Dear Readers,

Welcome to the Lois & Clark The New Adventure of Superman Writer's Showcase. At the bottom of this web site you will findlinks to past featured writers. Just click on the any writer's name you might have missed or want to read again and you will be taken to their interview.

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

Annette, Labrat, Kaethel, Avia

Personal Information

Author name
Irene Dutchak

E-mail addresses
sirenegold@yahoo.com

Residence
Ontario, Canada

List, AOL, or web affiliations
I'm not on AOL, but I've joined every other LnC list that I could find!

Lois and Clark or Superman Status

How long have you been watching L&C?
Since the pilot episode. I was really excited when I heard that a new show about Superman was airing. Then when I watched it, I was completely sold on it.

How long have you been a fan of Superman?
Since I was a very young girl watching George Reeves, reading the comics and running around the house with a towel tied around my neck! :)

How long have you been writing?
About 2 years.

How long have you been writing L&C fanfic?
About 2 years.

What types of Fanfic have you written?
Only Lois and Clark. Nothing else appeals the same way. I've mostly written next-generation stories set in the same series - Firestorm, Solar Eclipse, Gale Force Winds, Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt and Hiding in the Shadows - but I've also written some episode rewrites - Tales Out of Church, Shaken, Not Stirred, Taking Responsibility. My latest story, Trading Places, is an Elseworld.

Most recent story posted? Where?
Trading Places is my most recent story. It was posted both to Zoom's message boards and to the fanfic list and should arrive at the archive soon. (As of this posting, Hiding in the Shadows has been posted to the PG Archives. - Anne)

Favorite story you have written? Why?
I think my favourite story is Redemption because of the wonderful feedback I received about it. It deals with some pretty weighty issues, and many readers wrote to tell me that the way I handled those issues had special significance for them. I'm also pretty proud of the letters I received from people, telling me that they cried when Claude died. It was touching to know that I was able to humanize a villian to the point of having people relate to him and to his death.

Current project/projects?
I'm not currently writing anything, but instead have a few ideas that I'm mulling over in the back of my mind. The next story I work on will probably be Timestorm which will tie up the loose ends from Firestorm. After that, I have an idea for one more story in my next generation series, but when that story's written, I'll be done with those.

Personal picks of other Fanfics you have read?
Anything by Wendy Richards, Margaret Brignell, Pam Jernigan, Carol Malo, Chris Mulder, Zoomway, Sheila Harper, Phil Atcliffe, Jeff Brogden, ML Thompson, Mobile Richard, Chris Carr, Doc Klein's Labrat, Yvonne Connell, Jenni Debbage, Kathy Brown, Demi, Hazel, Karen Ward... Why don't I stop here and say that there's really too many writers that I enjoy, to list them all.

General Interview Questions

What attracted you to writing Fanfic and what about it do you enjoy?
This is kind of a long and convoluted answer.

Once I located the archive, I wallowed in it - spent hours downloading stories and then read for what seemed like days at a time. Then I discovered the fanfic list. About a week after I discovered the list, I saw an email sent by Karen Ward. I could tell from the email address that she lived quite close to me. I immediately emailed her; we corresponded for a few weeks and then finally, we met at a local Starbucks.

It was a revelation to me that I was talking to one of the people whose stories I had read on the archive. I couldn't believe it. It was like running into John Grisham at the supermarket.

During the course of our conversation, I mentioned an idea that I would have loved to see expanded during the course of the show, and Karen immediately encouraged me to write it. The rest is history.

What do I enjoy - I enjoy the familiar characters set in unfamiliar environments. I enjoy extrapolating stories from different situations. And I discovered I totally love the physical act of writing - picking and choosing words, struggling to get an emotion across. It's very addictive.

What about the L&C and the characters do you like the most?
I loved the dynamics of the show. I've always been a Superman fan, but suddenly I became a Clark Kent fan. As so many others have said, the notion that someone so powerful could be just like you or me when it comes to vulnerabilities and emotions is a concept that is incredibly attractive and intriguing.

How do you interpret them in your work?
I try to stick as close to character as possible as established during the various seasons.

How did you begin writing in general?
The first story I wrote was Firestorm and I literally sat down and started - with no clue as to where the story was going to end up. The story wrote itself.

What are you working on now and where do you see it going?
Currently, I'm taking a bit of a break, but I'm mulling over a couple of ideas. The story I'll probably work on next will be Timestorm which is a direct sequel to Firestorm - the first story in my next generation series.

What is your opinion about the following types of L&C fanfic's?
Action?
I like a good mix of A and B plots so, yes, I enjoy action.

Drama?
I enjoy it.

Humor?
I love humour as long as it's not too heavy-handed. In LnC fanfic, we're lucky as most of the stories in the archive that are meant to be funny, really are funny!

Round Robin?
I'm amazed that people can do this. I've only written one story in collaboration with someone else (Hi, Wendy!) and much as I enjoyed it, at times, I found it very difficult.

Nfic?
If it's done well, I enjoy it. I don't really enjoy nfic that is nothing else but nfic. I like it to follow logically from a plot.

Has *everything* been done in your opinion, and if not, what is left?
Of course not everything has been done. Look at all the different versions of TOGOM that have been written. I even have an idea for a rewrite of that episode that hasn't been done yet although I don't know if I'll get to it or not.

What do you think makes the best story?
The best story - that's a difficult question to answer. I think it takes a mix of things - a good premise, of course, and a mix of A and B plots, but mainly, good writing. Thankfully, due to the wonderful editing by the archive staff, we don't have to struggle through misspellings or grammar errors. That can be very frustrating.

Would you like to add a link or URL to your favorite fanfic for the readers to sample your writing?

Where is the best place for a reader to locate your work?
www.lcfanfic.com or www.annesplace.net

Open Forum For Author Comments
Becoming part of the FoLC community has been incredibly enriching for me. I've made good friends that I treasure - both online and in person. In writing, I've discovered a satisfying hobby that is a wonderful outlet for my creative energy. Knowing that people enjoy my writing has given me new self-confidence and is a source of pride. And finally, I've saved a heck of a lot of money! Who needs to buy books when there's so much wonderful reading online? D

I'd like to thank those who enjoy my stories and who have taken the time to let me know. You will never know exactly how much I appreciate receiving your feedback.