So this is rather unorthodox of me, but hey, they do it at the backs of
published books all the time - those "readers' guides" or "discussion
questions" or whatever. Basically, between reviews posted here and emails
I've gotten people seem to have a lot of questions about this story, and
(just for starters) I'm too proud to let them go unanswered if it means
people think I unwittingly made lousy story choices. If you think this is
incredibly self-indulgent and unnecessary, you're welcome not to read it.
1.) Where the hell did this story idea come from? (Corollary question: Are you some sick perverted freak who gets off on tormenting helpless sitcom characters with soap opera storylines?)
I have gotten this question way too many times, considering I have no answer (which makes the answer to the corollary "quite possibly," I'm sorry to say.) But while I like the show Frasier as a sitcom, it's got more depth than most sitcoms, and that's probably got something to do with it. Also these subjects are of interest to me right now and most television dramas are not.
Why would you make Niles bisexual? Couldn't you have had him have a brief dalliance with a heroin addiction if you wanted him to get AIDS?
A couple of reasons. For one thing, it amused me that while Frasier and Niles are two of the most stereotypically gay-acting characters on television - and the show plays that up all the time - there's never been a fanfic written that played into that. For those of you who said his having had a gay affair was OOC, I. do not know what you're talking about. :) And again, the subject's of interest to me, so it wound up in the fic. I think bisexuality's a lot more common than most people believe or let on - why not let Niles have a little fling with a guy? Sounds like fun to me. ;)
Do you really think Niles is weak?! (Insert lots of offended defense of the man.)
In a word, yes. :) I tried to outline my reasons in chapter 15, and if you don't buy into them then I guess we have to agree to disagree. I actually didn't think the subject was up for debate - I thought it was kind of generally conceded that he was a doormat, no matter what his virtues. And I'm not one of those people who believes that being in love automatically makes you strong, which is supposed to be one of the main themes of the piece. Niles may be in love with Daphne, but until he grows a backbone (assuming you agree with me that he doesn't have much of one as of now) it's not going to do either one of them all that much good when they hit a rough spot. Part of the theme of the story is supposed to be his growth in this regard, his recognition that no matter how much he loves her, some things are going to have to change if he wants this relationship to work. How well it worked I have no idea, which sort of leads me to question -
Are you aware your story completely fell apart at the end?
Yeah, sorry. :( I got distracted by my NOVEL I'm writing! Which is posted in the originals/novels section here! :: shameless plug:: Sticks and Stones, by Cybele Russell! (Click on my name! It will take you there!) More slash! More melodrama! Many, many more words! (It's a novel. :)) It's tough for me to maintain focus on two stories at once, and between a fanfic and an original the original's always going to win. So hopefully all the lost polish on this one was transferred over onto S&S, making it a truly sparkling piece of fiction. ;) ::end shameless plug:: Anyway, even if things got a little rushed at the end, the basic events went as I'd planned them, so you can complain about the writing or the execution and I'll blame it on my novel, but if you complain about the plotline that was a deliberate choice.
Do you think it's at all, oh, over-the-top for people to use such words as "terrible," "destructive," "inexcusable," etc. in their reviews?
Why, thank you for asking. ;) It's a fanfic, people. ::sigh:: I *suppose*, for peace' sake, I can be convinced not to complain about over- the-top reviews containing such words as "amazing," "exquisite," and "Nobel Prize-worthy" ;), but I hardly think it's fair to suggest I've degraded myself in the writing of a fanfictional story.
How come Daphne was such a bitch to Niles, saying all that stuff about how he was weak and they couldn't be together? That was so mean of her! Doesn't she love him?
::sigh:: I'm not sure if you can have a compilation verbatim quote, but I got that out of a few different emailed and posted reviews. No, I wasn't going for a bitchy effect at all. I was going more for someone trying to achieve an honest and respectful discussion. If that's how she feels (and it's sure as hell how I would have felt if I'd been in her shoes, which is, unsurprisingly, why the story played out the way it did) then it would be disastrous for both of them to stay together. Believing he's weak and incapable of maintaining a trusting relationship is very different from not loving him. And trying to avoid telling him that or addressing that would only make things a thousand times worse.
Are you going to write any more fanfics?
Probably not for Frasier, no. Check for me in other fandoms if you're honestly interested. (And read my novel! :: return of shameless plug::
So that's about it. It's kind of late and this is probably a stupid idea, but it seemed easier than emailing a bunch of people with a bunch of questions directly. Thanks for reading, everyone!
1.) Where the hell did this story idea come from? (Corollary question: Are you some sick perverted freak who gets off on tormenting helpless sitcom characters with soap opera storylines?)
I have gotten this question way too many times, considering I have no answer (which makes the answer to the corollary "quite possibly," I'm sorry to say.) But while I like the show Frasier as a sitcom, it's got more depth than most sitcoms, and that's probably got something to do with it. Also these subjects are of interest to me right now and most television dramas are not.
Why would you make Niles bisexual? Couldn't you have had him have a brief dalliance with a heroin addiction if you wanted him to get AIDS?
A couple of reasons. For one thing, it amused me that while Frasier and Niles are two of the most stereotypically gay-acting characters on television - and the show plays that up all the time - there's never been a fanfic written that played into that. For those of you who said his having had a gay affair was OOC, I. do not know what you're talking about. :) And again, the subject's of interest to me, so it wound up in the fic. I think bisexuality's a lot more common than most people believe or let on - why not let Niles have a little fling with a guy? Sounds like fun to me. ;)
Do you really think Niles is weak?! (Insert lots of offended defense of the man.)
In a word, yes. :) I tried to outline my reasons in chapter 15, and if you don't buy into them then I guess we have to agree to disagree. I actually didn't think the subject was up for debate - I thought it was kind of generally conceded that he was a doormat, no matter what his virtues. And I'm not one of those people who believes that being in love automatically makes you strong, which is supposed to be one of the main themes of the piece. Niles may be in love with Daphne, but until he grows a backbone (assuming you agree with me that he doesn't have much of one as of now) it's not going to do either one of them all that much good when they hit a rough spot. Part of the theme of the story is supposed to be his growth in this regard, his recognition that no matter how much he loves her, some things are going to have to change if he wants this relationship to work. How well it worked I have no idea, which sort of leads me to question -
Are you aware your story completely fell apart at the end?
Yeah, sorry. :( I got distracted by my NOVEL I'm writing! Which is posted in the originals/novels section here! :: shameless plug:: Sticks and Stones, by Cybele Russell! (Click on my name! It will take you there!) More slash! More melodrama! Many, many more words! (It's a novel. :)) It's tough for me to maintain focus on two stories at once, and between a fanfic and an original the original's always going to win. So hopefully all the lost polish on this one was transferred over onto S&S, making it a truly sparkling piece of fiction. ;) ::end shameless plug:: Anyway, even if things got a little rushed at the end, the basic events went as I'd planned them, so you can complain about the writing or the execution and I'll blame it on my novel, but if you complain about the plotline that was a deliberate choice.
Do you think it's at all, oh, over-the-top for people to use such words as "terrible," "destructive," "inexcusable," etc. in their reviews?
Why, thank you for asking. ;) It's a fanfic, people. ::sigh:: I *suppose*, for peace' sake, I can be convinced not to complain about over- the-top reviews containing such words as "amazing," "exquisite," and "Nobel Prize-worthy" ;), but I hardly think it's fair to suggest I've degraded myself in the writing of a fanfictional story.
How come Daphne was such a bitch to Niles, saying all that stuff about how he was weak and they couldn't be together? That was so mean of her! Doesn't she love him?
::sigh:: I'm not sure if you can have a compilation verbatim quote, but I got that out of a few different emailed and posted reviews. No, I wasn't going for a bitchy effect at all. I was going more for someone trying to achieve an honest and respectful discussion. If that's how she feels (and it's sure as hell how I would have felt if I'd been in her shoes, which is, unsurprisingly, why the story played out the way it did) then it would be disastrous for both of them to stay together. Believing he's weak and incapable of maintaining a trusting relationship is very different from not loving him. And trying to avoid telling him that or addressing that would only make things a thousand times worse.
Are you going to write any more fanfics?
Probably not for Frasier, no. Check for me in other fandoms if you're honestly interested. (And read my novel! :: return of shameless plug::
So that's about it. It's kind of late and this is probably a stupid idea, but it seemed easier than emailing a bunch of people with a bunch of questions directly. Thanks for reading, everyone!