Immeritus Interview with Dead Sexy

Interviews by Fans
Title:	Immeritus Interview with Dead Sexy
Interviewer:	Pen and Moon
Interviewee:	Dead Sexy
Date(s):	May 2008
Medium:	online
Fandom(s):	Harry Potter
External Links:	interview is here, Archived version
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In 2008, Dead Sexy was interviewed for Immeritus by Pen and Moon.

Others in the Series

See Immeritus Interview Series.

Some Excerpts

I first discovered fanworks when I was trolling about for information on who would die in Half-Blood Prince and I thought it was amazing. The sheer volume is incredible and I still can't get over the number of really gifted authors and artists in fandom. I think many people find it a bit odd that a group of fans would want to write and draw based on the work of other people, but it seemed totally natural to me. Perhaps it's because I'd been watching my children play HP/Star Wars variations for years already.

I think HP fandom has got a niche for just about any topic. As long as one is careful to post in a responsible manner (use proper warnings and post to appropriate communities/forums, etc.), I don't think anything is absolutely taboo. It's a very diverse fandom and I like that. So far I haven't come across any topics I'd absolutely refuse to write, though some would be more difficult for me than others. For readers, I'd urge careful notice and attention to all ratings and warnings. "Don't like, don't read" is a good rule to keep in mind.

I don't think I'd censor my work unless there was a really unusual circumstance that I have yet to imagine. I usually write for myself, label my work with appropriate headings/warnings, and post it in appropriate places. If I am writing to a target audience, I'm careful to keep content and ratings appropriate for that audience's age and preferences so censoring is not needed.

Much of my work is simply not appropriate for younger readers, end of discussion. If I censored some of my adult work, there would really be nothing left to read. I believe strongly in proper headings/warnings and placing adult materials behind cuts—or in the case of Immeritus, in the Restricted Section.

There is a huge bias towards male slash in the tiny corner of HP fandom where I lurk. That said, now that I've been around a while, I can find quality stories of all types when the mood strikes. I really don't know about how the male slash bias holds for fandom in general, as fandom is insanely large. I don't let the bias consciously affect what I write, but I know it influences me. I write primarily for myself and I happen to enjoy het, slash, femmeslash, and all combinations of the three (I even like gen!). If I have an idea and time, I'm going to write it. If I finish the story/poem, I'll post it to various places where there might be other people who'd enjoy reading it. If I write femmeslash or a rarepair, I am not going to expect as much feedback as say, if I write Sirius/Remus. I do think the tendency towards male slash affects me because reading and viewing so much of it inspires plot bunnies in the same vein. I really don't know exactly why there is such a leaning toward male slash in fandom, but I think it's hot. I think it's similar to men enjoying two females together. I also wonder if it's about women today coming to terms with themselves as sexual beings and feeling freer to experiment with things that might be considered taboo in some circles. Did I mention that it's hot?

My husband is the only person who knows exactly what I write for fandom. My children are aware I write a lot and they know it's fandom-related, but nothing more than that. Because I work as a substitute teacher and teachers don't tend to find adults liking "children's literature" odd in and of itself, I have mentioned I write fandom poetry and stories when it's come up in conversation. Because I work as a substitute teacher, I will probably never reveal my fandom name or the places I post my work to any of my real-life friends or other family. I am not at all ashamed of what I write or do online, but I am well aware that a considerable portion of what I write is outside of what many people would consider the norm, fandom or otherwise. It's simply much easier to keep this facet of my life quiet. I don't think most people are ashamed of fandom or their fandom activities. Most of us seem to consider ourselves to be some level of geek, but I think we're comfortable in our geeky skins. I think of fandom as a brilliant place to hide out from the real world for a while. I don't want to share this with the people I'm trying to get away from, and I think others might share that sentiment.