Writer's Showcase
created by
Annie Lansbury

Dear Readers,

Welcome, I am glad you have chosen to drop by and read this week's interview. I hope you enjoy it and you will come back week after week. Also, you will find links to past featured writers at the end of this interview. Just click on the writer's name and you will be taken to their interview.

Before I begin telling you about this week's Featured Writer, I would like to take a moment to thank the Lois and Clark Fantasy Land Pages for choosing the Writer's Showcase as it's site of the week. I am very proud to have my site be included with the other wonderful 'Site of the Week' web sites. Again, Thank You for the honor.

Now, for this week's Featured Writer. This amazing lady is a 1998 Kerth Award winner, a general editor for the L&C Archives and a co-writer for some of the episodes of Season 6. In addition to all the above, she has time to writes excellent fanfics which entertain her legion of fans.

Now without further ado, I am proud and honored to present this week's Writer in the Writer's Showcase ...

Featured Writer of the Week
Erin Klingler

Personal Information

Author name
Erin Klingler (Everybody always misspells my last name. It's a curse. Just for the record, there is an "L" before the "er".)

E-mail addresses
erink@ida.net

Homepage
http//www.ida.net/users/davek/

Residence
Idaho Falls, Idaho, but I grew up in northern California.

List, AOL, or web affiliations
LOISCLA list, LNC fanfic list, #loiscla on IRC

Lois and Clark or Superman Status

How long have you been watching L&C?
When I heard that ABC was going to be having a primetime show about Superman, I remember rolling my eyes and saying, "Oh, brother! They must be pretty desperate for ratings." So, needless to say, I didn't bother to tune in. But one Sunday night, halfway through the first season, I was channel surfing and happened upon the show. It was "Green Green Glow of Home", and from that night on, I was totally and completely hooked. :) I can remember being drawn in by the way Dean played the character so charming and well-mannered, yet insecure and naive. Teri's portrayal hooked me, too. I liked her brazen "I know where I'm going, so get out of my way" attitude, but also liked the insecurities I saw inside her character, as well. Maybe that's what made their characters so appealing to me. I liked the fact that inside, they're just like the rest of us. :) It took on a very real, yet fairy tale quality. And since I'm such a sucker for romance....

How long have you been a fan of Superman?
Actually, I've been a Superman fan since I saw Christopher Reeves play the superhero. But I didn't really get obsessed with Superman until LNC appeared on TV.

How long have you been writing?
I've been writing since I was about seven, believe it or not. I still have the little book (comprised of about fifteen stapled papers) that I wrote way back then about a dog and his family. <g> Thankfully, my mom thought to keep it for me, and now I can look back through it and laugh at the silly stories a seven-year-old can come up with. :) I also wrote a ton of short stories in junior high and high school--some were to earn extra credit in my creative writing classes, but most of them were written just because I wanted to.

How long have you been writing L&C fanfic?
I wrote my first fanfic before I even realized there was such a thing. :) Somewhere near the beginning of the second season, I had an idea for a fanfic that I just couldn't get out of my mind. So I started jotting down some notes. What started out as a fairly short story turned into a 70+ page fanfic. (That should give you an idea of how long- winded I can be <g>) But it just sat on my hard drive because I had no idea people were interested in reading such stories. :)

Then a couple of months later, I was surfing the 'net one night, and just for the heck of it, I typed "Lois and Clark" and was both shocked and thrilled when it came back with all those matches! When I went through the links, I stumbled across the fanfic archive and was immediately entranced. I read story after story until five the next morning, slept for a couple of hours, then got up and read some more. Thankfully it was a weekend! <g> From that day on, I was hooked. I rushed my fanfic out to a couple of buddies I had met on #loiscla, and revamped a huge portion of it before sending it to the archive for uploading. After that, I couldn't stop writing!

What types of Fanfic have you written?
Just LNC, but recently I've felt compelled to try my hand at a couple others. (Yeah, like I don't have enough to do already <g>)

Most recent story posted? Where?
I think my most recent was actually quite a while ago. It's called "Where O' Where Do Supes' Clothes Go?". Sorry, guys. Despite the title, it's *not* nfic. <g> It's available with my others on the fanfic archive or on my website.

Favorite story you have written? Why?
Probably my favorite is "When You Needed Me Most". I think I'm most attached to that one because it was my first, and I really poured my heart and soul into it. The other fics I've written have been kind of short, light and WAFFy (which isn't bad, mind you; I'm a sucker for WAFFy fics of *any* size :) But "WYNMM" had a full A-plot as well as the WAFFs and WHAMs. It took a lot of work, and that's probably why I'm partial to it. :)

Current project/projects?
Wow. Where do I start? <g> I'm a general editor on the fanfic archive, which I absolutely *love*, btw. For just agreeing to edit the fanfics assigned to me, I get first looks at some truly great stores. It hardly seems like work. <g> I also have a small writing part in the S6 Christmas episode, and I'm learning a lot from all the fabulous writers involved in S6.

But the project I'm working the hardes on right now is a 100+ page (and still counting ;) fanfic called "What it Means to Love You". It deals with Lois having to search her soul to discover what it was exactly that made her love Clark, and why she should still love him after she finds out about his other identity. They have a lot of issues to work through, and life is rarely dull for them throughout this story. <g> It's meant as kind of a message that if there's love between two people, no matter what obstacles may arise, you can work through them, and they'll make your love stronger. Anyway, that's what I have planned. In a nutshell. <bg> It should be done and submitted to the archive in early December.

Oh, and I'm going to be co-writing an S6 ep with Kathy Brown next spring. (Now she's stuck, since I mentioned it <g>)

Personal picks of other Fanfics you have read?
There are so many that I hardly know where to start. Most of my favorite authors have already been mentioned, so I don't want to sound redundant. But it's a safe bet to say that anything nominated for a Kerth Award is worthy of a second, and sometimes even a third read, in my opinion. But there are many, many other *fabulous* fics out there that didn't even get nominated, though they definitely deserved to be. I love the long fics as well as a well-written short one.

Interview Questions

What attracted you to writing Fanfic and what about it do you enjoy?
As I mentioned, I wrote my first fanfic before I even knew that there was a name for it. :) I think that being in love with the show and its characters was what made writing about it so appealing to me in the first place. The idea of creating my own "episode" involving t them sounded like so much fun! Lois, Clark, Jimmy and Perry were such interesting characters that I began to ask myself, "What would happen if...?" That question alone pestered me enough that I finally started writing my ideas down on paper.

What about the L&C and the characters do you like the most?
I like the fact that they all seem like more than just your run of the mill, fictional characters. The writers on the show did a great job of making each character an individual, with personalities and strengths, as well as fears and insecurities. It made them very real to me.

How do you interpret them in your work?
I think the singular, most important thing about writing Lois and Clark is keeping everyone in character. There's nothing worse to me than reading an LNC fanfic and thinking, "There's no way so-and-so would act like this or do this!" It totally destroys the image that the reader has of them when going into the story. So I try especially hard to only write them doing/saying things the way they would in the series. I find that easy to do, though, usually. All I have to do is close my eyes, picture them on TV, and let them act out the scene I'm writing. If I can see them doing it in my mind's TV set <g>, then it's a safe bet it's in character for them.

How did you begin writing in general?
Well, aside from that first attempt at a book when I was seven <g>, I was an avid reader even when I was young, so I thought I'd give it a try. Luckily, English was one of my better subjects, so I was able to just sat down with a pen and paper and let the story come. It became a great outlet for me, even when I was young. It was the perfect way to emmerse myself--if only temporarily--in a world where I could make everything happen that I wanted to happen. (Which is so different from my real life <g>) So writing for me became a real passion, one that I know will stay with me for the rest of my life.

What are you working on now and where do you see it going?
I already mentioned the long fanfic I'm currently working on. I'm putting a lot of my energy into that one. But I'm also working simultaneously on a young adult romance that I hope to get published in the near future. It's been on hold for a while, and I've just recently started working on it again. It's my dream to be a published writer. It would be great to do something that I love, and also make a little money doing it. :)

What is your opinion about the following types of L&C fanfic's?
Action?
Action is not one of my favorites, to be honest. I prefer reading about LNC's relationship and interactions rather than reading a story with all A-plot. But those stories that have a good blend of action and relationship are some of my favorites, so I guess it just depends on how the elements are spread throughout the story.

Drama?
One of my all-time favorites. :) I love being thrown into a good dilemma, especially when the author delves deep into our favorite characters' innermost thoughts and feelings. Exploring all the sides of Lois and Clark is what drew me into writing fanfic in the first place! Place me in the middle of the story with Lois and Clark, let me see and feel what they're going through, and I'm hooked. :)

Humor?
The hardest to write, IMO. It's hard to fake it if you don't have a good sense of humor. <g> I truly admire those people who can write funny stories, since I'm definitely *not* one of them! (Wait...did I just admit to not having a sense of

Humor?
? :) I just love to read a good, funny story, especially after a long, tough day.

Round Robin?
I've been extremely impressed at the quality of the Round Robin fanfics we've had!! The story lines have been very creative, and I love seeing the mixtures of personal styles that all those talented writers bring to the fics. I admire them greatly for their ability to write these types of stories.

I've been encouraged by various people to participate in these writing sessions, but I could tell you right now that it would be a total waste, and everybody there would hate me. <g> I've never been good at writing off the cuff. I'd write something, then say, "Wait...maybe it would sound better if it was written this way." Then two seconds later I'd want to change something else about it again. It's not uncommon for me to spend fifteen minutes on one short paragraph trying to think of the best way to get my point across. It's pathetic, actually. <g> So anyway, I love to read Round Robins, but not write them. :)

Nfic?
Love them!! <bg> But I definitely prefer the nfics that are more than just an R-rated scene or two. For example, I absolutely love Demi's "Heaven's Prisoners", Kathy Brown's "Winners" and "Camping With Clark", and Sheila Harper's "A Shot in the Dark". All these authors (and tons of others) do a great job of drawing a reader in with a great story and then including the nfic scenes to further develop their plot. If done well, these stories are my favorite. :) I'm seriously thinking about making an nfic version of the fanfic I'm working on currently, but I'll have to wait and see if I want to undertake that. (I'm sure there will eventually be one, if Kathy Brown has anything to say about it! <bg>)

Has *everything* been done in your opinion, and if not, what is left?
Has everything been done? Absolutely NOT!! That's the greatest thing about Lois and Clark. There are so many layers to the characters in the show that I don't think we'll ever run out of stories. And if you consider how many truly talented writers we have out there in folcdome, each with their own diversified writing styles, there are probably hundreds of great stories out there just screaming to be written.

An important thing to remember is that we're all different. Our lives are different, and the way we think about and see things is different. So it's only logical to assume that we're all going to bring something new to a fanfic and give us different takes on our favorite characters. One of my favorite sayings from the show is "There are no new stories, just new angles." How true that is! Each and every story has something special and unique about it, brought to us by that author's unique point of view. So I think it would be a real cop out for someone to not write something because they think everything has been written.

What do you think makes the best story?
I think the best stories are not determined by their length, but by their content. I really admire those who can effectively write a short fanfic (like a page or two) that leaves the reader with strong emotions, whether it's a warm and fuzzy feeling, a hearty laugh, or an urge to throw something <g>. A great example of a well-written short story is Jennifer Baker's "Heartbeat". She really captured a lot of emotion in just one page.

Back to the length issue, I don't think a story needs to be novel-length to be great. Actually, a lot of the longer ones are just long because they're simply too wordy. Also, if someone wants to write a great story, I think they need to be deeply in touch with the characters, and let their love for their characters come out in the story. When I'm reading a story, I like to feel absolutely everything that the characters are feeling. Not only does this make for a more emotional story, but it makes me feel like I'm a *part* of the story. I can tell I'm reading a truly great story if, when the phone rings, etc., I actually look up and think, "Where am I?" <g> When I do that, I know I'm deeply involved in the story and hanging on to every word. If a writer was able to do that with their story, they've accomplished something special. For me, that's what makes a truly great story. :)

Would you like to add a link or URL to your favorite fanfic for the readers to sample your writing?
"When You Needed Me Most" can be found at my site http//www.ida.net/users/davek /ff.html

Where is the best place for a reader to locate your work?
My stories can be found either on the fanfic archive or on my website http//www.ida.net/users/davek/ . I've wanted to make sure they're accessible because what good is a story if it doesn't get read? <g> Also, I would love it if people would continue to email me with comments on my stories, whether the comments are good, bad or indifferent. <g> I *live* for feedback! I wouldn't have continued writing and posting fanfics if I hadn't had so many people email me with postive or constructive comments, and encourage me to keep writing. It's an amazing feeling to have someone tell me they enjoyed reading something that I wrote, and that's what has kept me writing all these years. So thanks to everyone for being so kind and helpful. FoLCs are the greatest group of people around. :)

Open Forum For Author Comments
First of all, I'd like to thank Annie for asking me to do this. I've loved coming to this site and reading about all the authors whom I greatly admire, so it's really an honor for me to be asked to be a part of it. :)

Thinking back on all these questions has made me realize that my life has definitely changed since Lois and Clark came on the air. Because of it, I've rediscovered my passion for writing, met many wonderful people, and made some life-long friends. I never thought a mere TV show could do all that. :)

I'd like to finish by saying 'thank you' to all those FoLCs out there who've been such terrific friends, or made my month <g> by emailing me to tell me you've enjoyed something I've written. Your comments, friendship and support are what have kept me writing! I look forward to being a part of the Lois & Clark fanfic circle for a long time to come. :)

~~Erin :)