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
Nan Smith

E-mail addresses
deimos1@earthlink.net

Residence
Ramona, California

List, AOL, or web affiliations
LOISCLA-GENERAL-L, Zoomway's Message Boards

Lois and Clark or Superman Status

How long have you been watching L&C?
The first episode I watched was Pheromone, My Lovely, and I was hooked. Unfortunately, I had to compete with my kids, who wanted to watch re-runs of StarTrek TNG, but eventually I won out. I didn't get to see the pilot until TNT began reruns, though.

How long have you been a fan of Superman?
Since third grade. I watched the old George Reeves Superman TV show when we got our first television, but I didn't really get into it until I wound up in the hospital for six weeks over the summer after fifth grade. To keep me busy, my parents bought me comics, many of them Superman, Superboy, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, etc. Little did they realize they were starting me out on a lifelong obsession.

How long have you been writing?
I started writing stories, albeit pretty awful ones, when I was about 9. They gradually got better and better, and eventually my sister and I co-wrote an entire science fiction series, which we read to our kids.

How long have you been writing L&C fanfic?
Since about February of 1999.

What types of Fanfic have you written?
Most of my fanfic relies heavily on an A-plot, although I try to include a B-plot as well. The only one that I can think of that was mostly B-plot was a little dashed-off vignette called "Just Say I Love You" that was an alternate version of "Just Say Noah". The strongest stuff I write currently is PG-13--I haven't worked up the nerve to write nfic yet. I've written stand-alone stories and several series.

Most recent story posted? Where?
The most recent story posted is "Home II Beginnings, posted on the Lois and Clark Fanfic Archive.

Favorite story you have written? Why?
This is a difficult one. I think "The Way It Should Have Been" is one of my favorites. It was an episode rewrite where I took "ATAI" which had always frustrated me, because of Clark's bone-headed way of handling the situation and rewrote it to suit myself.

Current project/projects?
Currently, I'm struggling with "Home IV" which doesn't have a better name yet. I'm also thinking about a sequel to "Vanishing Act".

Personal picks of other Fanfics you have read?
This is an even harder one. Sheila Harper's work is right up there at the top of my favorites list, but there are so many other terrific stories out there by some really talented authors that I hesitate to mention any of them for fear of leaving someone out and insulting them.

General Interview Questions

What attracted you to writing Fanfic and what about it do you enjoy?
I really missed Lois and Clark after the series ended. My oldest son gave me a 6-month membership with Earthlink for Christmas of 1998, so I started fumbling around on the Internet looking for Superman. This eventually led me to the 5th and 6th Seasons, and from there to the Fanfic Archive. I spent two weeks reading everything there, and thinking that I might be able to write as well. I even thought of some general ideas for a plot, but I didn't quite have the nerve until my daughter challenged me to try. I took her up on it, spent a couple of days putting the plot ideas together, and then wrote "Dagger of the Mind". The response I got to it after it appeared on the Archive hooked me, and I've been writing L and C fanfic ever since.

I like writing Lois and Clark fanfic, but I can't really say what one thing I most enjoy about it. It's fun to put together an intricate plot, and to figure out how the characters would react if put into certain situations. Working on characterizing their interpersonal relationship is a challenge, too. Sooner or later, I'll get it down to my satisfaction. And, of course, the feedback is essential.

What about the L&C and the characters do you like the most?
One of the most attractive things about the series is the relationship between the characters, and they way it actually grew as the show progressed--unlike many action-adventure shows where the characters never get beyond a certain point. I like the interaction between Lois and Clark and how, after Lois learned Clark's secret, the two of them together made Superman more effective than he ever was alone. Unlike the comics, the George Reeves TV series and the Chris Reeve movies however, the show focused on the relationship between Lois and Clark, and pointed out that Superman was the disguise, not Clark. Clark was around from the beginning. He only became Superman after he came to Metropolis. I never understood why Superman was supposed to be the real person, anyway, since the only life he seemed to have was fighting villains and stopping disasters. His real life was as Clark.

How do you interpret them in your work?
I try to stick close to the characterizations put forth in the series.

How did you begin writing in general?
I've always been a storyteller. I used to make up stories for my younger siblings when we would go on long car trips. My dad taught me to read very young, and I was reading science fiction meant for teenagers and adults in first grade. I wanted to be able to write the same kind of stories as the ones I read, and made my first attempts at about nine. I was teased a lot about those efforts by my younger sister and brother, which led to my becoming very sensitive about letting others see my work. That was why it took a major act of courage to submit my first fanfic.

How do you feel about being nominated for a Kerth Award?
I was thrilled. I didn't expect to win but it was fantastic just to be nominated with all the really tough competition out there.

What story of yours was nominated for a Kerth Award and could you tell about it?
"Doppelganger" was nominated for Best Villain. I wanted to come up with a different sort of conclusion to "The Family Hour"; something that would surprise people and would leave out the conventional explanations involving H.G. Wells and babies from the future, since those had already been pretty much covered by a number of other authors.

Have you ever been nominated for the Kerth Award before? If so, please name the fanfic and tell something about it.
Since 1999 was the first time I'd ever even known about the Kerths, no. The Dagger series, which began with "Dagger of the Mind" was also nominated for 1999, however

What are you working on now and where do you see it going?
I'm finishing the "Home" series with "Home IV", now, although it won't be done for some time. After that I'm going to work on the sequel to "Vanishing Act" and possibly start one suggested to me by someone months ago, involving CJ, the baby in "Doppelganger", and how he finds out about his origin and heritage.

What is your opinion about the following types of L&C fanfic's?
Action?
It depends on the type of action and the writer, as well as how realistically it's done.

Drama?
Drama is good within limits. I can only take so much suspense, which is funny since I write it a lot.

Humor?
I love humorous stories as long as it doesn't get too embarrassing.

Round Robin?
I'm a big fan of the Round Robins.

Nfic?
I may not be able to write it (yet) but I like to read it.

Has *everything* been done in your opinion, and if not, what is left?
Of course not. Everything couldn't possibly be done yet, because there are always new writers. Two writers can take the same premise and come up with two completely different stories. There are plenty of examples on the Fanfic Archive.

What do you think makes the best story?
Well, I write mystery, action and suspense, but that's just my particular area. I like just about any kind of story except deathfic. Oh yes, and I like a happy ending.

Would you like to add a link or URL to your favorite fanfic for the readers to sample your writing?
My daughter built a web page for me, at this address http//members.nbci.com/deimos1 .

Where is the best place for a reader to locate your work?
All my Lois and Clark stories are on the Fanfic Archive.

Open Forum For Author Comments
I've never been very good at essay questions <g>, but I'd like to thank everyone who helps to continue Lois and Clark, even this long after the show was cancelled. We would all be much poorer without all the work of the many people who have voluntarily given us their time and effort to make anything LnC so much fun.