MHSu
March 2020
How did you discover Fifty Shades? You live in Myanmar. Are the FS books and films popular there?
One of my friends gave me an FSOG movie in 2015, but I knew the movie was a romance drama, so I was wary and did not watch it. I finally watched it in 2017, just before Darker came out. After I watched FSOG, I wanted to read the novel, so I downloaded and read it.
I didn't even know there was any Fifty Shades fanfiction. The Fifty Shades Trilogy is the second set of English written books I have read in my life. The first series was Twilight.
I am not sure about the popularity of the Fifty Shades books. In my circle, among my friends I think I am the only person who is reading English written novels.
Do your family and friends know about your reading habits? If so, what do they think?
They know I am reading my Kindle all the time, but they don't really know what I am reading. They think I am just reading some random novels.
What are your favorite tropes? What kinds of stories do you wish there were more of?
I like all kinds of stories, anything as long as CG is a billionaire. The one exception is I don't read cheating stories.
You know the FSoG fanfiction catalog very well. How many stories do you think you've read thus far? What's next on your TBR list?
I've read quite a few of them and I love the fanfiction more than the original novels. I really appreciate those who can write and are really amazed that they can think of a good plot. I am waiting for those stories who are still updating. I am waiting for those to complete. :P
Is there anything you'd like for authors to know about your reading experience?
As English is my second language, I find it easier to read fanfic than original novels. Also I find fanfic stories are far better and there are many more characters.
When I read my first fanfic (AshBax's story, "Darker Through Grey Eyes"), I really thought it was written by EL James, because I read that EL James was writing CG's POV. I have been hooked on fanfic ever since.
What have Fifty Shades and fanfiction added to your life?
As for fanfiction, I only read Fifty Shades. I tried reading Twilight fanfic but I didn't really like it. I read mostly for entertainment, but I do learn new things. I learned that there are homeless people in the United States from reading about it in the fanfiction story, "Bad Judgment." I never thought there are homeless or very poor people there.
What can you tell us about courtship practices in Myanmar? If Ana and Christian were to visit your country, and you could schedule a romantic day for them, what would you have them do?
I really don't have any ideas about that, as I don't have a boyfriend. I think they'd just hang out, go for a movie together, or sit somewhere in the park. Some couples go to the Pagoda, which is a famous landmark, very huge.
Here if a guy courts a girl, he tells a girl he loves her, and then waits for the girl to answer. The girl will think about the guy's character, job, and so on. If she thinks he is suitable and has feelings for him, she will return his expressions of love, and say it back to him. I have noticed in fanfiction, Ana and Christian only say "I love you" after some time has passed, not on the first date, or when they become a couple.
Nowadays, most couples in my country meet online, mostly through Facebook.
