Love on Wheels by Bratty-Vamp
It's fast... it's fun... it's 1978! The most 'not-to-be-taken-seriously-fic' you'll ever be tempted to take seriously! Trying my hand at fluff this time around. So lace up your quads and let's get groovy.
ALRIGHTY if you know ME you know that my favorite genre of fic is AuH period fic meaning a fic set in another time (for those with their minds in the gutter thinking about menstruation YUCK)
ENTER Brattyvamp who likes to write the funny. You might know her from some of her other fics, most notably one of my favs The Best Man
WELL, she wrote this little diddy called Love on Wheels set in the 1970s. You know, the decade that fashion forgot.
So what do I love so much about this fic besides it being set in another time?
The imagery of these characters in 70s clothes slays me. I am a 70s baby, so I fondly remember things like polyester, bell bottoms and men with carpet-like chest hair being sexy (mama and my aunties had a thing for Tom Selleck)
So join me in checking out this lovely complete fic for some fun "time travel" back to the 70s
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me: you ready to start ?
brattyvamp: sure. remind me what we're doin
me: we are gonna talk about Love on Wheels
brattyvamp: Oh! LOL
good times, good times
me: I love period romance stories
and I had to giggle at one set in the 70s
brattyvamp: Good. Because I laughed all the way through it.
me: Ribbon barrettes and roller skating they were my thing too
although I was terrible at it
brattyvamp: I skated... but I was really little. The time frame was ahead of me.
me: I was in grade school when I did skating we used to take trips to the skate rink alot
brattyvamp: I could have been one of the rink rats, maybe.
me: me too
brattyvamp: Yep.
me: dressed like the older kids
cause it was cooool
brattyvamp: did you have a sparkly tube top? lol
me: YUP but mine had strings to hold it up so it was a halter top
Dad hated that thing
brattyvamp: gotcha.
HA HA HA HA
me: and I had white jeans!
 |
| google images failed me pretend he has skates |
brattyvamp: White jeans. Uber cool.
me: and a roach clip with feathers for my hair
brattyvamp: HA HA HA HA!!! I think my Rose would have worn something like that
me: That was me when I was ummm 10 - 13 and I rocked the Farrah Faucet hair well as best as my would mimic hers
brattyvamp: I was a little too young, I think. But my mom dressed me in hippie clothes like those skirts that looked like handkerchiefs and stuff
me: LOL
brattyvamp: so funny.
me: The outfits are great
so many picture possibilities
brattyvamp: I had fun choosing styles for my characters!
me: I bet
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?
brattyvamp: I was drunk.LOL
me: LOL you know that is the reason I do many of the things I do do
brattyvamp: A friend of mine and I were out one night, and I was laughing about doing a very silly story setting. It was either a 70's roller skating disco story... or I was going to make them all truck drivers. I might still make them truck drivers someday. LOL
me: OMG the truck drivers is great. CB radio
brattyvamp: Yes.
me: tons of chatting, banter, flirting
brattyvamp: They don't have to sleep... so you know they'd be driving all night
brattyvamp: They don't have to sleep... so you know they'd be driving all night
me: sorry
brattyvamp: Jasper would have silver-naked lady mud flaps. you get the idea.
me: I get carried away fabulous
brattyvamp: No... I do too. That's how the story idea came to be.
 |
| That's no dusting of chest hair! |
and then I sat on the idea for about 9 months or so before I decided to actually write it
me: why so long?
brattyvamp: I was writing other stuff.
I think I was wrapping up My Escort or working on Toye or something when I first started talking about it
I don't remember.
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?
brattyvamp: I'm just like... a nutcase about it really. I'll be driving or something and all of a sudden I'll hear pieces of conversations or see scenes in my head. Then I'll just have to sit down and pound it out.
I DO need it to be quiet when I write.
because it feels like I'm taking notation.
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?
brattyvamp: uh...
me: this is the most hated Question
brattyvamp: I am shit at promoting my own work. I don't really know why anyone wants to read it!
me: cause it is FUNNY
brattyvamp: Elevator pitch...
It's funny... it takes you back to the 70's. The music and fashion references are fun. It's a feel good kind of story.
how's that?
me: LOL that works
brattyvamp: that's not really two minutes
me: well lets see tube tops, white jeans, chains, chest hair
brattyvamp: Jasper wears really really tight pants
and Edward can do the splits. on skates.
me: I may need a pic reference of those
brattyvamp: No kidding!
Hell. If someone tells me that Emmet has an afro.. I'm sold! 
me: OHHHH man his afro killed me !
brattyvamp: I loved his jewelry nestled in his chest hair
me: yes!
brattyvamp: rofl
me: I saw like Tom Selleck chest hair on Em. that carpet. rather than dusting
brattyvamp: ew. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
me: sexaaaay
brattyvamp: I'm not sure I saw it that thick. But it was enough to make Edward jealous for sure.me: poor Edward and his dusting of chest hair
Do you picture particular actors for your characters, or are they someone else entirely? If so, who?
brattyvamp: Usually someone else entirely
me: for example ?
brattyvamp: no one I could compare them to.
me: cause I cannot picture say Rob doing the splits on skates
brattyvamp: Though it's odd. Usually Ashley Green stays Alice in my head
me: he would take out the entire rink
and all innocent bystanders
brattyvamp: no no. Never pictured Rob as my Edward in this story at all
me: me either
brattyvamp: And KStew is never my Bella. She annoys me.
me: LOL
brattyvamp: They usually have similar features/descriptions because of the books. But each one of my characters have looked different in my mind.
me: She would not be able to pull off the sweet girl in this
or at least what Edward thinks is sweet till she ruins his jeans
brattyvamp: his poor white jeans
me: crime against nature those!
brattyvamp: yup.
me: poor white jeans
brattyvamp: Someone compared him to Pink from Dazed and Confused
and while I never saw him that way.... I did kinda start picturing his clothing/hair to be similar then
Was the story all planned out or did you do it as a fly by the seat of your pants thing?
Do you have a Beta and would you like to give him/her a shoutout here?
brattyvamp: Yep. Kalejay is my beta. We met online when I was writing my very first story, and she's been pre-reading and putting up with my horrific grammar ever since.
She knows the way I write, and lets me do my thing. I pre-read/beta for her story too. (Bloodlust)
me: I have great respect for Betas since I abuse the English Language horribly
Have you got any other projects going on? Any planned for the future?
brattyvamp: I am kinda/sorta supposed to be working on a collab right now. And I love the story... but I haven't dedicated as much time as I would like to, to it. And I was propositioned with another great story idea from a friend of mine, that I'm dying to jump on top of.
Then there is always the truck-driving story to fall back on. LOL
me: you have to let me know when the truck driving one comes out I love the idea
brattyvamp: (Seriously, if anyone reads that and writes the Cullen's as truck drivers, I'm gonna shit.) lol
me: They better not steal a plot bunny ! that would be mean
brattyvamp: I have to finish GREEN first. It's my baby right now.What was it that brought you to Twilight fanfic? What is it that has kept you here (besides your own writing)
brattyvamp: Uh... I was on LJ and everyone was going on and on about this story "Wide Awake." I had never even heard about fanfic at that point
so I checked it out then a couple of my friends told me I should try my hand at writing something. So I did. I stayed around because I love to read... and this is a very steady fix with characters I love to see bent and switched up... and a HUGE vat of talented authors to keep me busy ready reading. Sorry
me: OH do not worry I feel the same way! I am broke most of the time and can read a novel a day (bad thing about reading fast)
brattyvamp: yes.
me: so to me FanFic is VERY frugal!
brattyvamp: I read fast. And write fast I have fun reading updates. and when my stories aren't updating, I write instead
brattyvamp: oh yeah?
me: oh yeah. HP fandom has some great stories some that stick with cannon
brattyvamp: I've only read one.
me: and some that twist cannon on its ass. OH tell me you read Finding Himself!
brattyvamp: Yes. That's the one.
me: OHHHHHHHH that is the best of HP fandom (not that I have read many in the HP fandom so if someone wants to prove me wrong Rec me something!)
brattyvamp: I loved it.
me: I think there is also the sequel but she did not finish it which breaks my heart
brattyvamp: I always get tempted to try...
me: she gave her fans her outline letting everyone know how it ends
brattyvamp: but haven't so far.
brattyvamp: nope. I was in advanced creative writing in highschool.
and I took a creative writing course in college. Wrote a children's book. That's all
me: That is more than some!
brattyvamp: I guess. I never really studied the mechanics of writing. I concentrate more on the characters than on the punctuation.
me: Nita (one of the people who helps edit my blog posts) said "Sue what ever did punctuation do to you to make your hate it so?"
yeah I am not big on punctuation
brattyvamp: I just make up my own rules of grammar as I go... and then hope that it's not too distracting for people to read. Kalejay doesn't change my stories for me in a typical chapter, she'll make less than three suggestions.
Like "Maybe use a hyphen there" or "you left out a word."
so what people read is pretty much my rough work.
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 write to make myself happy. And if I can entertain someone else in the process... bonus!
me: PERFECT stories are better when written for your own enjoyment
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?
brattyvamp: "devoted following" lol. Do I really? My husband and closest friends know that I write this stuff. But I don't blah blah blah about it.
my husband thinks it's cool that people read my stories. But he wants me to write something "real." like... not fanfic related.
Another friend of mine supports me endlessly. so they know.
me: That is good they have confidence in your writing
brattyvamp: in Love on Wheels?
me: yes and if you say Em with his Afro I will crack up
brattyvamp: Maybe Bella in that one. I'm a nice person. I try to be good and honest. But I don't put up with shit. And I'm pretty stubborn.
me: that describes her well
here is a Q that is fic specific
cause it just came to me
so it might not make sense
In your other fic you wrote a lovable Jasper
people were very attached to him
brattyvamp: which one?
me: shit
brattyvamp: I've liked Jasper in most of my stories. The Best Man?
me: YES
me: this Jasper is not as lovable
brattyvamp: nope. He's a shit head.
me: yes! I wanna smack him and then cuddle Alice
brattyvamp: I wanted to smack him too. So I let Alice take him down.
me: that was sweet revenge
brattyvamp: he straightened out by the end. he just had a lot of growing up to do
me: true. it is just interesting to me to see an author take a character that in another fic of theirs is so sweet and turn him into a moron. I know they are different stories but usually authors stick certain traits to certain names
not nessisarily cannon traits
brattyvamp: I let Jasper be a real nasty bloke in Toye.
me: but their own form of cannon
brattyvamp: I like to try to make my characters unique in each story I write.
TRY.
brattyvamp: no. But part of that goes along with what I said earlier about them never looking exactly the same in my mind.
they almost are like different people in each story.
Which RL author(s) inspire you?
brattyvamp: none that I could name right now.
me: That works
brattyvamp: I fall in love with stories.
me: any stories that inspire you
brattyvamp: so it's the characters and the plots and all of that ...
I love LOTS of books. Different books and different styles just jump out at me in different ways. I'm usually most impressed by an author that can suck me into a story that I never would have seen myself falling for
Like The Kite Runner... or a Thousand Splendid Suns.
I love the book "The Last Days of Summer' by Steve Kluger. I NEVER would have believed I would get sucked so hard into that. But I did.
Of course I love books like the Hunger Games... and Harry Potter... and Twilight.
me: OHHH Hunger Games!!
brattyvamp: Just for the author's abilities to put my feet on foreign soil and make me FEEL the world they have created
brattyvamp: so good. Yes.
me: and then found HG fic. Fic is my disease
me: and then found HG fic. Fic is my disease
brattyvamp: I'm tempted to write some of that. REALLY tempted. I will if an idea pops into my head.
me: OH good!
brattyvamp: that says "WRITE ME"
me: I have been reading a few by authors I know. Lolashoes wrote a great one
brattyvamp: yeah?
me: yeah!
brattyvamp: I'd love to write something for Finnick. But I'd change it all around. because I don't want him to die.
me: OH there is a nice one written about Finnick and Katniss. I have only read a couple O/S I like Finnick so much
brattyvamp: who doesn't? HA HA HA HA HA
me: LOL
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| The dreaded rental skates ewwwww |
me: UH OH
brattyvamp: but we'll see if it starts taking shape
me: I hope so!
Did any FF authors inspire you? What was it that had you reading FF and thinking “I could do this”?
brattyvamp: I had already been playing around with original fiction at home. So when I read Wide Awake... I sort of told a few people about the characters in the story I had already been writing. I showed them some, and they said "You could totally do this. You should!" so I put aside my story and started another. Abbracciare Il Cantante was started about three days after that initial conversation. and I never looked back
What advice would you give to an aspiring fanfic writer?
brattyvamp: Write for you. Know your own characters, and your own story and stay true to your original vision and find your own style. that's it.
brattyvamp: I am the only blonde I know who can solve a rubik's cube in like three minutes. LOL
me: LOL well I am brunette with intelligent glasses and I cant finish a Rubik's cube at all!
brattyvamp: I like beating the stereotype.
me: just kick the crap outta that one!
If you could have 15 minutes with anyone Alive or dead real or fictional who would it be and what would you say to them?
brattyvamp: I'd spend time with my Mom. I'd say "I love you. I miss you. I hope I'm making you proud."
me: awwwww (((HUGS)))
brattyvamp: ty
me: I'm all hormonal now I lost my mom when I was a kid so I get it
brattyvamp: okay. How's this I'd spend time with Edward Cullen. And I'd say "Virginity Shmirginity. Drop Trou. And can we get Jasper in here?"
me: BWHAHAHAHHAA laughter through tears my fav emotion
brattyvamp: me too. I joke around a lot.
me: me too. I have been known to crack jokes at funerals. it is a family thing
brattyvamp: in stories that I read?
me: yes
brattyvamp: regurgitated sex scenes. it's almost like they follow a template sometimes. I have no problem with sex in stories. But I think it should be unique to the characters and the situations.
me: some of them are too perfect. doesn't anyone bump heads or accidentally scratch someone? or is that just me?
brattyvamp: Love on Wheels had a pretty fun sex scene to write for their first time, very awkward
me: I like awkward they are not porn stars with a script. they are kids and kids having sex is never ummm "pretty"
brattyvamp: I let it be pretty later. Cuz that's just me. But yeah... 17 year old kids aren't the pros they are often written to be
What is your Fandom pet peeve?
brattyvamp: I'm not sure that I have one. I'm a peace-loving sort of girl. I avoid drama like the plague if I had to say anything here... it would be that it bothers me when some people seem to be applauded for online nastiness.
like, the more cruel they are with their words, the more they are celebrated or cheered on. I try not to say anything at all, if I don't have something nice to say
Anything else you would like to add?
brattyvamp: yeah. When I started writing, I answered every single one of my reviews. And just because my life doesn't give me the time to answer all of them now, doesn't mean that I appreciate them any less. I DO try to answer a few every day. And I really, REALLY love and appreciate all of the support that people give me when I'm writing. I don't want to seem like an ungrateful asshole. Because that is far from the truth. It means a lot to me.
me: That is sweet! a big thank you to your readers!
brattyvamp: why not? They take the time to leave sweet words. I feel horrible when I can't do the same. so rood.
me: Not really we all have real lives
it happens I never expect a review reply when I leave a review
it is nice when I get one
but talking to me is leaving yourself open for a LONG conversation
brattyvamp: LOL I usually have a couple of hours in the evening to play on the computer. I just usually spend the time writing. when I can. I work all day, and I'm a mom too. so yeah.
me: and I can tell you as a reading fan I would rather get a chapter than a Review Reply
brattyvamp: ty
me: your welcome RL comes first
1 comment:
awesome interview! Really enjoyed Love on Wheels it was fun and afro man jewelry wearing Em was my fav!
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