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CHAMPION INTERVIEW #50, Team Dragon Interview, Simons_Flower!


Your Name (lj and/or Penname): Trisha (simons_flower)
Archive link(s): http://www.simonsflower.net
Your Team: Dragon


1. 'Canon compliant' is a hot button topic in Harry Potter fandom (thanks to all the 'After-Book Specials' JKR is hosting). What is your definition?

True canon is anything in the books. Anything JKR says in her interviews, especially because some interviews are contradictory, can be taken as necessary. I think the Epilogue could be taken with a grain of salt as well. Since the release of DH, everything I've written is EWE (and I love that acronym), which I think has become a canon reference by itself.


2. Has fanfic influenced your writing? If yes, was it a particular story you can name for us?

Not exactly, other than changing my OTP from Harry/Ginny to Harry/Hermione way back around the release of OotP. For that I blame Lori's "Paradigm of Uncertainty" universe. Beyond that, I can't think of a specific instance, though I'm sure the characterizations of some minor characters in my mind are influenced by how fanfic authors have written them. I think the most striking examples of that are the characterizations of Charlie and Bill, though I don't write them often.


3. What element(s) about the relationship between Snape and Harry do you find most intriguing?

Power. Especially after Half-Blood Prince. In many ways, DH was a let down for the conflict between Snape and Harry after the build-up of HBP. But the power differential between Harry and Snape is, for me, the main draw. That could mean either the teacher/student dynamic, the spy/leader-of-rebellion dynamic, or any variation of those.


4. How would Severus Snape find your team mascot most useful?

Ingredients. I imagine dragons could be broken down into many ingredients...but not as many as phoenixes, right? :)


5. What would you consider your greatest strength in writing?

When I have the patience, detail is my greatest strength. Most of the time, however, I bore myself with the detail and just hurry it up to get to the next scene. There was a pair of Harry/Hermione fics I wrote, both over 13,000 words, that I shocked myself with due to their length and continuity.


6. Is there something your beta(s) constantly catch you doing?

Um, that assumes I use a beta. I don't usually use a beta except for exchange fics. That said, what comes up most often are odd sentence structures (it makes sense in my mind but not to anyone else) and typos.


7. Have you ever collaborated/partnered with another author or artist? If yes, please describe it for us. If no, would you consider it?

Once, for Phoenix Rising's Paintbrush & Quill. It was an unusual experience to work out a plot and graphic with another person because we had greatly differing ideas. In the end, I think it worked well and would be something I'd like to try again.


8. Now that canon is complete, do you find it more freeing or less when it comes to writing or enjoying fanfic/fanart?

That really depends on the type of fic I'm writing. Since I never did go for the novel-length, book-replacement type, I don't feel hemmed in by that. I do feel limited in that I don't write "filling in the blanks" fics very well (though the hallowedmoments challenge worked well for me) and now that canon is complete, I feel much more comfortable writing post-Voldemort fics.


9. In your opinion, what kind of kink/theme does fandom need more of?

More of? I don't know that fandom needs more of any one thing. Maybe R-rated fics :) I know that's it's easier for me to write NC-17 once I've reached a certain point in the sexual tension rather than keep it at R. I'd like to see more dark fic as well.


10. How do you feel about participating in this year's Snarry Games?

Terrified. I've only written one other Snarry fic and that was a drabble. I'm looking forward to the challenge -- and hope I can live up to it!




Thank you, simons_flower! We're taking advantage of Insane Journal's friendliness this morning, and injecting an interview. simons_flower's story is posted: Chains, by Simons_Flower. Don't forget to read, comment and vote!