Delphi
| Fan | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Delphi |
| Alias(es): | Atdelphi, De Orakle |
| Type: | fan writer |
| Fandoms: | Avatar: The Last Airbender, Harry Potter, The Hobbit, Law & Order: SVU, The Legend of Korra, The Magnificent Seven, Once a Thief, Reservoir Dogs, Tintin, Warhammer 40K, X-Men & many others |
| Communities: | hp_beholder |
| Other: | |
| URL: | Delphi@AO3; Delphi@DW; Atdelphi@LJ; Singing the Body Electric |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Delphi is a popular & prolific multi-fandom author, particularly well known in the Harry Potter fandom. She entered online fandom in around 1998, and has used the pseud Delphi (also Atdelphi) since 2003; she previously wrote as De Orakle.
She maintains a personal website, Singing the Body Electric (link), which archives her fanfiction from 1999 onwards. Her most recent work is at dreamwidth and Archive of Our Own.
In Her Own Words
It will come as no surprise to anyone that I'm largely a fan of rare characters and rare pairings, and I think this is because the kinds of characters I like best are ones that are hard to feature as heros in traditional narratives. I like mentors, geniuses, unpleasant people, amoral people, cheerfully oblivious people, painfully pragmatic people, and ultra-competent badasses - characters who have the ability to make short work of traditional narratives and as such require either particularly clever plots or scrupulous writing.[1]
I've been participating in fests pretty much as long as they've been around. Most of my early Harry Potter fic was written for the Snape Fuh-Q Fest and the ADxSS Buggering Bee, and I've been taking part regularly ever since. I know a lot of people bemoan the ubiquity of fests and challenges and exchanges these days, but they've almost always been a part of my fannish life. I love the social aspect of them, the way they expose me to writers and artists I might not otherwise meet, and the way they push me to try new things.[2]
HP Fandom
Delphi writes across a huge range of mainly rare pairings, mainly fairly smutty m/m slash, but also some het & femslash, as well as a fair amount of gen. Although she sticks predominantly to non-epilogue characters, she commonly writes cross-generational ("May–December") pairings, such as Snape/Dumbledore or Snape/McGonagall. Characters that she has written frequently include Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore, Argus Filch, Alastor Moody, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Silvanus Kettleburn & Minerva McGonagall.
Despite her focus on rare pairings and unconventionally attractive characters, Delphi's Potterverse writing is highly popular and has been widely recommended. Regan_V describes her as one of the most gifted writers in HP, and a brilliant rarepair writer. She can't write anything but terrific stories...[3] Beth H comments honestly, I sometimes think I should just create a separate page on my recs journal labeled "Delphi" and on the page it would just say "go read everything she's written. Someday, I just might. *g*[4] Kelly Chambliss states in all her stories, Delphi writes with intelligence, wit, and insight.[5] Espresso Addict writes Delphi's work is always beautifully written.[6]
Delphi moderated the HP Beholder challenge for the 2013 & 2014 rounds, taking over from founder Beth H.
Example Fanfiction
- The Boy Who Lived. Gen. Regan_V writes The narrative structure here left me dumbstruck... The Snape here is simply beyond canon. I felt like weeping. And this made me see Dumbledore in a new light, which is something I didn't think possible at this point.[3]
- The Courtship of Benjamin Jink. Horace Slughorn/OMC, Slughorn/Severus Snape. Espresso Addict writes this novelette is particularly enjoyable for its subtle, sympathetic yet believable characterisation of Slughorn[6]
- Father to the Man Snape/Argus Filch. Beth H writes Childrearing, domesticity, hurt/comfort, and slash - with a gen sensibility. And so well written.[7]
- Finding Viktor Krum Viktor Krum/Albus Severus Potter. Beth H writes Utterly believable characterizations, wonderful details, and Albus' roommate, Scorpius Malfoy, is fantastic.[7]
- Goat Song. Aberforth Dumbledore/Snape. Painless J writes It's amazing how this short and seemingly spare in detail story works wonders in getting through to the reader. Only five scenes but they do stand out.[8]
- In Memory of Sigmund Freud Snape/Minerva McGonagall, Snape/Moody. Kelly Chambliss writes In many ways, this story is the best Snape/McGonagall I've read... This is young!Severus in all his gauche awkwardness; he's believably naive, paranoid, exasperating, brilliant, and oddly endearing. It's Moody with all his strengths and weaknesses — scarred, angry, wounded, violent, moving. And Minerva is a triumph: she's generous and wry and initially seems to be the most uncomplicated character of the three, but in the end, I find her the most enigmatic.[5]
- Mad Dogs and Scotsmen. Alastor Moody, Emmeline Vance (gen). Kelly Chambliss writes combines snappy writing with believable characterization and moments that are both laugh-aloud and moving.[9]
- Love Accidentally. Crack-fics and humor. Podfic Version by via ostiense
Meta
- An Acquired Taste. Snape/Filch pairing at The Shipper's Manifesto
Other Fandoms
This article or section needs expansion. |
Example Fanworks
- In the Closet. Tintin. Haddock/Tintin
- The Carnival Wake The Magnificent Seven Written for the Mag7BigBang 2010. Nathan Jackson/Josiah Sanchez/Ezra Standish. Reader Solosundance commented, That was just wonderful! The setting, the beautiful layers of detail, the subtle veins of poignancy and regret and love running through it. Every word perfectly placed, every phrase a gem [10]
| Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples. |
References
- ^ delphi: December Meme: Jeeves, Bertie, and Rare Characters (accessed 17 January 2014)
- ^ delphi: 30 Days of Fandom - Day 22 & 23 (accessed 17 January 2014)
- ^ a b Regan v: InstaRec: "The Boy Who Lived," by Atdelphi (accessed 17 January 2014)
- ^ Beth H: Harry Potter Het Recs (accessed 17 January 2014)
- ^ a b Know It Alls: “In Memory of Sigmund Freud” by Delphi
- ^ a b Espresso Recommendations: Harry Potter (accessed 17 January 2014)
- ^ a b Beth H: Harry Potter Slash Recs. A-L (accessed 17 January 2014)
- ^ Painless J: HP recs: Snape/other (accessed 17 January 2014)
- ^ Kelly Chambliss: HP Friendship Recs (accessed 17 January 2014)
- ^ Mag7BigBang 2010, comments to "The Carnival Wake." (accessed 2 July 2015)