KD: When did you start writing fanfic? What motivated you to start writing?

L: I posted my first story in November of 2015. I had joined in with Tagsit when she invited people to watch her write Summer of Sin and give suggestions. She asked if anyone wanted to try writing a section based on suggestions we had made, so I tried it. She liked it and asked me why I didn’t write my own stories and I told her it was because I couldn’t write. She said that I just did and kept encouraging me to try and I did. Once I started I just kept going.

KD: Have you written for other fandoms? If so, which ones?

L: No, I’ve only written for QAF.

KD: What do you do when you are not writing or reading fics?

L: I’m a nurse. When I’m not working I’m usually writing, or playing with my five cats.

My kids are grown with lives of their own, my youngest is a professional poker player and travels all over the world playing. He also runs charity poker tournaments.

KD: What is your favorite QAF fanfic story?

L: There are so many amazing stories that it’s impossible to pick just one. I will often re-read different stories based on my mood.

KD: What is your favorite story that you have written?

L: I think my favorite would have to be Bittersweet Promise, a story I wrote with charming1. It’s long and involved and we had a great time collaborating on the story.

KD: Do you remember the first QAF fanfic that you read?

L: The first fanfiction story I ever read was Little White Lies by Moonshadow Woman. I happened on it by accident, before that, I had never even heard of fanfiction. Once I read that I was hooked and constantly looked for more stories to read. That was in 2003 and the show was still on the air at the time. I never thought I would be writing these stories, or anything else for that matter.

KD: Who is your favorite character to write about? Who is your least favorite character to write about?

L: I love writing about Brian and Justin of course, their love story is eternal. In some ways Michael and Lindsay are both my favorite and least favorite characters to write about. The characters are very possessive and in Michael’s case whiny. There is so much you can do to with them to take out your frustrations about the characters. It can also be cathartic to write ‘getting even’ scenes using them as catalysts when you are stressed or angry about something in real life that you can’t control.

KD: Who are some of your favorite authors?

L: Tagsit, of course, how can you not love her work. Nichelle Wellesly because she writes complex and beautiful stories. charming1 because she writes well and is fun and easy to collaborate with, especially when we are typing and come up with the same ideas at the same time.

KD: What is your favorite genre to write?

L: Probably Romance. I’m a sucker for Brian and Justin happy endings.

KD: Do reviews motivate you? If not, what is your prime motivation to write?

L: I love getting reviews but I love to see the read count go up even more, at least you know they are reading, even if they don’t review.

KD: Is there anything about your writing you don’t like or wish you could do better?

L: I don’t think my writing is all that great, I wish I could get more intricate with the plots and more detailed without being boring. I don’t want people reading and thinking “Is there any point to this or is she just going on and on for nothing.”

KD: Any advice to other writers or newer writers out there?

L: Don’t be in a rush to get your story posted. Read it over several times to make sure it’s what you want before you put it out there.

If the story is multi-chaptered I like to have most of the story completed before I post anything, that way if your muse takes a vacation, people aren’t waiting and then give up on the story because it took so long.

There is nothing wrong with asking someone to Beta your story. There are many people available and willing to make sure the stories are readable and it’s really easy to miss something when you write or even when you are reading your work over.

Finally, read it over for consistency. If it looks like you have no idea what you have already written, why should the reader care about a story that looks like the writer just threw it together so they would have something to post.

KD: What's your writing process? i.e. Do you outline an entire series before starting, or just start writing and see where it takes you?

L: When I get an idea for a story I will start a page for it. I write down bullet points, sometime two or three pages of them. Then I start writing off the bullet points until a cohesive story forms. Points can be added or deleted as needed. Eventually a story forms and using the points, it’s easy to cut and paste things in the order that’s needed.

KD: What new stories or projects do you have in the works?

L: Right now I’m writing a story called Bound By Fate with Nichelle Wellesly. I have a couple of other story ideas but I only work on one story at a time, it’s less confusing that way.