The Library

Dear Yuletide Writer,

First, let me say that I'm so happy to have you writing something for me that I don't get to see every day but wish that I did. Thank you in advance for that!

I know that my prompts lean toward the slashy and the sexy. I like slash, het (though not vanilla het), and femslash. If you’re writing either het or femslash, I like strong, capable women who own their own strength, intellect, and desire. Of course, I like that in men too. I like BDSM, though more in terms of power dynamics and less in terms of highly ritualized behavior.

However, I love interesting and complex characters and good stories above all else. Even when it comes to the sexy, the sorts of stories I like best are the ones that really get inside the characters’ heads, ones that go beyond the act itself and show how it impacts the characters or their relationship. If you want to see the sorts of things I write (and like to read), I'm also Savageseraph over at the Archive of Our Own.

This is not an exhaustive list, just some things that often tend to make me smile.

LIKES
Dirty talk
The seductive power of language
Power exchanges/dynamics
Kink
Surrender (even against better judgement)
Smart, strong, capable characters
Temptation
Bondage
Angst (but not at melodramatic levels)
RPF where there’s some bleedover between actors and their characters
NonCon (usually just in FPF, unless the fic is an AU, but no AU’s for this Yuletide)
DubCon (I’ve no objections to this in RPF.)
Non-vanilla/traditional characters/situations
Explicit-rated fics (though I do like story and character with my porn)
High Passion/Sensuality/Stakes
Sexual Tension
Tension between resistance and surrender
An edge of darkness/danger
Intensity (physical, emotional, and/or situational)


While this shouldn’t be perceived as a critique of items in the list, these are things I would prefer not to receive in my Yuletide Fic.


DO NOT WANTS
Watersports/Scat
Hurt/Comfort
MPREG
A/B/O verse
Overly sentimental or cloyingly romantic fic, schmoop
Domestic fic/curtain fic
Crackfic/humor
Social issue/political fics
Characters behaving OOC for their canon
No AU’s for the fandoms this Yuletide
Weak female characters
Feminization of male characters
Angst that becomes overly emo
Woobie fics
Fluff
Character death


And now, a bit about the fandoms I've requested for this Yuletide exchange.

Guild Hunter Series – Nalini Singh

I read this series at the start of 2019, but after I started, I mainlined the crap out of it because it hit so many of my kinks. It was romantic (but not sappy), dark and gritty, had angels and vampires, had epic worldbuilding and new and interesting supernatural world: what’s not to like. I really admire Singh’s management of story arcs across novels, her worldbuilding and her characters. I do like the pairings in the series a lot, so since I’ve asked for slash, it might be nice if the fics were set before the characters find their het mates.

What would I like for Yuletide? I’d love some Raphael/Dmitri back when they were both young and struggling with their griefs and becoming brothers-in-arms (and perhaps in beds). I love power struggles, and while there is abiding friendship and loyalty between them, they do clash over things. I wouldn’t mind angry sex between them or something to take the edge off after a battle.

Of course, we’ve had teases of a less-than-platonic relationship between Ilium and Aodhan all along, and if you'd like to give the boys some post-ARCHANGEL’S LIGHT sexy time I wouldn't object. Pre-ARCHANGEL'S LIGHT longing/angst (and perhaps more) would also be good. Were they intimate in the past, but Aodhan’s trauma that lead to his aversion to touch split them apart temporarily? While I love spice and some kink, I also like it when those things highlight the characters and their relationship.

I’m interested in the forces of attraction and repulsion, surrender and resistance. I love to see strong men/women struggling to have the upper hand physically, intellectually, and sexually over each other, and if that also involves wrestling with their own inner demons, so much the better.


Waxwork

This was one of my favorite guilty pleasure movies when I was younger, and yes, I might have rewatched the Dracula and Marquis bits more than the rest of the movie. I'm good with Dracula/China or The Marquis de Sade/Sarah. You can feel free to mix up the pairings or have all of them together.

I’m interested in the forces of attraction and repulsion, surrender and resistance. I love to see strong men/women struggling to have the upper hand physically, intellectually, and sexually over each other, and if that also involves wrestling with their own inner demons, so much the better.


Critical Role (Webseries)- RPF

Calamity remains one of my delights. I loved the doomed city of Avalir and The Circle of Brass. I especially enjoyed Luis Carazo's Zerxus. His interactions with Asmodeus were electric (and seductive), and I'd like to see something of that captured in a Luis/Brennan fic where character interaction in game bleeds over into interactions between the actors.

I’m interested in the forces of attraction and repulsion, surrender and resistance. I love to see strong men/women struggling to have the upper hand physically, intellectually, and sexually over each other, and if that also involves wrestling with their own (or their characters’) inner demons, so much the better.


Warlock

This is another guilty pleasure film from my youth. I'd love to see a Warlock/Redferne story. The two of them get hit them with a fuck-or-die curse or magical sex pollen? Something darker where the Warlock holds Redferne as his prisoner? Redferne punishing the Warlock for killing his wife? Something else entirely?

I’m interested in the forces of attraction and repulsion, surrender and resistance. I love to see strong men/women struggling to have the upper hand physically, intellectually, and sexually over each other, and if that also involves wrestling with their own (or their characters’) inner demons, so much the better.


Ruinous Love Trilogy - Brynne Weaver

I have ALL THE LOVE for Brynne Weaver’s BUTCHER AND BLACKBIRD and LEATHER AND LARK. I am counting the days until February 11 when the next book releases. I love horror, so I love the ruthless and pitiless darkness of the story, which contrasts beautifully the love and loyalty and friendship and family. I also love the spiciness and kinkiness both books have. Did I mention that when I saw one of the kinks in Leather and Lark was pegging, I squeed?

I’d love either Sloane/Rowan or Lark/Lachlan. Or possibly a group scene with all of them. I’d be fine with Lark/Sloane and Rowan/Lachlan. I’m pretty much good with any combination or grouping of the characters. While I love spice and some kink, I also like it when those things highlight the characters and their relationship.

I’m interested in the forces of attraction and repulsion, surrender and resistance. I love to see strong men/women struggling to have the upper hand physically, intellectually, and sexually over each other, and if that also involves wrestling with their own inner demons, so much the better.


Wicked Games Series - Kaylie Smith

This year, Kaylie Smith's Phantasma and Enchantra were two of my favorite reads. I liked the deadly games, the twists and turns, and the Grimm sisters and their love interests. I also really liked the worldbuilding with the supernatural races and creatures. So give me some Salem/Ophelia or Genevieve/Rowan goodness either during the games or after.

I’m interested in the forces of attraction and repulsion, surrender and resistance. I love to see strong men/women struggling to have the upper hand physically, intellectually, and sexually over each other, and if that also involves wrestling with their own inner demons, so much the better.


Candela Obscura – A Critical Role Webseries

I was very taken by the exchanges between Sean and Marion where Sean is wounded and Marion asked if Sean wanted to pee on it, and how that played out in the end when Marion is gravely wounded. The romantic/sexual play between them is delicious, and I'd REALLY love to see what happens after that scene above once the boys are safe and alone together. Guilty confession: I haven’t watched the last episode yet, but I will do so before Yuletide. While I love spice and some kink, I also like it when those things highlight the characters and their relationship.

I’m interested in the forces of attraction and repulsion, surrender and resistance. I love to see strong men/women struggling to have the upper hand physically, intellectually, and sexually over each other, and if that also involves wrestling with their own inner demons, so much the better.


Psy-Changeling Series - Nalini Singh

I read Singh’s GUILD HUNTER series first, and honestly, I didn’t expect to enjoy this series as much. Vampires and angels had to trump shifters and psionics. Well, I was wrong about that. I like this series just as much as the other. I do like the pairings in the series a lot, so since I’ve asked for slash, it might be nice if the fics were set before the characters find their het mates.

Two alphas in a contest of wills is one of my favorite things, and it definitely takes me to my happy place.

My favorite character in the series is probably Kaleb (one of the top tier at least), and since the Arrows are very much a lethal, creepy band-of-brothers, I’d like to see a fic with Kaleb and Judd and/or Aden when their icy control snaps. I have no issues with something forcing them into emotional vulnerability and physical intimacy against their training and possibly against their will that turns into a forbidden unleashing of physical/emotional passion (would like that to be before reuniting with Sahara).

I’m interested in the forces of attraction and repulsion, surrender and resistance. I love to see strong men/women struggling to have the upper hand physically, intellectually, and sexually over each other, and if that also involves wrestling with their own (or their characters’) inner demons, so much the better. While I love spice and some kink, I also like it when those things highlight the characters and their relationship.


Having said that, I read and write and enjoy lots and lots of things that aren't really represented in my fics, so I don't want you to feel boxed in. Write what you really love, what inspires you, and it will show in the fic. If you have any questions, you could bounce them off my writing partner caras_galadhon.

I'm sure I'll love what you make for me, and I'm already looking forward to reading it!