Yuletide Letter 2020
Oct. 25th, 2020 06:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bakerlooDear Yuletide writer,
Welcome, bienvenue, wilkommen! I hope this letter finds you well and happy. I think it has to be said, that this Yuletide is, like everything else this year, feeling slightly different to usual. But I'm thinking of it as a spot of light in the coming months - I hope you have some similar hope. Thank you, dear writer, for being a part of this spot of light.
I hope all that talk doesn't translate into pressure to produce something. (Every year I'm paranoid that I'm going to cause my assigned writer stress, every year I reiterate that I'm so very easy to please - I hope no one out there is reading all of these at once, because I'm sure that it gets very irritating). But, really, I'm so easy to please! Go with the story of your heart, whatever is fun for you. I'm just adding the extra information in case, like me, you like having some prompts to work with.
Here is that extra information, should you want to read it:
Aubrey-Maturin Series - Patrick O'Brian
Characters: Any - Jack Aubrey, Stephen Maturin, Diana Villiers, Sophie Williams, Preserved Killick, Tom Pullings
Like I said in my sign-up, I'm still very new to these books so I'd like to avoid spoilers beyond Post Captain. I hope that won't be a problem for you. I have no other limits to put you under. All of these characters are special and beloved to me already, and I will read anything and everything about them.
Pair these characters up however you like. I would love Jack/Stephen, Jack/Sophie or Stephen/Diana, but you don't have to stick to that. I was kind of joking when I said I'd go for a story about Sophie and Killick, but honestly I think it would work (see prompts below). I loved the set-up at the beginning of Post Captain so much that I would read anything about Jack's household ably run by seamen. Equally, I would love: The lives of Sophia and Diana previous to Jack and Stephen's arrival. Stephen getting excited over whatever form of flora/fauna, and Jack's nonplussed but affectionate reaction. Honestly, I'm always here for Stephen simply navel-gazing. Let him think his deep thoughts.
Tropey Goodness: Domesticity, costume porn, pining, mutual pining, hurt/comfort, schmoop, fluff, epistolary, recipe fic, magic AU, soulmate AU, crossover
Prompts:
Do Not Want: Non-con, dub-con, underage.
Jeeves – P. G. Wodehouse
Characters: Reginald Jeeves, Bertram W. Wooster
Wodehouse’s books make me happy, and the Jeeves stories have to be the most happy-making of all. They are like paper sunshine. I can never get enough of Wodehouse’s prose, so of course I love reading fic with a similar feel to the original books. However, I’ve read and enjoyed all kinds of Jeeves fic – from the brilliantly bizarre to the heart-breaking. (Yes, if you want to break my heart and make me cry, you have permission, you monster). I’d just prefer if you kept things from getting too dark.
Bertie and Jeeves’ relationship is probably the most important element for me. I love these sweethearts individually, but I love them best together. Like I said in my sign up, keeping it platonic is just fine with me, but they are kind of my OTP so I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t prefer that. Honestly though, if you don’t want to write them romantically, I’d be happy with anything canon-esque that shows Jeeves looking after Bertie (getting him out of the soup, running baths for him, protecting him from his own taste in clothes, etc.) I thrive on the moments when, after a great ordeal, Bertie’s world is restored to order by Jeeves’ attentions.
A modern AU could be fun but if you’re keeping to the original setting, I have a real soft spot for period detail of all kinds. Oh, and any other characters from the Jeeves canon are welcome (particularly Bertie’s ex-fiancées – Madeline is my personal favourite.)
Tropey Goodness: Domesticity, costume porn, pining, mutual pining, hurt/comfort, schmoop, fluff, retirement, epistolary, recipe fic, magic AU, detective AU, soulmate AU, crossover (any of Wodehouse's other works or something from a similar period setting would be ideal.)
Prompts:
Do Not Want: Non-con, dub-con, underage, dark fic
The Red House Mystery - A. A. Milne
Characters: Antony Gillingham, Bill Beverly
I was so happy to see this as a fandom in Yuletide! I will never cease to be bitter over the fact that Milne gave us these two charming characters, all ready to solve a series of mysteries if he wanted them to, and then only wrote one book. Thank goodness for fan-fiction, eh?
Of course, I'm not expecting anyone to sit down and come up with a fiendish mystery for these two to solve, that would be a whole lot of pressure. I'm mostly interested in Tony and Bill doing things, anything, together. I'm happy with friendship or romance between them. I love the combination of Tony the sharp, clever eccentric and Bill the bluff, reliable every-man (who nevertheless has something special about him, that perhaps only Tony is perceptive enough to recognise). I suppose Holmes and Watson are the obvious comparison but they also remind me of my other favourites, Mike and Psmith.
I'd love backstory elaborating on how they first met. Missing scenes from the book. Future adventures. We only got one book so there's plenty to explore!
Tropey Goodness: Domesticity, pining, mutual pining, hurt/comfort, schmoop, fluff, retirement, epistolary, magic AU, soulmate AU, daemon AU.
Prompts:
Do Not Want: Non-con, dub-con, underage
Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day (2008)
Characters: Guinevere Pettigrew, Delysia LaFosse, Michael Pardue, Joe Blomfield
Miss Pettigrew is the sweetest, most wholesome film. It never fails to perk me up if I'm feeling down. Like so many of my favourite things, it's set during those inter-war years where the enjoyment of peace is marred by economic instability and international tension, making things very bittersweet. I feel for all Guinevere's struggles and adore her unaffected goodness. I think Delysia is the most adorable creature on film and, although I do not like to admit to any of her imperfections, Michael makes a perfect foil for her. Joe is just a decent chap who understands Guinevere and makes her happy, which is all that could possibly be asked of him. Everyone is precious, truly.
I'm open to gen, het, femslash, whatever. (I would say slash as well, but who would you be slashing in that line up?) Master/servant relationships are my jam so I'm keen as mustard for Guinevere/Delysia. Show me a world where Guinevere continues as Delysia's Jeeves and looks after her through thick and thin! Michael and Joe can be involved too, or not, as you wish. I love Delysia/Michael and Guinevere/Joe too. I would also love anything about any of the characters individually, and I don't care whether it's pre- or post-film or a missing scene within it.
Tropey Goodness: Canon-divergent AU, magic AU, modern AU, forced bed sharing, domesticity, recipe fic, pretend couple, epistolary, hurt/comfort, crossover (anything from a similar period setting - as I said before, Jeeves would be particularly wonderful).
Prompts:
Do Not Want: Non-con, dub-con, underage
Treasure Planet (2002)
Characters: Amelia, Delbert Doppler
Oh boy, I have been 'shipping this since I first saw Treasure Planet in the cinema many, many years ago. Amelia and Delbert are just so wonderful - the brash, ultra-competent captain with the soft heart, and the neurotic, nerdy scientist withsurprisingly small wrists hidden depths of bravery. And they're so gosh darned cute together. I would love anything about either of them. Adventure and peril, or romantic fluff, or day-to-day family life.
Tropey Goodness: Domesticity, hurt/comfort, epistolary, schmoop, fluff, soulmate AU, crossover
Prompts:
Do Not Want: Non-con, dub-con, underage
Thank you again, dear Yuletider. Have fun!
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Tibby
Welcome, bienvenue, wilkommen! I hope this letter finds you well and happy. I think it has to be said, that this Yuletide is, like everything else this year, feeling slightly different to usual. But I'm thinking of it as a spot of light in the coming months - I hope you have some similar hope. Thank you, dear writer, for being a part of this spot of light.
I hope all that talk doesn't translate into pressure to produce something. (Every year I'm paranoid that I'm going to cause my assigned writer stress, every year I reiterate that I'm so very easy to please - I hope no one out there is reading all of these at once, because I'm sure that it gets very irritating). But, really, I'm so easy to please! Go with the story of your heart, whatever is fun for you. I'm just adding the extra information in case, like me, you like having some prompts to work with.
Here is that extra information, should you want to read it:
Aubrey-Maturin Series - Patrick O'Brian
Characters: Any - Jack Aubrey, Stephen Maturin, Diana Villiers, Sophie Williams, Preserved Killick, Tom Pullings
Like I said in my sign-up, I'm still very new to these books so I'd like to avoid spoilers beyond Post Captain. I hope that won't be a problem for you. I have no other limits to put you under. All of these characters are special and beloved to me already, and I will read anything and everything about them.
Pair these characters up however you like. I would love Jack/Stephen, Jack/Sophie or Stephen/Diana, but you don't have to stick to that. I was kind of joking when I said I'd go for a story about Sophie and Killick, but honestly I think it would work (see prompts below). I loved the set-up at the beginning of Post Captain so much that I would read anything about Jack's household ably run by seamen. Equally, I would love: The lives of Sophia and Diana previous to Jack and Stephen's arrival. Stephen getting excited over whatever form of flora/fauna, and Jack's nonplussed but affectionate reaction. Honestly, I'm always here for Stephen simply navel-gazing. Let him think his deep thoughts.
Tropey Goodness: Domesticity, costume porn, pining, mutual pining, hurt/comfort, schmoop, fluff, epistolary, recipe fic, magic AU, soulmate AU, crossover
Prompts:
- Diana's previous life and adventures in India. Possibly an AU where Sophia is also in India for whatever reason?
- Sophie and Killick share housekeeping tips - including how best to keep Jack happy.
- Sophie and Stephen just talking about Jack.
- All the scenes we didn't see between Jack and Sophia when Sophia was on board the Lively. (Take that whatever way you will.)
- Jack and Stephen getting carried away when making music together. (Take that whatever way you will.)
- Some of those classic Jack jokes - and the reactions they get from the different characters.
Do Not Want: Non-con, dub-con, underage.
Jeeves – P. G. Wodehouse
Characters: Reginald Jeeves, Bertram W. Wooster
Wodehouse’s books make me happy, and the Jeeves stories have to be the most happy-making of all. They are like paper sunshine. I can never get enough of Wodehouse’s prose, so of course I love reading fic with a similar feel to the original books. However, I’ve read and enjoyed all kinds of Jeeves fic – from the brilliantly bizarre to the heart-breaking. (Yes, if you want to break my heart and make me cry, you have permission, you monster). I’d just prefer if you kept things from getting too dark.
Bertie and Jeeves’ relationship is probably the most important element for me. I love these sweethearts individually, but I love them best together. Like I said in my sign up, keeping it platonic is just fine with me, but they are kind of my OTP so I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t prefer that. Honestly though, if you don’t want to write them romantically, I’d be happy with anything canon-esque that shows Jeeves looking after Bertie (getting him out of the soup, running baths for him, protecting him from his own taste in clothes, etc.) I thrive on the moments when, after a great ordeal, Bertie’s world is restored to order by Jeeves’ attentions.
A modern AU could be fun but if you’re keeping to the original setting, I have a real soft spot for period detail of all kinds. Oh, and any other characters from the Jeeves canon are welcome (particularly Bertie’s ex-fiancées – Madeline is my personal favourite.)
Tropey Goodness: Domesticity, costume porn, pining, mutual pining, hurt/comfort, schmoop, fluff, retirement, epistolary, recipe fic, magic AU, detective AU, soulmate AU, crossover (any of Wodehouse's other works or something from a similar period setting would be ideal.)
Prompts:
- Bertie comes home unexpectedly early from the Drones Club and gets to see Jeeves outside of his professional mode. (This would probably just mean that Jeeves is in pyjamas and reading a book, right? But the subtle difference might have an effect on how they see each other. Is Bertie surprised? Does Jeeves, usually an exemplary professional, feel caught out?)
- Twelfth Night - Bertie decides to make Jeeves the master for the day, much to Jeeves’ discomfort. Does Bertie eventually get tired, when he realises how much Jeeves does around the house? Does he assume Jeeves’ job is easy because he just isn’t doing it right? How long can Jeeves stand watching Bertie try to make a simple cup of tea? Or does Bertie surprise them both with an aptitude for housework?
- Costume party - So much potential for mistaken identity! Also, costumes. Which means undressing from costumes…
- Bertie accompanies Jeeves on one of his fishing trips. Was it Jeeves’ idea? Or is Jeeves uncomfortable having the young master present? (If you want to go down the romantic route, maybe this holiday could be a catalyst for them becoming closer. If you really want to go for some cheesy, tropey fun, maybe they can stay in a tiny country hotel where they’re forced to share a room.)
- Bertie celebrates his birthday at the Drones Club. Jeeves has to take care of him and his hangover the next morning.
- Bertie tries to get to grips with one of Jeeves' improving reads.
- Bertie and Jeeves have to solve an Agatha Christie-esque country house murder.
- One of Bertie’s fashion articles from Milady’s Boudoir. Maybe interspersed with some of his real fashion disasters, and Jeeves’ comments?
Do Not Want: Non-con, dub-con, underage, dark fic
The Red House Mystery - A. A. Milne
Characters: Antony Gillingham, Bill Beverly
I was so happy to see this as a fandom in Yuletide! I will never cease to be bitter over the fact that Milne gave us these two charming characters, all ready to solve a series of mysteries if he wanted them to, and then only wrote one book. Thank goodness for fan-fiction, eh?
Of course, I'm not expecting anyone to sit down and come up with a fiendish mystery for these two to solve, that would be a whole lot of pressure. I'm mostly interested in Tony and Bill doing things, anything, together. I'm happy with friendship or romance between them. I love the combination of Tony the sharp, clever eccentric and Bill the bluff, reliable every-man (who nevertheless has something special about him, that perhaps only Tony is perceptive enough to recognise). I suppose Holmes and Watson are the obvious comparison but they also remind me of my other favourites, Mike and Psmith.
I'd love backstory elaborating on how they first met. Missing scenes from the book. Future adventures. We only got one book so there's plenty to explore!
Tropey Goodness: Domesticity, pining, mutual pining, hurt/comfort, schmoop, fluff, retirement, epistolary, magic AU, soulmate AU, daemon AU.
Prompts:
- Bill and Tony spend Christmas together at a mutual acquaintance's country house. Neither were expecting to see the other and they're happy to be reunited. A lot of time is spent analysing the other guests (and their possible motives for murder/jewel theft/festive pranks?)
- AU with alternative first meetings - maybe a Sliding Doors sort of scenario?
- Wodehouse crossover - Tony is a member of the Drones Club and brings in Bill as a new member.
Do Not Want: Non-con, dub-con, underage
Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day (2008)
Characters: Guinevere Pettigrew, Delysia LaFosse, Michael Pardue, Joe Blomfield
Miss Pettigrew is the sweetest, most wholesome film. It never fails to perk me up if I'm feeling down. Like so many of my favourite things, it's set during those inter-war years where the enjoyment of peace is marred by economic instability and international tension, making things very bittersweet. I feel for all Guinevere's struggles and adore her unaffected goodness. I think Delysia is the most adorable creature on film and, although I do not like to admit to any of her imperfections, Michael makes a perfect foil for her. Joe is just a decent chap who understands Guinevere and makes her happy, which is all that could possibly be asked of him. Everyone is precious, truly.
I'm open to gen, het, femslash, whatever. (I would say slash as well, but who would you be slashing in that line up?) Master/servant relationships are my jam so I'm keen as mustard for Guinevere/Delysia. Show me a world where Guinevere continues as Delysia's Jeeves and looks after her through thick and thin! Michael and Joe can be involved too, or not, as you wish. I love Delysia/Michael and Guinevere/Joe too. I would also love anything about any of the characters individually, and I don't care whether it's pre- or post-film or a missing scene within it.
Tropey Goodness: Canon-divergent AU, magic AU, modern AU, forced bed sharing, domesticity, recipe fic, pretend couple, epistolary, hurt/comfort, crossover (anything from a similar period setting - as I said before, Jeeves would be particularly wonderful).
Prompts:
- Delysia and Michael's life in New York. Do they see Guinevere and Joe again? Does Delysia write to Guinevere?
- Guinevere and Joe only have a small wedding but Guinevere considers it the most beautiful day of her life.
- Delysia moves into a new flat and she brings Guinevere with her. Decorating. Housekeeping. Waking up in the mornings together. (Would also work for Delysia/Michael.)
- Delysia is sick and Guinevere takes care of her. Or Delysia is sick and Michael takes care of her. Or either vice-versa.
Do Not Want: Non-con, dub-con, underage
Treasure Planet (2002)
Characters: Amelia, Delbert Doppler
Oh boy, I have been 'shipping this since I first saw Treasure Planet in the cinema many, many years ago. Amelia and Delbert are just so wonderful - the brash, ultra-competent captain with the soft heart, and the neurotic, nerdy scientist with
Tropey Goodness: Domesticity, hurt/comfort, epistolary, schmoop, fluff, soulmate AU, crossover
Prompts:
- Five Times Amelia Saved Delbert's Life (And a Few More Times Delbert Saved Amelia's)
- Delbert names some new discovery after Amelia - this could be grand (i.e. star, planet, asteroid) or... less grand (i.e. nematode worm).
- Amelia looks after Delbert while he's pregnant. They have a (fairly heated but amicable) debate about what to call the children.
- Amelia's Etherium-faring adventures prior to the events of the film. How did she embark on her career? When did she become captain?
Do Not Want: Non-con, dub-con, underage
Thank you again, dear Yuletider. Have fun!
