actually appears in the anime or the original manga…just in the movie. Doesn’t stop me from loving him to death). The new Prince of Tennis on the other hand is kinda mediocre.

4. You seem to really enjoy Dreamworks movies; what particularly attracts you to them? What other studios do you enjoy?

I honestly have no idea why I enjoy Dreamworks movies as much as I do. They are just beautifully animated and have very plots and characters that anyone and everyone can relate to. I think someone on tumblr explained it best: basically, adult movies are full of sex, explosions, thin plots, and cheap romance. Kids movies on the other hand have heart-wrenching death, lovable characters, complex plots, and important morals on them. And for some reason, people still wonder why I love kids movies so much. Anyways, yeah, love Dreamworks and Disney and Pixar and Blue Sky and all these other animation studios because they’re just really really awesome. I’m really very excited for How to Train Your Dragon 2!

Personal question time!

1. What’s your favorite food?

Onion rings!

2. Music?

So I’ve just recently realized I love punk rock and/or pop punk? Which really surprised me. But yeah, I’m completely in love with Billy Talent and Five Finger Death Punch. But also on the other side of the spectrum, I went through a kpop phase a few years ago and never really got over it. I adore BEAST and Lee Jun Ki.

3. Clothes?

Anything comfortable! And tuxes. Tuxes are beautiful creations. No matter if they’re on men or women, they’re just gorgeous. Oh, and recently I have a newfound love for loose, flowy shirts/

4. How about color?

Purple!

5. Do you have any pets?

No, but I want a cat. Like, really really badly.

6. What is/was your favorite subject in school?

Well, I took a course once called Genocides and Crimes Against Humanity. And that was really really interesting in a really morbid way.

7. This question is essential for all aspiring writers: Who is your favorite author and did they pen your favorite book? What is your favorite book?

I have so many favourite authors: Michelle Paver, C.S. Lewis, Rick Riordan, J.R.R. Tolkien, J.K. Rowling, Christopher Paolini, Edith Pattou. All these really popular, really talented authors, for obvious reasons, and some lesser known ones.. They’re amazing. Absolutely amazing. And they’re my role models. As for a favourite book, I don’t think I really have one. I have lots of books that I really enjoy, but not one that I enjoy above the rest. Although the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness come really really close to being my favourite.

8. Do you have a LEAST favorite book?

Fifty Shades of Gray. I read a paragraph from it, and that was enough to make me hate it with a fiery passion.

9. Do you enjoy watching TV?

Probably more than I should. I’m in all the big fandoms on tumblr (Doctor Who, Supernatural, Sherlock, Merlin).

10. Movies?

Definitely. Especially animated movies and movies with Liam Neesan.

11. What kind of games do you play (video game, board game, card game, or otherwise)?

I’m not really a big gamer, but some of my favourites are Jak and Daxter by Naughty Dog (I love this series more than you can imagine and wish there was more to it. And WHY DID DAMAS HAVE TO DIE?), Crash Bandicoot also by Naughty Dog, and Bomberman Jetters. In case you haven’t guessed by now, I’m a big fan of all those old, platform style games (good plots are a huge plus, like in the Jak and Daxter series). Don’t really have any love for shooters.

12. Do you have a favorite sport, either one you watch on TV or play personally?

Hockey. Yes, yes, I know, it’s so stereotypically Canadian, but eh, I can’t help it.

13. If there is one thing you can not stand in your writing or anyone else’s, what is it?

When people don’t use the Oxford Comma. Sorry, that’s more of a pet peeve, but it really really really **** me off.

14. And finally: If you had been with the Vongola in the future, what kind of stories would you have heard about your future self? And - just for fun - how would you have contributed to the battle?

Haha, how would I have “contributed” to the battle, you ask? I would not have contributed at all. I would’ve been cowering in the secret base, crying my eyes out XD. I’m a bit of coward, you see. I would just be that weird girl that no one likes and whom no one really knows or understands why I’m here.

15. Will you accept follow-up questions from any readers?

I apologize for not updating last month. The next interview will be posted on the fifth of June (this year). Here’s a hint while you wait:

Blue Sky, Blue Sky, please don’t be obscured

Your saphire beauty makes me assured…

Our next author is the Fire Emblem fandom’s own… XANEDIS! Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions so thoroughly!!!

1. Is writing a passion or a hobby for you?

Most definitely a passion - I can’t write with a hobbyist mindset, and in fact, if I’m not passionate about a particular thing, I’ll find it really hard to get into it.

2. If the former, when and why did you decide to become an author?

I actually have an accurate date for when I decided to become an author: January 13th, last year. It’s clearly imprinted in my memory because of the long - and somewhat emotional - back-and-forth I had with my sensibilities. In the end, I was able to convince myself that I could actually make a living as an author, at some point. However, I also recognized that the most important thing would be to continue practicing the craft; I wouldn’t make it otherwise, no matter how strong my passion for writing is.

3. How often do you write? What time during the day do you make the most progress in terms of writing? What time would you prefer?

Before answering this question, I have to confess I had to train myself to write regularly, and in a very specific manner. This is because I am very lazy by nature, and had the most erratic of writing schedules - I would wake up at 6 AM to write, or stay up as late as 3 AM, trudging on with whatever story I was writing… Only rarely would I write in times fit for normal people. So, during the Autumn last year, I decided to take some time off to fix this problem. It worked rather well, as I managed to adopt a schedule in which I write almost immediately upon rising from bed, and as regularly as I want to. This basically means that I write daily, taking a full day’s break from writing once every a week. And yes, I love writing in the mornings. That’s when the day’s haze isn’t yet bearing down on you, and you can think clearly and produce content at an admirable rate. Well, relatively speaking… But it is what works for me, and that’s how I intend to keep it.

4. When did you write your first story (not specifically a fanfiction)?

I assume you’re asking about my first complete story, aside from writing assignments for school? As unfortunate as it is to admit, Day of Victory (my first uploaded fanfic) was my very first ‘complete’ story. It wasn’t complete, per se, but it was a slice that worked well on its own. Redemption was the second one, and it had a far more elaborate story frame. Neither of them reached the quality of writing that I wanted to achieve, but they still have a special place in my heart.

5. How many fanfictions have you written? How many have you posted?

How many I’ve written? Er… Nine. I don’t count each Outrealm Tales chapter as its own story here, nor each Everlasting Bonds: Side Stories chapter. I’ve posted seven of those. And then there’s two more stories on top of the aforementioned nine, which are still in the process of being written. I hope to release the first one of them during this year, but I won’t give any promises. And the second one… Well, that one is a bit more problematic. I have art commissioned for it and all, but I can’t upload the first chapter in a LONG time. I do hope to upload it one day, but I am not sure if I can, as it isn’t even finished, and I want to work on my original stories as well.

6. Which of your fanfictions seems to be your readers’ favorite?

Really? You’re asking me this? It’s obviously Outrealm Tale-Nah, it’s EB(aka. Everlasting Bonds: Wings of Despair). That’s the fanfiction that, out of my own works, my readers seem to like the most.

7. Which of your fanfictions do you believe most deserves praise?

This is a challenging one… Probably EB, since I put most effort into that one. Yeah, definitely EB.

8. Which of your fanfictions is YOUR favorite?

Um, EB. For reasons yet to come.

9. Do you have a steady fanbase?

I’d go as far as to say that no fanbase is steady. People make decisions each day, and it is a fickle thing to rest upon the expectations of a mass of people. That said, I think I have a relatively steady fanbase… WAIT! Were we talking about fanbases? I don’t have many fans! I thought that question was about readerbases, and… Actually, nevermind. But I will hold on to the belief that I don’t have that many fans, unless proven otherwise. It helps to keep myself humble, as well. But there are a couple, I’ll admit that. Some of them I don’t even know. Nonetheless, I am grateful that they like my story.

10. Going by your stories, anyone can see that you enjoyed the video game Fire Emblem: Awakening. What brought you to the game in the first place? And what is it that keeps you in the fandom, long after you have memorized the storyline?

I actually have a game for each year that I specifically wait for, and Fire Emblem: Awakening was that game for 2013… Only, it proved to be far more than that. I knew I would love it from the very first tidbits I saw about the game, but when I finally got it… I played three ten-hour sessions on three consecutive days, and beat the game. I was way too invested, and WAY too immersed to let go. …What keeps me in the fandom, though? Well, originally, I thought it would be that passion for the game that I loved (and still do) very deeply. But even the biggest storms of passion fade, and what remains is the core of it all… And that core is what empowers EB’s story-line and makes it unique among all FEA fanfiction… That’s how I believe things are, anyway. I certainly am not promising vain things when I said that EB will get better towards the end… I just began it the wrong way, you could say.

11. Do you have a favorite chapter/arc in Awakening? If so, what is it?

Thematically, I love the final part of the game. Especially when it comes to the Avatar’s involvement in all things. Yet I still find that I might actually love the Plegian arc the most, purely due to the writing and the emotional impact it has… And when the chapters 9 and 10 roll in, man… Those were one of the more defining videogame moments for me.

12. Favorite character?

…I’ll leave this one for a later question.

13. Do you play with one special team? If so, which units are “in”?

All of Ylisse’s Royal Family - in my case, Cynthia, Lissa, Owain, Sumia, Chrom, Lucina, Morgan, and by the benefit of marrying royalty, male Avatar and Lon’qu.

14. If you had to chose between the first generation parents and their children, which group would you prefer?

Neither. I would go with a third generation Morgan.

15. Do you have a favorite class?

Yes. Myrmidon.

16. Which games from the Fire Emblem franchise have you played? Which is your favorite?

I’ve played the first Fire Emblem game for Game Boy Advance and also Sacred Stones. If we don’t count FEA, I think Sacred Stones would be my favourite out of the games I’ve played.

17. What inspires your writing?

There’s the usual stuff, like music, interactions with people, the observations I make on the world around me… And then there’s the curious stuff, like playing story-driven indie games (I personally recommend Dysfunctional Systems: Learning to Manage Chaos episode 1,if you like visual novels)… I learn and get inspired by inspecting a lot of new stuff… And even playing unrelated games can be inspiring sometimes, on top of the added benefit of it being relaxing. A writer’s life isn’t boring, that’s for sure.

Personal question time!

18. What’s your favorite food?

Chinese food in general. That harmony of tastes… Yum.

19. Music?

I love game and anime music. I presently the soundtracks of Fire Emblem: Awakening, Knights in the Nightmare, Sword Art Online (the first 14 episodes) and a few albums from indie youtube composers (Brunuhville, Peter Crowley). I also download a lot of free music from ocremix.net, which has a lot of really good game music remixes (again, all free and legal).

20. Clothes?

Um… Hoodies! I love my hoodies.

21. How about color?

Purple and gold, which, curiously, are known as regal colours. I only came to know that AFTER I decided that I like the sight of the two colours together.

22. Do you have any pets?

Not myself, although there’s a dog in the house at the moment.

23. If so, do they inspire your writing at all?

Music does inspire my writing a lot. I even designate some pieces for particularly important scenes in my stories. Mostly for EB, at the moment. As to pets, no. Clothes… nah. I won’t say anything about colours.

24. What is/was your favorite subject in school?

…English language. Which is hilarious, if you think about it. Usually, learning languages is hard; I wasn’t particularly good in English during my first years of studying it, either. Then, one day, I went to the local library and tried to find something to read… Unfortunately, I had already consumed almost the WHOLE fantasy part of the library, and the particular book I sought hadn’t been translated into Finnish… So I grabbed the 1000 word mammoth, which was all in English, and carried it home, determined to read it through. …I didn’t understand much of it, although, curiously, my English got much better by the time I was finished with the book. I think that was the turning point in my English studies.

25. This question is essential for all aspiring writers: Who is your favorite author and did they pen your favorite book? What is your favorite book?

Brandon Sanderson is my favourite writer, and yes, he did pen my favourite book, The Way of Kings.

26. Do you have a LEAST favorite book?

I don’t finish books I don’t like… So I don’t think I have one.

27. Do you enjoy watching TV?

Not really.

28. Movies?

Nope. Although I do remember liking The Hobbit movie.

29. What kind of games do you play (video game, board game, card game, or otherwise)?

Hoo boy… I love many JRPG’s(Japanese Role-Playing Games, in the vein of Final Fantasy, Persona, and so on) and SRPG’s(Strategic Role-Playing Games, like FE-series, Ogre Tactics: Let Us Cling together, and so on), some Roguelikes/Roguelites, board games in which you can backstab your friends… And a lot of other stuff. I do love the board games that combine card game mechanics with a proper board the most, though… Out of board games, that is. Video games are still my favourite form of relaxation.

30. Do you have a favorite sport, either one you watch on TV or play personally?

Hmm… If it had to be something I’d have to watch from TV, it’d be American Football. I just enjoy the tactical nature of the game. As to something I myself like to play… Tennis and table tennis.

31. If there is one thing you can not stand in your writing or anyone else’s, what is it?

Disjointed flow. I more often find that it’s a problem in my own writing, rather than in other people’s.

32. And finally: If your future child were to fall out of the sky, what do you think he/she would say about the future you (assuming they’re not amnesic)?

Yeah, well, I’m sure she’d say that I am pretty darn strict on myself. Honestly, I can be quite a Nazi when it comes to getting myself to do stuff, and I am generally far more merciful to my friends than I am to myself for messing stuff up.

33. Will you accept followup questions from any readers?

Our first author is the KHR Fandom’s own LONGLIVEMARSHMALLOWS! Thank you for being our guinea pig (hehe). Now, on to the interview!

1. Is writing a passion or a hobby for you?

I think writing is both a passion and a hobby for me, although I’d say that it started out as a hobby.

2. If the former, when and why did you decide to become an author?

When I was 12-13 years old, I just started to have this odd story in my mind, and so I decided to write it out and see what happened. And before I knew it, I was thinking up of character names, a different world, persoalities…plots. It got pretty exciting, actually! And it was some time there, in the midst of all that, that I decided that I wanted to be an author. At that time, reading was pretty much what I did with my spare time (I know, I probably shouldn’t have done that) and I enjoyed it very much, like how you’re practically in a different world when you read. You all know that feeling, don’t you? The real world just suddenly dissappears… it was fun :)

3. How often do you write? What time during the day do you make the most progress in terms of writing? What time would you prefer?

I try to write twice a week—it used to be a lot more before I started high school…fun times. When I have a lot of time, I write for a couple hours each day. Usually I make the most progress when I miss lunch time… it’s weird. Don’t ask. I would prefer mid-afternoons, when everything has settled down and when no one would bother me. Then I would be able to write as long as I want.

4. When did you write your first story (not specifically a fanfiction)?

Ahhhh I remember that day well. Er…maybe not. My first story was kind of a strange mix between the three bears (minus little bear) and winnie the pooh (in terms of the bumblebees) and I was probably…aroud 6 or 7 years old. Which means that it was a load of nonsense. I mean, how well could a kid have written at that time? I still have it around the house somewhere.

5. How many fanfictions have you written? How many have you posted?

I’ve written roughly 22 stories I think? (Since Power of Vongola Decimo has 8 stories). But in “story” wise, I have posted 11, with four that are still being written.

6. Which of your fanfictions seems to be your readers’ favorite?

Um, let’s see… it seems to be The Inventions of Talbot and Gianini.

7. Which of your fanfictions do you believe most deserves praise?

That’s kind of hard to decide…I’m leaning towards Power of Vongola Decimo.

8. Which of your fanfictions is YOUR favorite?

That would be Detective in Town. Mainly, because it’s my first one, and I think that is what really got me started. It was thanks to all those reviews that I received from writing the first chapter that encouraged me to keep writing. I’m glad my first fic went so well. It was also my first story—both fanfic and non-fanfic related—that I showed to anyone that wasn’t myself (even if all you guys are online). I was so worried that people would hate on it and not review at all. So imagine my surprise when my inbox started to get filled up a week later… :’) This story might not be the best, but it means a lot to me.

9. Do you have a steady fanbase?

I’d like to think that I do. There are several readers and authors that I repeatedly see reviewing and just chattig with me about things. (THANK YOU ALL!)

10. Anyone who has glanced at your profile can see you are a fan of Katekyo Hitman Reborn. When did you first find - and eventually fall in love - with this series? What attracts you to it? Just for fun, who is your favorite character?

(grins) I was just finished watching Angel Beats, and there was this advertisemet that was displaying the entire KHR! gang dressed up in suits with the words ‘Katekyo Hitman Reborn!’ I was on an anime spress that summer, so I went, what the heck, I searched it on wikipedia just to see what it was about.I kind of got the wrong impression and thought that Reborn was the bad guy because he just suddenly appears and shoots this kid’s head. I was gladly wrong about that when I watched the first episode. (hahaha… sweatdrop) I’d say that I got really into it during the Ring Battles! What attracted me to it…I think it’s just what attracts me to most anime. Like the way how you are fighting for something you believe in, and such. But for KHR! it was also the voice actors, who all did a great job! And I really liked how Tsnua was such a klutz, but ends up being so powerful. Ah, that question again! I still can’t decide! I think I’ve narrowed it down to a few characters (instead of the entire cast). Tsuna, Lal Mirch, Chrome, Reborn—oops, that’s more than one. Those are my top favourites. ^_^

11. Do you have a favorite episode/ark in Katekyo Hitman Reborn?

My favourite arc is the Varia Arc. There are too many episodes to narrow down to one. The arc when the first Vongola family appears is also one of my favourites.

12. I’m sure many people have asked you if your penname has any relation to Byakuran, and anyone can read your profile for the answer; but one must ask, how did you react to the revelation of Byakuran’s favorite snack?

My first reaction was this: “WHAT THE HECK?? You’re obsessed over marchmallows and y-you’re just so…h-happy, cheerful, and-and yet you’re trying to take over the world…while hunting down the Vongola and-and you’re doing this while…while eating…marshmallows…?”

13. Judging from your fanfictions, you seem to favor the first and second Vongola generations above other characters; between the guardians of the same flame, whom do you favor (example: is Ryohei or Knuckle the better character?).

Eto… I don’t know how to answer that. I kind of favour both of them on the same scale…but it does occasionally tip towards the first generation.

14. What inspires your writing?

I think it’s just the fact that I like exploring things that have no answers (basically the unknown). I like making up ridiculous reasons for things/events that could have other, more interesting possibilities and outcomes. When I come up with an idea, I just have to write it out.

Personal question time!

15. What’s your favorite food?

Chinese sausages

16. Music?

Pop in general, plus anime OSTs

17. Clothes?

No dresses. It’s not that I don’t think that they look nice, but I just prefer not wearing them if I don’t have to.

18. How about color?

Purple!

19. Do you have any pets?

I have 9 goldfish that don’t know WHEN to stop eating. They’re always crowding around a corner, lookig for more food -_-

20. If so, do they inspire your writing at all?

…No.

21. What’s your favorite subject in school?

Writer’s Craft! It’s great. All we do in class is creative writing :)

22. This question is essential for all aspiring writers: Who is your favorite author and did they pen your favorite book? What is your favorite book?

Ahh..!! Okay. Uh.. I have many favourite books and authors. Uhh… I really can’t just give you one answer though. It’s so difficult! I really like J.K. Rowling and Tamora Pierce. My favourite book is a tie between Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,and Deathly Hallows

23. Do you have a LEAST favorite book?

N…no, I don’t think I do.

24. Do you enjoy watching TV?

Occasoinally, yeah. I watch tv shows, but rarely on the actual tv. Recetly it’s been Superatural and Merlin (Oh, Merlin..)

25. Movies?

My favourite movie is The Avengers.

26. What kind of games do you play (video game, board game, card game, or otherwise)?

I have a Wii console, so I guess that counts as video games..? I like Mario Kart the most. I really like the board games Sorry and Scrabble. I play a few card games now and again. I also like mah jong, the hong kong version.

27. Do you have a favorite sport, either one you watch on TV or play personally?

I like watching basketball if I’m actually part of the audience and I like watching soccer/football (depending on where you live) when it’s a big event like FIFA. Sports that I like playing…uh…recently my favourite sport is skiing. :)

28. If there is one thing you can not stand in your writing or anyone else’s, what is it?

Well, it’s the little things that bug me. But those little things end up adding up…and then I wouldn’t be able to stand it. I think in my writing and maybe others, it is the flow of the story. What happens, when it happens, the transitions that build up to it, how things are revealed…that kind of stuff.

29. And finally: If Lambo were to switch you and your future-self, where do you think you’ll be, specifically in terms of your writing career?

Haha, I’d be at home typing away on a computer witha crazed look in my eyes. (no, I’m joking). Just…me, being at home, typing up the next book. (HOPEFULLY) That’s pretty much what I want, to be an author, though I know that is hard to achieve. See all those great authors? It’s hard to be like them at all, or even just be successful at just writing books for a living. But it’s what I wish to see if I were to ever switch with my future self.

We’re Gonna Have Fun with this Thing…

…But what is this thing?

If you’re a regular reader on Fanfiction.net, then this blog may appeal to you. I have created this account for the sole purpose of introducing and interviewing the authors from this fanfiction site. I’ll start out asking my personal friends to guest star, but eventually (if this gains any interest) other people will also volunteer to join in and play on my white stage!

…The blog? It’s a white page? I’m a writer myself, so I have a problem with getting dramatic when typing out anything.

Anyway, the rules are pretty simple: I’ll find someone willing to play this game and then begin asking questions, until I’ve gathered enough information to post a satisfying interview. My questions will mostly be about the author’s writing - how often does he or she write, what is their favorite genre, what inspires their work, etc. etc. There may be a few personal questions, such as favorite food, sport, holiday and maybe something about their household pets, but an author will, of course, only tell what they want people to know. So if you are looking to find out some dark secret about your favorite fanfiction authors, this blog is undoubtedly not the place for you.

Each author who stars in this show will have the opinion of taking questions from the audience - *ahem* that’s you! After the main interview (given by the one and only Me), you guys can leave a note with a question or two, as long as you promise to be respectful of the author’s privacy. And remember: Authors DO HAVE THE OPTION OF DECLINING YOUR QUESTIONS! I’ll be sure to let you know in the original interview whether or not if they’ll accept your questions.