Profile a Reader: Althea Pimps for Shawna

It’s quite a thrill when we can successfully
hook real life friends and family into this thing of ours. I’d LOVE to
contribute to the conversion by doin what I do: I like figuring out what
kinds of fics someone might dig, and finding stories that match. I’m
about to put my fic-loving geekheart on my sleeve and go all FBI
profiler on this one.

Here’s the listener request we received:

I need help! I'm getting my mom hooked on TwiFic but I am not sure what to rec next. She has read Wide Awake and The Lost Boys which she loved. I rec'd Boycotts and Barflies but it was not a strong enough story for her. I loved Boycotts and there are tons of fics that are similar in story and strength so I am trying to find something different. Also, she is my mom so I can't be rec'ing The Forbidden Room or anything too embarrassing for my mom to enjoy. Ewwww! EP sound good but I haven't read it...I have commitment issues. She could probably hang with some slash. She turned me onto Queer as Folk and True Blood..yah she is dirty! Weird for me. Help!

-- Shawna

Break out the theme music, it’s on!

(note: This is not a scientific process, just one reader’s opinion. And not the collective opinion of the Twific Pimps. So, grain of salt, people.)

Profile of a reader:

A momma, new to fic. I’m assuming she hasn’t read Twilight because so far you’ve given her all AH. She could probably handle some slash and might even go for some smuttiness sans extreme lemons. She prefers her stories strong, and don’t mind if I extrapollate, meaty.

Diagnosis:

• She wasn’t so into the fluffy, romantic hijinx of Boycotts and Barflies. She'd probably be into something with rich characters and compelling story development. She’d probably appreciate something that is crafty in its execution.
• Would perhaps be into a bit of mystery/intrigue, and open to a bit of the fantastic (hollerrr Lost Boys!).
• And, not afraid of a bit of angst (Wide Awake, I’m looking at you).
• The stories she’s liked so far have lemons associated with the well-developed buildup of UST. So she probably prefers her hot-frickety-hotness in context.

Recommendations:

The perfect fic for this reader profile is The Blessing and The Curse by TheBlackArrow

Two people connected since childhood, a mother's last dying wish, a triangle where Bella must choose between the safe road and the uncertain yet passionate road. TheBlackArrow’s writing is amazingly vivid, and her story is emotional and rich. The dynamic between this Edward and Bella is crazy in its intensity. There is history and chemistry and your momma is gonna love the lemon situation up in this story. That’s all I’ll say about that, mmkay. This story has a dark and mysterious Edward, a touch of the supernatural, and it’s got its share of angstiness. It is WIP and updates aren't that regular. But, it is worth noting that it is 100% worth reading.

Official description: By pretending she is falling for Edward, Bella is fulfilling Esme's dying wish. But sexy, possessive Edward can read her mind. Will she ever get into his? Can Bella forget the pain of her teenage years, and can she resist his relentless seduction? AH.

Other stories that might be up this reader’s alley...

University of Edward Masen by Sebastien Robichaud

This story is heady deliciousness, it has a huge build of UST, oh yes, and eventually lemons, too. The story is filled with intrigue which engages the reader from the start. I couldn’t figure out why this Edward was such a pompous asshole. But little did I know, that was just the tip of the iceberg of questions that emerge as we delve into the characters’ angsty pasts. As a sidebar, I learned a lot about Dante from reading this fic. It is very far along in the story (aka most of the story is already up and posted) and it is updated weekly.

Official description: Edward Masen is the selfish and brooding university professor; Bella Swan is his shy, but determined graduate student. Appearances can be deceiving. Have their paths crossed before? Rated M for good reason, all human, canon pairings.

The Mirrors by adorablecullens

This story’s premise definitely takes the reader into the realm of fantasy. However, much like The Lost Boys, the majority of this story takes place in the present day world of adults. The characters are relateable because, at one time or another, we all strive to reconnect to that time in our youth when we were in touch with the fantastic. This story is lovely and adorablecullens is one of our fandom’s great storytellers. Also, this story is complete.

Official description: Teddy's secret and magical childhood is lost when a family heirloom is destroyed, changing his life forever. Now an adult, can Edward open himself back up to magic and love when he meets a beautiful - and hauntingly familiar - woman in real life?

Hydraulic Level 5 by gondolier

The sheer creativity of this story blew me away. I am so invested in these characters and their world. Gondolier weaves a compelling tale, keeping the reader guessing with regards to Bella and Edward's relationship: what the hell happened in their past, and is there a future for them? In a creative twist, throughout the story Gondolier treats us to tastes of writer Edward's latest work - a fictionalized account of his youth with Bella. She doesn't just tell us that Edward is mega-successful, G brings us into his process and lets us sample the goods. Again, it fits the MO as a strong story, complete with intrigue and angst. FYI: this WIP story is almost done but updates are sporadic.

Official description: Critics hailed Edward Cullen’s novels as “masterful allegory” and "brimstone beauty"...a genius of our time. Whatever. I was his first kiss. First date. First love. I gave him my heart when I was four…and still, he left me for his stupid vampire books. AH WIP

About Emancipation Proclamation. You mentioned EP as a possible rec for your mom. It has a really original premise, a very engaging story, a well-loved fic that I have enjoyed reading. Some things to consider before you suggest it to your mom -- The character of Carlisle is a mafia boss who does some pretty twisted shit. As people who have read Twilight we are predisposed to see Carlisle as the personification of compassion and morality. His actions in EP might be shocking to us, but part of its success as a fanfic is that we as readers are hesitant to write him off, even if we want to. People who have not come to love the character of Carlisle in other contexts, might not be as forgiving of his heinous acts and might find it difficult to invest in his character and his mafia world. (this is just this reader’s opinion, though) Also worth noting: it is very long with very long chapters.

So that concludes this episode of Profile a Reader. I’ve been your host, AltheaJams, and it’s been real. Got a type of fic or reader preference you want profiled? Have a question you want to throw at the pimps? Send in your Questions, Comments, Concerns via THIS form.

Drop us a comment! We want to hear about what you would have suggested as a rec for our listener’s mom.