fanfic: love trumps hate and yuletide

[chelseagirl]

I was bid on to write a Lord Peter Wimsey/Agent Carter crossover for Love Trumps Hate and have been struggling with it for months. I had a number of false starts and then started to write it through Dum Dum Duggan's voice, which I was really enjoying, until I realized that a) the problem with writing a WWII story is that I can only write the homefront; behind the lines is not something I can envision well enough to write. And also that b) my original plan -- Lord Peter, Peggy, and Dum Dum go behind the lines to rescue Lord St. George (who, according to Sayers' notes, was to have been an RAF pilot in the war) and Howard Stark -- had a fatal flaw in that Lord Peter's shellshock/PTSD meant he really is better off doing the Foreign Office/diplomacy thing. Harriet and Bunter literally told me that in dialogue!

So as to not entirely let down the bidder, who's been so cooperative and understanding, I wrote a little squib, where Peter and Peggy meet up after the war. You can read it here, should you like: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12023484

I wonder if I'm witty enough to write Wimseyfic. I keep parading Peter and Harriet into crossover stories (okay, well, twice), because they are awesome, but I'm not certain whether I'm confident enough to write them on their own. I thought I was, but now I wonder.

Yuletide nominations -- first time I've actually done this:
Strange Empire - feminist Canadian western that's on Netflix in the US, and only lasted one season (2015). Focuses on women and shows an old West, that reflects the actual diversity of the time and place instead of whitewashing, on the Montana/Alberta border, and has lots of interesting flawed women characters, a wonderful trans man, and Tahmoh Penikett being all handsome and stuff. The dialogue sounds a bit stylized, which I think is a post-Deadwood thing, but I was riveted.

and
The Bletchley Circle, perennial favorite (of mine, anyway).

Comments

[scripsi]

I have a fic-deadline to chase, but I've put it on my Amrked for later-pile. :)

I wonder if I'm witty enough to write Wimseyfic. I keep parading Peter and Harriet into crossover stories (okay, well, twice), because they are awesome, but I'm not certain whether I'm confident enough to write them on their own.

I have a rather neat idea for a Jeeves and Wooseter-fic, but I'll never write it. I wouldn't do the language justice.

[chelseagirl]

It's super-short when you get there, and possibly disappointing, but it does hint at a lot of backstory successfully, I think!

There's a certain type of wit that's difficult to emulate.

[scripsi]

And as I'm not a native speaker of English I feel I can't really write succeful pastiches. :)

[chelseagirl]

My husband might argue that as I am not a native speaker of British English, I can't either. ;-) Though Wodehouse lived on Long Island for many many decades, which suggests his England was best seen at a remove. Not unlike James Joyce's Ireland, actually.

[bethynyc]

I think you can do it! If you have time to read all the Wimsey books, or to watch some movies about WWII on the front lines, I think that might help you get into the feel of it.

Are you only nominating two fandoms? I'm still waffling on my third.

[chelseagirl]

I've read all of Sayers multiple times, and favorites like Gaudy Night probably a dozen times or so. I started when I was maybe 10 or 11 and bored with Nancy Drew and my mom was checking them out of the library. But time is an elusive quantity -- I reread three or four of them when I was in the process of thinking this one through, but I still don't feel confident.

I have no desire to watch war movies, which is pretty much why I realized it's foolish to try to write those scenes.

I've never nominated anything before, just chosen from what was on the list. So I've just nominated two that I know I would really like to both write and receive. Last year I ended up matching only on my longshot, so this year I'm hoping to make sure I match on something I won't find myself worrying about writing.

[bethynyc]

Makes sense! Looking forward to reading your story.

Re: noms--I keep meaning to watch The Bletchley Circle! I'm wavering on my third nom between Valdemar and The Goblin Emperor.

[chelseagirl]

Bletchley is the most awesome.

[lunabee34]

You are witty enough.

*cheerleads*

[chelseagirl]

Ah, but am I Britty enough? ;-)

[lunabee34]

If we are continuing in this vein, you're certainly pretty enough! :)

[ancarett]

I'm dithering over my Yuletide nominations right now. Ack!

[skieswideopen]

I'm reading/rereading Wimsey right now, and my hat is off to anyone who can pull off that dialogue. I can't even figure out how some of it would actually sound--all those "whats" at the end of sentences. But I've seen some marvellous stories at Yuletide, so clearly some people do have the touch! If you were to attempt it, I would look forward to reading the result.