TrekGirl Interview with D'Alaire

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Interviews by Fans
Title: TrekGirl Interview with D'Alaire
Interviewer: Annie M.
Interviewee: D'Alaire
Date(s): November 2000
Medium: online
Fandom(s): Star Trek
External Links: interview is here; reference link
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D'Alaire was interviewed for the website TrekGirl.

"Author of The Daybreak series, The Soul's December, Even Heroes ... and much more."

Interview Series

Excerpts

The first "story" I wrote, I think, I started when I was eleven. (Yes, yes, it did become enormous--900 hand-written pages at one point, sixteen chapters.) But the characters, I admit were...interestingly similar to a couple I know of. Very strange.

Funny thing about it was that every time I moved, which was often, I kept finding the draft, year after year, and I kept rewriting it--by hand then by clunky old typewriter. When I was editing "Judgment" and looking for scrap print paper, I found it again! LOL! It was horrid! Hack!

I started actually writing fanfic (Irremission) in March, '98, but I've been *thinking* fanfic-related ideas since watching Scooby Doo as a child. Yes, it was an alternate universe Scooby. ; )

[Trek's] always been an inspiration to me in one way or another, making me think and feel and have hope in the future (which for a teenager in the 80's was a very good thing ; )). I'd watched TNG and DS9 from the start and loved them both. DS9's Dominion stuff got on my nerves after a while, though, so I fell away from it for the most part. One of these days, I'll go back and catch up with them all. But Voyager's characters really latched onto me--and from the moment I read about them in the TV Guide. Kate Mulgrew alone was enough to make me love it before it aired, but reading the character descriptions and mini-spoilers, I couldn't wait to see it. It didn't disappoint. Even now, much as I might critique and nitpick it, it's still my favorite show.

Canon...hmm. Considering TPTB feel an odd need to recreate the series or the characters every year, I have no clue what they feel about Paris and Torres as a couple. (I won't even go into Janeway continuity! ; ))

I think they've slowly had the characters face challenges and grow from them, and have that reflect on their relationship--when TPTB decide to actually show Tom and B'Elanna together. If you made a clip-fest of all P/T or P/T-related scenes, then the growth could be pretty easily seen in them both, and between them. So perhaps that's what their purpose has been. If that's the case, then I like what they've been up to much of the time.

I agree with the actors that there should be more passion between the two--and not just implied. I also agree with those who say that TPTB have been too sporadic in their treatment of Tom and B'Elanna's relationship, even within the whole ensemble (or especially, depending how you look at it). I think for story ideas TPTB make the characters take two steps back to take a step forward, which I don't like doing much of. On screen, it can be frustrating--but in writing, it's *really* repetitive, at least to me.

So, hmm, I guess my interpretation of the characters is a little more centered, more forward-moving and more sensual, all of which fanficsters do have the luxury of doing. There are a lot of contradictions that they share that are touched on on the show--conscience and instinct, thoughtfulness and impulsiveness, hesitance and drive, need and independence--which I also enjoy magnifying.

Or at least I'm rationalizing a terible lack of continuity. I haven't figured out which it is yet. ; )

In any case, it *has* to be believable. Nothing disinterests me more--even if I can admit to taking great liberties with the characters and canon--than not recognizing the people I'm supposed to be reading about, especially when I understand it's another person's interpretation.

To be honest, I'm most paranoid about that in my own writing, whether or not I'm going too far, whether or not I can "hear" them. Of course, when you *are* so deep into that world you're creating, you do need to double back and check yourself--or have good, honest betas who'll whack you back into "reality."

I admit (ducking), character death stories tend to turn me off, as does angst for angst's sake, breakups, arguments, agony, conflicts...etc. I like *very* few of those when that's the main theme of the story, and avoid any sort of senseless pain or trauma in my own plots. It all has to have a purpose in the end, and be an *element* of the story's progression and not the gist, if that makes any sense.

Those singularly angsty stories which do convey a higher purpose or meaning, can be wonderful--though difficult--to read. I don't read them often, however. I take them *too much* to heart.

But again, stories should simply be well-written and well-organized, have a purpose and development of the characters. Even a poorly punctuated/spelled story is forgivable (that can be edited, after all) if the heart and brain is in it. If they catch my attention and sell their interp's to me in the first page or so (depends on how long the entire work is), then I keep reading. If they make me feel something, involve me emotionally or intellectually on some level, then I'll like it.

I'm definitely having fun. Fanfic is very liberating and helpful, as it keeps me writing and thinking while not doing coursework. It's definitely an art. However, if I thought up a story that I thought could make some legal money, I might give it a shot. It'd still be fun, though. I wouldn't do it if it wasn't.

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