Sue's interview With KIMPY about her fic

If you know Kimpy, like I know Kimpy, then you know that she has an affinity for...


PARKA PEEN!


SO if you are offended by the sight, or mention, of male gentilia then I suggest that you go read this fic and skip the interview portion because THIS will be a NSFW post and it might upset those with more delicate sensibilities. Here is the link to the fic: The Nightingale Journals. Now, I will hum the theme to Animaniacs, while those of you who do not wish to view this scoots off to read *MWAH*

(Sue humming here hmmmmmm)






*peeks back*


Are they gone? OK good.


Now, for those of you who are not offended... remember, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!


OH, Dr. Parka Peen! (That is my nickname for this incarnation of our dear Edward.)


This is how Kimpy describes her fic:


Summary: Night nurse Bella Swan blogs about her experiences via "The Nightingale Journals." When Dr. Edward Cullen is named the PICU's newest Fellow, their attraction is undeniable, but they are trying to remain professional. Epic banter and UST result.


I think her blinkie for this fic says it all, don't you?

And this is how I DO IT.


Edward: commando parka in scrubs, caring for babies.


Need I say more?


OK, OK, how about...


Bella: not a wuss. Snarky, fun, smart, tough but not in a bitchy way?


Still not enough??


Man, you guys are so demanding in your fics!


How about...
Alice: not a fashion obsessed pixy?
How about Edward AND Carlisle as hot docs with accents??


Kisses that will make you drool, and close out the fic to find the nearest fella to go practice on?


Did I mention snark and HUMOR?


OK, enough of babbling. HERE is my interview with Kimpy.


I have to say Kimpy and I are buddies, and we TRIED really hard to have a skype interview with the help of the lovely darlin who introduced us, LadyEire (authoress of ___). Sadly, I started posting porn and the conversation deteriorated from there. SO I sent Kimpy the link to my Qs and in between her answers, I will be posting some of the inspirational photos I have found for Kimpy and Dr. Parka Peen!!
ENJOY!


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What was it that gave you the ‘spark’ for your story? Was it a picture? A moment or event? Can you remember the initial inspiration?

It was actually suggested by a number of readers who liked my one-shot, "The Green-Eyed Monster." They were asking for more PICUward. I was in the middle of writing another story at the time, so I shelved the idea until I was done with my other writing projects. 

The original spark for the one-shot was Algonquinrt's Parkaward contest. She was talking it up on Twitter, and I shook my head, convinced I would never enter THAT contest. Uh, like they say, never say never. 

Do you have a particular process when it comes to your writing, perhaps a certain mood, environment or music? Do you have any ‘triggers’ to get you in the writing mood?

I do have triggers. They are what's known as actually having time to write! Because I am busy with RL, and I work straight nights, it can be a challenge to simply be awake enough to type my own name.  When I have a chunk of time, I try to squeeze in writing time where I am able.

The very best time for me to write or come up with ideas is when I'm done with work. For some reason, the process of disengaging my brain after a 12 hour shift frees up all these creative ideas or conversations in my head. It is a rare day when I don't sit in my car, scribbling down bits of dialogue that just popped into my head, after my shift. I carry my Moleskine notebook with me literally everywhere, because it kills me when I come up with an idea and I lose it because I have nothing to write with. 

A parkapeen in action. BE WARNED! It's literally a peen doing stuff it is mezmorizing like watching a lava lamp do not look if you are offended and this is VERY NSFW.

  Give us an elevator pitch. Say you’re in an elevator with a prospective reader for 2 minutes – what would you tell them about the story?

Oh, man, I'm terrible at this kind of stuff! You'll probably be surprised to know that it would make me blush to tell someone about my smutty story on an elevator, but it's true! OK, here goes my lameass attempt at selling my story:

Do you like medical dramas that are realistic--you know, the ones when you feel like you're in the middle of the action? Where medical professionals seem real, not caricatures of what people think it's like to be a doctor or nurse? Do you enjoy fun, flirty banter? Most importantly, how do you feel about parka peens? If so, I think "The Nightingale Journals" might just be for you. 

Dude, I wasn't kidding when I said "lameass." Really.

Do you picture particular actors for your characters, or are they someone else entirely? If so, who?

RPattz is always in my head for anything Edward-related. Always. Cannot separate the two, nor do I wish to, for that matter. UNG. It was even that way when I read the books; he was always in my head. Oh, let's be honest--the boy is always in my head anyway, so it's only normal he's in there for TNJ, too!

As for Bella, that's more difficult. I suppose she looks kind of like KStew, but her voice and mannerisms are all different. Probably closer to Evangeline Lilly's face and Kate Winslet's body.

  

Is the story all planned out or do you do it as a fly by the seat of your pants thing?

For the other chapter fic I wrote, "Desiderata," it had been in my head for ten years, and it closely followed the story line for "Pride and Prejudice." That was clearly based on an outline. For "The Nightingale Journals," it's a tougher call, because I'm trying to blend elements of the one-shot into a multi-chapter fic. I think it is best to say that it is semi-outlined. I know the major plot points, but it isn't as detailed as "Desiderata" was. I'm going out on a limb, though, and saying that I have several ways the story is going to end, but I haven't chosen one yet. 

I will say that once I begin writing a chapter, I usually let it just flow out of me. It has elements I want to include, but it doesn't really unfold until my fingers hit the keyboard.  6. Have you got any other projects going on? Any planned for the future?

Well, I obviously need to finish TNJ, which should be around 22-25 chapters long. I have another little chapter story that needs to be finished after that, "Just a Passenger in the Naughty Boy Car." I'm auctioning off two one-shots for FGB. Those should keep me busy for a good long while. I have no ideas for any new multi-chapter fics at this time. 

What was it that brought you to Twilight fanfic?  What is it that has kept you here (besides your own writing)
  

I actually never heard of FFn before I read Twilight. I read the books through so many times it isn't funny, because I just wasn't ready to let Edward and Bella go. I loved them so much, it was like I was saying goodbye to a couple of good friends. I went to Stephenie Meyers' website, and found outtakes from the books, as well as "Midnight Sun." I was determined NOT to read MS until the book came out, but then it appeared like she wasn't going to write the book, so I eventually read it. I don't think I have words strong enough to express how much I loved the EPOV of the story--when I got to the end of what was available for MS, I was heartbroken--I simply needed more. It is slightly ironic that I found out about FFn through Stephenie's website. I clicked on the link for Twilighted, and the rest is history.

When I got to Twilighted, I was skeptical. I thought the idea was crazy, but I wanted more EPOV, so I went with it. I think the first story I read was "Warmth," and the shock I experienced when I actually GOT TO READ THE NAUGHTY PARTS SM DID NOT INCLUDE was complete. I felt like I had just discovered fire, it was that awesome. I've been a voracious reader ever since.

I will also say that my one disappointment is that my writing has taken away tons of time I used to spend reading, so I miss being able to spend an entire day finding good fics to read. I read exclusively for about 6 months before starting to write. Now that I'm a member of the Perv Pack's Smut Shack, I get more reading time, so reading and writing are pretty well balanced for the time being.

Do you have a background in writing?  

Heck no! I'm a science geek--I majored in biology and health education in college. I've always enjoyed writing, though, it was never a lot of work for me. I had lots of ideas in my head, but could never seem to manage sitting down to actually get it done. I have notebooks filled with scribbles and ideas. Curiously enough, it took reading FFn to realize that perhaps I could do the writing thing. I had SO much fun writing my first story, a one-shot called, "Like A Virgin," that I just kept on writing. It has been such a wonderful endeavor, a way for me to use creative parts of my mind that are never put to use in my daily life. I LOVE to write; I think it is the best hobby in the world. 

How about your creative self-confidence?  By nature writers tend to be a notoriously insecure lot so how are you finding the online writing experience?

I think that my self-confidence has improved over time, but I'm not going to lie--putting yourself out there via your story can be nerve-wracking. My beta, TFX/NaughtySparkle, made me take a New Year's Resolution that I would listen to her when she said a chapter was good. I was notoriously worried about the lemons not being creative enough as time went by. 

That being said, I don't write simply for the process of getting reviews to make me feel better about myself. Even if only one person read my stuff, I would still write it, because of what joy I gain from the process. I'm not one of these authors that can tell you how many people are reading their stories, or how many reviews I get per chapter, or whatever. Reviews are nice, and I appreciate them so much, but they don't drive me to write. Recognition is so nice, and anyone who tells you differently is full of bull, but again, I'm not doing this to get an ego boost.

Do you tell your friends and family that you’re an online author with a devoted following, or is this something that you tend to keep for yourself?

I had to giggle at "devoted following." You can bet your sweet bippy I'm never going to refer to myself as having a devoted following! My husband outed me at a party one time, so most of my close friends know that I write, but they don't understand it. Indeed, they don't understand why I love Twilight so much; they're certainly not going to understand the whole fanfiction thing. They do understand that I'm having fun and doing the writing I've always wanted to do, so they're happy with leaving it at that, for the most part.
Is there a particular character in your story that you identify with the most?  

Oh, definitely Bella. In fact, her blog posts are completely written from my own perspective, for the most part. I'd written them down earlier, just as personal drabbles, but it seemed appropriate to pull them out for the story. My Bella is a lot more assertive than I am, but we have a lot in common, particularly a love of Edward going commando in his scrubs.

Which RL author(s) inspires you?

Wow, that's a tough question. Before I read Twilight, I read almost exclusively non-fiction, which will probably surprise a lot of people. I feel like real life people, their struggles and their challenges, are fascinating. I'm especially intrigued by serial killers and criminals, because they're such different creatures. How do two people who grow up in the same family become so different? Jeffrey Dahmer and Cary Stayner had "normal" siblings, so what went wrong with them? People's motivations are intriguing.

The RL authors I appreciate the most are David McCullough, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and J.K. Rowling. They're all incredibly good at what they do, and take such care with their subject matters and characters.

Did any FF authors inspire you?   What was it that had you reading FF and thinking “I could do this”?

I was totally inspired by "Frenemies," by McVampy (AKA Angry Badger Girl), the first AH fic I read, and "Mr. Horrible" by Algonquinrt. They were both so funny and clever, and I LOVED the banter between Skittleward and Sweets. I loved Algie's cultural references in Mr. H, too. I laughed so hard at both of those I peed in my pants. I mean, what's not to love about a fugly hideous pet fish named Birkin? 

While I loved those fics, I never read them thinking that I would be able to craft something that funny and good. It was more like they made me want to try, to see if I could do something passable. There were also plenty of things I read where I thought, "Now I KNOW I can do better than that."  15. What advice would you give to an aspiring fanfic writer?

If you have a story to tell, then don't be afraid to tell it. While there will always be fics that are better or worse than yours, no one has the right to tell you that you cannot/should not be writing. Seek out Project Team Beta if you need help; they're great. The bottom line is, if you believe in your story, you should tell it. Period. Even if you only get one review.  

Give us a Random Fact about yourself?

Well, I was the Division III national champ on vault in college. I was a gymnast for 14 years.

If you could have 15 minutes with any Edward, FF or SM's, which one would you choose and what would you do?

If you do not LIKE any of the Edwards, feel to substitute an actor here. Rob, Kellan, PFach or Jackson or my personal favorite, Colin *SIGH*(taking a moment to contemplate Colin) or any actor at all really.

Oh, my bloody hell, that is like the ultimate Sophie's Choice there, bb! No fair! I have to pick just ONE??!! Well, I can narrow it down to two: tarasueme's Domward, or adorablecullens' Balticward. Their intensity positively smolders. No kidding, I'm pretty sure my monitor started smoking while I was reading. There is something about a really intense guy that just kills me ded. In the end, Balticward would probably win the 15 minutes, because he's a doctor, we have a lot of similar interests (like international/global/refugee health), and HE HAS A PARKA PEEN. 'Nuff said. We could cover a lot of ground in 15 minutes, right, Mr. Nariovski Cullen? *winks salaciously at Balticward*

What is your FanFic Pet peeve?

Oh dear, my inner bitch is really going to come out here. You have been forewarned. I hate, hate, hate grammatical errors. I hate bad spelling. My anally retentive self comes out screaming when both are present in a story. I have been known to drop a fic all together if there are too many errors, because it ends up distracting me from the plot line. My biggest, worst, most anal pet peeve of all? Misuse of apostrophes. Just because something is plural, it does not mean it requires an apostrophe. There's also a lot of misuses of the words peek, peak, and pique being used interchangeably. Past and passed are also frequently misused. Breathe and breath. Cloths and clothes. I could go on, but that would be boring. There, I said it. I'm a picky, cunty bitch. Please, people, make good use of a beta. That's all I ask.

What is your Fandom Pet peeve?

The recreation of my junior high cafeteria social milieu. I was already tortured by three years of junior high, thank you very much; I have no desire to revisit it, especially the cafeteria. I mean, this is fanfiction for god's sake, and no one is better than anyone else! People can get so catty and mean, and it bothers me to no end. I also didn't join up to be in a sorority, either. I believe people deserve to be treated with respect until they prove unworthy of it. I think we should all be civil to one another. The same goes for ripping authors in public. There is no need, or use, for flames. If you don't care for something an author has done, simply stop reading. No matter what you feel an author's transgression might be, you can easily, politely handle it via a PM. You don't need to cut them a new one via a review. You don't need to bitch about the person on Twitter. While I'm all for constructive criticism, I've rarely seen any critique of an author in the fandom that was constructive. Personal attacks have nothing to do with an author's story, and have no business being shown the light of day. While we live in an age of instant communication, we can perhaps stop to think for 10 seconds to more carefully word some feedback before we give it. Bottom line, peeps? BE. NICE. It really isn't that hard to do, I promise.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

This totally made me giggle, because I'm so never going to grow up it isn't funny. Dude, I wear cartoon scrubs to work. I have a Cheshire Cat Italian charm bracelet. I squee like a little fangirl on the scary rides at amusement parks. I'm more like a 12YO boy trapped in a middle aged woman's body (you would think that I at least could have chosen some hot young chick so I could look at myself naked, you know?). I've done a billion different things in my life (my resume is a scary document), but nothing beats being a bedside nurse. I love, love, love what I do. I leave work satisfied and fulfilled, and never have to worry about work when I'm not there. I rarely have to go to meetings. I get to be super anally retentive. I get to huff bbs for a living. I get paid to do all this stuff! It's amazing and incredible, and I feel completely fortunate to have found the profession of nursing. It took me a long time, but I think this is what I want to be for the rest of my life. 

I'm still not growing up, though, just for the record. Plus, I'm only 5' tall--growing up is never going to happen. 

Anything else you would like to add?

Is it wrong to say how flattered I am that you asked to interview me? Seriously, I looked around the room when you asked, and, realizing that I was alone, shook my head and thought, "Me? Really? Are you sure you didn't mean someone else?" Apparently, you did mean me, and that is so cool I want to nom your face up and down!! Thanks for the chance to be interviewed. I'm all happy in my pants now.

Sue's interview With KIMPY about her fic