Our interviewee this week is relatively new to FoLCdom, having only discovered the series about a year and a half ago, and fanfic not long afterwards. However, she's always been a Superman fan. She endeared herself to writers very quickly by writing lovely and thoughtful feedback on the message boards, and more recently has made a name for herself by creating some beautiful and inventive music videos. She is...

Whereabouts in the world are you?
Seattle, Washington, USA

How long have you been a FoLC?
1 and 1/2 years

What drew you to Lois and Clark?
I was a big Superman fan, collecting comics when I was about 10-12. I watched the 50's TV series, I saw the 70's movie a number of times, but it was always Superman at that time. Because I liked Superman, I watched Lois and Clark occasionally on ABC but I guess real life and with being busy Sunday evenings, it just didn't click. I do remember loving Tempus Fugitive at that time as I knew Lane Davies from a soap opera, Santa Barbara. About five years ago, I sometimes watched L&C in the morning on TNT but it was usually confusing as I'd land in the middle of the Krypton arc and not really know what was going on. Then March 2001, I saw the pilot and fell in love with Clark and Lois.

When did you first discover fanfic?
After discovering the show, I promptly went off to the internet to do searches on Lois and Clark and couldn't believe my good fortune to find so many sites. I think Zoom's website was an early favorite and I found the Kerth award website and started reading voraciously. I had lots of free time to read when I traveled by air, most weekends. I've now read everything by my favorite authors and am re-reading my favorite stories and waiting impatiently for new segments on current stories.

What's the very first fanfic you read? Do you remember what your first thoughts were about the concept of fanfiction?
I really can't remember what the first one was because so many followed quickly at that time. I loved the concept of fanfiction. I think I'm really lucky because I've only really read L&C fanfiction and have heard that it is the best out there anyway. I used to read a lot of romance novels and even though I know these characters and what is usually going to happen, the stories here are more interesting and varied than a lot of commercial stories.

What are your favourite sites for reading fanfic?
The L&C FanFic Archive is a great resource and I love Annesplace for nfic. I also like to use Erin's Kerth page to remind myself about something I want to read again.

List some stories you'd recommend to other readers.
This is hard. It's like asking me what type of chocolate I like, there are just so many possibilities. I would recommend anything by Wendy Richards. She writes Lois and Clark so well and always uses a very interesting premise. "For the Greater Good"; "Faux Pas"; "Green Card"; "PML,ohBoy" (with Tank Wilson); "It Happened One Super Night", and "Without Consent". I've also very much enjoyed Zoomway's stories. Her stories make me smile and her science keeps you thinking too! Big favorites are "Always something there to remind me"; and "Persistence of Memory".

A new story goes up on the Archive or MBs. You drop everything - and we mean *everything* - to read it. So who would it be by? <g>
Wendy Richards; LabRat; Yvonne Connell; Zoomway; Sorry that's more than one but I do stop and read them all right away. ML Thompson, another favorite, seems to post to the archive first. It is always a real treat to stop by the archive and find a new 300+MB story to print and read straight through to the end!

What type of stories do you most enjoy reading, and why?
I most enjoy reading about the Lois and Clark relationship. It seems I never tire of hearing about their story...oops <G>, I mean reading about their story. I most enjoy Lois and Clark meeting, getting together, and different ways she finds out his secret and all aspects of the romantic triangle for two.

What's your opinion of:
Drama?
I love a serious good drama and it can really get me hooked. I think People vs CK was the first one I couldn't put down and Purity was very moving too. So many different topics have been covered in this genre.
Action?
I'm not much of an action fan and haven't really read that many.
Romance?
Well, what would a Lois and Clark Fanfic be without romance? If one comes along, I hope the writer gives me a "No Romance" warning!
Tearjerkers?
It always leaves me stunned when I read some of the powerful stories written here. My favorite tearjerkers, "For the Greater Good", and "People vs Clark Kent" bring on so many emotions: fear, desperation, anger, sadness. They make me feel so many things...and all at once.
WAFFy vignettes?
The best EXCEPT they are always too short.
Elseworlds?
Some great fiction has been written as Elseworlds, with very innovative ideas. I love how they can take our Lois and Clark and put them in such different situations and we still know them. Also, I love the many ideas written for the future, particularly Irene Dutch's "Firestorm" series.
Alternate Universe/Beginnings?
Some real favorites are in this category, especially some of Zoomway's stories, and Yvonne Connell's Fear of Discovery series
Other (if we've failed to include your favourite type, here's your chance to set the record straight <g>)?
I don't know the category, but I really enjoy the Wendy/Tank challenges. They are so inspired, both the challenge and the resolutions, that I am always amazed.

Can you choose one, possibly two, stories you'd consider personal favourites, and tell us what you like about them?
I think one of my personal favorites is Zoomway's "Always something there to remind you." The story takes many surprising turns and a wonderful resolution. And I loved Zoomway's "Persistence of Memory" because of all the "corrections" to history that made it so fun and the science was challenging to follow as well. Many of Wendy Richards' stories are personal favorites for the same reasons, good characterizations and just the right amount of conversation and reflection. Wendy's stories revolve around the relationship with only a little action that just moves the stories along. I know that's more than two, but hey, I like my chocolate lots of ways!

Has everything been done in L&C fanfic? Are there any unexplored scenarios? Or doesn't it matter? <g>
One of the things I love about the L&C fiction is that in every story I already know the characters. I can picture them in my mind, what they look like, how they speak, mostly how they would act. Then the author takes me away on adventures, discovery, reflection, etc. all within the common ground we know as Lois and Clark. I've always hated to get to the end of a good book, but with L&C fan fiction, the story keeps staying alive. I am totally overwhelmed with the variety of stories and how the authors keep coming up with new and different ideas, such as Yvonne's new story, Misery. I can't wait to see where that goes.

If you could be your favourite author's personal Muse, what would your dream story premise be?
Well, luckily the L&C authors have very good Muses but I will take this opportunity to wish that the Muses would stay with some of the great stories that haven't been finished. One of my personal choices would be Mobile Richard's the Fugitive which needs a Part three! And Kaethel's Near Wild Heaven that needs a Part two! <G>

In your opinion, what makes for the best story? What ingredients, in your opinion, are essential to your favourite type of fanfic?
As I've said previously, my most important ingredient is the relationship between Lois and Clark. I love some humor, a revelation is always fun especially when the author surprises me on how its done. Angst is fine when it brings them together, even if it takes 300-500+KB!

Any other comments you'd like to make?
Thank you again to all of the great authors of Lois and Clark fiction. I can't imagine a better Fandom out there, even though I won't go looking <G>. Thanks also for letting me express myself in this interview. I fully appreciate the efforts that these authors go to each and every day to keep their fans supplied with stories.