The Lone Gunmen Estrogen Brigade Interview with Deb Prewitt
| Interviews by Fans | |
|---|---|
| Title: | The Lone Gunmen Estrogen Brigade Interview with Thalia D'Muse (also: X-Press Interview with Thalia D'Muse) |
| Interviewer: | Lydia Bower |
| Interviewee: | Thalia D'Muse |
| Date(s): | April 1997 |
| Medium: | online |
| Fandom(s): | The X-Files |
| External Links: | The Lone Gunmen Estrogen Brigade Interview with Thalia D'Muse |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
The Lone Gunmen Estrogen Brigade Interview with Thalia D'Muse was conducted by Lydia Bower.
It was one of a series conducted by Lydia Bower for the website The Lone Gunmen Estrogen Brigade and its sister site X-Press. There were other interviews done in this series with Jill Selby, Paula Graves, CiCi Lean, Madeline Partous, and Karen Rasch, but those interviews did not survive the GeoCities purge and are long gone.
Introduction: About Thalia D'Muse
Thalia D'Muse is a like a magical jewelry box. Every time you open it, you find something new, unexpected, and usually lovely. Thalia first began posting fanfiction over a year ago and since then has run the gamet-- from the sparklingly witty humor of recent Morley Award winner "Speedo Optional," to dark but no less beautiful vignettes like "The Beast Within," to case files like "Peace of Mind" and the newly finished "Nowhere To Hide".Team her up with KL (The Brunette) and Audrey Cooper and you'll find a delicious blend of humor, romance and pathos in "Vegas Strip" and "The Burmuda Triangle".
Turn her loose with a computer and software and she'll stun you with her graphics; many of which we Philes have seen and appreciated without ever realizing the talent behind them.
On top of all that, earlier this year Thalia took on the formitable task of helping to organize the Morley Awards for the x-files-fanfic mailing list. And let's not forget the time she volunteers to help the Gossamer archivists. This is one very busy lady!
I was lucky enough to snag a few minutes of Thalia's time this month. Come along with me now and take a peek into the mind of this talented and energetic writer.
Excerpts from the Interview
Have you always written fiction or were you inspired by TXF?
I used to write constantly when I was younger. Then I hit college and decided on a degree in journalism. Out went the creative writing; in went the "5W's and an H" journalism writing. I started watching XF in January 1996, then I got on-line in mid-1996. By then I still hadn't found the nerve to pick up creative writing again, probably due to fear that I had lost the creative part over the years. When I (quite accidentally) linked into Vincent's archive, I found inspiration in the characters.
What was it about the show that compelled you to start writing fanfic?
The chemistry between the characters is what did it for me. That, and the style of writing of Chris Carter. I'm naturally curious and I just couldn't stand when he left openings at the end of eps. I wanted to fill in those blanks, and I wanted to explore the relationship between these two strong-willed characters.
How would you classify your work as a whole?
Is there a smorgasbord category? I think I've tried every genre but slash - and don't expect any of that from me. I'm not that brave! I don't know... I guess angst and UST would be the two classifications that represent my work. Nearly everything I've written has some degree of angst and/or UST in it.
What's your take on the whole Mulder/Scully thing?
You've got two people who are intelligent, driven and curious, but very different, from very different backgrounds. These two are thrown together and forced to work with each other. They lock horns from the beginning. They argue about facts, they fight about theories, they disagree about things that have happened right in front of their eyes... but always -- ALWAYS -- they come back to each other. Despite everything they have seen, everything they have been forced to endure, they are still together.
Despite ample opportunity to leave, they stay with each other. They have learned from each other. They have formed a bond that few are lucky enough to experience. There is love there, without a doubt. Whether it's platonic love or romantic love... well, that's best left up to the individual reader/viewer to decide. (Notice how smoothly Thalia side-steps that whole Shipper vs. Noromo thing... )
What's the first piece of XF fanfic you posted?
Fox's Den, posted in October 1996.
What's the first XF fanfic you read?
I don't remember the very first fanfic, but the first one that had a lasting impression on me was 12 Degrees of Separation. It was one of the first I read, and I read it in two sittings. I had sore eyes, a sore back and a sore butt, but it was worth it.
Describe the physical area you work in.
My computer is in my room and sits on an big oak desk, surrounded by books, books and more books. My favorite chair is in the living room and overlooks the balcony outside my apartment.
How do you deal with writer's block, Thalia?
Not very well. Ugh. If anyone knows an effective way to deal with this, let me know. The only thing I've found that works more times than not is writing something completely different from the work that's giving me trouble. I wrote Beast Within while trying to unfreeze my brain on another story. Come to think of it, many of my vignettes were borne from frustration on longer stories.
How important is feedback to you?
Feedback is very important! I love writing, and for the most part I do it for me. But over time I've become a feedback-aholic. The net presents a unique situation for writers - you can go straight to the readers and the readers can come straight to you. Feedback has helped me grow as a writer. It's helped me make bolder moves in what I write. It's also let me know where my strengths and weaknesses are, and what of my writing works and doesn't work.
Who are some of your favorite fanfic authors? What are your favorite pieces of X-Files fanfic?
Hang on, this is a *very* long list. Some of my favorite fanfic authors are: The Brunette, Audrey Cooper, Debbie Wells, Madeleine Partous, Kay Reindl, Rhoni Lake, Paula Graves, Karen Rasch, Parrotfish, Meredith, Jill Selby, Viv Wiley, Joyce McKibben, Lydia Bower, Leyla Harrison, Laura Capozzola, CiCi Lean, MD1016... Some of my favorite fanfics are: Forgotten Ones, Playing Goddess, 12 Degrees of Separation, Never Say Never, Heaven in Hell's Despair, Silence Sea & Sky, Ghost In Her Life, Sounds of Silence, Letters of Transit, After the Colors Fade, Watched, Mediocrity's Allure, Point of View, Games, and probably a dozen more I've forgotten.
Which is your favorite of what you've written?
My latest, Nowhere to Hide, because it's the biggest challenge I've given myself so far. Also, sentimental votes go to Beast Within. That's the first piece I feel I really stretched my creative wings to their fullest.
Who is you favorite character or the character you relate to most strongly. Why?
Mulder on both counts. He intrigues me. His devotion, his stubborn streak, his drive and determination, his sarcastic sense of humor, his need to know and his unwillingness to take the pat answer and accept it as gospel. I recognize all of those traits in myself. He just makes them so much more fascinating.
What's the biggest problem you encounter when writing? How do you solve it?
It's a toss-up between writer's block and discipline. Writer's block I can't help other than to move on to a different story and hope it blows over. Discipline, on the other hand, I *can* help but rarely do. When I get in front of the computer, there's so many temptations: answering e-mail, reading fanfic, playing around with graphics, surfing the 'net. I get distracted easily. That's why I've resorted to writing much of the story on paper, away from the computer. Then when I sit down, I can just type in what I've written and fill in the blanks. It works. Sometimes.
Do your family and friends know about your fanfics? What are their reactions to it?
Some family and friends know. Most are at least tolerant. They know it's something I enjoy doing. They aren't enthusiastic about it but they don't discourage me, either. Some friends are very supportive and ask to read my stories.
When you aren't writing fanfic or watching TXF, what do you enjoy doing?
I love computers. I'm always trying to learn something new or playing with some new software toy I've found or surfing the 'net. I also love to read, listen to music, watch movies and do counted cross-stitch. And shopping. Lots and lots of shopping.
What encouragement or advice would you give newbie XF fanfic writers?
Don't give up; don't get discouraged if your first attempt doesn't garner a bunch of feedback. Get involved on the fanfic lists and join in on conversations with other authors. You can learn so much from others when you open your mind and your eyes. Also, find one or two beta readers. That was the best move I could have ever made when I started writing fanfic.
Lots of Philes are aware of the many fan-based projects you're involved in. But for those who may not, why don't you tell us about some of the things you've done. In other words, this is your chance to toot your own horn.
Toot my own horn, eh? And me without a tuning fork. Seriously, most of the stuff I do is behind the scenes. I'm not a 'limelight' kind of person but I'll give it a go. Most recently, I helped coordinate the x-files-fanfic list awards, the Morleys. I also do graphics for the SPCDD - the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to David Duchovny. A great bunch of gals there, I tell ya! I've also been involved with the Gossamer Project from almost the beginning. Mostly I gathered stories for Nat and Adam, did some reformatting and some graphics. I still help out from time to time. I was also in on the ground floor of the Fox Protest last year, and did the protest graphic for that. Mostly I just lurk in a variety of groups, surfacing every once in a while in the form of a graphic.
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